Warden McNamara welcomed the members of County Council, Administration and members of the public and delivered the following greeting:
"Summer is almost over. Students are back in school. And many of us are thankful for having had a break to soak up the sun and recharge our batteries.
While council meetings generally slow down during the summer, the work being done by staff does not. Essex County’s Infrastructure and Planning Services department has been working full-out overseeing road rehabilitation and construction projects – as well as taking care of regular maintenance on county roads. Essex-Windsor EMS and Sun Parlor Home staff are continuing to give their all despite the challenges to the entire health-care system.
Staff at the Essex County Library have been busy providing programs, activities and great book recommendations. We are pleased to welcome our new chief librarian: Adam Craig. He is a lifelong Essex County resident who has worked in both the county and City of Windsor library systems. Welcome to back to the Essex County Library, Adam!
Last month, many members of Essex County council attended the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference. Our delegations met with the provincial ministries of finance and health.
I want to thank Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald for making a presentation about levelling the property tax field for residents in municipalities with large-scale greenhouses.
As well, we called on the Ministry of Health to address the offload delay crisis, which sees ambulances idling outside of congested hospitals waiting for patients to be admitted. We urged the Province to declare offload delays a public health crisis and do everything in its power to help keep Paramedics on the road responding to emergency calls.
It is our job as elected municipal representatives to ensure the voices of our residents are heard on issues like these. It is also our job to make sure residents are provided with the municipal services important to them in a financially responsible way. The October 24 municipal election is approaching quickly. It is time to get informed about the candidates and where they stand on issues that matter to you. Get ready to make your voice heard at the ballot box and hold those who are elected accountable.
Finally, I want to encourage Essex County residents to say thank you to the thousands of foreign temporary workers who are contributing to the local economy by helping put fresh produce on grocery store shelves across North America.
One way to do this is by attending the Festival of Guest Nations and Public Safety Information Day at Seacliff Park in Leamington on Sunday, September 18, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Over a dozen groups, businesses and government departments are supporting this tremendous event. There will be music, food, prizes and opportunities to meet guest nation community members and service providers. In short: It is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon."