Northeast Council initiates CAO job; council divided on issues of secrecy

and unauthorized legal expenses  

by Lindsay Kelly  

NORTHEASTERN MANITOULIN-Major management restructuring is underway for the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands, and at least one job may be lost as a result. The deciding motion, passed at a special meeting of town council held December 6, is causing some disturbance amongst the ranks of town council.  

An original motion moved by Councillor Jim Stringer stated that any restructuring done by the town would "enable the staff to be more efficient and effective in the delivery of municipal services," and "no employee will lose his/her job as a result of any management restructuring undertaken by council."  

In a recorded vote, Councillor Stringer, along with Councillor Bill Koehler and Mayor Joe Chapman, voted for the motion, while Councillors Thomas Batman, Tony Ferro, Marcel Gauthier, Gary Green, Sam Nardi and Jib Turner voted against it.  

Following a session in camera (closed to the public) to address a "matter pertaining to personal matters about an identifiable individual, including municipal or local employees," council emerged to vote on a second motion, stating that the town would approve a new management structure, complete with a chief executive officer (CAO) and reporting clerk-treasurer, and that "after a six-month period from the date of hire of the CAO, there be a full review of the organization structure." The motion was carried.

 The current clerk-treasurer, Ned Martin, will maintain his position during the six months before the review.

 An advertisement requesting applicants for the CAO position appeared in last week's Friday and Saturday editions of the Sault Ste. Marie Star and The Sudbury Star, and will appear in the Manitoulin Expositor and the Recorder within the next few weeks.  

The advertisement requires that successful applicants will be required to "promote economic growth, oversee completion of a $5,000,000 waterfront development project amongst others and apply for funding for these projects." He or she will also be "familiar with municipal governments, municipal operations and the Municipal Act, a professional accountant, and familiar with funding organizations such as Trillium, Northern Ontario Heritage Fund and FedNor." The successful applicant will be required to begin as soon as possible.

 The Expositor requested comments from all members of town council; however, Councillors Batman, Koehler, and Nardi, did not respond, while Councillors Ferro, Gauthier, Green, and Turner declined to comment.

However, Councillor Jim Stringer, who tabled the original motion that would maintain the current management structure at town council, did respond, and he felt the matter deserved a "full and frank public discussion," noting he had several concerns with the restructuring plan tabled at the meeting.  

"I do not feel that the town needs a CAO," he said in an email to the Expositor. "This position will have an annual cost of, realistically, $90,000 or more, factoring in benefits, etc. If we believe that we need more office staff-and I believe that we are understaffed, with the retirement/non-replacement of the former clerk of Little Current and the reduction of support staff this year-then we would be far better served by hiring additional support staff at a much more modest price. Reorganization, with a view to finding more efficient and effective ways to operate, would also help address this. A CAO will simply add another, costly layer to our administrative structure."  

While he said he supports reorganization if it offers better municipal services, he does not support the form of reorganization the majority of council has adopted, because of its expense.  

"While I would not say that this is necessarily a financial disaster, it will be extremely difficult to achieve many of council's objectives, including the re-establishment of the bylaw officer's position, which was cut last year, or the extension of hard surfacing to rural roads, such as in Rockville, without a major tax increase."  

Councillor Stringer said he found that "ironic," since the majority of the councillors who supported the restructuring plan to include a CAO "proclaimed that the previous council's spending was out of control and extolled the virtues of fiscal restraint."  

Council has also been less than forthcoming in the process of passing the motion, Councillor Stringer believes.  

"The CAO supporters (referring to Councillors Batman, Ferro, Green, Nardi and Turner), with the exception of Councillor Gauthier, have been holding secret meetings for months, possibly since the election a year ago," he said. "A central theme, it would appear, has been the termination of at least one of our current management staff. In support of that goal they have obtained legal opinion, in the name of town council, without any authorization from council."  

The termination of this individual was without cause, Councillor Stringer noted, and he believes that even though no one has been let go yet, it is still a serious matter that should be drawn to the public's attention.  

