Transcript - Dundas Court Project Referred - Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board Liaison Committee

Dundas Court Project Referred - Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board Liaison Committee - April 2, 2026

Sound check. 1 2 3. Sound check. 1 2 3. everyone and welcome to the HWDSB city board committee. My name is Jeff Bey. I'm the vice co-chair of this committee. with us in the boardroom. Trustee Paul Tut, Councelor Mark Tatterson, myself, and we are just waiting for Trustee Felix Miller to activate our camera. Chair Miller, and then we will have quorum and be able to Oh, can you make a big pot of money materialize now? Nope. Okay. I read a shot. Good morning, everyone. So, we have quorum presents. Uh, so I'd like to call this meeting to order at 11:00 a.m. Just a reminder to folks to please turn all electronic devices to a nonaudible function, which is to say, please make your phone silent. Uh, we do not have any ceremonial activities, so we're going to go right to the approval of the agenda. If I could have a mover and second or to approve the agenda as presented. Seeing councelor Tatison, Trustee Paul Tut. Thank you. Any questions, comments, amendments on the agenda? Okay, seeing none, all in favor, please a hand vote. And seeing that that's unanimous. Thank you, folks. We're going to move on. The declarations of interest. Are there any declarations of interest? And I see none. So, we're going to move now to number 5.1, which is the approval of the minutes from the previous meeting from December 11th, 2025. If I could have a mover and seconder to adopt the minutes of the December 11th meeting. Seeing again trustee Tut and Tatison. Uh, councelor Tatterson as seconder. Any discussion on the minutes? No. No discussion. Perfect. All in favor? A show of hands, please. Seeing that that is unanimous. Thank you, folks. We are We are clipping along. Love it. Uh there are no delegations. So moving right to items for information beginning with item 7.1 HSC26021 which is the Dundas Valley Secondary School Court revitalization feasibility. This is award 13 project. Uh so I'm wondering now if I could call upon uh director Steve Savor from recreation to provide a brief overview of the report before us. Take it away director. Thank you s chair Steve Savor director of recreation city Hamilton. Uh this report assesses the feasibility of redeveloping the closed tennis courts at Dundes Valley Secondary School into a multi-use outdoor sport court facility through a potential partnership uh with the city and the Hamilton Wetworth District School Board. The project is essentially uh has been reviewed by staff. Uh it's deemed to be feasible and is strongly aligned with the community recreation needs, particularly basketball. but it cannot proceed without new funding and a formal partnership agreement. The courts have been closed for many years, are in poor condition with no formal maintenance and ownership uh agreement currently in place. But at the same time, the city's recreation master plan identifies a significant shortage of full-size outdoor basketball courts in Dundas. This site presents a meaningful opportunity to address the gap while continuing to support tennis and potentially responding to growing pickle ball needs and demands. The proposed concept uh could be redeveloped uh within the existing footprint into a flexible multi-use court facility uh that would improve uh public access points and operate under a shared use uh potentially a shared use model uh school use during the school hours and community access during evenings and weekends. The estimated capital cost uh is approximately $600,000 excluding lighting uh and uh with an annual operating cost of approximately 11,000 per year. Given the city's current uh capital backlog pressures, a new funding source andor cost sharing agreement with the board would be required to move forward. So in summary, uh this project aligns with uh city city Hamilton council priorities around recreation access and healthy communities and addresses a clear service gap within uh this within the town of Dendas. However, advancing it will require funding clarity and a formalized partnership framework. Uh I'm available to to uh respond to any questions. And I also have my colleague Wes uh Kindred from environmental services to speak to any uh park related or environmental services questions. Okay. Thank you, director. Appreciate that. Uh so I guess what I'll start off looking around I see um we'll start with Chair Felix Miller um with the first line of questions and then I'll have uh Councelor Tatison up next. So we'll start with Chair Phelix Miller to begin. Uh thank you so much. Uh I really appreciate through you chair um the city staff being able to take it this way a really clear report. Um it's so nice to hear that it aligns with the city's priority. Absolutely respectful from our side uh that given the backlog of work um this is also at at its core a funding uh question. We at HWDSB are fully supportive of a multiuse um re-imagining of this area. I think we heard in the previous meeting from community um but we are currently not in a position uh to support via funding. However, I know that I I've