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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1985-01-28CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE 40 TEMPERANCE STREET BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L1C3A6 TELEPHONE 623-3379 REPORT TO THE COUNCIL MEETING OF JANUARY 28th, 1985 FROM: GARNET B. RICKARD, MAYOR SUBJECT: TOWN OF NEWCASTLE DEVELOPMENT GROUP MAYOR'S REPORT #1-85 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- RECOMMENDATIONS:'+>�� It is respectfully recommended to Council the 'following: 1. That this report be received; and 2. That the attached letter be forwarded to the Town of Newcastle Development Group in care of Mr. John Winters. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ COMMENT: The attached letter has been prepared and distributed to Members of Council. Since I have received no formal comments on changes to the letter, I believe that it should be forwarded to Mr. Winters as written. Respectfully submitted, GARNET B. RICKARD, C.M. Mayor GBR/mr Att. CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE OFFICE OF THE 40 TEMPERANCE STREET MAYOR BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO GARNET B. RICKARD LIC3A6 TELEPHONE 623-3379 January 21st, 1985 Town of Newcastle Development Group c/o Mr. John Winters 23 Silver Street Bowmanville, Ontario LIC 3C4 Dear Sir: Your letter of December 11th, 1984 was introduced into the Council agenda for the meeting of December 17th, 1984 and it was requested by Council that I draft a response to you for review by Council at the next meeting. You have addressed a number of concerns in your letter. It appears that you are not in a position to fully appreciate what efforts the Town has heen making with respect to industrial development. Unfortunately, we are not in a position to discuss the details of all of the efforts we have made. At present there are three or four very interested industrial prospects, but I am not at liberty to discuss such prospects with anyone other than the persons needing to know, nor with other Members of Council. While,I can acknowledge that there are valuable resources in the local business community which can be drawn upon, I believe that such individuals may be drawn upon on a need -to -know basis. For example, we have had a major industrial interest who requested to speak to school board officials, Fire Department officials and a number of senior management people from local companies. These arrangements were made on the basis of specific requests. It has been demonstrated to us as a Council that it is not in the business community's or our best interests to throw the doors wide open and have local business officials approaching industrial prospects who are perhaps not interested in any discussion with a particular local business interest. There have been a few specific cases where industry has been lost or turned away becausaof too much public participation. ....../2 Town of Newcastle Development Group -2- January 21st, 1985 In response to your first point, are you suggesting that we be advocates for investors? We have attempted to provide meaningful technical assistance to anyone who requires an official plan or zoning by-law change. We have for example, drafted all necessary by-law amendments so that they will be compatible with parent documents. We have also attempted whenever there has been a citizen objection to a proposal, to resolve the difficulty so that no Ontario Municipal Board hearing would be required. It has been the opinion of Council that taxpayers' dollars should not be spent beyond the parameters I have described, for there are very clear procedures which are followed with respect to zoning. The Regional Official Plan is the result of a great deal of dialogue over a lengthy period of time. We have to work with the Regional Official Plan and with the Planning Act for the Province of Ontario. To disregard either document is not a favour to any investment interest; indeed investment opportunities could be driven away by such action, as they would.encounter mortgage difficulties which would lead to financing difficulties. In response to item two, I would advise that the Town is attempting to keep itself informed of the changing needs of business. First and foremost, we have in response to earlier suggestions, been in touch with a number of local businesses with respect to wage rates and other matters. We have also held promotion.days over the last few years and conducted an industrial tour where we listened to the comments of those who are actually manufacturing goods and products within the Town. Over the past two or three years, in particular, we have worked with a number of industries to work out problems which they have had with respect to expansion, and I have letters of appreciation thanking me for the Town's participation and assistance. There have been eight or ten such situations but, of course, I am not at liberty to disclose the extent or the nature of our involvement. I think that the Town is doing everything that is. reasonable to keep itself informed, and such efforts are complemented by the Region. I believe that you are not aware of our Industrial Development Brochure, from reading item four of your letter. The format of this document is such that private industry can add their own brochures. Those industries we visited on our recent tour were provided with copies of our brochure and they are available through the Administrator's office at no cost. During the past few years, we have at different times, written letters to various industries in the Town asking them for comments or