Although Mayor Chapman called a special council meeting last Wednesday evening to discuss the issue, only Mayor Chapman and Councillors Koehler and himself attended, Councillor Stringer noted, and as a result, the issue will be discussed at the next regular council meeting, to be held December 21.

At that meeting, Councillor Stringer will table a motion requesting Councillor Nardi's resignation, since it is he who spearheaded the campaign to seek legal advice without council's permission, he said.  

Councillor Stringer noted, however, that Councillor Green has said his name should be on the motion as well, since Councillor Nardi was not alone in his quest for legal advice.

 "Proposing that a councillor-or I suppose, five councillors, if we follow Councillor Green's logic-resign is clearly a very serious matter, but it seems to me that this is the only appropriate course of action in the circumstances."

Mayor Chapman also offered his perspective on the issue. While the mayor wouldn't comment on the personnel being affected by the issue, he did note his distaste for the manner by which the resolution was passed.  

"I'm just disappointed in the manner at which this whole process has taken place," he said.  

When asked about whether the five councillors had the authority to conduct council meetings outside of regularly convened council, Mayor Chapman responded, "There are only two proper ways that things can be done. The mayor has the authority to bind the town, or by a motion passed [by council] in session. Individual councillors cannot bind the town."  

He also noted that individual councillors do not have the authority to spend money outside a motion passed by all of council, regardless of the councillor's position on a town committee.  

"None whatsoever," he said. "He [an individual councillor] has no authority at all."

He noted that anything that happens as part of a committee must first receive approval at the council level.

 "It's important to be fair to everyone, and it's also imperative that important procedures be followed," he said. "It's imperative that individual council members bring forward town interests within the context of council."  

Mayor Chapman said he felt the decision to change the management structure at the town was made far too quickly.  

"I don't think enough-not nearly enough-planning and research went into the issue to make a decision at this time," he stated. "It's a big decision and we need to take the time to make the correct decision. There was not anywhere near enough debate by council."

While the motion has been passed to approve the new management structure, Mayor Chapman notes the book is not closed on the issue.  

The management structure will proceed, "if we find a suitable candidate," he said. "If we don't find a suitable candidate, then I don't think we'll go down that road."

Dock enhancement top priority for Little Current harbour improvements  

by Lindsay Kelly  

NORTHEASTERN MANITOULIN-Town officials, business owners, members of the cultural community and members of the general public attended a stakeholder meeting and workshop held by the Little Current Waterfront Consortium (LCWC) last Thursday, in an effort to gain public input into what people would like to see included in the Downtown Waterfront Development Plan.  

The consortium has been hired by the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands to plan, design and engineer improvements to the Little Current waterfront. It is comprised of Ray Spangler, engineer; Rodger Todhunter, of Todhunter Associates Inc., planner for the docks; Tom Hluchan, marine engineer; and Dennis Castellan, architect.  

"What we're here for tonight is to state our opinions on what we want to see, and what we may not want to see," Mayor Joe Chapman told the crowd of about 30. "It's an opportunity for the community as a whole to comment on the plans."  

Rodger Todhunter, planner, noted that the consortium's study area included the waterfront between the town-owned docks to the west and the Turner docks to the east.

 "You're here tonight as stakeholders," he told the crowd, "because you have an interest in the downtown and the waterfront."  

The study, planning and gathering of public input for the waterfront development so far constitutes phase one of the development, and Mr. Todhunter said the development team planned to have the initial report to council some time this week.  

Once council has had the opportunity to look over the report, the development team will hold a second public input meeting in mid- to late January. At the meeting, the team will outline three different development packages-with lower, mid-tier and higher budgets-as well as the public preferences and priorities.

 The team then hopes to begin construction in 2005, Mr. Todhunter said, with the priority going to the construction of the docks.

