Watters hopes to see a childcare centre open in Belwood

CENTRE WELLINGTON – Mayor Shawn Watters hopes to see a childcare centre established in Belwood and has filed a notice of motion so council can discuss the idea.

The notice was included in the Jan. 15 Centre Wellington council agenda.

If passed, Watters' motion would direct staff to investigate what it would take to have such a centre.

That would include identifying a site, planning issues, construction logistics, financial implications, and how it would be managed.

Watters wants there to be consultation with the public and the Belwood advisory committee, which would also inform development of the idea.

Watters hopes for collaboration with federal and provincial governments and community partners.

If passed, staff would report back to council at the June 24 council meeting.

Highway 6 bypass

Councillor Bronwynne Wilton also filed a notice of motion.

She wants to ensure that a future Highway 6 bypass around Fergus does not include a bridge that lands next to the Pierpoint Fly Fishing Nature Reserve.

The reserve was recently declared a cultural heritage landscape by council and is now protected from development.

According to the Centre Wellington transportation master plan, a bypass at that location is one of the options.

So Wilton's motion is to pass a resolution taking that option off the table and to then inform Wellington County and the Ministry of Transportation.

'Disrespectful behaviour'

While there have been no issues with this council to date, “several incidents in recent years of disrespectful behaviour and workplace harassment have occurred amongst members of municipal councils,” writes councillor Lisa MacDonald in her notice of motion.

She’d like council to pass a resolution supporting a call from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario for the province to strengthen municipal codes of conduct to account for workplace safety and harassment language, and for stronger but flexible penalties.

All three notices of motion will be considered at the Jan. 29 council meeting.