Okay. Good evening everyone. I'd like to call the meeting of the public works committee to order. >> Grimby is situ situated on treaty land. This land is steeped in the rich history of the first nations such as the Hodtoander, the Hodnosoni and the Anesnab, including the Missagas of the Credit First Nation. There are many First Nations, Matei and Inuit people from across Turtle Island that live and work in Niagara today. The regional municipality of Niagara and Grimby stand with all indigenous people past and present in promoting the wide stewardship of the lands on which we live. Our first agenda item is disclosures of interest. Do we have any pecunary or non pecuniary interests that would like to be disclosed? Seeing none, we have approval of the agenda. Can I get a mover and seconder to move the agenda? Got councelor How and Councelor Dvoli. Resolved that the agenda of the May 7th, 26, 2026 public works committee meeting be approved. All in favor? That's carried. Next I have receipt of previous minutes. Can I get a mover in secondary? I got member Spank and Councelor Christi. Moved by member Spank seconded by councelor Cstani. Resolved that the minutes of the March 25th, 2025 2026 public works committee meeting be received. Having some problems with dates this evening. Um, all in favor >> I almost said 2016 for the last one. So, >> uh, there are no delegations or presentations. There's no consent reports. So, we're moving on to item eight, which is discussion reports. Can I get a mover and a seconder to get report DPW 2613 assumption municipal services 314 Main Street subdivision on the floor for discussion? Member Murphy, seconded by member Ray. >> Brandon, please go ahead. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm actually going to defer to Spencer on this one. >> Thank you. Uh, thank you, Brandon. Through you, Mr. Chair. Uh this report is to recommend that uh the mayor and town clerk be authorized to execute the necessary assumption bylaws uh and for the director of public works to issue the final certificate of completion of services. Uh some background on this. This is for subdivision development 314 Brandt Haven or 314 Main Street which is the Brand Haven subdivision. Uh traditional subdivision. We don't get a lot of these in town anymore. So nice to see see this one go through and get finished. Uh it's fully detached subdivision of 56 units uh or 56 homes. I guess I'll get back to the mic. Uh primary services were completed in 2022. From there they completed the secondary services top ash vault uh the landscaping and getting the rest of the homes built. Uh goes into a maintenance period. During the maintenance period, a couple deficiencies came up. They've been addressed. So, maintenance period served. All deficiencies are addressed. So, we're at a point where now we'd assume the subdivision and take on the responsibility of the primary and secondary services. So, sanitary, water, man, storm, sewer, the road, street lights, uh all the infrastructure. Uh so, yeah, really at this point as per the subdivision agreement, we're required to have the bylaw to actually take over the assumption of it. And the last final thing we do is release the letter of credit that is owing to the developer. If there's any questions, happy to answer any. >> Thank you, Spencer. Uh maybe I think this is our first for this entire term of the public works because we haven't had a lot of development. Um if you want to just give a brief explanation of how it works which you kind of did uh that the developer builds uh you know uh and then the town assume the developers responsible for the construction of everything and then the town assumes it just so people understand the process a little bit better in case they're not familiar with it if you don't mind giving like a really brief explanation. >> Yeah, no problem through you, Mr. Chair. I was just trying to be quick because I heard there was a time restraint. Uh but uh >> it's a teacher in me that I I still want people to learn. So >> So yeah, subdivision application is private developer is carving up some property, creating different blocks or lots in this case, uh including the road. The road and everything while it's being developed, there's a subdivision agreement in place that lays out the responsibilities, drawings that have to be approved to lay out what's required to be installed. that developer then builds all of that infrastructure. There's different kind of milestones. So, primary servicing being a big milestone where all the underground servicing, base, ashvault, and curbs get put in. Once they achieve that, then they're able to apply for building permits. So, that's the big milestone because then it gets them building permits where it starts to generate that revenue for them. Uh, then they have to build out that subdivision. So, they got to build out roughly 80% of the lots. In this case, they're all built out until they can actually apply to put it on maintenance uh and finish those secondary services. Top ashvalta, as I mentioned, is the the large one there and the landscaping grading of the final lots. This entire time it's under the developers responsibilities to do all that maintenance. Uh