checked in with our staff and we are definitely um able and willing to facilitate the whatever uh shared use agreement, whatever letter of understanding uh city staff need. Um I know in the previous meeting we had a delegation who had signaled to uh the possibility and the enthusiasm around a community uh fundraising effort uh for some of these dollars. So, I think I think there is a will here. Uh recognizing that the city right now is is quite um overserved, you know, and we're going into kind of an election year. Um but I think there is a will within the community to see if we can raise those dollars. um we from HWDSB uh are happy to kind of make anything uh move forward in terms of whatever steps need to be on our side um and to support those conversations uh from sort of now until you know every other step that needs to happen to make this viable. So I just I I'll open there and then uh happy to chime in as as more conversation happens. Thank you. Okay. Thank you so much Chair Miller. Uh for that we're going to turn it over to uh Councelor Tatison next please. Uh just a question about the I saw a message from resident in Dundas asking about pickle ball and I'm just wondering if the estimated costs account for pickle ball being incorporated in the multi-use courts. Okay, I'll turn that over to director Sabor uh through the chair. Perhaps I can pass that over to uh colleague Wes Kindred to uh speak to that piece. Manager Kindred, welcome sir. Good to see you. Good to see you. Good morning. Wes Kry, manager, landscape architectural services. So, right now we are looking at a multi-use platform. So, basketball, tennis, and pickle ball. We could do online uh painting. Now, we do have some parameters around pickle ball and residential units. So, as we look at it in a little bit closer detail, we'd want to make sure we have those appropriate setbacks to make sure that we're not causing any noise disturbance through pickleball play. Um, but we would be potentially looking at that multi-line uh usage. So, it's a combination of the basketball, pickle ball, and tennis combined at this combined in this facility. Okay. Okay. Okay. Thanks for that. So, and and different areas have tried to put pickle ball in, but it's been too close. So just from your scope of the area, like are you telling me that if that's if there's residents housing that's too close to it, it's basically no go for pickle ball manager. So through the chair, uh we've looked at it from like a desktop analysis right now and we think we have the room to the the east. I think we're clear in terms of residential units. We have the school to the the south and the west and I think we have the residential units that are across the road at Governor's Road. So, I think we're good in that setback, but typically we want to see 150 meters set back from residential properties for pickle ball play. Okay, fair enough. Thank you very much. I do have a question for school board as well. Um, do they teach pickle ball in Fizzette currently? Is that like part of the curriculum? I'll turn that over to Associate Director Gerard. Thank you, you chair. I don't believe that is currently part of the curriculum. It may be part of after uh after school, but not part of the curriculum right now. Okay. And then just one more question. From my understanding, if we do some arrangement here, does the school board get exclusive rights between school hours for the use of the multi-use courts? Associate Director uh through through you chair. Uh I think there is some intentionality to to provide some preference to to support I think the basketball court or the tennis court may come in handy. I think it also may help to inspire some additional curriculum additions. Um but I believe although there may be some intentionality, I think that needs to be worked out in the discussions that uh that follow uh once all the other pieces come into play. Okay. Yeah, I just I just wanted to throw out some hesitations thinking that if I have a bunch of seniors playing pickle ball and the fizzed class shows up, there's going to be a little bit of um push back from both sides. So, just so that you guys are aware of that and and I guess that will be handled in discussions. Okay. I think that the associate director had a quick follow-up other than thumbs up. Yeah, we agree. Okay, we can we I think the gist of it, councelor, is that that would be worked out as part of the shared use agreement between the board and the city and those parameters would be discussed and finalized and uh to prepare us for uh what what may be happening in reality. Okay. Um Trusty Tut, you're next. Thanks, Trusty. I hope can you hear me? Yeah. Okay. Excellent. First off, I just want to say thank you to staff for putting together this uh report. um very helpful. Uh one of the things that I I noted when I was going through this um I know the final cost figure doesn't um include um expense around lighting and I was just curious uh with regards to that um how much lighting essentially in that area would be required. I'm I'm happy to see that that is a consideration. And I think lighting is necessary, but just to get a rough idea of um potentially what that would look like um from a structural