Three of the first responsibilities of the new town council will be appointing members to local conservation authority boards, appointing a town auditor and deciding what to do about a property being sold by the Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB).
Last month board director Martha Rogers wrote to inform the town the UGDSB plans to dispose of vacant, surplus land located immediately northeast of the high school parking lot at Centre 2000.
The irregular-shaped lot measures 2.48 acres in size, has a rural zoning designation, has 183 feet of frontage along Dundas Street and is serviced by municipal water.
Rogers’ letter, dated Oct. 6, states letters of intent to purchase the property must be received within 90 days, and all offers must be at fair market value. Councillor Ken Chapman said the town should ask the board to extend its timeline by 30 days to give the new council, which will be sworn in on Dec. 1 at 4pm, to consider the possible purchase.
Council passed a resolution to that effect, with only councillor Josie Wintersinger opposed.
Later in the meeting council agreed to defer the appointment of a town representative to the Credit Valley Conservation authority, in order to leave the decision up to the new council.
Several councillors hinted the new appointment to the Grand River Conservation Authority – which is shared between Puslinch, Guelph-Eramosa and Erin – should come from Erin this time around. For many years the representative has come from Puslinch Township.
Council also decided to delay the appointment of a town auditor until after the new council is sworn in.
