ELORA – Centre Wellington council has appointed residents to the township’s committee of adjustment, Heritage Centre Wellington, economic development task force and advisory committee.
In total, 32 residents were appointed to the four committees on Feb. 27.
Five individuals were appointed to the committee of adjustment:
– Kathy Baranski;
– Bradley DuFour;
– Aaron McCrimmon-Jones;
– Janice Sheppard; and
– Christopher Unruh.
Eight residents were appointed to the heritage committee:
– Nancy Chambers;
– Nico Vandersluis;
– Donald Evoy;
– Jean Gerrard;
– Nanette O’ Sullivan;
– Philip Brown;
– Sherry Bonnell; and
– Erin Eldridge
A further five residents were appointed to the advisory committee:
– Dean Harrison, sports organization representative;
– Grayce Perry, arts community representative;
– Bryan Hayter, seniors community representative;
– Jennifer Adams, community at large representative; and
– Curt McQueen, community at large representative.
The largest number of appointees was the list of 13 people joining the economic development task force:
– Bob Cameron;
– Peter Mohr;
– Kate Murdoch;
– Ted Ecclestone;
– Tony Morris;
– Paul Walker;
– Don Vallery;
– James Gibbons;
– Colin Harding;
– Janet Harrop, Chamber of Commerce;
– Kim Jefferson, BIA representative;
– Kristel Manes, Guelph Wellington Business Centre; and
– Gerry Horst, Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
Centre Wellington township announced the call for new members to the committees in the Advertiser on Nov. 29; the deadline for submissions was Dec. 21.
Each of the appointees will serve for the four-year term of council.
Only members of the committee of adjustment receive any financial compensation other than reimbursement for travel expenses. Members appointed to the adjustment committee will receive $75 per meeting.
Councillors took over 30 minutes in to discuss and approve the appointments, raising three separate motions to change the wording in the terms of reference for the economic development task force.
As CAO Andy Goldie reminded council, “the individual applications are confidential,” and it is up to staff to go through the applications.
However, under section three of the terms of reference, it states members must represent a spectrum of different sectors and that in making the appointments council “shall have regard for the diversity of business interest and qualifications of citizen candidates for the task force,” read councillor Ian MacRae.
“How can I properly perform my executive function of approving the list of individuals … without knowing for example who is representing manufacturing, who is representing creative industries?” he asked.
That led to a motion to change the wording and clarify that staff is responsible for applicants’ qualifications.
Councillor Stephen Kitras took issue with the directive that members of the task force “advocate” for “the business community regarding policies.”
“And advocate means lobby,” Kitras said.
He raised a motion to remove the entire paragraph, which was ultimately defeated.
However, councillor Steven VanLeeuwen’s motion to replace the word “advocate” with “advise” in the terms of reference was passed.
The township is currently taking applications to join a new growth committee.