we do the snow plowing. Everything else is under their their responsibility maintenance. We'll go out do inspections, deficiencies get addressed. If we get a call on a broken sidewalk or a pothole, we go back to the developer. They have to address it. Uh once they get to the maintenance period, once it's built out, that's when it's where did it's 3 years, but it's from the primary completion. So, uh that maintenance period starts again. Now, we get to see it go through winter. No more construction is happening. Any further deficiencies show up, they have to address them. Uh and then we're at this point where they would we'd actually assume those services and take on the full responsibility of that infrastructure. >> Perfect. Thank you for the explanation. I just wanted to you know it's we this is it's it's standard procedure but not everybody is familiar with it. So it's always good to to remind people of of how this stuff works. Uh I have questions from members and then councelor Devote. >> Thank you through you Mr. Chair. Um, this is literally at the end of my street. So, I I have seen the whole process and I think it looks great. Um, I couldn't see anything on the public side that looked like there was any problem at all, which is what we want. Um, I do know that when the um the public information centers were happening at the beginning, there was a lot of concerns by residents on Lawrence and I know there were some special um conditions in terms of fences and um maybe in terms of the how the storm water was supposed to go through there. I just want to make sure that all of that was all covered before we we get that sign off. Thank you. >> Yes. Through you, Mr. Chair. Yes, that's all been reviewed and insured. I know some of the fences requiring like a wood fence instead of a chain link fence and certain heights of that. So that's all been reviewed, installed. Uh yes. Yeah. >> Thank you, Councelor Dvoy. >> Thank you, Chair. Um when we do assume this of and this is the accountant in me. Um we're obviously assuming a dollar value which we then record in our capital assets. Um, can you share with us the totals or some details as to the composition of this? >> I would have to get back to you on the totals, but I do know we did just go through, well, not just go through it, but we did obviously included in our PAB and all that. Uh, but I could definitely get back to you the totals of it. It's broken out obviously by different type of infrastructure. So, for water, road, sanitary. Uh, but yeah, I can bring that back to you. >> Thank you. Sorry, it just occurred to me now. Otherwise, I would have asked you before the meeting, so you'd have a chance to look into it. Um, yeah, getting back to us is fine. Um, the reason I asked though is because I think, um, it's good to understand the dollar value that the developers/builders actually are investing in our infrastructure. And it's it's good to understand that because it is not an inconsequential amount by any means. Um, my second question, and I can certainly defer till everybody else has a chance, is is another one of those, I'm sorry if I'm putting you on the spot, but outstanding letters of credit are being released in this particular case. Um, but we've had really old ones as well kicking around and I would just like an update on where we stand on those, but we can certainly defer that till the till the rest of the questions about this specific one if you want to. Yeah, we should keep it on topic, but uh if that's something you want brought back for future because I I'm assuming Spencer doesn't have all their letter of credit information on him now. So maybe for the we have another meeting in May if if if somebody could bring that back to the Brandon. Go ahead. >> Just a a quick response. I won't get into the details because I don't have them, but we have done a lot of work over the last year or so uh trying to clean up a lot of the subdivisions. So I know Spencer and the team as well as Martin has done a lot of effort towards uh getting into the subdivisions looking at them trying to get those LC's reduced when the deficiencies are are done. So uh on this one three or sorry uh this specific development uh you know given the age of it it it's it's worked through the cycle really quickly and and so I feel like uh this is one of the newer ones that has been cleaned up uh in a timely manner which is is nice to see that which uh and that's been a a criticism in the past so we are working towards doing that. Not that we have many more subdivisions coming up but uh I thought we would take uh benefit to pat ourselves on the back for that. Any further questions or comments? Uh, seeing none, I have a motion moved by member Murphy, seconded by member Ray. Resolve that the report DPW2613 Assumption Municipal Service 314 Main Street East subdivision dated May 7th, 2026 be received and that the director of public works be be authorized to issue the final certificate of completion of services and that the mayor and town clerk be authorized to execute the necessary assumption bylaw. All in favor? That's carried. Uh correspondence. Brandon, please go ahead and explain the correspondence from Niagara region regarding an extension of the Niagara Regional Courts intermunicipal agreement. >> Uh thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh so yeah, attached is a memo from the the region of Niagara. Uh it's essentially requesting council to approve an amendment to the intermunicipal courts agreement. Uh this agreement allows the region to issue traffic tickets uh with the within the local municipalities uh relating to their vision zero program uh which is a road safety program. Uh and the previous version of the agreement included both the red light camera uh program and the automatic speed enforcement or automated speed enforcement program. So under the previous agreement, region uh had a portion of the revenue uh that was collected from those tickets was returned to the municipalities who were participating in that program. Uh and as you may remember the uh province removed the automatic speed enforcement I think it was November of last year. Uh so the region is essentially updating their agreement to reflect the removal uh and is asking for an extension of the agreement of this sorry a removal of the automatic speed enforcement. uh and they're asking for an extension of the agreement covering the red light cameras uh for additional three years. Uh I've had a conversation with her CIO and she's uh recommending that we consider extended by one year. Uh the thought being we just didn't want to tie the next council to a longerterm decision. So that would allow the uh upcoming council to uh uh speak next year about whether they wanted to extend it further. Um, I believe there's a resolution that drafted up for your consideration as well. >> Sorry, just to clarify, I guess the changes to the resolution will come to council. Is that fair? >> Okay. All right. >> Uh, any questions for Brandon? Members >> through you, chair. I went into a real rabbit hole on this one because once you start going at regional council committees and budgets very eyeopening um very eye opening my question is actually I'm trying to follow the money on this have we ever received any revenues from this I gather that it's we're supposed to receive half of the fines from the red light camera after the cost of the red light camera um project or the the the whole operation are are are handled and I don't understand if that's half from the one that is in our town or is it 1112th or 110th because there are 10 locations any kind of information about that I appreciate it. Oh, and if we received any of the automated speed enforcement, um, it would be good to know how much that was and where it went, if it went into general revenues or if it went into our traffic safety program programs. Thanks. >> Yeah. So, I can speak to that through through you, Mr. Chair. Uh, so in terms of the revenue received, I don't have the exact numbers. I can say it's in the range of a couple hundred,000. Uh, and that was more uh towards the speed enforcement than it was the red light cameras. I think there's one in town for the red light cameras. The again, I'm kind of talking uh I I don't have all the details in my head, but as I remember when we approved this a couple years ago, uh the program was essentially the region uh issues the tickets. Uh the revenue or they they make sure that the they have enough revenue or that revenue that's coming in from the tickets essentially pays for uh the maintenance of the program. So the devices, their staff, that kind of thing. The leftover amount then gets dispersed to the municipalities for participating. Um in terms of going forward, uh the the what the region is telling us is that uh obviously that there was a lot of revenue generated from the speed enforcement uh which was uh any surplus was given back to the municipalities. In the case of the red light camera, uh they don't think the revenue will be as uh as high. So, it's likely uh that uh the program will break even and we won't see any benefit uh going forward. In terms of the money we did receive um uh through through council approval is we spent or we put that money towards uh uh a staffing resource to help uh the team manage our own transportation and traffic safety program in terms of a contract employee. Um, and what else did I answer? There was one more thing that I might have missed. If you don't remember, then I'm good. >> If it if it's possible for you to get back to us with >> the exact amount >> with the with the amount. I guess it was it was more I think it I think it's supposed to go like after costs half to the region, half to us. But if going forward they think they're just going to be breaking even um why do we need to have an agreement like is it it's their infrastructure and it's their intersection >> it's Clark and South Service right or sorry South Service Clark and Mountain uh Christie >> through you Mr. chair. Um, so my understanding, uh, not law a law, a lawyer, uh, but my understanding is they legally they have to have an agreement with us in order to, um, issue the tickets within the town of Grimby and, uh, uh, deal with the courts in in Niagara region. Uh, I don't understand all the intric in intricacies of that, but that's my general understanding of how it works. So, if we didn't agree, then they couldn't write the tickets and and so on. In terms of the number of locations right now, I think there's only one in town. I don't know if they would be considering expanding that. I haven't heard that yet. Uh but yeah, I think it's fair to say that the revenue will be lower and and what they're saying is uh um it would be basically a break even rather than surplus coming coming the municipalities way. So, which does create a bit of a uh challenge in terms of the resourcing that we've uh dealt with. So, we're going to have to talk about that when it comes to council at the end of the year. >> Thank you. Any further questions? Member 80. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, I I went down the same rabbit hole. Um, and it's and it's 50% to the local area, municipality, 50% to the region after they pay off what they need to pay off, which is fine. So, we saw 29.4% decrease in in tickets issued monthly, which is good, right? never said anything about accidents. And I had the same question. Poor Brandon, you're going to get it again. Is okay if we saw $200,000 this money the way that it was the way that this program was put together initially was the vision zero road safety initiative and that's where the money is supposed to be spent. >> So I'd be curious to know what did we get for $200,000 on road safety initiatives. What did you know and I don't I'm not putting you on the spot, but I don't remember seeing anything saying watch for red cameras other than maybe Facebook or in the local news. So do we really get anything out of this? >> Yeah. Yeah. So through through through you, Mr. Chair. So the essentially the agreement said uh basically uh as part of that agreement any of those that revenue came back needed to go into uh a program that had had to do with uh road safety. So that the money wasn't being put towards uh you know fixing roads or pa paving uh paving roads or uh plowing sidewalks. was uh essentially put towards the road safety program. So uh again through council approval we uh used that money towards uh hiring a resource uh to help run our own road safety program for the last 2 years. Um so we did things like the um um pilot study that we did with the flexible signs uh data collection uh dealing with the day-to-day concerns or complaints that we receive. uh also has helped us uh advance the things like the transportation master plan uh and the uh and our parking study. Uh we previously had one resource, now we have two. It's still a lot to take on, but uh we we've been able to manage it with that. So, yeah. >> Okay. See, no further questions. Um >> Oh, sorry. Go ahead. >> Just out of curiosity, how many cameras are there in Grimby? because they seem to have a short lifespan. >> It's just the red light cam at >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Uh thank you. Any f no further questions? Uh can I get a mover and seconder for the correspondence, please? Member Murphy, Councelor How? Resolve the Niagara Regional Report PW10 2026 extension of the Niagara Regional Courts Intermunicipal Agreement Amendment Three dated March 6, 2026 be received and that the public works committee recommends the mayor and clerk be authorized to execute the amending agreement amendment three to the Niagara Regional Courts intermunicipal agreement to continue the red light camera RLC program. All in favor? Opposed? That's carried. Thank you. Brandon, please go ahead and explain the correspondence from municipal standards harmonization office regarding municipal feedback on proposed regulation for harmonization of the municipal road construction standards. >> That was a mouthful that rolled. >> Yeah. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll try not to read that title again. Uh so the enclosed memo was submitted to the province as input into their proposal for harmonizing municipal road construction standards. uh it's identified on the Ontario registry as ERO026 uh 0105. Uh so essentially the province uh is proposing to make Ontario provincial standards for municipal road construction mandatory um for municipalities to follow for when we build our roads. uh as part of the ERRO, the province was soliciting feedback asking us to answer a series of questions and and we've provided our response uh in in that memo along with some additional feedback uh for consideration. Uh to summarize kind of our our thoughts, I mean, it's a three-page memo. I don't want to get into the details cuz we have to get out here on time. Uh but uh while the town has uh adopted some uh components of the OPS standard, OPS or Ontario provincial standards uh for our design and our contracts, we often modify these standards to suit the Grimby context. Uh we do appreciate the the province's efforts to review and harmonize municipal road construction standards and support the overall objective of improving the consistency and efficiency within infrastructure sector. But at the same time, I think municipalities in our opinion should retain the ability to apply, you know, professional engineering judgment and adapt standards where necessary to address our local conditions. Uh that, you know, and and uh how it applies to our asset management