Regional Councillor Report
Submitted
by:
Colleen Jordan, Regional Councillor Wards 3 & 4
Regional
Council - Jan. 25, 2006
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Question
on all Durham Municipal Election Ballots Regarding
Election of the Regional Chairperson by General Vote
NOTICE OF MOTION Councillors Parish and Gray gave notice that they
will present the following motion:" WHEREAS the
position of Chair of the Regional Municipality of Durham
has considerable responsibility, influence and authority
over numerous public policy and service issues affecting
all residents, businesses and electors in the Region of
Durham;AND WHEREAS a fundamental principle of democracy is
that the electors, through a general vote, have the right
to freely choose their political representatives;AND
WHEREAS the position of Region Chair is elected by general
vote in the Regional Municipalities of Halton and
Waterloo;AND WHEREAS the Councils of the Town of Ajax and
the Cities of Oshawa and Pickering have each decided to
place a question on the 2006 municipal election ballot
regarding the election by general vote of the Chair of the
Regional Municipality of Durham;AND WHEREAS Ajax, Oshawa
and Pickering comprise well over 50 percent of the
population and electors of the Region of Durham;AND
WHEREAS it is appropriate that all electors in the Region
of Durham have the opportunity to participate in a
referendum that may determine whether the Chair of the
Region shall be elected by general vote;NOW THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED that a public meeting and by-law to place
the following question on all November 2006 municipal
election ballots in the Region of Durham be scheduled for
the March 29, 2006 meeting of Region Council and that the
Region Clerk initiate and complete the required processes
outlined in the Municipal Elections Act:"Should the
Chair of the Regional Municipality of Durham be elected by
general vote?"
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This
notice of motion was not dealt with at the meeting of Jan. 25th
but is expected to be lifted at a subsequent meeting.
Confirmation
of the Region’s Triple “A” Credit Rating by Moody’s
Investor’s Services of New York
Strong
financial performance supported by utilization of multi-year
economic and financial forecasting to guide the development of
annual operating and capital budgets; rigorous management
practices that have succeeded in maintaining a low debt burden and
high levels of reserves; were factors cited in determining the
Region’s Triple “A” rating.
The Triple "A"
rating places Durham within a select group of municipalities with
an exemplary reputation in the investment community, and who are
seen as leaders in fiscal responsibility and integrity. Triple
"A" status is also instrumental in reducing debenture
debt borrowing costs for the Region and its eight area
municipalities, attracting extremely competitive coupon interest
rates.
Universal Transit Pass Program
Durham
Region has authorized staff to negotiate a proposed U pass
agreement with Durham College UOIT for a three year term,
effective September 5, 2006 which would require all students to
pay a $50.00 fee per semester which would provide unlimited access
to transit for the entire semester.
All students would be required to pay this fee which would
be adjusted annually to reflect inflation. The Student Association
will conduct a referendum of the student body to gauge support for
this fee to be included with other mandatory registration fees.
Healthy School Bus Program
Regional
Council endorsed the recommendations embodied in a report
forwarded by the President of the Ontario Public Health
Association to all Ontario medical officers of health, entitled, School
buses, Air Pollution & Children’s Health: Improving
Children’s Health & Local Air Quality by Reducing School Bus
Emissions. The
recommendations urge the Government of Ontario to establish a
multi-year Healthy School Bus Program to reduce childhood exposure
to diesel related air pollutants to improve local air quality;
and, that all Ontario school boards, in collaboration with the
Ontario Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Canada,
develop formal policies respecting idling in school buses,
particularly in the vicinity of school properties.
It also urges the Federal Government to establish a multi
year fund to support provincial programs.
The
report cites exposure studies conducted in several jurisdictions
indicating that concentrations of air pollutants on board school
buses can be several times greater than outdoor air.
As these pollutants have been clearly associated with a
broad spectrum of acute and chronic health impacts, this issue
raises concern in that children are more sensitive to air
pollutants. Currently
800,000 Ontario children are bussed to school each year.
It has been proposed that
all pre-1994 school buses be retired and that all 1994-2003 busses
be replaced by 2011 with diesel particulate filters.
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