 To begin the presentation, Mr. Todhunter outlined the land-based issues facing the waterfront development team. First and foremost, the waterfront needs to have an identity, he said, something that emphasizes Little Current's unique history in the area. The fur trade, steamships, logging, fishing, tourism and even coal storage from Goat Island could be included in the historical representation of Little Current, he said.  

"The thing that really strikes close to home, for myself...is the association with shipping and boating and the variety of boats we would see [as children] at the docks and passing through the channel," Mr. Todhunter said. "It's unique, having the traffic so close to the water."  

He also felt the waterfront could be opened up more to create easier public access, and if the team created a more attractive downtown waterfront, with parks, gazebos and walkways, more cultural events could be held, and people could enjoy a scenic walk or drive along the waterfront.  

Tom Hluchan, responsible for engineering any marine structures for the project, identified some key issues with the marine aspect of the project that the team felt were essential to improving the waterfront.

 "Little Current has some valuable assets here," he said. "Not many places have deep water right up to the town docks."  

To accommodate the need for more berthing, and to better utilize the space the waterfront currently has, 50 percent of the existing docks will be reconstructed.

Unfortunately, Mr. Hluchan identified a definite shortage of berthing space during the peak season between June 1 and August 31. In 2004, he stated, more than 1,000 boats, of both the sail and power varieties, rented space at the town docks. The average boat size was 34 feet.  

It's an "important type of traffic passing by Little Current," Mr. Hluchan said, because boats stopped either in Little Current, or other marinas, or anchored off-shore, bringing more people to the waterfront.

 And while people arriving on cruise ships see stopping in Little Current as a positive, worthwhile activity, the boats' arrival creates conflict with smaller craft, he continued. Because cruise ships have to rent their space at the town docks ahead of time, other boaters are turned away, since there is no place for them to dock.

The bridge also poses a problem, because it only opens once every hour, Mr. Hluchan pointed out. "It's first come, first served, so there's a surge of traffic," he said. "People are racing to get to the town docks, which creates a hazardous situation."

The team also identified a need to create more space for cottagers who do their shopping by boat only. There are up to 400 cottagers who shop this way, Mr. Hluchan said, but many avoid Little Current because there is congestion at the docks, and not enough space for them.

 "We need to designate a space for those cottagers, instead of them going to Killarney or Espanola to shop," Mr. Hluchan said.

 Dock users are also abusing the 'three hours free' parking rule, he added, saying that people are staying longer than the designated time frame, which results in other boats being turned away. Mr. Hluchan suggested there needs to be more enforcement of those guidelines in order for everyone to have an equal chance at accessing the same dock space.

The power outlets need to be upgraded, the team pointed out, and finally, the docks at the post office need to have greater appeal to passengers disembarking from the boats that do come in.

 Currently, Mr. Hluchan noted, the land is sloped, and there is a large curb to climb over, and it is generally cumbersome for passengers to get to the main street. "It needs greater passenger handling capabilities," he said of the dock. If the waterfront is more aesthetically attractive, and easier for people to access, visitors will be more likely to spend time there, he reasoned.  

"One thing we're trying to do here is create a water community," said architect Dennis Castellan. "We want to create a people place and a waterfront place. It's an experience we've identified specifically within this community. We intend to create an environment that encourages the prolonged stay by people, not just tourists. We want to put things into place now that the town can grow into 25 years from now."

Following the presentation, members of the public were invited to offer their opinions on the waterfront, as well as present any concerns they had to the development team.  

Land and business owners expressed concerns over issues such as getting access to potable water, ensuring access to their private docks and cruise ships leaving behind grey or black water.

The issue that seemed to generate the biggest debate revolved around the current post office structure and the possibility of transforming it into an all-purpose building where cultural events could take place, washrooms and a shower house could be located, and an information or interpretive centre, detailing the history of Little Current, could be housed.  

"I'm excited about the work you're doing here," said Sophie Edwards, owner of the 4elements artists gallery. "I think something great can happen here."

