Meridian Planning Consultants of Vaughan will be working with Centre Wellington to develop a local community improvement plan for the municipality.
Council awarded the contract on Aug. 12 following a report indicating Meridian Planning achieved the highest score among qualified respondents.
In May, the township authorized staff to prepare and issue requests for proposal to develop a comprehensive community improvement plan.
Direct invitations were sent to 17 firms and 31 firms registered as bid takers on the township’s web procurement website – and eight submitted responses. The report prepared by Wes Snarr, managing director of corporate services, recommended Meridian’s proposal at a contract price of $56,763 which represents a net cost to the township of $57,762 inclusive of the 1.76% non-recoverable portion of the HST.
Even so, the cost is less than the $60,000 estimate.
In 2008, the township initiated a community improvement program with the focus of improving the downtown core areas of Fergus and Elora.
A draft report was prepared in 2010 and a public meeting held in June 2010.
That plan was never completed largely due to lack of dedicated funding and staff resources.
In addition, the township also wants to identify requirements for brownfield development. That project had also stalled. The growth strategy working group and senior management team recommended qualified professionals be brought in to complete the work on behalf of the township. The goal is to create a community improvement plan to enable grants, loans, and other incentives to landowners to facilitate certain forms of improvement within the community improvement plan area. While the senior management team anticipated the project would cost $60,000, funding would come from the Growth Strategy project which as of March still had a capital fund balance of $92,000.
Councillor Mary Lloyd questioned the move since the township had yet to hire its economic development officer.
“Yet here we are forging ahead with a lot of documentation.”
Lloyd agreed that documents such as the recent update to the community profile was needed.
“But now another layer is being added for the community improvement plan.”
However, Lloyd said this is something the new EDO should be involved in. “Why are we doing all of this before we bring that person in?”
CAO Andy Goldie stated the community improvement plan is more a planning document to proceed with incentives from a planning perspective.
“We recognized the need to move this forward.”
He agreed the plan would involve many of the township departments. “The good News is that we will be announcing the new EDO shortly.” That person should be in place by the end of August.
Councillor Kelly Linton asked who would hold the consultant responsible for the results.
Goldie said that at this point it would be managing director of planning and development Brett Salmon.
Linton asked what the role of council is in this process.
Goldie anticipated sitting down with Meridian representatives in the short term to arrange involvement of various stakeholders.
