Ooooh, Leal says now he's signed that letter to Premier Ford to advocate for speed cameras in school zones.

@alexbierk.bsky.social asks about that $3 or $4 million shortfall - how will we cover that? Within the city budget, or are there other funding opportunities?

Now a notice of motion from Haacke, who is asking that the city apply for provincial funding from the province following the ice storm of last March.

"I don't see this site ever being used as residential - at all," says Haacke - the contamination will leach for years, he says.

"I share with @alexbierk.bsky.social that once you look at the history of the Distillery District, it was contaminated... But it took a long period of time, and a lot of ambitious entrepreneurs, for that to be developed to where it is today," says Leal.

Coun. Duguay says now that when there's development or redevelopment on a site, then an environmental assessment is required (under the city's Official Plan).

Riel asks whether any buyers are lining up for the property, or developers. Nelson says not that the city knows of.

Now - the main motion, for the city to get the architectural heritage plan peer-reviewed (for $35K), and for the city to seek PACAC's advice here.

"It's in council's interest to look at that motion, and know the chief building official cannot be directed, in that manner," says Potts.

"We need to know the public will be protected," says @joylachica.bsky.social - particularly for residents of Albert Street who live yards away from a site where huge amounts of contaminants will be disrupted. "We can control it - in terms of how it can be done."

"I believe we can compel the owner of a property" that is considering demolition to at least make plans to clean up (through an assessment - and then report back to council), says @mattcrowley.bsky.social

Riel: "the history here that I know of GE - and the demolition of plants around North America" means they will tear down the buildings and then landscape it with trees and plants. Riel says "GE was built on a swamp - and in that swamp is every chemical known to man, in a great big soup."

That was the process for the OMC site demolition, says Leal - he asks whether the same procedure will be followed by GE? Yes, says Nelson.

@joylachica.bsky.social says the ERA report (from the GE architects) supports the preservation of eight buildings. That's not the question. They question they ought to be asking, she says, is what does PACAC think?

Haacke is asking whether GE was asked if it is in favour of a heritage designation.

@lesleyparnell.bsky.social asks what happens if they do not give a demolition permit - she wants to know if GE could leave the buildings standing and "walk away" from the buildings.

@alexbierk.bsky.social says this is different from a resident asking for a demolition permit for a garage on a residential property, say. He asks now whether city staff made calls to the provincial government, say, to ask the environment ministry for feedback.

@joylachica.bsky.social notes that PACAC has sent councillors a letter about how they want to weigh in first - and she wants an environmental assessment, and for it to go to PACAC for feedback.

@mattcrowley.bsky.social has an amendment to move. Basically he wants to extract a promise of environmental assessment toward cleanup and mitigation of any contamination that may arise thanks to demolition.

Now: the proposed demolition of most of the former General Electric buildings on Park St. N. Coun. Riel is asking whether the owners are planning on remediating the property (which is contaminated).

The training was received for information; only @joylachica.bsky.social votes against it.

Coun. Kevin Duguay though says he understands why councillors would want further information: "I would welcome the opportunity to train."

"There are certified, highly-trained staff" running the water operations, says Ilmar Simonovskis, commissioner of municipal operations. Councillors don't need to be experts in operating a water treatment plant, he says - but he is willing to offer them another training session for their "comfort"

From the water handbook for councillors: "The source water for the City’s drinking water is the Otonabee River. The present Water Treatment Plant has a treatment capacity of 104 million litres/day."

Patricia Skopelianos is the program manager, quality assurance for the city, just gave a 15-minute presentation about drinking water safety to councillors.

I'm at city hall right now in Peterborough, Ontario, ready to live-post every interesting detail of your general committee meeting.

PHOTOS: Head of the Trent returns to Peterborough

END OF THE WORLD FAILS AGAIN

Adjourned at 6:24 p.m. Around 20 minutes after it began....! Goodnight, already!

Under other business: Coun. Duguay thanking @lesleyparnell.bsky.social for leading this event: www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/news/photos-...

Muir is asking council to defer acceptance of the omnibus finance report until city staff can supply the info that was requested, regarding the cost to sweep city parks of tents the week of May 27.

Gavin Muir is here to speak to council about its financial report from last week. Muir is a Northcrest Ward resident. He's here talking about cost to dismantle tent encampments.

Hey, I'm not in person at city hall right now, but covering your council meeting remotely (due to my sniffles).

Adjourned at 8:51 p.m. Thanks for joining me, it's my pleasure to offer you this service for freeeeee!

Mayor asks Freymond about the city's credit rating. Freymond says AAA+ .... "We are not cracking through our debt ceiling, currently."

@lesleyparnell.bsky.social says she doesn;t support the notice of motion. "We shouldn't be discussing property values and matters in public." And also, she says there is no property behind the building on Lansdowne Street that they own.

3.5 acres has been flagged as potential development, says Duguay.

If they sold anyway, says Baldwin, putting the money against the tax increase may ot may not even be the best way to use that revenue.

"I'm kind of shocked actually, to hear councillors are not willing to find ways to reduce our tax rate, in the coming year," says @joylachica.bsky.social

Now: Notice of motion from @joylachica.bsky.social

Riel asking now about rent supplements - and whether the city inspects units before tenants move in; he says some are very run-downs.

Coun. Kevin Duguay says there ought to be other services too for teens who have disabilities and need specialized transportation.

Coun. Haacke is asking how many passengers will use it. Ilmar says 10,000 young people, he thinks.

Now: @lesleyparnell.bsky.social asking questions of staff on the Youth Transit program that was meant to be put into effect this month. She says she's "disappointed" - and so are many teens and fams - but there are reasons for the delay.

Now: @joylachica.bsky.social asking about whether the city and the Pickleball Association have cooperated to raise money to build a noise-baffling fence at the new courts. Ppl are being asked to give $ to the city for a tax receipt. She's asking whether that's happened before.

"You're really asking me to come up with high-level estimates - particularly from the salaried staff," Freymond says, on the costs.

@alexbierk.bsky.social says he wants to know about the "impact" of removing a public works crew from day-to-day priorities of their jobs - like potholes and picking up garbage downtown - to go clean up debris from an dismantlement of an encampment.

"If you've got the books, there are the numbers," says Riel. "If you've got the books, give us the numbers, simple to me."

@alexbierk.bsky.social says to Freymond that he "doesn't appreciate" receiving 2 sentences with 4 line items of costs tiled OT costs. He's not asking for scrunity "down to every phone call" - He says he used words like "all costs" to determine what it costs taxpayers.

@joylachica.bsky.social notes that a separate reports means the public can read it and delegation pon it. They were asking for a breakdown - and she doesn't understand it as "hair-splitting," to get staff time on it. It's about the labour completed... "That sort of a costing."