town of milton report

Community Services Standing Committee Meeting February 6 2012

Mike Cluett

The next meeting of the Community Services Standing Committee is this coming Monday February 6, 2012 at Milton Town Hall beginning at 7pm.

This Committee consists of five Councillors and the Mayor. Committee members review all reports, formulate policy and make recommendations to Council on matters over which Council has authority under the Municipal Act. These matters are related to Community Services, Fire, Library, Transit and other operational programs. If you wish to be a delegation at the Community Services Committee, you must register in writing with the Clerk’s Office by 10:00 a.m. on Monday, the day of the meeting.

The following Council Members sit on the Community Services Committee:

  • Gordon Krantz, Mayor
  • Councillor Tony Lambert, Wards 1, 6, 7 & 8
  • Councillor Greg Nelson, Ward 2
  • Councillor Rick Malboeuf, Ward 4
  • Councillor Arnold Huffman, Ward 5
  • Councillor R. Di Lorenzo, Wards 7

Here is a copy of the agenda for you to review.  Some of the items to be discussed include:

  • Q4 2011 Engineering Services Report
  • Q4 2011 Licensing & Enforcement Report
  • Housekeeping Amendment for Fireworks
  • Presentation on GTA West Corridor

If you cant make it to the meeting, as always you can watch online. Just click on my links to the right and enjoy!

2012 Town of Milton Budget Documents are HERE!

Mike Cluett

It’s that time of year again Milton.  No, not the long lines at the shopping malls, the honing of Christmas lists of your kids and the never ending list of holiday parties to attend.  Its budget time at the Town of Milton.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, this is a fun time for your local councillor as well.  Over the last year I have talked with you on what your budget priorities are.  This past summer myself along with a number of other councillors sat down with you to discuss the issues you found to be important.  I have received close to 100 emails over the course of the year of you letting me know what you would like to see.

All of the comments received were sent to staff and what you will see here is a list of the budget documents.  This budget will come before council on December 12 and 13th for review/debate/approval.  Members of the public are more than welcome, and encouraged to take part in this process as well.  If you’d like to know how you can be a part of this important process, please email me mike@mikecluett.ca for more details.

Over the course of the next week or so as I dive into these documents, drink lots of coffee and find more dark circles under my eyes due to lack of sleep, I will be posting more details, my thoughts and attempt to get as many of your comments ready for the budget committee meeting on the 12th.  If you want a hard copy of the budget, they can be purchased at Milton Town Hall as well.  Email me for details.

A quick overview of the budget will find that it recommends at 4.18% increase in the tax rate.  That doesn’t mean your taxes will go up by that amount, its the rate of increase in budget spending.  In the past I have stated I wouldn’t support a budget with an increase over the rate of inflation and I look to keep that same commitment here.  That rate doesn’t include education, the Region of Halton, the Library levy or DBIA. 

I’ll post more details on what can be done to reduce the impact of the tax increase in the coming days.  Again, if you have any questions at all, please email or call me anytime.  With over 400 pages in the budget document, odds are I will be up late reading it.

Here are the links online from www.milton.ca for the 2012 Budget Documents

Operating and Capital Budgets

The Town’s annual budget is developed by staff in consideration of the guidelines approved by Council in July and input received from the public. Council deliberates and approves the budget in December of each year ensuring an approved budget is in place for the start of the new year.

2012 Proposed Budget Documents

Milton In The Race For Pan AM Velodrome

Mike Cluett

From The Hamilton Spectator ONLINE

By Matthew Van Dongen

Milton is racing to bid for the permanent Pan Am indoor cycling facility turned down by Hamilton council.

The council for the booming town of about 90,000 decided Monday make a pitch for the controversial velodrome after receiving a letter from Pan Am officials last week offering a last-minute chance to bid on the venue.

That letter was quickly delivered to several municipalities last Wednesday after Hamilton council effectively turned down a chance to build the 250-metre track by offering only $5 million towards the project, which Infrastructure Ontario estimates could cost up to $45 million. Pan Am cities are expected to pay, or find partners to help cover, about 44 per cent of new venue costs.

“We think it could be a really good fit for us, if all the pieces fall together,” Councillor Mike Cluett said Tuesday. “But it is a really, really tight timeline … and I think the general feeling is if we can’t reduce the impact on the taxpayer, it probably won’t happen.”

Cluett said the town is putting together a basic “expression of interest” by the Oct. 20 Pan Am deadline, but noted the “real work” involves trying to find other funding partners for the pricey project before Nov. 30 — the date Games officials have set for a host municipality to sign a binding agreement.

Councillors are tentatively looking at setting aside six of about 150 acres of town-owned land already slated for a research park partnership with Wilfrid Laurier University and Sheridan College.

Cluett said staff will go first to the academic institutions to gauge interest in shared project-funding. But private sector funding, he said, will be “the main focus.”

“Milton is growing so fast and the number of companies that want to be here is huge,” he said. “We think we have an opportunity (with the velodrome) to tap into that.”

This isn’t the first time Milton has stepped up with a Pan Am rescue offer when Hamilton appeared ready to drop the ball.

The town also offered a stadium site for the Games during the long-running argument over where the new home of the Ticats should go.

Mississauga councillors are expected to decide whether to bid on the velodrome in a meeting Wednesday.

 

From CHCH News

Details on Milton Hospital Expansion

Mike Cluett

Less than 24 hours later, the grins on the faces of those who had worked so hard over the last few years have not gone anywhere.  I know that I have not lost the feeling of excitement at yesterdays announcement at Milton District Hospital by Health Minister Deb Matthews of the approval of the expansion of MDH.

You dont see standing ovations and tears at government announcements but this was different.  The doctors and nurses and staff and volunteers at MDH have waited for this for a very long time.  Tears of joy streamed from many faces after Minister Matthews said that we got the green light.  She credited our persistence in this and asked that we change our motto to “Never Take No For An Answer”.  The hard work begins at many levels.  From John Oliver and Allan Halls from Halton Healthcare Services, to the LHIN all the way down to our Town Council, decisions have to be made and believe me, we are working on it as we speak.  Town Staff are going to be working many long hours coming up with options for the funding of our local portion.  I can assure you that I want to hear from you, the residents of Milton on YOUR ideas as well.  This hospital is for our community and we need to hear from you.

I have received dozens of emails from people wondering about the details of the announcement and MDHF through their website have released details of the announcement, which you will find below.

Thank you to everyone in Milton who made this possible.  It was a long time coming and its finally here.  Green light is ON and we will now begin the process to move forward and get the job done.

http://www.mdhf.ca/images/stories/PDF/Press_Releases/Announcement_Highlights_FINAL.pdf

MILTON DISTRICT HOSPITAL EXPANSION

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

The expansion at the hospital will include 320,000 sq.ft. of new construction and 3,700 sq.ft. of renovations to existing space. At a current size of approximately 125,000 sq.ft., this expansion will more than double the size of the hospital.

Clinical departments in the new space will include:

  • Emergency
  • Diagnostic Imaging
  • Maternal Childcare
  • Medical/Surgical Inpatient Units
  • Intensive Care Unit
  • Surgical Department

Clinical Support departments in the new space will include:

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Medical Device Reprocessing
  • Materials Management
  • Information Systems
  • Clinical Information Systems
  • Facilities Maintenance

NEW CONSTRUCTION

Emergency Department

Entirely new space will be sized to accommodate 45,500 visits per year. The current department has capacity to handle approximately 30,000 visits. The new space will more than triple the size of the current department.

Diagnostic Imaging

The plan includes the addition of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine and Nuclear Medicine Services. The expansion will more than triple the size of the hospital’s Diagnostic Imaging Department.

Maternal Childcare

The new department will have increased capacity from eight to 17 post‐partum beds and associated birthing facilities. The new space will include a dedicated C‐section suite. Today, C‐sections are performed in the hospital’s Surgical Department.

Medical/Surgical Inpatient Units

New space will accommodate two, 36‐bed units with capacity for 72 patients. Eighty percent single patient rooms will enhance infection prevention and control and provide increased patient privacy and comfort. The expanded units will more than double capacity in the department.

Intensive Care Unit

The ICU will see an increase in capacity from six beds to 10 beds. The new, appropriately sized, unit will consist of modern facilities to support contemporary practices.

Surgical Department

Expanded operating suites and a Post‐Aneasthetic Care Unit will accommodate 8,400 surgical procedures annually. This represents an increase of 70% over the department’s current capacity.

CURRENT HOSPITAL

Existing facilities, including space made available from relocating services into the new construction, will be utilized to accommodate the needs of a number of clinical and clinical support departments including:

  • Complex Continuing Care
  • Medical Daycare and Cancer Clinic
  • Outpatient Mental Health Services
  • Outpatient Rehabilitation Services
  • Laboratory
  • Cardio‐Respiratory Services
  • Food Services
  • Environmental Services
  • Chronic Disease Management
  • Administration, Volunteer Services, Foundation

BENEFITS TO OUR COMMUNITY

  • State‐of‐the‐art hospital facilities developed in the new space providing additional capacity to meet the needs of our rapidly growing community,
  • New and enhanced programs and services including additional diagnostic capabilities and new ambulatory services such as chemotherapy treatment and mental health services,
  • Contemporary design to support enhanced infection prevention and control to reduce the spread of infection,
  • A healing environment focused on patient‐centred care including improved amenities to support family involvement,
  • Clearly marked traffic routes will separate emergency vehicles, hospital staff, public transit and the general public,
  • Simple internal and external way‐finding will allow for accessible and convenient movement,
  • Facilities built to current and anticipated design standards.    