standpoint and then kind of like just a guesstimate like in terms around a cost with regards to that. Um so thank you. Okay. Thank you for that, Trustee Tut. I think we're going to go back to manager West Kry to see about the lighting conversation, what what might be possible there. Manager Kendry, uh through the chair. So, that's something we'd have to explore as we get into like finer details about the lighting requirements for the two courts. Um, typically we're looking at about $400,000 light facility. We'd have to make sure that the facility has power. So, we'd have to bring power to the site, be able to put in a meter base, and then look at the poles and structures that would be included. Um, I'm not currently I can't speak with confidence if the current courts have lighting now. Um, if they do, I'm assuming they've been decommissioned. We'd have to look at uh making sure we bring in the proper infrastructure to light the new hybrid courts, let's say. So, it' be the multi-use basketball court, which we typically don't light, but it' be the tennis courts where we'd look at that lighting. Okay. Uh Trusty Tut followup. Thanks. I and I and I appreciate that that answer. Ju just another question. Um, I'm happy to hear that some discussion will happen around the shared use agreement. And I know that I also saw in the note that the the legal departments will need to have a conversation which uh I have a keen appreciation for that because I would hate to have seniors using uh uh the pickle ball and somebody getting hurt during the day on on potentially what could be perceived as school property and there's whole host of liability issues there. So, I'm glad that there's a recognition for that in the note and that will be included in the conversation. I can also add as someone who represents Ward 13, uh there is a lot of interest for this project and uh kudos to this committee for recognizing uh this need and uh having this facility there. Um, I honestly think that um, uh, once the community, if this this goes forward and the community finds out, I think there's a lot of people that would be interested in also providing whatever financial support they can and come forward. Um, I know the school board doesn't have a mechanism to to facilitate something like that, but I understand the city does and this is something that, um, despite the the cost around it, I think it's a project that the community will fully get behind and financially if necessary. Okay. So, thank you uh, Trusty Be for that. Thank you, Trusty Tut. Uh we're we're also joined now by uh Trustee Todd White. Thank you for joining us today, sir. Sorry, did I call you trustee? I meant council. My my apologies. Old hat. I I still wear it occasionally. I've been called a lot worse, Paul. Um I'm just wondering, you're bringing yourself up to speed there, Todd, if you had any questions on We're just looking at the report on the uh DVSS uh court revitalization feasibility. So, we've just heard essentially it's feasible and I think now we're getting into a what what comes next uh scenario if uh this were to proceed. It sounds like we don't have the funding allotted. Um but um I I suppose anything's possible in in a future scenario. Um did you have any questions on the report specifically? Okay. Not specifically, but same observation. It's you have to do your mic there. I had the same observations as you, which is next steps. Okay. Um, yeah. So, I mean, if there's something that some direction from this committee, that would be probably the time to do it. Otherwise, you're not going to see much movement between now and the next version of it. Correct. So, uh, if I might, uh, because you're in the room, uh, I might just turn the mic over to you as the co- vice chair on the on the board side. if you could take the chair for a moment and I can ask a question um of the director in terms of next steps. Director Seavoir, if um we wanted to try to move forward with this project, it sounds like we've we've got confirmation that the feasibility is there. We have willingness on both sides. we have an identified funding shortfall in terms of trying to move forward a project with a with no money. Uh what what would be your recommendation to this body in terms of uh some scenarios that might see this um brought forward in some fashion? Uh, and I don't know if it goes through the public works uh, venue, if it goes through the ECS venue in terms of the logical map from the city side because I I think that what we're hearing is the school board is a willing partner, but it really is going to be incumbent upon the city to to come up with the plan, the finance and and and manage the project. So, any insight that you could offer and how we might move this forward through you, chair? Thank you uh through the chair. Uh excellent question counselor. Um in in sense of u moving forward as we've noted today the biggest um stumbling block is the funding piece. Uh I would also have to note from a city perspective the capacity to actually do the work um would have to be considered as well. So in terms of moving forward, I I think uh the best uh opportunity is for um staff to be directed to um to consider this as part of the next budget cycle in terms