by Sylene Argent
At the beginning of this term of Council, a striking committee was formed, comprised of some of the newly elected municipal decision-makers, to decide the composition of committees and boards for the Council of the Town of Essex.
Before the November election, the Town of Essex asked residents, interested in volunteering for their community, to submit a Letter of Interest, highlighting which committees they would like to join and their experience.
Though the majority of these positions are volunteer, some positions receive remuneration.
The Striking Committee was then tasked with having to decide which submissions were the best fit for each committee, and finally, before the holidays, Council approved the appointment recommendations.
The Town of Essex has several committees of Council in which resident support is needed to help complete committee work and projects, and further provide council with input in their area of expertise. Each Committee looks after a different component of the community. Committees and Boards of the Town of Essex include the Accessibility Advisory Committee, the Co-An Park Advisory Committee, the ACT (Arts, Culture, and Tourism) Committee, the Committee of Adjustment, Communities in Bloom, the E.L.K Energy Board, the Essex Centre BIA Board of Management, the Fun Fest Committee, the Heritage Committee, the Police Services Board, and the Property Standards Committee.
In most cases, these boards and committees are comprised of appointed residents and have either a Council or Town of Essex staff representative.
In some cases, Essex needs representation from its Council on regional committees. As such, Councillor Sherry Bondy was appointed to the Dog Pound Committee, Councillors Morley Bowman and Chris Vander Doelen were appointed to the ERCA Board, and Councillor Kim Verbeek and Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche were appointed to the Essex Windsor Solid Waste Authority Landfill Liaison Committee. And, Councillor Vander Doelen will represent Essex on the Union Water Supply System Board.
In addition, Councillor Bowman, Councillor Vander Doelen, and Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche were appointed to the Town’s Finance Committee. And, Councillors Joe Garon, Bondy, and Bowman were appointed to the Town’s Personnel Committee.
Essex Council also adopted the creation of a new Drainage Board, to be comprised of five lay members. In the past, the Report to Council notes, three rotating Council reps would be assigned to sit as members of the Court of Revision, to hear appeals to drainage assessments regarding approved works. Preference was given to applicants who had related-experience. Those appointed to the Board will received $100 per meeting. It is hoped the recommendations of those to sit on this Board will be brought forward at the February 4 Council meeting.
Council also voted to change the composition of the Committee of Adjustment, so that it will now have five lay members, instead of three lay members and two Council reps. The Appeal Committee, as per the Animal Control Bylaw, will now have three lay members. This Committee convenes when necessary to hear appeals filed during this term of council.
Council also approved the formal dissolution of the Colchester Harbour Steering Committee and the Essex Flooding Advisory Committee as they no longer have an active mandate, the Report to Council notes.
Council has also directed administration to revise and update the Town’s Local Board and Committee’s Procedures and Best Practices, which was adopted in 2015. This document, the Report to Council notes, provides for the structure and mandates guidelines.
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CURRENT BOARDS & COMMITTEES
Accessibility Advisory Committee: Claudette Gauthier, Earl Brownell, Geraldine Dozois,
Jim Slikboer-Boose, Julie Welch, Lisa Wallace, Richard Kokovai, Ron McDermott, Councillor Steve Bjorkman.
Arts, Culture and Tourism: Anthony (Tony) Paniccia, Diane Quinn-Ouellette, Gabriel Franklin Renaud, Glen Mills, Laurel Webber-Renaud, Patti Oshar, Tracy Armstrong, Councillor Steve Bjorkman.
Co-An Park Committee: James Meloche, Councillor Kim Verbeek, with Councillor Joe Garon (Alternate).
Communities in Bloom: Blaise Markovich, Diane Quinn-Ouellette, Councillor Steve Bjorkman.
Committee of Adjustment (COA): Dan Boudreau, Percy Dufour, Phil Pocock, Bryan Gray (Provisional)*, Ray Beneteau (Provisional)*, Council Representative(s), Richard Meloche (Provisional)*, Chris Vander Doelen (Provisional)*.
*subject to Council approval of recommendation in Clerks Report 2018-19 re: COA of 5 layperson members only.Appointee(s)
E.L.K. Energy Board: Peter Timmins (Ward 4 customer) Ron McDermott (Ward 1 customer), Mayor Larry Snively, Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche, Councillors Joe Garon, Morley Bowman, and Sherry Bondy
Essex Centre Business Improvement Area: Shelly Hodare - Chairperson, Terri Grondin-Sweet - Vice-Chair, Richard Banwell - Treasurer, Liz Semperger - Secretary, Pauline Gemmell, Mary-Ann Bjorkman, and Katie McGuire-Blais - Directors, Councillor Joe Garon.
Essex Fun Fest: Jenny Drouillard, Katie McGuire-Blais, Kelly McIntyre, Kyle Flood, Michael Janisse, Pam McDermott, Richard Tapping, Ron McDermott, Tanya Fryer, Councillor Joe Garon, with Councillor Kim Verbeek (Alternate).
Heritage Committee: Anthony (Tony) Paniccia, Claudette Gauthier, Laurel Webber-Renaud, Laurie Brett, Laurie Kowtiuk, Meagan Meloche, Patti Oshar, Phil Pocock, Richard Kokovai, Richard Tapping, and Councillor Steve Bjorkman.
Police Services Board: Katie McGuire-Blais, Mayor Larry Snively, and Councillor Kim Verbeek.
Property Standards: Dan Boudreau, Percy Dufour, Phil Pocock.
Essex Region Conservation Authority: Councillors Morley Bowman and Chris Vander Doelen.
Dog Pound: Councillor Sherry Bondy
Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority: Councillor Kim Verbeek, Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche.
Union Water Supply: Councillor Chris Vander Doelen.
Harrow Colchester South Chamber of Commerce: Councillor Sherry Bondy, with Councillor Chris Vander Doelen (Alternate).
Personnel Committee: Councillors Joe Garon, Morley Bowman, and Sherry Bondy.
Finance Committee: Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche, Councillors Morley Bowman and Chris Vander Doelen.