strategies and and our overall uh our fiscal responsibilities or realities. Uh so at the end of the day uh I think what we're asking for to see or we're hoping to see is the province to establish some form of a a collaborative governance model which would provide stakeholders the ability to provide input into those standards, modify them where needed and allow exemptions where appropriate. So uh we're not saying that the standards aren't good. We actually follow them. Uh but we do uh modify them from time to time. and and I guess what we're asking is the ability to still be flexible in how we apply those standards. Uh that uh memo did go to the province and uh um I'm sure it will be well received. >> Thank you Brandon. Member >> through you chair. I thought it was a very um well-crafted response. you put a a lot of effort into giving rationale and I appreciated that. Um just as an example that came to my mind uh you were talking about how you might have to have some u modifications for local conditions for example soil stability and I thought like like the Wolverton road like you might want something different in a situation where you have a very extreme slope or if you've got you know and and you have to be able to do that modification using the standard or have an exemption for it. So, um I could immediately see that and I know that Grimby is not alone in in having um needs. It could be that 85 90% of the time you can follow the opsds and the opss. Um what I did wonder is because we have um I think it's still an ongoing project u with engineering standards. Is there any implication to that project? Thank you. >> Very good question. I didn't put that in my notes but thank you thank you for asking. So yeah last year and a half we've put a lot of efforts towards this engineering design standards spending a lot of time uh going through line by line drawing by drawing to established standards again built on OPS built on an industry best practices uh so this did come as a bit of a shock to us of like oh my goodness all this effort is it wasted are we going to lose this that kind of thing so um uh which is I don't normally send responses to the erros because just it's timeconuming but I felt like this one is one that it does impact us and it was a bit cathartic to provide some comment. So uh will it will it impact our our hope is at the end of the day um that there will be some flexibility. I guess in a perfect world it it we I think we would say hey here's our design standards province you tell us where um they don't meet certain elements or where your concerns are we'll review them and maybe revise them. I I don't think that's probably what's going to happen. So, we we're in a bit of a wait and see. Um I think there were other uh agencies, advocates that have similar comments to ours. Uh Municipal Engineering Association is one, Good Roads Association. So, uh they I think uh have have also provided comments similar or have provided their concerns. hoping that the province uh uh listens to those concerns and and adapts uh their their changes uh to to take those into consideration. >> Thank you, Brandon. Any further questions? >> Just one. Um there's some nicely diplomatic language in this memo, but I'm wondering if the province has responded to any of it. You know, there's a there's there's some very nicely said stay off of our property kind of language in here which I rather admired and I'm just wondering if you've had a response from them at all. >> Sorry, can you ask the question again? I I missed. >> It's just if if there's been any response. >> Oh, sorry. I apologize. Um uh through you, Mr. Chair. Uh no, we haven't received response yet. I I would have to look at the details in terms of when it closes. I can't I can't remember if it was a 60-day window or a 90-day window. Uh oh, shoot. Typically, what happens is they um they would provide an update to the RRO uh or or go right to the regulation and and describe what the regulation is going to entail. So, uh I don't foresee a direct uh feedback, but uh I do hope hope that uh they'll listen to the collective comments and reflect that in in what they're bringing forward. >> Councelor H. >> Thank you to you, Chair. um probably for the director. Do you think is this a good example of how the province um is trying to rid um our working processes of red tape? Or is this just so that we can create some more jobs for some other people downstream? >> No, it's it's just a bunch of >> Thank you. Uh, it wasn't a rhetorical question, right? You're looking for an answer. Um, I know I I like like I said in my memo, I think I understand where they're coming from. At the same time, I have concerns that it's not a one shoe or one-sizefits-all approach. I think they are probably hearing feedback from uh development community. I'm guessing in terms of, you know, trying to uh put put uh uh processes in place would help improve efficiencies and help uh speed things along. Um I I'm not sure in this case that is that is going to help, but I I do understand where they're coming from. That's my political answer. >> Uh any further questions? Seeing none, can I get a mover and second to receive the correspondence, please? I've