Nicole Sullivan is looking forward to joining the South Dundas community

Two weeks after first deliberating the bids received on the renovation project that will bring library space back to Williamsburg, council decided to accept the $209,841 bid by Wells and Son Construction to go ahead with the project.  

The decision came at the June 3 council meeting, here in Morrisburg.

Council was first presented the recommendation to accept the Wells bid at the May 20, council meeting, but balked at accepting the tender that, although the lowest of those received, was more than council had expected to pay for the project.

They asked staff to meet with the lowest bidder to go over the costs associated with the project to determine if any savings could be found.

South Dundas manager of planning and enforcement Donald Lewis reported that the $20,000 in savings they had hoped to find didn’t materialize in meeting with the contractor.

The Wells bid was already $82,000 less than the next lowest bid.

Council agreed that the small amount of savings ($8,500) identified through meeting with the contractor did not warrant any changes to the project.

Because a portion of the project involves upgrading an existing recreation facility, the North Williamsburg Recreation Centre, staff proposed that the project be financed partially through the accessibility budget, the park fund and the sale of assets reserve fund. 

Financing the project in this manner means that the project will have no impact on the tax rate, a fact that pleased council.

“We’re replacing reserves with an asset,” said South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds.

The dozen library supporters who attended the June 3 council meeting to witness the decision regarding the fate of the project applauded council voting to approve the tender.

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“Council wasn’t elected to be experts,” so says Nigel Bellchamber, local government consultant who facilitated a planning and priorities session for South Dundas council and senior staff, February 11, at the McIntosh Country Inn, Morrisburg.

“I think the session was a good refresher of council/staff roles, as we can all get into poor habits,” said South Dundas Mayor Steven Byvelds following the meeting.

Bellchamber spoke about the decision-making process which starts with identifying an issue. 

“These issues can come from anywhere, once they are identified, they are thrown to staff for analysis and recommendations,” said Bellchamber, a municipal expert.

“Staff are paid to solve problems. It’s not up to council to solve them themselves,” he said.

Once staff makes a recommendation, council then decides whether or not to support the recommendation.

“Eighty-five percent of the time council agrees with staff,” said Bellchamber. After the decision is made, it is then up to staff to implement the measures.

“That’s the way it should work,” said Bellchamber. 

When council and staff are in sync, it allows council to spend the bulk of their time on, what Bellchamber calls, the most important issues, meaning those decisions which are more contentious or difficult.

While the morning was spent discussing council and staff roles, the focus of the afternoon session was working together to identify priorities.

“We did identify some priorities and they will come to light in the budget process and over the next two years,” said Byvelds.

While council members had the opportunity to identify and rank their priorities, Byvelds did not see one that stood out among the group.

The cost of the special session was approximately $2,000.

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There are only two ways to expand a Business Improvement Area; one is to build new infrastructure within the existing area, and the other is to welcome membership from a larger geographic area.

Because at this point, construction is not a feasible option, the Morrisburg Downtown Business Improvement Area is readily accepting Associate Members from outside their traditional boundaries.

Technically, always named the Morrisburg Downtown Business Improvement Area, the Morrisburg BIA is now formally using DBIA as an acronym, to reflect the changes.

Membership in the Morrisburg DBIA has traditionally been limited to those businesses within the geographic limits of the Morrisburg Shopping Plaza and East End Promenade. The DBIA is now allowing any business within the geographic limits of the former Village of Morrisburg to join.

Associate members will receive most of the benefits of being a DBIA member, with the exception of beautification. DBIA benefits generally involve the inclusion in the various promotional efforts of the group, as the DBIA mandate is to promote the area as a business, tourist and shopping area.

The Morrisburg DBIA budget is generated via a property tax levy paid by the property owners in the plaza. 

Associate members will not be subject to this levy, instead paying an annual membership fee, which the Morrisburg DBIA board has decided is similar to the average regular levy amount paid by ordinary members.  The fee reflects the level of DBIA services the business will receive, explained Grace McDonough, coordinator for the Morrisburg DBIA.

She is pleased to report that they have already signed on a few associate members, and the membership drive has only just begun.

As a group, associate members will elect one representative to the board as a voting member.

Because the DBIA is a committee of council, the term of this board of management ends with the term of council, this month. 

By January the DBIA will have a new municipal representative, which is appointed by council. 

Councillor Jim Graham held the position for the last two terms of council. 

McDonough says the DBIA plans to make some changes to its constitution and increase its board of management from five to seven members which includes the new associate member representative.

[…]