Peterborough County to Welcome Winner of 'Warden For a Day' Contest to Council On Wednesday

Peterborough County Council is welcoming the winning Peterborough County secondary school student into Council Chambers as ‘Warden For a Day’ on Wednesday.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The contest was announced during local government week, launched last October, with the contest ending on Nov. 3.

This contest aims to inform students in the local community about the Warden's responsibilities, the services Peterborough County provides for its residents and the various career and elected office opportunities within local government according to a press release.

Grade 9 to 12 Peterborough County students were asked to submit a 60-second video answering two questions:

1. What do you love about living in Peterborough County?

2. What is one thing that you would do as Warden of Peterborough County?

The winning student will join Warden Bonnie Clark for the County Council meeting and they will also assist with the official presentation of the VIP Trophy for the 2023 Peterborough County Plowing Match. There is also a tour of Peterborough County facilities and will receive parting gifts.

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Peterborough County Launches 'Warden for a Day' Campaign For Grade 9-12 Students

In celebration of last week (Local Government Week), Peterborough County is inviting youth in grades 9 – 12 to enter the ‘Warden for a Day,’ contest running until Nov. 3.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

This initiative aims to inform students in the local community about the Warden's responsibilities, the services Peterborough County provides for its residents and the various career and elected office opportunities within local government according to a press release. The County says it aspires to raise awareness among young people about the significance of engaging in their local government.

The winner will be invited to participate in the Nov. 22 Peterborough County Council meeting and will join Warden Bonnie Clark at the County Courthouse for a lunch, a tour of County facilities and prizes

To enter, students must answer two questions in the format of a 60-second video:

1. What do you love about living in Peterborough County?

2. What is one thing that you would do as Warden?

The online submission form can be found online with the deadline on Nov. 3 at midnight.

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Lori Richey Named New Physician Recruiter For Peterborough County

Lori Richey has been named the physician recruiter for Peterborough County.

Photo courtesy of Peterborough County.

Richey previously was the executive director for the Peterborough Family Health Team. She also served as the primary care physician recruiter with Peterborough and director of operations with Peterborough Family Health Team.

In addition to making significant contributions to the field of long-term care, she is also formally trained in the fields of tourism and human resources.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have someone with Lori’s expertise and background join the team at Peterborough County,” said Sheridan Graham, Peterborough County CAO. “We are excited and look forward to Lori’s direct collaboration with the Townships to understand their resident’s needs, to support our existing family physicians and to recruit much-needed family physicians to our region.”

Richey begins her role on Oct. 23.

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County Road 16's Gannon's Narrows Bridge to Undergo Repairs Beginning Sept. 5

The Gannon’s Narrows Bridge repairs on County Road 16 will undergo repairs to its damaged structural components starting from Sept. 5, announced by the County of Peterborough on Friday.

Photo courtesy of the County of Peterborough.

The repairs will run until Oct.13.

During this time, the bridge will be completely closed to all traffic from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays.

While the bridge is closed, the County states that there will be no access for any vehicles to cross over the bridge.

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Students Display Their Art Skills In the 10th Annual Paint a Peterborough County Snow Plow

Teachers and students of Peterborough County got to put their creative side on display as they got to participate in the 10th Annual Paint a Peterborough County Snow Plow.

Photo courtesy of the County of Peterborough.

Snowplow blades were delivered the schools in early May where they were painted with their custom designs. Chemong Public School, St. Martin Catholic School, Millbrook Public School, Norwood District Public School, Rhema Christian School and Buckhorn Public School participated in the painting event.

“This is our 10-year anniversary engaging with our local schools to paint our plows,” said Bill Linnen, General Manager Public Works Division “They have fun and get to share their creativity with us and we enjoy displaying them along Hwy 28 and sharing them with the greater community.” 

They are being displayed at the Douro Public Works Depot at the corner of Hwy 28 and County Road 4 upon completion. They will remain there until they are needed next winter for plowing operations.  

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Peterborough County Launches Nine Hubs For Greater Access to Social and Health Services in Rural Areas

Peterborough County Hubs Program has launched nine hubs to improve access to social and health services in rural communities in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Community Care office in Havelock on Monday morning.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

The project is through a partnership between Peterborough County, Townships, the City of Peterborough and partner agencies.

The hubs are to provide convenient access to social and health services in rural areas since most services are primarily located in Peterborough according to a press release.

The hubs provide free office and meeting space for agencies that deliver services in the County. The Hubs are meant to improve the ability for agencies to deliver services with people and families living in rural and remote locations as stated by the press release. Agency staff can meet with clients in a private office and reduce their burden to find transportation into the City.

"The Peterborough County Hubs program is an essential step towards the equitable delivery of social services for our rural residents," said Peterborough County Warden Bonnie Clark.

The Hub locations are:

• Apsley, at the Community Care office, 126 Burleigh St.

• Douro, at the Douro Public Library, 435 Douro 4th Line

• Keene, at the Otonabee-South Monaghan Township Office, 20 Third St.

