Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns sets the pace for the rest of the Council members.

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

December 23rd, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

She is off to an exceptionally good start.

Lisa Kearns was the first out of the gate with a Newsletter to her constituents. She opened it with a reminder to her constituents as to just why she was a city Councillor by setting out the oath she took on December 3rd, 2018.Kearns newsletter logo

I will truly, faithfully and impartially exercise this office to the best of my knowledge and ability.

I have not received and will not receive any payment or reward, or promise thereof, for the exercise of this office in a biased, corrupt or in any other improper manner.

I will disclose any pecuniary interest, direct or indirect, in accordance with the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.

She held a meeting for her constituents before the middle of the month at the Art Gallery.
Under the heading: NEED TO KNOW Kearns sets out her approach to the possible sale of cannabis in retail locations.

“At its meeting on December 17, 2018, City Council deferred the decision to opt in or out of recreational cannabis stores in Burlington until the January 14, 2019 Committee of the Whole meeting.

Kearns Dewc meeting

She doesn’t turn the microphone over to anyone but she answers every question and doesn’t sting on the details.

“This deferral will:

• Provide Council with time to understand new regulations announced by the Province of Ontario on Dec. 13, 2018, allowing a total of 25 business licenses across Ontario for cannabis retail stores on April 1, 2019. More information is expected to be released in the new year, and

• Allow more time for additional public input on this issue. Please share your thoughts with me directly or take the online survey about cannabis retail stores in Burlington.

“You are welcome to attend and speak to Council at the January 14, 2019, Committee of the Whole meeting.  Note that registration to delegate is required.

“My vote will be based on:
• Results of the survey
• Summary of the Mayor’s Town Hall
• Communications to Councillors
• Public engagement from Election campaign
• Role of the Municipality – Commenting agency.

Her comment on cannabis
The provincial government has given municipalities in Ontario a one-time offer to opt out of having cannabis stores in their communities. The deadline to make this decision is Jan. 22, 2019.

• As long as we have controls around where (distanced from schools, parks and recreation centres) and how (business licensing) cannabis is distributed.

• As long as there’s an equitable share of the excise tax revenue.

• Municipalities in other provinces are seeking 40 per cent of the tax revenue, up to 50 per cent once negotiated provincial revenue targets are hit.

• I support exploring an opportunity to reduce the reliance on municipal revenue through development fees and open a new stream of revenue through tax revenue generated by retail cannabis.

• The provincial government has pledged $40 million in transitional funds to address regulation, enforcement and education. This is in response to the Cannabis Act passed November 2017 and expected private retail model for cannabis that would launch in municipalities by April 1, 2019.

Provincial law will prohibit recreational cannabis use in any public place, workplaces and motorized vehicles.

Can’t ask for much more than that.

There are a number of developments scheduled for the ward. We didn’t hear Kearns say that any of the developments she mentioned were a mistake. Nor did she get overly enthusiastic about any of them.
She gave the small audience her take and listened to what people had to say.

New Street at Guelph Line - condo for health

Two towers: 350 units in total.

New Street west of Guelph Line: :

• Building 1 (west) 223 units are planned as seniors retirement of various care levels: independent, assisted, care-taker. This includes 32 units (studio) dedicated for Memory Care living space (Alzheimer’s/Dementia Care units)

• Building 2 (east) 139 units are planned as residential condo. There was clear interest from the younger crowd for availability in this development. The unit mix consists of 97 one-bedroom units and 42 two-bedroom units.

Status: Under technical review (FYI). Statutory Meeting scheduled for January 15, 2019 at the Planning & Development Committee at City Hall.
She announced that she was going to create a ‘lobbyist” register for her office and hoped that it is something the other Councillors, and the Mayor, would emulate. She wants people to know who came knocking on her door.

Leblovic at Kearns Dec 2-18 meet

Nick Leblovic, former chair of a Waterfront Advisory Committee that bumped into a Sunset Clause, will want to be an active participant in the new Committee.

Kearns will sit on the Waterfront Advisory Committee when it is set up. She thought she would serve as the Chair, that would be unusual. The Terms of reference for that Advisory committee have yet to be set out.

That is a task the Clerk’s office will do – watch for some significant changes coming from the public on this one.

There are a number of politically active people who think the Advisory Committees are a sham and want to see significant changes made in what they are expected to do and what they will have in the way of resources.

Lisa Kearns is setting the pace. It will be a while before we see what the other Council members do in the way of relating to the people that put them in office.

We will take a look at this at the end of January.

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9 comments to Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns sets the pace for the rest of the Council members.

  • joe gaetan

    The COB website contains key contact information for councillors here is the page for Lisa, https://www.burlington.ca/en/your-city/councillor-lisa-kearns.asp#

  • Tom Muir

    Under the privacy laws governing these mailing lists, every new term Councilor has to start again gathering a new list.

    I have always seen this notice at the bottom of the last newsletter of the outgoing Councilor and the instructions to sign up again if you want to.

    I got this notice from all the newsletters from Council members that I get.

  • Penny

    Collin, Lisa Kearns office did the same thing. Residents need to know that when a new councillor is elected they are not provided with the list of email addresses of the previous councillor. As suggested previously, send a request to be included on the councillors email address.

  • Collin

    After the complaints about improper use of city email lists against three councillors in the last election, it was refreshing to get an email from new Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte’s office asking recipients to confirm if they still wanted to be on the list. I took it as another sign of a new integrity and respect at City Hall.

  • Susie

    I follow your question Pam. I live in Ward 2 also and have had no input on meetings or newsletter from our new councillor??

  • Penny

    Pam, if you email Lisa or her assistant they will add your name to receive all information. – Lisa.kearns@burlington.ca

  • Pam

    I live in Ward 2 and have yet to see any newsletter from our new counsellor. How was this newsletter distributed? Also heard nothing about a meeting.

    • Lynn

      Pam, go to her page on the city website and you can contact her to be added to her newsletter list. She also has a Lisa Kearns Ward 2 facebook page with information and commentary. I received the newsletter by email as well as information on the meeting.

  • Dave

    For those who missed it, Councillor Galbraith’s Ward 1 newsletter went out last week as well: https://twitter.com/KelvinGalbraith/status/1075733400068243456