 Ms. Edwards said she envisioned a place where businesses and artists' organizations could come together to mutually benefit from the waterfront development. An all-purpose building, she mused, could also serve as a performance hall for theatre or musical productions for year-round residents, as well as tourists.

Other representatives from the arts community included Clare Addison, of the Manitoulin Fine Arts Association, who requested she be involved in future meetings with the development team.

 Local business woman Kelly O'Hare was "really impressed" with what the development team had presented to the crowd, and the Anchor Inn partial owner said she also was interested in creating a waterfront that would appeal to year-round residents, cottagers and tourists alike.

"There's always something in Little Current going on; people just need a reason to go there," she said of a proposed all-purpose building. "It could be something that would draw people from all areas."

 Mayor Chapman said the post office has indicated "it will continue to operate as a post office on the ground floor," however he said he was unsure whether or not Cambrian College would continue utilizing the space located on the upper level, due to a need for a space that was accessible for physically challenged students.  

In that case, the town could utilize the second floor, Mr. Castellan explained. He suggested the town could build up an inventory of buildings with unused space that could be used for cultural events.

Stan Ferguson, owner and operator of Harbor Vue Marina, said he was pleased to see something positive happening to increase the long-term benefits for the community, and that the community was able to participate in the process. Other communities, he offered, are "taking back" the pavement and increasing green space, and he suggested Little Current could be successful with this as well.  

The community should create "as much [green space] as possible," he said. "The more we do, the more we're going to win."  

Councillor Jib Turner noted his association with the project was twofold. The development team suggested that Turner Park, space donated to the town by Councillor Turner's family, be better cared for so that people could again enjoy the park.  

"It has been our hope, our vision over the years, to see green space there," he said. "We would like to see it utilized more."

Councillor Turner also suggested the town should hire an events coordinator to bring more cultural events to the waterfront. While the town has hired a part-time seasonal event coordinator, Councillor Turner said he'd like to see it evolve into a full-time position.  

"It's been approved and we're hoping to get funding for the summer months," he said of the part-time position. "I would really, really love to see someone local involved with that."  

As the discussion wound down, local businessman Bruce O'Hare noted there had not been any talk of budget up to that point. "How much?" he asked bluntly.  

Mayor Chapman noted the town has set a $6 million budget for the entire waterfront development project, excluding Spider Bay, with 30 percent coming from the town, 30 percent coming from FedNor and 40 percent coming from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC). The town already has banked its $1.9 million share of the funding, Mayor Chapman said.  

The town would look into the different options presented by the waterfront development team, and attempt to get as much funding as possible from the organizations, he noted. If, however, the town opted to ask for additional funding for further development, "at the outside parameters, we won't have a shovel in the ground next summer, or the summer after."

 The town sent a letter of intent to apply for the funding earlier this month, and the town sent a new letter to FedNor and the NOHFC on December 8. "Everything that needs to be done has been done," Mayor Chapman assured the crowd.

 If the application for funding is approved, the town will receive confirmation by March or April, and construction may start as early as summer 2005.

MSS bucks the medians in standardized testing  

by Michael Erskine  

TORONTO-The Education, Quality and Accountability Office Grade 9 mathematics test results are in, and for Manitoulin Secondary School the results are a somewhat of a mixed bag.  

In the applied mathematics program Island students outperformed both the board and the provincial average when it comes to meeting Level 3, the provincial standard. Some 34 percent of all students in the Applied stream reached the standard, while only 27 percent of the Rainbow Board's other 497 students got that high a result, and the provincial average was only 25 percent.

 When it comes to Level 2-a term meaning students are approaching but not quite at the provincial standard-Manitoulin Secondary Applied Mathematics Students also did well compared to their provincial and board counterparts. Here they tied the board at 38 percent and beat the 25 percent provincial average by over 10 percent.

When it comes to the Academic stream, however, more of Manitoulin's students fall under the Level 2 category, with the 30 percent score stacking up against the board average of 16 percent and the provincial average of 17 percent. But when it comes to meeting the provincial standard, only 50 percent of our students hit Level 3, compared to 62 percent for both the Rainbow District School Board and the province.  