got councelor Dvoli and seconded by member Murphy. Resolved that the correspondence from municipal standards harmonizations office regarding providing feedback on proposed regulations for harmonization of municipal road construction standards be received for information. All in favor? That's carried. No. Please go ahead and explain the end of term presentation. and zoom in a little bit. Thank you, chair, through you. Uh we're looking at the end of term presentation kind of structure here. Uh there were some questions after this was introduced at all the standing committees last month's meeting. Uh so we're trying to address some of those and if there's more happy to answer those as well. Uh so really all that we're looking for is answers to those two questions or essentially filling out those two um little bullet points lists there uh for every single member individually to provide to to myself at clerksgrimsby.ca A uh the list of major accomplishments in your opinion of this committee and then future opportunities for the next term if this committee is to continue, what you would like to see, uh what are priorities, um you know, things like that. So, that is the short version. I'll keep it short and sweet. Uh yeah, we'd like those emailed to clerks grimby.ca as well as to uh to the chair. Uh the date for that would be uh let me pull it up here. I have it by June 15th. And that will give me time to put together a a draft or whatever you want to call it of of essentially the script that the chair will deliver at council including all of those comments. Right. So, uh, we'll be looking at that at the June 24th public works meeting for comment from everyone and then in July, uh, the chair will present that at council. >> Thanks, Noah. And I think after the next public works meeting, which is May 27th, we'll have a better idea, you know, kind of a more final uh, idea of that. And so, but if you can get those in uh, to Noah and to the clerk's office, we can. And I'm sure they'll send out a reminder if we don't. But I think after the next meeting, maybe June 1st, we should start really thinking about getting those in. If you have ideas now, that's great. But I think that we we're going to see some some more progress hopefully before the end of the term and kind of wrapping or getting an idea of what's going to be wrapped up. Uh are there any questions for Noah about that report? Seeing none, um vote on that. We don't need to vote on that. Okay, good. Uh, is there any new business? >> Uh, oh, Ron, you okay? >> Yeah, of course. >> I'm guessing that some of the topics I was speaking to you'll have questions about. >> Sorry. Uh, so yeah, again, thought thought there'd be an opportunity short agenda if I could provide a couple updates. Downtown reimagined is one. Uh so the tender for phase 1 uh closed this afternoon at 4 p.m. Uh so the unofficial results are now posted on on bids and tenders. Uh if anyone's interested in seeing those results, you can reach them through the procurement page on our website. Uh so they are unofficial. Uh so we have to do a a thorough review of the submissions ensuring that they're complete and once we're satisfied all the eyes are dotted and tees are crossed uh we'll be reaching out to the successful contractor uh for the uh to execute the appropriate agreements. Uh from there we'll be setting up a pre-construction meeting to dig into all the details of uh the project including refining the project schedule. Uh and then once we have those details available, we'll providing notifications and updates through our normal channels to ensure everyone is is kept up to date on the on the project start. So uh we do have our May later May uh public works committee May 27th uh I believe. Uh so we'll provide a further update at that point. I'll stop there if there's any questions on that and then I do have one other update to provide. >> Any questions for Brandon about that? Seeing none, Brandon. And then yeah, so just my other update was uh with respect to the transportation master plan. Uh so we're scheduled to present the our TMP or transportation master plan to council at the May 25th council meeting. Um so we're getting very close to having the final draft uh out ready for posting. Uh our hope is to have uh an executive summary uh as well as a presentation out to council in the next week or so ahead of that uh the May 25th meeting. Uh and then we're hoping to have the TMP uh draft itself. It's a larger document, a number of hundreds of pages uh posted by May 25th, but realistically we think it could be a few days past that council meeting. So uh we'll just have to play that by ear. Uh but we will make sure that public works committee members are included in the correspondence and uh we'd invite uh committee members to the May 25th uh council meeting as well. Uh happy to take questions about that as well. Thanks, Brandon. That's good information. Any questions for Brandon about that? Seeing none, uh that those those were two things that I think everybody was happy to hear about. Thanks, Brandon. Um our next meeting is scheduled for May 27th, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. Thank you everyone. The meeting's adjourned.