of a capital budget and and operating um development for the city side specifically if it is just going through the city perspective. So, uh, that would be our recommendation in terms of, uh, incorporating it within the process, uh, that we do have, uh, in inside the city. Okay. So, I'd be happy to move that, um, at the appropriate time. I'm hoping that that Jessica might have copied down some of what you said there, director. Uh just in terms of direction though, would this be something that we would be sending through ECS or through uh public works as a line item to potentially incorporate into the next uh capital budget cycle through you chair? Uh through the chair I believe and uh my colleague can correct me if I'm wrong, but as it is a park asset, it would go through public works committee. Okay. So then if I'm following the timeline correctly, uh this subcommittee would make a recommendation through this report uh that this item be referred to, uh consideration at public works to add to u the future capital projects list uh for the 2027 budget cycle. Is that how I would Well, let's at least get it. What I don't want to have happen uh just in terms of uh flow through is that we receive the report and it just stops here. So I I would like to try to continue with some inertia. Um we can have conversations at public works about potential other funding sources that may come forward, but at least getting it to the next step uh from the city's perspective, I think is the the best uh best way to move forward. Would you agree? through the chair. I I would concur. That would be the best way. Wonderful. Um Okay. So then Jessica, what do we have? Sorry. Through the chair. Can I confirm if we would like to refer the entire report to public works right now or I think that bringing the report to public works would allow for all the information that's already been done. We wouldn't have to go back to the well and ask for additional information. It's all here. It gives the full scope and picture. So, um, that might be the easiest, uh, way to do it with wording that this report be referred to the public works committee, um, for consideration in the 2027 capital budget cycle. If that if that's concise enough, well, instead of Yeah, I I think I'm going to stick with that wording and we can we can maneuver it. We both sit on public works, so we can maneuver it from there. I will uh first move that motion. I'm just going to troll for a seconder. Seeing trusty Tut. Thank you. And I believe we would Is the motion on the floor? The motion would be on the floor in a in a moment. And I'll turn it to uh Trusty White to continue to chair. And I'm still chairing. You're still cheering. Ju just checking. Um, does it come with a pay increase at all? No. I might buy you lunch later. Okay, great. Warm coffee almost hot. Uh, councelor Tison. So, I'm just trying to get an understanding. Are we looking at the city funding it wholly as a city uh park as opposed to any contribution from the school board? uh director uh through the chair. I believe it would just be that asset in terms of uh looking at mov moving forward in in terms of development in that sense. Okay. Thank you for that. Good. You're welcome. Um further speakers, we have Chair Miller online. Chair Miller. Uh thank you through you, Chair. Just wanted to highlight I know that uh councelor BeD just shared uh that the community fundraising component can be taken back up at public works but just wanted clarity for that just because it is a bit different than our typical process. Yeah. Through the chair. Uh I think that by moving the report as it stands forward and having the benefit of both counselors sitting on that uh committee that when that comes forward we can speak to the item and give a full picture to committee members in terms of uh both the the challenges of the project and the opportunities and include in that a uh a willingness uh from the community to participate in funding would also uh give community members from Dundas the opportunity to um send correspondence or delegate uh to that committee to have a visible showing of support for uh this potential project through your chair. Thank you, Maria. Uh thank you so much. No, I appreciate that clarity and really love the the uh statement there around community engagement as well. I think it's really important for Dundas residents to be able to um show up and and continue the conversation. And then from our side, I think just I think it's pretty clear in the report that we are uh happy happy partners in this and happy to to move this forward. But if there's anything that you need head of public works uh from our staff to signal uh that support for those conversations, signal support for you know a letter of understanding and uh terms uh we're happy to provide that but uh I'll leave that there with your staff in terms of what they need ahead of the conversation public works. Thank you. Thank you. Uh further comments, questions to the motion? Trusty T. Thank you, chair. And just for clarity, um um and hearing out my uh my counselor colleagues there and I I appreciate the benefit of having both you at public works. Would then would we get some of that information back here? Uh