General Committee
September 28, 2015
Meeting
Number 24
Finance & Administrative Issues Community Services Issues
Chair: Deputy Mayor Jack
Heath Chair: Councillor Alan Ho
Vice Chair: Councillor Colin Campbell Vice
Chair: Councillor Alex Chiu
Environment
& Sustainability Issues Building,
Parks, & Construction Issues
Chair: Councillor
Valerie Burke Chair: Councillor Colin
Campbell
Vice Chair: Councillor Karen Rea Vice Chair: Regional Councillor Nirmala
Armstrong
Alternate formats are available
upon request.
Attendance
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Brenda
Librecz, Commissioner of Community & Fire Services
Joel
Lustig, Treasurer
Morgan Jones, Manager, Roads Operations
Alida
Tari, Council/Committee Coordinator
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|
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The General Committee meeting convened at the hour of 3:05 PM with Deputy
Mayor Jack Heath in the Chair.
Disclosure of
Interest
None disclosed.
1. WINTER
MAINTENANCE WORKSHOP (5.10)
Presentation
Brenda
Librecz, Commissioner of Community & Fire Services addressed the Committee
and provided some opening remarks relative to the winter maintenance. She advised
that binders with information regarding winter maintenance were delivered to
each Member of Council.
Morgan
Jones, Manager, Roads Operations delivered a PowerPoint presentation regarding winter
maintenance.
The
Committee discussed the following relative to winter maintenance:
·
Difference
between arterial, primary, secondary and local roads
·
Legislated
minimum standards that must be met for clearing of snow on roads and sidewalks
·
When
is salt/sand applied to sidewalks?
·
Windrow
removal program - is it necessary to have constituents apply each year?
·
Application
process for the windrow removal program – can it be simplified?
·
Should
the City consider replacing the windrow removal program with a rebate program
for those who qualify?
·
Managing
contractors with mobile app – Automated Vehicle Locator (AVL)
·
Consider
integrating the "roads e-map" and the interactive mobile app to
outline which streets are arterial, primary, secondary, local, etc.
·
Budget
increase as a result of the December 2013 Ice Storm
·
Snow
events versus actual budget amounts (over budget amounts are due to frequency
& storms volume)
·
Damage
caused on right-of-ways from snow plows - who pays for the repair?
·
Importance
of public education on the use of salt and at what temperature it is effective
·
Include
damage to Don Watershed in future presentations
·
Streets
that do not have sidewalks - should those streets be cleared sooner to ensure
no safety hazard for pedestrians
·
Consider
having more in-house versus contracting winter services
·
Snow
storage at intersections, hills, school zones - ensure it is cleared to avoid
potential safety problems
·
When
conducting your survey in Q4 ensure it is a more fulsome survey
·
Canada
Post Super mail boxes - not the responsibility of the City to clear the pathway
to the mail boxes
Mr. David
McBeth, Markham resident addressed the Committee regarding winter maintenance
and requested that the clear the pathway in Sablewood Park during the winter
months. He is also suggested that all pathways
be plowed.
Staff
advised that when the winter maintenance tool is up and ready staff will
provide a demonstration.
Moved by
Councillor Don Hamilton
Seconded by
Councillor Valerie Burke
1) That
the presentation by Mr. Morgan Jones, Manager, Roads Operations entitled
“Winter Maintenance Workshop”, be received; and,
2) That staff be directed to report back
on placing the City's windrow removal program with a rebate program; and further,
3) That staff be directed to report back
on potential service level changes relative to snow clearing on local roads, and pathways in parks and other locations.
Carried
Communications
Email
Moved by Regional
Councillor Jim Jones
Seconded by Regional
Councillor Nirmala Armstrong
1) That
the email received from Mr. Ed Legere and Mr. David McBeth providing comments
for Pathway Snow Clearing for Sablewood Park be received; and,
2) That
the deputation from Mr. David McBeth be received.
Carried
Adjournment
Moved by Mayor Frank Scarpitti
Seconded by Councillor Amanda Collucci
That the General Committee adjourn at 5:52 PM.
Carried