• Havelock, at the Community Care office, 17 Smith Dr.

• Lakefield, at the Agilec office, 14 Queen St.

• Millbrook, at the Old Millbrook School,1 Dufferin St.

• Norwood, at the Asphodel-Norwood Township office, 2357 County Rd. 45

• Norwood, at the Norwood Public Library, 2363 County Rd. 45

• Warsaw, at the Douro-Dummer Township office, 894 South St.

Access to services at the hubs is by-appointment. Details on the services available at each hub and on how to access the services are posted online.

“I believe that by working together on the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan as a group, Havelock-Belmont-Methuen will better serve people in our area in so many ways,” said Jim Martin, Havelock-Belmont-Methuen Mayor.  “When it comes to housing, homelessness, transportation and connectivity issues, it can be a real problem for our rural areas to access programs. By offering some of the programs locally in HBM, one aspect it will eliminate is the transportation barriers that many experienced by having to commute to the City.”

Some of the Hubs are able to hold virtual meetings that can be arranged between an agency and the client.

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Peterborough County Council Approves 2023 Budget

The Peterborough County Council has approved the 2023 Budget at Wednesday’s meeting.

photo courtesy of peterborough county council.

The total increase is 4.93 per cent which includes a dedicated infrastructure levy of 2.5 per cent.

“Staff have brought forward an extremely fiscally responsible budget again this year. There are so many outside influences, that are beyond our control and yet together with our Finance Committee, we are bridging the infrastructure gap and fulfilling our mandate to our residents,” said Warden Bonnie Clark.

For 2023, the tax levy increase of 4.93 per cent approximates an increase of $19 per each $100,000 of residential assessment and equates to an approximate 3.9 per cent tax rate increase.

photo courtesy of peterborough county council.

Approximately 51 per cent of the total tax levy increase is dedicated to capital infrastructure, with the remaining 49 per cent supporting County operations and the External/Shared Services.

photo courtesy of peterborough county council.

Each 1 per cent levy increase is equal to approximately $507,000 of additional revenue.

“Our Finance Committee did not lose any momentum even though we had a number of new Councillors on the committee, they grasped the technology and tools quickly. We met our objectives using our system we implemented last year, and things moved very smoothly,” said finance committee chair Councillor Matthew Graham.

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Sherry Senis Sworn In as Peterborough County Deputy Warden

Sherry Senis, mayor of Selwyn was sworn in as the Peterborough County Deputy Warden on Wendesday.

Senis takes over the role of Deputy Warden after J. MUrray Jones. The latter served for 11 years as warden. Photo courtesy of Peterborough County.

Senis assumed the role after being selected by Warden Clark on Dec. 2.

The new Deputy Warden has served in municipal government since 2006, first as a member of Selwyn township council representing Smith Ward. She became Deputy Mayor in 2014 and was acclaimed Mayor of Selwyn during the October municipal elections. Mayor Senis’ selection represents the first time that Peterborough County Council has had both leadership positions held by women.

“I am honoured and pleased that Warden Clark has asked me to take on the role of Deputy Warden, I am passionate about my Township as well as Peterborough County,” said Senis. “There is much we can do and I am looking forward to dealing with any opportunities and challenges as they arise and working together, we can achieve this. I look forward to working alongside Warden Clark, my fellow Councillors, the greater community and staff.”

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Peterborough County Hires New County Leadership Team Member

Jennifer Stover, has been appointed the new Chief Information/Financial Officer/Sr. Director of Corporate Services for Peterborough County announced on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of Peterborough County.

Stover is coming from The City of Kawartha Lakes (CKL), where she worked as their Corporate Services Director. Prior to her job at CKL, Stover worked for the Town of East Gwillimbury and the City of Markham.

She holds a B.A. Hons. Commerce from Laurentian University, and has her Certified Professional Accountant designation.

Her well-rounded expertise is said to be extremely valuable for the County.

Stover will start in this position on Oct. 31.

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Peterborough County Council Approves 2022 Budget

Peterborough County Council approved the 2022 Budget, they announced on Wednesday.

File Photo.

The approved budget will see a levy increase of 2.6% and includes a dedicated infrastructure amount of 2.5%. The levy increase equates to approximately $9.11 per each $100,000 of residential assessment.

The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) data has not changed as re-assessments were not completed due to COVID, therefore the average residential home (not on water) in the County has an assessed value for tax purposes of $262,000

“Peterborough County staff were asked to bring forward a responsible and all encompassing budget and they did just that. This budget is affordable and gives us the ability to address our operational and capital infrastructure improvement needs”, said J. Murray Jones, Peterborough County Warden. “The challenges of Covid-19 are still causing operational and financial challenges to the County as well as to our service provider partners. Council has demonstrated that we will continue to tackle our Infrastructure needs and deficit. Our roads and bridges are pivotal to us all.”

Click here to view the full Draft 2022 Budget.

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