A Timeline of the Recent Admin Building Affair

Good evening Council and Staff.

My name is Janice Murton and I am a resident and business owner/operator in Tiny Township.

I’m here for the greater good, just like you have been elected to be. Let me also remind you that you were not elected by the “silent majority”.

I’m here to ask this Council to pause the administrative building project.

Councillor Helowka in your campaign, printed in Midland Today October 12th, 2022 you did say the municipality needs a new municipal office and that it would justify a tax increase from the ratepayers to have it done asap.

The Municipal Administration Building Needs Assessment Committee paused in 2020 and the need for a 12000 sqft building went away. The Committee took back up May 15th 2023 and met 8 times in 2023 with the idea in mind to construct a 29000 sqft building.

Councillor Walma, I am here to talk about momentum.

Two days later on May 17th, 2023, I presented a deputation on behalf of Janet Marks. I expressed the concern for the proposal to construct a new municipal office and requested that the project be paused with the RFP to not proceed until community involvement has occurred. I advised you of a petition started five days prior to the meeting with 530 signatures. My comments were received as information.

July 19, 2023, Diane Leblovic made a deputation to Council expressing her concerns about community engagement related to the new Township hall project. Her comments were received as information.

August 30, 2023, David Christie addressed Council regarding his concerns for the new administrative building. In the same meeting Council approved the site selection and the RFP without ever engaging or making the information readily available to the public.

August 28th, 2023 LASHA sent a letter to Council expressing the concerns of their members that it seemed premature to be planning for a one-off major expenditure without assessing the overall needs of the municipality as dictated by the Townships Asset Management Plan. Their comments were received as information September 20th, 2023. In the 2024 Draft Public Budget Survey three people stated they thought the building was important in the budget priorities. We cannot move into a period of infrastructure development without more public input.

December 18th, 2023, Diane Leblovic again expressed a lack of public engagement, that the committee should be made public and suggested Council drop the new town hall project. FOTTSA, a federation that represents 22 homeowners associations in Tiny Township, advised that the public engagement meeting, their timing, structure and intent were disingenuous at best and also eliminated opportunity to seasonal residents and that future sessions be scheduled. All received as information.

On January 10th, 2024, 150 people came out to protest the approval of $400 000 to move the design/build process forward. Karen Zulynik made another deputation that evening speaking to a pause on this project and more public consultation. “This is healthy democracy” said Mayor Evans and you said you “look to public input.” Then you passed the budget through. On March 13, 2024 Karen Zulynik asked for more public engagement regarding the new administration building.

On April 3rd, you heard again from David Wulff who stated that you made efforts to keep this project out of the public eye followed.

FOTTSA and Karen Zulynik again on our behalves asking for a pause and more public engagement. The current petition started in January by Karen Zulynik has garnered over 2200 signatures.

This evening, another protest. (Between 200-300)

If anyone has momentum right now it's the residents of Tiny speaking out, trying to be heard by their elected officials. You work for the voter and the staff work for you. In the end I feel the tail is wagging the dog on this one. Councillor Brunelle had it right last meeting. The public is speaking, they want more input into this project, they want a pause.

Thank you