ward 6

Volunteer Opportunities Available

Mike Cluett

Volunteer Opportunities: Committee/Board Vacancies

The Town of Milton invites you to help guide decisions and provide input to issues affecting your community, by volunteering for one of the following committees.

Volunteers for these Committees will be required to serve a four-year term, which runs concurrent with the term of Milton Council.

Eligibility

Qualified applicant(s) must be a resident of Milton, or an owner or tenant of land in the municipality, or the spouse of such an owner or tenant, or employee(s) of a business located in the municipality or student(s) attending a school located in the Town of Milton and must be a minimum of 18 years of age on the date of appointment. However, general qualifications may apply on certain committees. Age qualification may be waived by Council on certain committees.

How to apply

A separate application form must be submitted for each committee for which you wish to apply.

Application forms are available online or from the Office of the Town Clerk, Town of Milton, 150 Mary Street, Milton, ON, L9T 6Z5 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Completed application forms must be received at the Office of the Town Clerk no later than Thursday, December 9, 2010 at 4:30 p.m.

You may be required to attend an interview.  Applicants for Committees with daytime meetings may have daytime interviews. To be eligible for appointment, you must be a qualified elector in the Town of Milton; however the age qualification may be waived on certain committees.

Vacancies

Committee Of Adjustment And Consent

The mandate of this 5-member committee, established under the Planning Act, is to make decisions regarding minor variances to the Town of Milton’s Comprehensive Zoning By-law, as well as changes to legal non-conforming uses.  The Committee also makes decisions on land division/severance (consent) applications to create new lots and easements or adjust lot line boundaries and it also acts as the Property Standards Committee, on as ‘as required’ basis.

Applicants should have the ability to read architectural drawings and survey plans, a thorough knowledge of the community, and an interest in its growth and development.  Members will also be required to review planning reports and comments and make site inspections, prior to each meeting.

  • Members needed:  5 citizens
  • Meeting Schedule: Monthly, Thursday evenings
  • Contact: Betty Cunningham, Committee Secretary, 905-878-7252 ext. 2315 or Betty.Cunningham@milton.ca

Board Of Management For The Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA)

The mandate of the Board of Management for the Downtown Business Improvement Area as established by Milton Council, in accordance with By-law No. 112-77, is for the improvement, beautification and maintenance of municipally-owned lands, buildings and structures in the area designated as the Downtown Business Improvement Area and to promote the designated area as a business or shopping area.

To qualify to sit as a Member on the Board of the D.B.I.A., the member shall be assessed for business assessment in respect of land in the Improvement Area, or nominees of Corporations so assessed.

  • Members needed:  7 citizens
  • Contact:  Jacquelyn Garrard, Executive Director, Milton D.B.I.A., 905-876-2773 or jgarrard@downtownmilton.com

Community Services Advisory Committee

The mandate of this committee is to provide a forum for public input and consultation on a broad range of programs and services delivered by the Town of Milton. The role is an advisory and consultative one, providing input to Milton Council vis-à-vis the respective Standing Committee of Council on issues that are of a “community service nature” with respect to the program areas of Community Services.  The Community Services Advisory Committee also reviews and makes recommendations to Milton Council with respect to the Milton Community Fund program.

  • Members needed:  8 citizens
  • Contact: Bev McCarthy, Committee Secretary, 905-878-7252 ext. 2580 or at Bev.McCarthy@milton.ca

Heritage Milton

The mandate of this committee is to provide advice and assistance to Milton Council, the Department of Planning and Development and private property owners on matters relating to the conservation of the community’s historic building and architectural heritage.

  • Members needed:  7 citizens
  • Meeting Schedule: evenings on the first Thursday of every month
  • Contact: Anne Fisher, Planner, 905-878-7252 ext. 2565 or at Anne.Fisher@milton.ca

Milton Accessibility Advisory Committee

The Milton Accessibility Advisory Committee was created under the authority of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001. This committee’s mandate is to advise and assist the Town, in promoting and facilitating an inclusive and barrier-free Town for Citizens of all abilities, including persons with disabilities

  • Members needed: 8 citizens with a minimum of 5 citizens with disabilities
  • Note: Committee meetings are generally held during the business day
  • Contact:  Darren Cooper, Coordinator Accessibility, 905-878-7252 ext. 2534 or Darren.Cooper@milton.ca

Milton Public Library Board

The Milton Public Library Board manages and controls the Milton Public Library system, in accordance with the Public Libraries Act and as authorized by Milton Council in accordance with By-law No. 15-74.  In summary, the Library Board’s mandate is to provide a comprehensive and efficient public library system, with services that reflect the community’s needs via the establishment of policies leading to the successful operation of the system.

  • Members needed:  7 citizens
  • Contact:  Leslie Fitch, CEO/Chief Librarian, 905-875-2665 ext. 3252 or leslie.fitch@mpl.on.ca

Milton Transit Advisory Committee

This committee’s mandate is to report to Town Council on matters concerning public transit within the Town of Milton including the review and operation of transit routes, budgets and long range planning for the transit system. The Committee will provide a review and monitoring function for Council and work with staff representatives to ensure the future success of Milton Transit.

  • Members needed:  4 citizens
  • Note: Committee meetings are generally held during the business day
  • Contact: Tony D’Alessandro, Coordinator of Transit, 905-878-7252 ext. 2548 or Tony.Dalessandro@milton.ca

Milton Trails Advisory Committee

This committee’s mandate is to provide an advisory and consultative role to Town Council concerning the design, development and promotion of trails in the Town of Milton, using the Trails Master Plan as its guiding document.

