Communications Coordinators meeting, 2018-05-12
09:00-12:00 Saturday May 12, 2018
Christ Church basement, 7 London Road, Port Albert
Introductions and opening remarks
- meeting facilitator: Roger Watt (Huron Sands)
- invited guests:
ACW (Ben VanDiepenbeek),
MVCA (Phil Beard, Steve Jackson, Sarah Fleischhauer),
HCHU (Keshia Hackett)
- ACLA Communications Coordinators and designated alternates
- Represented:
Amberley Beach,
Cedar Grove,
Huron Sands,
Kintail Beach,
Maple Grove,
Mid-Huron Beach,
Port Albert,
Sunset Beach
- Not represented:
Ashfield Beach,
Birch Beach,
Bogie's Beach,
Brindley Beach,
Buchanan's Beach,
Goat Trail,
Green Acres Cove,
Horizon View,
Huron Sands North,
Huron Shores,
Hunter's Beach,
Linfield Beach,
Kingsbridge Shores,
Lake Huron Resort,
Lakeland Estates,
Martin's Point,
Menesetung Park,
Shamrock Beach,
Victoria Beach,
Vogel's Beach
ACW Township
- Township levy going up 10%, but net result is 1.1% decrease on the
average residential property.
- Major Public Works items:
Dungannon Road resurfacing ($920K),
tandem truck and plow ($250K),
Benmiller bridge repair ($150K),
Brindley Beach Road paving ($100K),
Cransford Line bridge repair ($70K),
Port Albert servicing review ($60K).
- Council also approved donations for equipment, renovation, or
expansion at the Goderich and Wingham hospitals and the Lucknow medical
centre, for community-improvement projects in Benmiller, Dungannon, and
Port Albert, and for a "servicing study" for the possible improvement of
roads and drainage in the southwest section of Port Albert.
- Last year, ACW laid charges against a landowner who clear-cut the
bank in violation of the Shoreline Tree Preservation By-Law. The court
action resulted in a fine and an order to re-plant.
- For the 2018 election, one Councillor will be elected per ward, and
the Reeve, Deputy Reeve, and two Councillors will be elected at large.
Voting will be by telephone and Internet only.
Huron County Health Unit
- DNA testing: At Last year's meeting, ACLA decided to
allocate up to $6,000 to fund HCHU to collect samples for DNA analysis
at the two public beaches it monitors in ACW (Amberley and Port Albert)
whenever their regular tests showed unusually-high pollution levels.
Unfortunately, there was no expense involved because the samples that
were taken were not properly preserved at the lab and could not be used
for analysis. Will do again this season.
- Ticks and Lyme Disease: Ticks are increasing throughout
Huron County. Information on how to prevent exposures to Lyme disease is
available on the
HCHU website.
Maitland Valley Conservation Authority
- The updated gully-erosion mapping has reduced the amount of land
that is at risk from 4000 acres down to 1500 acres. A proper in-depth
analysis to update the shoreline-erosion mapping will require $100K;
will pursue when can obtain funding. Climate trends are increasing the
need for shoreline communities to evaluate and possibly upgrade their
storm-water management systems.
- Considerable progress has been made on the Garvey Glen Rural
Stormwater Management project. The work has become a model for use
elsewhere, snd the results have enabled MVCA to recommend priorities for
Healthy Lake Huron to increase farmland yeild and soil preservation in a
manner that also improves water quality.
Treasurer's report
Jim Baird (Amberley Beach)
- We began 2017/2018 with a balance of $14,777 and ended with $17,753
because the allocated expense of $6,000 for DNA testing did not
occur.
- Cheques for the annual requested contribution from each local
association ($10 per member) for 2018/2019 should be sent to:
Jim Baird, ACLA Treasurer
343 Ascot Place
Waterloo ON, N2J 3V9
Discussion topics from the floor
- The Huron-Michigan
lake-level graph produced by the US Army Corps of Engineers suggests
that we should expect to see wave-action erosion this fall similar to
last year.
- Some years ago, ACLA combined with the Bluewater and Bayfield
groups to conduct an information session for members of their respective
Councils to increase their awareness of lakefront issues. Nigel
Bellchamber, Mike McElhone, and Beth Ross volunteered to pursue
organizing another session for the new Councils, next spring.
Adjourned at 11:40
Next meeting: Saturday May 11, 2019; location TBD.