Minto council has agreed to minor wording changes to facilitate an agreement allowing the municipality to use a local school in emergency situations.
The Town of Minto has been working with the Upper Grand District School Board on plans to utilize Minto Clifford Public School as a reception/evacuation centre in emergency situations since the school was expanded in 2009.
The move was sparked by a flood in Harriston in 2008 during which the town could not access its main evacuation centre, the Harriston Community Centre.
An agreement was drafted and signed by the Town of Minto in 2009.
However, CAO Bill White reported at the Feb. 3 council meeting “it has taken considerable time to make the appropriate connections with the board in regard to the agreement.”
After recent discussions between town staff and Wellington County emergency management coordinator Linda Dickson, the board requested some minor wording changes to the agreement, which provides the town with 24/7 right of access to the school in the event of an emergency, including access to a generator hook up site installed at town expense.
Councillor Ron Elliott questioned a section of the agreement that indicated evacuees could not take their pets inside the facility.
“I really believe some people just wouldn’t go to an emergency shelter if they couldn’t take their pet with them,” said Elliott.
“I understand concern about pets,” said councillor Jean Anderson, who suggested pets should be allowed “provided they were in a proper carrier.”
Councillor Judy Dirksen pointed out the proposed agreement stipulates pets could be accommodated on the school grounds, but would be the responsibility of the town.
“So we have to have something in place for those pets.”
“Maybe a portable kennel or something?” suggested Elliott.
White explained details such as pet accommodation would be worked out through the town’s emergency planning procedure.
“This is not our emergency plan. This is our protocol for using the school,” he pointed out. “If pets happen to come … they’ll be taken outside and we’ll have to have a plan in place for them.”
Anderson asked where the portable generator to be used at the school is stored.
Public works director Brian Hansen replied that a new generator has been purchased and it is kept at the town’s Palmerston public works facility.
“If we can’t get to the arena, what if we couldn’t get the generator to the school?” asked Anderson.
“Trust me, we’ll get it there,” replied Hansen.
