When the newest business directory is a decade old, it is natural to consider preparing another one.
Mapleton Township Chief Administrative Officer Patty Sinnamon told council on June 14 the last directory for the township was published in 2001 and it is time to consider another one.
She said at the time of the last printing, council hoped the Chamber of Commerce would re-print the directory from time to time. Instead, the chamber went out of existence.
“The guide is out of date,” Sinnamon wrote in her economic development report to council, adding, “some of the businesses no longer exist, [there are] new services, service club contacts and community information, etc.”
She was thinking of doing a request for proposals for the printing of a new guide, and also hiring a contract employee to coordinate the project for ad sales and information gathering.
“The design and printing will be outsourced,” she wrote. “I anticipate the ad sales will cover all design and printing costs.”
Mayor Bruce Whale, however, said printing might not be necessary.
He wondered if the township should “publish, or put it on the website and print it off” when someone wants information.
“I don’t like stacks of books sitting around,” he explained.
Councillor Neil Driscoll agreed with the mayor.
Sinnamon noted the last business directory had showed a profit of $5,400 and that money was turned over to the Chamber of Commerce.
Whale said all the details are not yet available, but the ideas are there.
Sinnamon said the township needs some sort of tool to give to visitors.
Social media
In other communication business, Sinnamon was exploring the “pros and cons” of a municipal Facebook page to communicate with people.
She said it is a “great tool” to let people know quickly what is going on in the municipality, and “Many municipalities are moving in this direction as a means to provide the public with information much quicker.”
But, she added, the township will need policies and to consider such things as privacy regulations before moving into that media.
Industrial land
Sinnamon said staff are currently obtaining prices to erect a sign advertising that the township’s 25 acres of industrial land is for sale. She said that land has been registered with the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade.
Sinnamon said with industrial lands in phase one now sold, she expects an application for site plan will be coming to develop those lands.
“It is my understanding that the Union Gas line will be installed within the next four weeks in the first phase and that one of the new property owners expects to move into their new facility by the end of July.”
She said she has had discussions with some of the property owners in the industrial subdivision about the feasibility of bringing fibre optic services into the subdivision.
Sinnamon said from a marketing standpoint, that would make those lands more attractive to business.
She promised a report on the fibre optics for the June 28 council meeting.
Web site upgrades
Sinnamon said the township’s website is in major need of an upgrade and she has sent out a request for proposal and will advertise that need in the two community Newspapers for a new site.
She said she anticipates being able to offer people on-line forms and applications that will reduce approval times for various applications and approvals.
The RFP is due back at the end of the month.
Sidewalks nearly ready
Sinnamon noted that the weather has prevented the work to finish sidewalks in downtown Drayton from being done to date.
But Director of Public Works Larry Lynch said the contractors doing the work were expected back this week and they should have everything finished within two to three weeks.