what would be kind of like the reporting mechanism in terms of um it going to public works? I would hate for it to just kind of disappear on the public works docket. Jeff, thank you chair and through you. Um I think that we can ensure that the outcome of that meeting is referred back to the subcommittee for uh for all to be aware of. We we would ensure that that happens through the legislative coordinators. Thank you. Um further questions to the motion? Jeff, uh, I had I think I had a request from Councelor Tison to uh, have some wording in there about uh, the outcome being reported back to this subcommittee. Oh, you can take out the C. That's a different that's a different subcommittee. Yep. If that satisfies councelor Tassson satisfies all you like me to add a date to sorry through the chair. Would you like me to add a date for the leazison committee report back at the next available because we don't exactly know the timeline precisely but I think that would be that would satisfy all as the mover. I'd be happy to I'd be happy with that and the secondary is good with that too. Okay. Following the next Okay. Thank you for all of that. I one one quick question just in terms of city process. Um obviously and we've we've experienced this in recent years where we get to the point where we need the shared use agreement. Does the city and I think the answer is yes, but does the city typically secure funding before they then seek to create a shared use agreement? because technically there would be no cost to the shared use agreement aside from liability and all those things. But I'm just wondering because we could get to the point where that shared use agreement, we've experienced this um where that now becomes the delay. Um so I'm just curious just in terms of chicken and egg um between securing funding and starting the work on a shared use agreement uh through the chair. Um my understanding is in order for us to proceed with a project, we would need to have funding secured and so uh the shared use agreement would uh speak to that funding and that general project in general um and all the parameters the legal legalities uh timing um all those aspects would be incorporated within that shared use agreement and that and that makes sense to me. So, as long as it's clear that, and I think it is very clear that the board's a willing partner, um, and on our end, there's really nothing holding that up. So, whether as fast or as slow as it moves, we're happy to move with that timeline. Okay. Any further questions or comments? We had the motion on the screen. It's been revised in a friendly manner, but that is on the floor, moved and seconded. Any further or final comments? Seeing none. So, a vote to the motion on the floor. We That is unanimous with Maria online as well. That is great. Thank you very much. We'll turn the chair back to councelor Bey and thank you uh Trusty White for that. Um just going back to my agenda here. So, we have then made a motion to refer, but I think we still have to receive the initial uh report. So, if there's no further discussion, I'll quickly check to see if there's any further discussion on the report. And seeing no hands in the air, uh if I could get a mover and seconder, I see council see I almost promoted you there. Uh councelor Tut. It's not a promotion. Yeah, depends on what side of the fence you're on. uh Trustee Tut and Councelor Tatison. Uh mover and seconder to receive the report. All in favor, show of hands, please. And that carries unanimously. Thank you, folks. Okay. Uh we are moving on now to item 7.1A, which is correspondence from Christine Ror respecting the Dundas Valley Secondary School Court revitalization feasibility. If I could have a mover and seconder to receive the correspondence. Seeing Trustee Tut seconded by U Trustee Felix Miller. Um any discussion on the correspondence? Okay, it's all pretty clear there. By a show of hands, if I could see all in favor receiving the correspondence and that is unanimous. Thank you folks. We're moving on now to item 7.2 which is the joint property asset committee minutes. There are two sets of minutes. one from June 3rd, 2025 and a second set from November 4th, 2025. Is there any discussion on the minutes as they have been presented to us? And I'm seeing none. If I can get a mover in a second to receive the minutes, please. Seeing Trustee White and Trustee Tut. Thank you. All in favor by a show of hands, please. And that is unanimously carried. Moving on now to item eight, which is items for consideration. Uh we have the uh 8.1 which is the joint property asset committee terms of reference. If I could have a mover and seconder to put the terms of reference on the floor and seeing trustee Tut and Trustee Felix Miller uh discussion on the terms of reference of the joint property asset committee terms of reference. I'm sure that we had a reason for putting this on the agenda, but it maybe it's maybe it's passed now. So, if we're happy with the uh the terms of reference as they stand and there are no additional changes that we wish to make. Oh, I'm seeing that Trusty Whites has a comment. Yeah, just what is the revision? It has a revised date of of March 2026. Is that just us reaffirming the terms