Infrastructure Minister Responds!

Mike Cluett

Here is the long awaited response from Infrastructure Minister Bob Chiarelli via a letter to the editor in the Milton Canadian Champion. 

As the readers of my website will know, I have been demanding answers from the provincial level of government in Ontario to find out when Milton District Hospital will be expanded.  Over the last several years many groups of citizens, levels of government and Halton Healthcare services has been trying to convince the LHIN’s and the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Infrastructure and the Premier of Ontario that Milton needs to have a hospital expansion.

The statistics are endless in our arguement that something needs to have been done a long time ago and must happen now.  Halton Healthcare Services has made many presentations to council over the last while outlining the drastic need for expansion in a hospital that is designed for a population of 30,000 while Milton now is approaching 100,000.

The Friends of Milton Hospital collected over 35,000 signatures on post cards a couple of years back and delivered them to the Health Ministers office.  Recently the Grow Milton Hospital Campaign submitted a petition to Queens Park with over 6,000 signatures collected in a matter of weeks.

The Provincial government promised the over 95 plus municipalities who are in similar, if not worse situations that Milton is in a detailed 10 year capital project list after the budget this past spring.  The list was “coming soon” and I along with other Miltonians received tweets from the Premier’s press secretary saying the LHIN”s and the Ministry were “working on it” and something would be coming soon.

At the end of June, after months of promises, the provincial government released the Building Together plan outlining their priorities.  The problem is there was no detail included.  The town of Milton, the Region of Halton and for that matter every municipality has to detail their capital plans, with lists of projects, time lines, prices and how we’re going to pay for it.  Thats a requirement the Provincial Government has for municipalities.  We didn’t get a plan.  We got promises.

You cant blame myself and the other municipal leaders in this town for being disappointed and frustrated.  This has been an ongoing issue for many years and I for one am puzzled at the lack of committment the Province has for healthcare in Ontario.

The people of Milton are frustrated.  You only have to bring up the hospital in conversation and blood pressures around the room begin to rise.  At last nights town hall meeting when we discussed the hospital expansion levy and the potential expansion of MDH, residents were confused as to why nothing was being done for so long and why we as a municipality can’t do anything to speed it up.

All we are looking for Minister Chiarelli, Minister Matthews & Premier McGuinty is the green light.  We are ready to go with the plan that’s needed to help improve the delivery of health care services in Milton.  The hospital and the doctors and nurses within are stretched to the limit and even though they haven’t hit the breaking point…its getting close.  The Town of Milton would like to put a plan into place so that we can fund our portion of the hospital expansion.  We’re ready to consult with them to find the best solution possible for that funding.  We are at the starting line…waiting for the green light.

The Town of Milton along with the Region of Halton is trying to build a community where people can live, learn, work and play.  We want families to chose Milton for its great amenities, the schools, the restaurants, the places to work and learn at our education village and to be able to have a medical facility that can handle the current and future health care needs of its residents.

The time is now!  Grow Milton Hospital!

Ontario Government committed to Milton

Dear Editor:

Re: June 30 story entitled ‘Councillors disappointed with infrastructure plan.’

Milton councillors criticized Building Together, Ontario’s first ever long-term infrastructure plan, for a perceived lack of detail.

They’re correct to point out that our government must tackle the province’s infrastructure deficit. Over the last six years, the Ontario government has invested an average of $10 billion annually in infrastructure.

Our commitment to schools, hospitals and roads is clear in Halton and across Ontario. Ontario’s infrastructure investments since 2003 total $62 billion, creating 600,000 jobs — including 620 jobs in Milton. We have committed $35 billion for the first three years of Building Together to continue our work.

Needless to say, we mean business.

The Dalton McGuinty government’s record is the best indication of what we’ll do for Milton’s infrastructure. Milton is one of the fastest growing municipalities in the country. That’s why we have invested more than $34 million in dozens of infrastructure projects since 2003, including the Milton Centre for the Arts, Milton Sports Centre expansion and the widening of Tremaine Road.  

We recognize the need to plan for future growth as well. That’s why we have provided more than $4 million in growth funding to Halton Healthcare Services, and a $1.5 million planning and design grant to Milton District Hospital to help further develop its expansion proposal.

The McGuinty government is also helping municipalities build their own infrastructure by uploading municipal services. When uploading is fully implemented in 2018, Halton Region will save an estimated $22.5 million per year.

Since 2004, the McGuinty government has also transferred $2.4 million to Milton for public transit funding (formerly known as gas tax revenue). We will continue to ensure Milton gets its fair share.

Through Premier McGuinty’s mandate, our government has built, expanded, and modernized hospitals, schools, community centres and public transit across the province — creating hundreds of thousands of jobs and making a positive difference for Ontarians. Building Together is a commitment and strategic plan to continue these investments in Milton and across Ontario.

Bob Chiarelli, Infrastructure Minister, Government of Ontario