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WINDOWS & SIDING www.winside.ca 873-0841905 CALIFORNIA SHUTTERS CHINMEYS Chimney Repairs/Rebuilds Tuckpointing Ken Lahey klahey@cogeco.ca 416-837-6866 Serving Georgetown for over 10 years KEN'S PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTORS CHIMNEYS Locally Owned & Operated Since 1982 ACTON 519.853.3332 GEORGETOWN 905.702.2339 info@wwminc.ca www.wwminc.ca BINS IDEAL FOR: • Renovations • Shingles • Dirt • House & Yard Clean-Up • Concrete • Asphalt • Driveway Friendly • Junk Removal DISPOSAL CONTAINER RENTALS FULL JUNK REMOVAL SERVICES waste disposal containers To advertise in this full colour directory delivered to every home in Halton Hills every Thursday, please call Kelli 905-873-7162 or email kkosonic@theifp.ca WINDOWS & DOORS ■ Rep l acemen t W indows ■ Bay & Bow Windows ■ S t o rm Doo r s ■ Pa t i o Doo r s ■ Sea l ed G l a s s Un i t s Serving Halton Hills Since 1991 905 7 03 -0606 There was plenty on the agenda at Monday's Town Council meeting. Here's a look at what took place. 1. BACKYARD CHICKENS -- YAY OR NAY? It's been in the works for over a year, but council moved to continue gather- ing information on wheth- er or not to allow residents to keep chickens in their backyard. Results of a survey con- ducted through Let's Talk Halton Hills showed mixed feelings from respondents. A total of 725 residents par- ticipated with 465 in favour of allowing backyard fowl. However, 254 residents cried foul, citing concerns ranging from noise and waste to odours. The big- gest concern among re- spondents was that the birds could attract vermin. Residents who were in favour of allowing the by- law felt that four to six chickens was the appropri- ate maximum amount of bird to a backyard. The sec- ond most popular amount was: none. 2. MUNICIPAL MODERNIZATION -- PAY YOUR TAXES ONLINE COMING Residents may soon be able to pay their property taxes online, as well as book transit via mobile or online in the future. Town staff have applied for grant funding from the province for two projects related to municipal mod- ernization. The town would be eligi- ble for 65 per cent funding from the province with the town covering the remain- ing expense. The online tax system would allow residents to access self-serve options online for tax services. Im- plementing this project is anticipated to have a maxi- mum cost of $130,000. The transit grant would allow the town to imple- ment an online/mobile app for self-serve bookings. It would also include the in- stallation of a minimum of four kiosks at municipal lo- cations to allow customers to book trips. The cost of the program is estimated at $91,300. 3. SCATTERING OF CREMATED REMAINS IN THE CREDIT RIVER A 2019 complaint from a resident regarding the scattering of cremated re- mains in the Credit River at McNab Park has sparked further investigation. Part of a traditional Hin- du end-of-life ritual, ashes are scattered into water ways like the Credit River. From June to October 2020, the town received in- creased reports and com- plaints regarding the fre- quency of ceremonies at McNab Park. Staff have consulted with several agencies and municipal partners re- garding best practices. Pro- vincial police permits scat- tering of cremated remains on Crown land or water, but has no official regula- tions for the scattering of cremated remains. Staff will continue to monitor the situation and take an educational ap- proach. Scattering of cremated remains will be permitted, though river offerings will be prohibited. 4. PORTABLE TOILET RENTAL Of seven companies that received a notification of a bid opportunity regarding the rental of portable toilets, only three showed interest, but ultimately only one company submitted a bid. When town staff reached out to understand the lack of interest, bidders cited their present wor- kload as the main reason. As per the town's pur- chasing policy, if only one bid is received in the pro- cess, a report to council is required. Chantler's Environmen- tal Services Limited, al- ready a current service provider for the town, was awarded to bid. 5. COVID-19 TAX DEFERRAL 2021 In response to the CO- VID-19 pandemic, the town took several measures re- garding property tax collec- tion, including relief from penalties, interest and fees for a designated period. Council also approved the deferral of final tax due dates, introducing a pre- authorized payment plan. A one-time COVID-19 pre-authorized monthly repayment plan is avail- able to property owners, consisting of seven month- ly withdrawals beginning June 28 and ending Dec. 29, 2021. Proof of hardship may be required to qualify. As of Dec. 31, 2020, the town has collected all but 2.8 per cent of taxes from 2020. By comparison, there are 2.27 per cent of proper- ty taxes outstanding from 2019, and 2.57 per cent out- standing from 2018. 6. TRAFFIC ENGINEERING WORK PLAN Carry-over projects from 2020, along with new 2021 initiatives, are part of the 2021 Traffic Engineer- ing Work Plan. The plan in- cludes dozens of projects, from speed and safety re- views to traffic calming and traffic signals. COUNCIL HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED AT TOWN COUNCIL BRYAN MYERS bmyers@metroland.com