When it comes to interpreting these results, however, school board officials caution not to read too much into the results.

 "EQAO results are an important tool for assisting schools and boards in identifying areas for continuous improvement," said Rainbow School Board Education Director Jean Hanson. "They provide a measure of how well students understand the expectations outlined in the Ontario curriculum, and serve as a basis for the board, schools, teachers and parents/guardians to have a dialogue regarding strategies for the future."  

Interpreting the results is actually more effective if taken in context (ie. the mix of student genders) and over time to view trends in performance, and to plan school improvement and tool building, agreed Marguerite Jackson, executive officer of EQAO.  

At the elementary level, the percentage of Rainbow District School Board Grade 3 students who are reaching Level 3 and Level 4 in reading, writing and mathematics has increased dramatically since testing first began in 1998. In the case of mathematics, the scores have nearly doubled.

 The same is true in Grade 6, with marked improvement being seen in all board schools from the first year of testing, said Ms. Hanson.

 The board exceeded its target for improvement in reading literacy this year, and results indicate the initiatives put in place by the board are having the desired effects,said Ms. Hanson. The board will continue to make improvements, she added.  

"Writing is the weaker area in our schools in both Grade 3 and Grade 6," said Ms. Hanson. "Writing is a priority in our board and school improvement plans. We will continue to sharpen our focus in this important area."  

The EQAO results help schools to define and refine their strategies, she said. "The results provide a starting point for planned improvements."

Fundraising kicks off for Central Manitoulin Historical Society museum

 CENTRAL MANITOULIN-The Central Manitoulin Historical Society is undertaking a fundraising campaign toward a new museum in Mindemoya.  

The initial fundraising target of $25,000 is part of a $100,000 project to build a welcome centre as the first phase of a new museum. The society will also apply for senior government funding for the welcome centre, which would provide:  

¥a greeting and tour direction desk for the present pioneer museum;  

¥museum-quality archival and storage facilities;  

¥a modest display area;  

¥historical and tourist information; and  

¥public washrooms for downtown Mindemoya in the summer.  

A fundraising committee drawing on community leaders will be announced later.  

In the meantime, in addition to admission fees, pie sales and yard sales, an important start has been with the publication and sale this year of more than 500 copies of the society's "Pioneer Recipes and Memories." More than a cookbook, it includes delightful vignettes from early days. An ideal Christmas gift, it is still available at retail outlets in Mindemoya and elsewhere including Providence Bay (McDermid's), Spring Bay (Buie's), Sandfield (Watson's), Little Current (Turners) and Manitowaning (Island Pharmacy).

 A second phase of the new museum would provide climate-controlled exhibition space devoted to the society's mandate to collect historical information and objects from early pioneer days up to the end of the era of horse-drawn farm machinery.

 The new grounds would also allow expansion to encompass a later generation of Central Manitoulin's history.

The Historical Society has already committed  $15,000 to help the Township of Central Manitoulin acquire property from Gloria Corbierre for the new museum adjoining the society's present Pioneer Museum.

 "We are grateful to council for acquiring the Corbierre property," said Bill Taylor, president of the society. "It adds a lovely acre to the park surrounding our present Pioneer Museum."

 Central Manitoulin Reeve Richard Stephens also expressed his appreciation. "The Township will be glad to work with the society in achieving a new museum, which will preserve local heritage and attract more tourists," he said, noting that this has been a dream since the early days of the Society under the leadership of Jean Williamson and Doug Lanktree.  

"I am also grateful to Gloria for making the property available," Reeve Stephens  added. "She will continue to live and operate her business there until we are ready to start construction on the site of the Corbierre home in about two years."

 The present museum includes a log cabin, with period furnishings, to which the society added a kitchen extension this year. Farm machinery of the horse-drawn era is displayed in other buildings, including a large barn donated by Harvey Haner, greatly missed by the Society after his passing earlier this month.