  • Members needed:  6 citizens
  • Contact: Karen McKinnon, Committee Secretary, 905-878-7252 ext. 2185 or Karen.McKinnon@milton.ca

Public Input Sessions – Bruce Street Library

Mike Cluett

Public Input Sessions – Bruce Street Library

In the Spring of 2011, the main library and library administration that are currently housed at 45 Bruce Street and 407 Pine Street will be moving to a larger facility, with the completion of the new Milton Centre for the Arts.  This relocation presents the opportunity to consider alternatative uses for the two buildings including the following:

  • services for the youth
  • services for seniors
  • services for non profit organizations
  • modified library services
  • other

The Town of Milton invites you to learn more about the feasibility study for future use options at these locations and to provide input into future use options to be presented to Milton Town Council in 2011.

Sessions will include

  • updates on the study
  • feedback attained from stakeholder groups
  • proposed alternative uses for the buildings
  • question & answer period

The date for these public input sessions are:

Tuesday December 7, 2010

Milton Seniors Activity Centre (500 Childs Drive, Milton ON)

Session 1:  3pm to 5pm

Session 2: 7pm to 9pm

 

Residents Association Formed

Mike Cluett

If you go way back in the archives of this blog…way back to the 2006 campaign, I made a point that residents should be more engaged in the political process locally.  There are many ways to accomplish this.  One of them is making sure that residents are informed as much as possible about decisions that affect them directly and indirectly.  I stressed during this campaign that I would make sure I continue to knock on doors in between election campaigns, and not just during them.

If there was a public meeting coming up about an issue that would affect residents, I will do my best to get out there and inform people of that meeting, whats being discussed, how it will affect them and how they can participate.  Not everyone can make every town hall or public meeting, but I will make sure they have a voice around the table.

Another great way is by a residents association or Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC).  These groups are usually formed when the local officials aren’t listening to the needs and concerns of residents.  Recently, there was a new association formed in the Hawthorne Village area, which encompasses Ward 6, but it was formed for an entirely different reason.

During the last election campaign, I noticed an increase in awareness of local issues by residents in my ward.  Other councillors and candidates would say the same thing.  The Hawthorne Village Residents Association (HVRA) was formed by several concerned residents to be a part of the process, to stay involved and to work with council when decisions are being made.  I applaud all the members and participants in this process and will do my best to work with them and keep the lines of communication open.

Christina Commisso at the Milton Canadian Champion did an article recently about the formation of the HVRA.  Congratulations to Martin Capper and Andrew Salmons for co-chairing this committee as well as the many people who signed up.  We can only hope this will help enhance the flow of communication from town council to the residents in Milton.

Here is the article from the Champion.

Residents group forms

Christina Commisso, CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF November 16, 2010

What started as an online discussion following the municipal election has ballooned into a newly-formed residents group that hopes to strengthen the lines of communication between Miltonians and town council.

“We started with a post on the Hawthorne Villager (website), which got 1,600 hits and 60 posts from 20 different people in a matter of days,” said Martin Capper, co-chair of the Hawthorne Village Residents Association (HVRA).

The group isn’t exclusive to Hawthorne Village residents — it’s open to all Miltonains, he said.

CLICK ON THE LINK FOR MORE.

For more information, email HawthorneVillageRA@gmail.com.

Lest We Forget

Mike Cluett

We will not forget.  We cannot forget our heroes past and present.  We will not forget those who still serve, those who made it back and those who did not.  We cannot and will not forget.  THANK YOU!

In Flanders fields the poppies grow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Beware suspicious callers

Mike Cluett

In the Milton Canadian Champion yesterday it was reported that there have been calls in the area soliciting funds and donations for the Royal Canadian Legion.  This happened several times leading up to the Remembrance Day parade at Victoria Park and be aware that the Legion does NOT use this method to raise funds.

If you do receive a call like this, please report it to the police immediately.  It’s incredibly sad that people will go to stoop as low as to use the Legion as a tool to steal money.  The same caution should be used with all unsolicited phone calls asking for money, credit card numbers or banking information.

Here’s the story from the Champion.

Caller seeks donations for legion

Police say it’s a scam as legion doesn’t solicit funds over phone

Residents are being warned to beware of fundraising scams after a local man was telephoned by an imposter soliciting donations on behalf of the Royal Canadian Legion.Joe Auger said he received a phone call at 7:15 p.m. Thursday — a week before Remembrance Day — by a professional-sounding ‘fundraiser.’

Auger said the conversation started off as a normal telemarketing call until the young man on the other end told him he had donated $25 to the legion last year and asked that he donate $50 this year.

“I knew it was bull right then and there,” said the 71-year-old. “I’ve never given money to the legion over the phone. If I ever wanted to give them money I would walk down there and do it in person.”

Auger said after the financial request, the caller said the legion was losing 500 members each year and needed help.

“It was at that point I said no and hung up,” he said. “My wife and I don’t give out our credit card (number) over the phone. I know a few guys from the legion so I told them the next day what had happened, one of them reported it to the police.

“I think this sort of scam is a disgrace. The worst part is that it hurts other charities that are actually trying to collect for a good cause.”

Cliff Conor, who reported the incident to police, echoed Auger’s sentiments.  “This is fraud,” said the 68-year-old veteran and legion member.  “It’s a terrible thing to try and use the legion at this time of year. This person should be ashamed of himself. It’s despicable.”

A spokesperson for the local legion confirmed it doesn’t conduct telephone soliciations.  Det. Sgt. Murray Drinkwalter said he wants residents, especially seniors, to beware of fraud artists.

“This is a disturbing incident. If people get these phone calls make sure you get a name and ask for a call back number. This way people can return phone calls to ensure the charity is a bona fide one.

“If people choose to donate over the phone, they must be sure they know who you are dealing with.”  He added that this was the first incident of this sort involving the legion he has heard about.

Anyone who has received a similar phone call is asked to contact police at (905) 878-5511.