BLACK RIVER-MATHESON - Matheson council is supposed to meet tonight (April 23).
It's been months since the group last met and the agenda items are stacking up. A CUPE Local 1490 rally is also set to take place this afternoon and the township has closed its office for the remainder of the day.
The rally is for the ongoing labour dispute between the union and Township of Black River-Matheson. Fourteen CUPE members were locked out by the township in October. The members went on strike when the township ended the lockout in January.
It's happening from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 410 Fourth Ave.
The last time that council publicly met was Jan. 23. Its Feb. 13 meeting was cancelled due to a CUPE rally that day. Short of quorum, the Feb. 27, March 12, March 26 and April 9 meetings were cancelled. They did meet in-camera on Feb. 20.
Quorum hasn't been met because councillors Dave Dyment, Louise Gadoury and Steven Campsall are boycotting meetings in an attempt to have the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) step in.
If a municipal council can’t hold a meeting for 60 days because of a lack of quorum, the Municipal Act says that the Minister of Municipal Affairs may declare all of the seats vacant, triggering a byelection. The 60 days have passed.
SEE: Three Matheson councillors boycotting meetings to try and force byelection
RELATED: Scheme to force Matheson byelection 'just not going to happen' predicts CAO
Here’s a look at what’s on the agenda:
- There are two public delegations. One is asking for support for the Time to Lead Christian Concert and the other one asks for a review of the township's water, sewer and garbage bylaws and policies.
- Ward 2 Coun. Keith Neal’s resignation from Feb. 20 as well as the Ward 2 replacement application process. Neal’s resignation was initially on the town’s Feb. 27 council meeting agenda.
- A report from CAO Chris Wray asking the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MAH) to conduct a review of the township’s financial and administrative practices, policies and procedures. The request, according to the report, is in light of the township being the “subject of unfair and inappropriate criticism from some ratepayers through community Facebook pages.” Wray believes the “critics should come under the scrutiny of the” ministry. Wray’s report can be found here.
- A budget guideline to adopt the 2024 operating and capital budgets, along with a four-year forecasted budget. According to the report, the final report presentation of the budget and impact on tax rates is supposed to take place in June.
- A motion asking the Porcupine and Timiskaming health units to commit to transparency throughout the merger process and provide regular updates and information to stakeholders as well as to the public. It also requests an annual report be published to note the merger’s challenges and milestones.
- A bylaw to appoint deputy chief building officials and the appointment of a new chief building official James Lefebvre.
- Correspondence from the solicitor general about Matheson’s OPP detachment building. In the town’s letter to Michael Kerzner in October, they said they were deeply concerned about the implications of the closure and requested a meeting to further discuss the situation.
- Correspondence from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs dated March 18, 2024, discussing the duty of councillors to attend meetings and fill vacancies on council to “support the municipality and its operations.” The letter notes that cancelling meetings can “impact municipal services provided to the community and ultimately risk the municipality’s administrative and financial obligations,” like passing an annual budget.
- A closed session to discuss the “security of the property of the municipality.”
The full agenda is available here.
Tonight’s meeting can be watched on the town’s YouTube channel here.