suggestions. We have invited industrial officials to attend special functions we have had -in the Town. I am, as Mayor, also a member of the Durham Export Club which has recently been formed.in this area. Membership in this organization has been made available to the industries in this area .and at the next meeting I am taking a representative from one of our local plants as my guest. We have also attended the "Industrial Day" events at the Canadian National Exhibition, accompanied by representatives of industry in our Town. With respect to the opening of new businesses within the Town, I believe that the role you suggest more appropriately falls to the BIA or Chamber of Commerce. Perhaps working through these organizations, ....../3 Town of Newcastle Development Group -3- January 21st, 1985 you could avail yourself of the information which is contained in the Council agenda with respect to the number of building permits being issued in the Town, for new commercial and industrial operations. We have no control over the attendance at an official opening of a business. With respect to item six, and the request for further study by outside consultants, I would advise that these are being kept to a minimum because we want costs kept to a minimum. Over the years, the costs have decreased rather thanincreased; nevertheless, from time to time it is important to obtain expert advice in certain areas if such expertise is not retained on staff. It is quite common to request expert technical opinions in the legal, accounting and medical professions, as well. With respectto item seven of your letter, I would advise that the improvements to Baseline Road east of Waverley Road are in the 1985 budget. Your suggestions with respect to reassigning staff and the appointment of a public relations officer would mean substantial increases in budget or dropped services in other areas. Through the General Purpose and Administration Committee, my office and the office of the Administrator, we have attempted to provide this type of service. The appointment of a Public Relations Officer to liaise with business may well turn out to be counter productive in that Mr. Gerard Gervais at the Region provides such a service which.links industrial interest to provincial and federal funding. To suggest that yet another player be added to the game, may well confuse matters. I have found Mr. Gervais, the Commissioner for Economic Development, and his office to be extremely co-operative and concerned about the industrial future of the Town and my office is in constant contact with him. I believe that communications may be improved with respects to certain aspects of industrial development. For example, we should publicize our efforts to improve the Baseline Road. Through the Regional Official Plan, we have publicized.our intentions with respect to what lands should be developed for industrial purposes. Beyond that I think it inappropriate to discuss specific inquiries, as these are held in the strictest of confidence and should be dealt with accordingly. I can appreciate that from a private citizen's perspective, that they may have the perception that the Town is "not doing much". The fact is that a great deal is being done but it is not always possible to talk of such efforts as to do so would destroy, any possibility of industrial investment taking place. Incidentally, you may have heard over CKAR Radio last Thursday, January 17th, 1985, that figures released from Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation, reveal that housing starts in the Durham Region are down 13 percent from the previous year with the City of Oshawa down 15 percent over last year. The Town of Newcastle, though, has experienced a 159 percent increase and so it looks as if the Town of Newcastle is the place of the future to live and to build. I think it is also important to bring to your attention that inquiries received by my office or that of the Chief Administrative Officer, often indicate that they want little or no initial involvement of real estate interest, and if they do and when they do, we will seek the realtors out. Over the past year, Town Council and staff have worked very r' Town of Newcastle Development Group -4- January 21st, 1985 hard to produce a new comprehensive zoning by-law. It can be acknowledged that it is long overdue, but the task is completed. There are approximately a half dozen objections which will be dealt with in early March by the Ontario Municipal Board. This new comprehensive zoning by-law provides greater flexibility and should reduce the number of occasions where minor variances and rezoning are required. There will still be rezonings and where there are, they will follow the procedures and regulations outlined by the Province. I am sure that you are aware that the Municipality must act within Provincial regulations. Where any rezoning is required, owing to these Provincial regulations, the fastest it can be dealt with takes approximately 70 to 80 days. There is nothing that can be done about this timeframe other than requesting the Province to change this law. The Town is very anxious to support industrial development, however, there are rules and regulations that we must live within. There is a great deal of interest in our Municipality and a great deal of my time, including some weekends, is devoted to tracking down industrial and commercial prospects. In the initial stages, these procedures are highly confidential and involves time and research. I trust that this will give your group some insight into our industrial strategy. Yours very truly, GARNET B. RICKARD, C.M. Mayor GBR/mr