Special Edition: Owen Sound Council Agenda for Monday May 13, 2024

See what's on the agenda and read up on the issues ahead of Monday's meeting

Owen Sound City Council meets Monday, May 13, with open session beginning at 5:30pm in council chambers.

You can view the meeting via Rogers TV or on the City’s Council and Committees webpage.

Now, here’s a look at what’s coming up at Monday’s meeting.

Highlights:

• A financial update from Chief Ambrose at the Police Services Board meeting reveals that costs for courts and prisoner security are far outpacing government funding, as he reports a $213,000 budget overage.

• City Manager Tim Simmonds presented a Service Review update to committee that reports, “over this term of Council, Service Review will achieve direct and indirect savings of approximately $2 million.”

• OSPS gave a report to the River District Board of Management on hours of foot patrol conducted in the River District in January and February.

• Banditfest, a youth-funded organization dedicated to bringing safe and inclusive music-oriented spaces to youth in the community, will host an event on Sunday, July 21, 2024 at the Owen Sound Farmers' Market.

• A report to the Library board shows that library membership has improved to 10,917, approximately 18.85% more than the same time last year.

• VON Grey-Bruce is asking the City to fly its flag from May 17 to 24 in celebration of VON Week. The theme this year is “Connected with Purpose.”

• Another incident of elected officials in the region behaving badly, as West Grey Mayor Kevin Eccles’ comments about the threat of physical violence should hospital cuts be made are found inside Council’s correspondence package.

An observation made in preparing this report… I can’t help but notice that the Library Board and Police Services Board’s meeting minutes coming to council now are from February. Most of the initiatives and events shared in the Library report are already over. Two to three months seems an awfully long time for meeting minutes to make their way to the oversight body (in this case, Council) and to the public by way of Council meetings. Perhaps someone with more knowledge in this area can explain why it takes so long?

Keep reading for an in-depth look at what’s on the agenda, with links to reports and correspondence so you can learn more about the issues that matter to you.