or was something updated? I'm going to take a minute and we're just going to best understand what we're looking at here. Just give me one sec. Okay. So, what we're looking at is that the committee, the joint property asset committee, uh, revised its terms of reference in March of 2026, and that is what we are seeing before you. And I'll look to see if, uh, director Seor has a highlight on any of the changes that were made uh, through the chair. This just represents housekeeping in terms of, uh, the members. Uh we've had uh some changes within staffing and changes within title. So it's just a housekeeping uh measure. Okay. Thank you, director. And apologies to committee that I didn't have that queued up properly. Uh but we understand what we're dealing with now. Uh so some housekeeping items in terms of making sure that we have the the right people listed on the committee and um we'll see that this is revised uh routinely uh back to January 2025 and again um many years ago in 2013, but happy to see that this has uh become a more frequently updated document. And so if there are no further questions or comments on the terms of reference, we'll be looking for a hand vote for the adoption and seeing that all are in favor. Okay, we're going now to items 8.2, uh, which is a change to our OBL, that's the outstanding business list. So, the Hamilton School Board storm water fee implementation information session that was added in September 2025. We have a new proposed date of June 11th, 2026. We also have Bright Side Park, which is the uh the long sought and long planned for uh cooperation between the school board and the city for a new football field that would service the needs of Bernie Kusta Secondary School. And that is also proposed now to be moved to June 11th. So if I could have a mover and seconder to put those amended new dates on the floor. Seeing trustee Tut and Trustee Miller. Any conversation, discussion on that amendment. Seeing Trusty White, please. Yeah, I I think it begs the question of of why the items are being moved. Um I could guess but I'll just simply ask the question. Absolutely. So I will look to staff who is able to speak to it. I think is director Seavore please. Uh through the chair uh in terms of the storm water fee um implementation. Um the through through city uh discussions and committee meetings uh the implementation of the storm water fee has been delayed until uh next year. uh we will be having some additional information from legal and uh some additional work that legal has to do to bring forward uh some information back to this committee. So uh they needed a little bit more time for that. Uh in terms of uh the Bright Side Park uh item um again there hasn't been very much movement and uh staff are just requiring a little bit more time to uh provide some substantial information uh for this committee to to uh ponder and and to discuss. Okay, thank you for that. Uh, any other questions, comments on the changes to the OBL? I see, uh, Trusty Miller, please. Uh, thank you for you, Chair. I just wanted to I don't really have a question. I appreciate Trusty White asking. Um uh the question I was sort of pondering uh but just wanted to say to city staff I you know we understand and I think I think for the sake of the conversations that we're hoping to have at this committee you know a more wholesome report is always welcome uh as opposed to you know a topical update. I will say just as the ward trustee for uh the area that would be served by Brightside Park, um I am I am disappointed uh that there isn't uh a more substantial update at this point. Um I know that year by year we've been expecting to see you know updates from the Ministry of the Environment around the med remediation at that site and then we have been really really hopeful uh to have a sort of shovels in the ground date and that has been moved consistently um almost every time I I check the the site website for for that uh project. So just really hopeful. But do we have any sense and you know respecting staff may not have a response but do we have any sense has there been movement for the requirements around the environmental considerations or is that part of the the holdup? Okay. So I'll look to the director to see if there might be a little synopsis that you may be able to offer in advance of the report coming forward in June through the chair. Unfortunately I do not have the information for that. my colleagues in environmental services would, but we can follow up uh following this meeting uh and provide a little bit more rationale as to um timelines and expectations of information forthcoming. Okay. Thank Thank you. I appreciate that. Go back to Trusty Miller. Any follow-up? Uh no followup. Just an immense uh thank you for for that work. If we could receive that after offline, um you know, even just a quick check-in would be really appreciated. