Bluewater Power has presented the city with over $300,000 in energy conservation dividends.
CEO Janice McMichael-Dennis says upgrades to the monitors and controls the ice at the SSEC have had a $60,611 benefit and improvements, including LED streetlights, at Public Works have had a $257,152 benefit.
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Sarnia council has accepted an offer of $5,000 from Huron Baptist Church to purchase a small parcel of land from the city.
Council was hesitant to donate the land at its last meeting but directed staff to work with the church to come to an appropriate dollar figure.
The church will build a new sign on the land.
The land was originally held back from the church for future city use, because at the time there were railway tracks where there is now the Howard Watson Nature Trail.
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Sarnia council has direct staff to prepare a work plan for the development of a proposed Urban Forest management Plan for consideration by council in 2017.
Council has also asked staff to prepare a draft tree bylaw, and initiate community consultation on the draft this fall.
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Sarnia council has asked the city's engineer to draft a report on modernizing Sarnia's bicycle bylaw.
Resident Hal Regnier told council Monday he would like to be able to ride his bike on the sidewalk without feeling like a criminal.
He says if a person feels unsafe riding on the road, that person should be able to ride on the sidewalk as long as they give the right of way to walkers, wheel chairs, families with strollers and runners etc.
Regnier says if the sidewalk is too congested , they could get off the bike and walk.
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Sarnia Narcotics Anonymous has received council support for an event being planned this fall.
The group will pay a reduced rate for a baseball tournament at the Clearwater Diamonds for recovering addicts to participate in October 8.
Narcotics Anonymous asked for a discounted rate of 61% for the diamonds.
The cost of the permit from Sarnia’s parks and recreation department is $1032 plus HST.
Council voted unanimously to wave the percentage as requested by the group.
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Sarnia council has accepted the low bid of $95,835.53 for the Clark Drain Branch C Maintenance project.
Murray Mills Excavating & Trucking of Sarnia will do the work, which includes extensive fish habitat improvements required as compensation for fish habitat loss due to the abandonment and enclosure of the upper part of the Clark Drain area development.
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Sarnia council has approved a request to lower the speed of a portion of Telfer Rd.
The speed will be reduced from 80 km/h to 50 km/h between London Line and the 402.
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Council has approved $232,086 in spending for the purchase of a new standby generator for the Sarnia Police Service.
The current system, located in the basement of the building, is nearly 30 years old and original to the building.
$375,000 in funds for the project were outlined and approved as part of the 2016 capital budgets.
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Sarnia council approved the grant application for the Enabling Accessibility Fund through the Federal Government to improve accessibility at Clearwater Arena.
In 2015, a review determined the arena was not at the standard for the city to host sledge hockey tournaments and games.
City staff have been working with the local sledge hockey team and other user groups to prioritize the best projects to maximize users’ experiences and create an inclusive environment.
The city will be asking for the maximum amount of $50,000 allotted under the grant.
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Parking lot lights will be installed at the City of Sarnia Bluewater Gymnastics Building at Lottie Neely Park.
Installation will increase safety and help deter vandalism.
$42,707 will be spent from the existing Bluewater Gymnastics Building Reserve Fund.
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Sarnia council has received the draft Affordable Housing Strategy Report for circulation to the public, stakeholders and application agencies.
Comments will be collected on the document before an open house and public meeting is held.
Information collected will be used for the final Affordable Housing Strategy Report.
