Mayors may discuss joint planning department at upcoming conference
By Richard Blanchard

The creation of a joint planning and engineering department for all South Simcoe municipalities is going to be on the table at an upcoming mayors meeting.

Essa mayor Dave Guergis told his council last week that he had already had discussions with other local South Simcoe mayors about the creation of the new joint department, in order to speed the planning process and reduce costs.

"In fact, I met with a mayor and staff of one of the municipalities today to discuss the proposal. They seemed to like the idea," he said.

Guergis wouldn't say which municipality that had met with to discuss the concept.

The Essa mayor said that he has felt that local municipalities are not well served by tendering for engineering services.

"I know that when we expanded water and sewer services in Angus one year that it cost us nearly $700,000 and all the municipalities in South Simcoe are facing similar costs," he said. "I think that we can save money by jointly hiring an engineer and speed up the planning process. Do it inhouse. It seems like good business to me. I don't see a downside.

"If you're using an outside firm, they always have their own priorities in completing work."

Council passed a bylaw at the end of discussion which will see Totten Sims Hubecki remain as the township engineer.