You have the floor: 15 minutes before Council

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ANNE MACNEILL

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MARTMORA MATTERS

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Recommended Videos

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The Lions Club were hard at work on Friday Oct. 24th decorating Memorial Park with Christmas lights. They always do a fabulous job and this year will be better than ever with the addition of extra lights! The formal Ceremony unveiling the completed project will be on Saturday, Nov. 29th. In last few years, vandalism has been a problem, with considerable damage done to the lights. Please keep your eyes peeled and speak up if you see anyone tampering with the decorations. See something, say something!

At the Oct. 21st Council meeting, auditor Richard Steiginga of Baker Tilly presented the 2024 audited financial statements. They were approved by Council. The Fallen Soldier Crosswalk requested by the Legion was approved. The Manager of Transportation Services, Dylan Adams presented the Road Needs Study and the Shanick Bridge Evaluation report with changes in load limits recommended and approved. Quarterly reports from each department were received. The Nov. 4th meeting includes a briefing about the Alto High Speed Rail project and a Closed Meeting session.

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During Public Input on Oct. 21st, a gentleman approached Council and said he wanted to speak about Airbnbs. His request was denied because the subject was not on the Agenda, a requirement that was added to the Procedural Bylaw on Dec. 20, 2022. The Mayor explained the process for bringing issues to Council but given that YouTube viewership for this meeting was low, I’d like to shine a light on this subject for a wider audience.

Council Agendas are released on the Wednesday preceding the Tuesday meeting, that is, 6 days in advance. Sign up to be notified when the Agenda (and other Council documents) is available. If there is something on the Agenda about which you would like to address Council, simply attend the Council meeting. There is a 3-minute time limit. Councillors may ask questions or seek clarification but you may not ask questions of them. Language must be respectful. If you want to participate in a more proactive manner and ensure that Council is aware of your concern, you have two other options. One is to write a letter to council and send it to the Clerk by snail mail or email (clerk@marmoraandlake.ca) asking that your correspondence be placed on the Agenda for Council consideration. Council will “receive” your letter for information. The other option is to ask to speak to Council as a “delegation”. A delegation may be an individual or group. Submit a Request for Delegation form by noon on the Wednesday preceding the meeting. Attend the meeting, and you will have 15 minutes to speak. You must behave in a respectful manner. Check all the rules at marmoraandlake.ca/participating. The delegation option, it seems to me, is the best one. The timing is more or less in your hands, so you have all the time you need to prepare a strong and persuasive statement. Fifteen minutes is a long time. When used well it can be an effective tool for making an impact on Council decision-making.

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The Marmora and Lake Public Library will show the Small Town Shorts Film Festival 2025 Marmora entries on Saturday Nov. 8th. Come see the eight local submissions at 1 pm in the William Shannon Room. Entries from Marmora won four Jury and/or audience Scrappy awards in their respective age categories. The films are imaginative, clever, and heart-warming and well worth a first or second look!Your neighbours’ creativity may inspire you for next year when the theme is Beginnings.

The Marmora Christmas Market is a stop on the Heart of Hastings Christmas Tour. The Market is on the second weekend only, Nov. 14th, 15th and 16th from 9 am to 5 pm at the Marmora Legion, 6 North Hastings Ave.. There will be all kinds of hand-crafted goodies, including candles, organic teas, stained glass and baked treats. Support local artisans and find unique gifts.

Participate! Participate in municipal decision-making! Participate in your community

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