(Photo: Quinte News / File)
Council considering indemnification clause for future planning applications
Brighton’s CAO says it’s getting less likely that the town sees any money back from two costly Ontario Municipal Board hearings, but he has an idea for some future protection.
The taxpayer money was spent on lawyers to fight the appeals, which the town won, but there’s no way to recoup those losses, unless an “indemnification clause” is put in place.
CAO Bill Watson says the clause would put the costs of defending an OMB hearing on whoever is making the application.
He adds, that while it can be effective, it’s not something the town would implement on every application.
Watson will write a report on a plan to possibly implement the clause in future proposals, which will then have to be ratified by council.
He says he’ll be speaking with other municipalities to see if and when they use the clause, to figure out when the best cases to implement it will be.
QEDC looking for $40,000 commitment in 2017
Brighton Council has been asked to commit $40,000 to the Quinte Economic Development Commission this year.
Executive Director Chris King and Chair Ross Ray spoke to councillors last night, highlighting how the group has helped spur business in Brighton asking for the commitment of $3.95 per capita.
Speaking to Quinte News after the meeting, Mayor Mark Walas feels it’s money well spent.
King told councillors he’s had a “steady stream of interest” from businesses to set up in the town and that one of those meetings could come later this week.
He says overall, it’s been a strong year for economic development in Brighton, with some local companies securing upper-level government funding and a good number of Brighton residents finding work in either Quinte West or Belleville.
Council backs idea for new digital sign
Brighton Council is firmly behind the idea to put an electronic sign out front of the King Edward Park Community Centre.
At a meeting in November, representatives from the Kin and Lions Clubs asked council to support their application to the Ontario Trillium Fund to fund half of the $12,000 cost for the new LED sign.
Council unanimously backed the proposal and now it’s up to the service clubs to submit the application and go through the process.
If approved and eventually installed, it would be up to the municipality to run the message board and decide what goes on it.
Want to have coffee with the mayor?
If you’ve got ideas for the town of Brighton, you can pass them on directly to the mayor, during some upcoming special events.
Mark Walas has planned a series of “coffee with the mayor” events, to run on the second Monday of every month, at 9:00 a.m., at the King Edward Park Community Centre.
He says it’s just another opportunity for people to have their say on what’s happening in town.
The first of those sessions will run on Monday, February 13th.
In other Brighton, coffee-related news, the new Tim Hortons opened in town back on December 27th and a grand opening is coming up on Wednesday morning at 10:00 a.m.