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. And I'm sure that the ward counselor uh would also appreciate uh being included on that correspondence as well. I know that this is very front of mind for her uh front of mind for all of us. I can recall sitting around the board table uh in 2014 having these same conversations. So um here we are. Um but good things come to those who wait. So uh with that uh we've I think I've lost track of the plot here. Did we approve the OL changes? We have not yet. My apologies, folks. Need that third cup of coffee today. Uh, all in favor of the changes to the OP, the Obl, please. Seeing unanimous consent for that. Thank you so much. I'm looking now to see if there are any notices of motion number nine. I see no notices of motion, we're moving to uh number 11. And I know that uh Councelor Tatison has some other business that he wishes to discuss. So, I'll turn it over to Councelor Tatson, please. I just wanted to share with the committee subcommittee that yesterday at um our council city of Hamilton there was a notice of motion brought forward by councelor Wang uh in support of the role of trustees in maintaining an accountable and transparent education system. So what I will do is I will forward that motion to you for your review and should you wish to delegate at a future um I guess council when it comes forward then you'd be willing you'd be able to do that. Thank you for that and I did uh catch councelor Hang after she made her notice of motion and offered to second that as a former trustee. So uh that will be coming forward. uh the appropriate delegate delegation to of course would be to our GIC committee uh which would be uh about two weeks yesterday. April 15th is our next GIC. Um so if there was a a want or a thought of a community delegation or or delegates from uh the schoolboard itself, that would be the appropriate vehicle. Uh any other new business to discuss? Seeing Trusty White, please go ahead. Yeah, just just to respond to that to that news and I did see a quick text a few days ago uh regarding that and that kind of caught my attention and I think from and and the chair of the board can can probably also expand on this but I think it's uh it's wellreceived by trustees to know that a another locally elected body as important as the as city council would support the existence of a school board uh locally elected officials. And I think, you know, we could probably write a book on it, but when you dig deep, I think the city hall has also experienced an erosion of of local democracy as a result of provincial decisions. Um we tend to notice that the province doesn't mind passing us down funding uh responsibilities. Um but when it comes to autonomy and other decision-m, they like that aspect as long as they don't have to pay for it. Um but but seeing as we are um seeing similar trends in our organizations kind of sticking up for each other I think is valued and and more to that there's proof over the years of how successful each organization has been as a result of its elected bodies elected bodies as well as those elected bodies working together on on committees like this. Um and there's long lists of joint projects and initiatives that we've done as a result of locally elected um counselors and trustees. So um that simple recognition I think is is is certainly something that the trustees would all echo that we thank you very much. Thank you for that. And I I would add as the chair's prerogative uh that um I don't know how we would have moved something like the DVSS potential revitalization forward in absence of having uh the ability to meet with our peers um our duly elected peers from um the HWDSB and uh throwing that into a giant bureaucratic body with with no name or face could I I'm just not sure how that works But um we'll see where that goes. Uh seeing Trusty Miller, please. Uh thank you to you, Chair. And I agree. Um I think the conversation we were just having is a perfect example of uh why local democracy and local representatives are so important. Uh that community voice, bringing community voice back to these tables. Um so your point is is very well welcomed and uh to trustes whites whites whites point as well. Um yeah, I think I think we have seen at both of our levels uh an an overreach from the province uh a um slow erosion and erosion is really uh the the correct word because it's been it's been siphoned off very little by little. Um so we are very thankful uh to councelor Wang for bringing that forward. Thank you very much uh to councelor Tison for bringing that to our table uh today as new business and uh just happy to have the conversation. Um and please I I would be looking to you know we as HWDSB would be looking to uh delegate uh on that when the opportunity uh is actually there. So we'll follow up as well with with that if you can share sorry if staff can you know let us know we'll we'll take that offline but thank you to to everyone for the consideration uh there it's very much appreciated. Okay, thank you so much for that, Trusty Miller. And uh perhaps uh during the uh motion coming forward, uh we may also have an opportunity to ensure that um that the motion is sent back to this body uh so that all members here have the uh same knowledge base on it and um we'll go from there. Any other new business? Okay, seeing none, then uh with there being no new business at this time, the meeting is adjourned at 11:42. Thank you very much, folks. We'll see you on June 11th. Thank you.

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