Councillor Simon Chapelle

I want to thank all the residents who have reached out to me over the past year for support and information on how to address issues with the City of Kingston. It a pleasure and honour to serve. Thank you! May 2021, be a better year for all of us. Simon

https://www.cityofkingston.ca/resident/covid-19

Are you ready for the snow? Here is another tool you can use while working from home, to see our city at work. Yes, a snowplow tracker! https://cityofkingston.maps.arcgis.com//webapp/index.html

City to open Springer Market Square Rink with COVID-19 measures in place December 9, 2020 Weather permitting, the Springer Market Square rink will reopen Dec. 9 at 4 p.m. for skating under the province’s re-opening framework and through guidance from KFL&A Public Health. Health and safety measures have been put in place to comply with the provincial framework and local health protocols to ensure the safety of staff and patrons remains the priority.... These measures include: Limit of approximately 25 skaters on the ice surface at one time. Use will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Please line up at the designated entry point. Skaters will be permitted on the ice on the hour and must exit the ice after 50 minutes before the ice resurfacer floods the ice. Entry onto ice outside of these times will be permitted based on availability. Patrons must maintain physical distancing of 2 metres (6ft) both on and off the ice and in washroom areas. Face masks are required in the washroom area, and strongly recommended, but not required, on the ice. Changerooms and skate rentals will not be available. Washrooms will remain open for public use 7 days a week. These protocols are subject to change and will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. The rink will be open 7 days a week, weather permitting, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Today, I woke up in the comfort of my bed while the rain and wind howled outside on this November morning. It gave me pause to reflect on the sacrifices of the proud men and women who gave their lives for this country. Thank you. And thank you to those men and women who continue to serve in our armed forces. I appreciate all that you do.

May the service and sacrifices of our Navy, Army, Air Force, and families of our Canadian Armed Forces never be forgotten. Please take a moment of time today to remember. Lest We Forget

Have your say! RSVP now to learn more about the City’s budgets from the Chief Financial Officer November 5, 2020... Have you RSVP’d? On Nov. 10 and 12, the City Treasurer and Deputy Treasurer will host an online session to provide an overview of the City’s operating and capital budgets, recent fiscal challenges, and plans for an ongoing budget engagement process. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A where the team will take relevant questions from residents. We hope you will join us to learn more about the City’s budgets and how you can participate and influence the allocation of financial resources, says Desiree Kennedy, Chief Financial Officer and City Treasurer. RSVP Register for 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10 session Register for 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12 session Complete a short survey on the 2021 budget Survey closes on Nov. 13 at 4 p.m. https://getinvolved.cityofkingston.ca/2021-city-budget

Hello residents this is just a notice to inform you of a road closure in our district. John Counter Boulevard will be closed from Sir John A. Macdonald to Princess Street until November 13, 2020 to complete work on the rail overpass and nearby intersections. Please plan an alternate route. ... Simon

May you have a wonderful day with family. Cheers!

Let’s try for some fiscal oversight with city finances. https://www.thewhig.com//kingston-council-to-consider-moti

Thank you to the Whig Standard and Elliot Ferguson for helping shine a light on this issue. Much more to do! https://www.thewhig.com//kingston-councillor-calls-for-bet

Hello Friends and Neighbours I wanted to share this free Webinar on Protecting your health this Flu Season with you in the hopes that you might share it with your networks and join online on Sept 30th! It’s presented by the Canadian Frailty Network and moderated by Andre Picard from the Globe and Mail. It features three experts in communicable disease, immunology and public health as well as our own ICU doc, Dr John Muscedere. So please register and tell your friends! The... link to our website and registration is here...Thank you Amy Doyle for the information. Simon https://www.cfn-nce.ca//protecting-your-health-preparing-/

The urban rural divide is evident on council. https://www.thewhig.com//kingston-city-council-approves-un

Update on tonight’s Administrative Policy Committee meeting (September 9th, 2020). The motion to accept the report from the Finance department was deferred unanimously by committee members. That this item be deferred to end of Q1 2021, to allow staff and Council to conduct the following:... 1) Annual budget deliberations 2) Strategic Priorities re-evaluation 3) Public consultation, through Get Involved and by reaching out to the Chamber of Commerce, community groups, and other public agencies 4) A supplemental report from Staff providing further clarity that would allow Council to continue to discharge our responsibility as stewards of the public purse. Would you believe the finance department actually hired a consultant to help them draft the revised procurement policy at a cost of $30,000 plus HST and this consultant was sole sourced without a tender! Yep! This is just one example as to why we need more oversight and transparency of city spending NOT Less. Stay tuned. Cheers Simon

I am concerned there is an effort to diminish the limited oversight City Councillors have on spending. Perhaps, it is also time for Audit and Finance committee in Kingston. https://www.thewhig.com//chapelle-questions-need-for-kings

NOTICE EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 8th Notice of two temporary road closures for John Counter Blvd. and Portsmouth Ave. effective September 8th. John Counter Boulevard and Portsmouth Avenue will be open to local traffic only as well as for those wishing to go to local Businesses and VIA rail Station.... Please be prepared to take these detour routes: Heading east? travel southeast at Princess Street & Taylor Kidd Boulevard / John Counter Boulevard intersection and turn north (left) on to Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard. Heading west? travel south at Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard & John Counter Boulevard intersection and turn right (northwest) on to Princess Street. Cheers Simon

To the residents concerned about water security, I wanted to share the voting record of who supported a deferral of the motion to support the Unity Spa proposal, so that additional information could be considered. Good Morning Mayor Paterson and Members of Council: This will confirm that Council, at its meeting held on August 11, 2012 approved the following motion: Moved by Councillor Oosterhof ... Seconded by Councillor Chapelle That Council defers Report 62, Clause 1, Received from the Planning Committee, regarding File # D35-003-2019 at 2285 Battersea Rd, 2311 Battersea Rd and Kingston Con 6 PT Lot 33 TP; 13R-15799 Part 1, so that staff can consult with Climate Action Hub and at least one other recognized climate-focused organization to hear their recommendations and review of this application and report back at the September 15, 2020, Council meeting. Yes - Councillors Chapelle, Hutchison, Kiley, McLaren, Oosterhof, Osanic, Stroud (7) No - Mayor Paterson, Councillors Boehme, Doherty, Hill, Holland, Neill (6) John Bolognone City Clerk City Clerk’s Department City of Kingston City Hall 216 Ontario Street, Kingston, ON K7L 2Z3

It is alarming that the impacts of this proposal regarding agricultural rural needs and the significant water issues are being ignored by city centric planning staff who do not live with well water. Very concerning. Also the e-petition is web based and does not include postal codes or addresses or signatures as mandated in our bylaws so supporting email addresses are not all from the local community where as, the Glenburnie residents association has more than 400 hand signed and properly addressed residents opposed. A real petition.

And I wonder if it is a coincidence that the Unity Spa is being pushed at a time when folks are distracted with summer and Covid. Perhaps new regulations may protect rural communities and address the aspirational goals of over reach in sensitive source water protection areas. https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-1340

https://inquinte.ca//premier-congratulates-city-for-tax-re

Will Council show Climate Unity with Unity Spa Decision? Tuesday, July 14, 2020 If Kingston is going to be a leader when it comes to climate change and stewardship of our natural resources, consistency is key....Continue reading

As I was preparing for council tomorrow evening, I read a report on Sir John A MacDonald and thought of how it is important to build on the history of this man's complicated life and give voices to those stories we have not always heard. A case in point was including Viola Desmond on our $10 banknote. And just by circumstance, it is her birthday today! We should celebrate more Canadian histories. I am looking forward to discussing how we can build on our history in Kingsto...n and not erase it. Most historic figures of yesteryear had complicated lives which helped many and also harmed others. they were a product of their time. Viola Irene Desmond (July 6, 1914 February 7, 1965) was a Canadian civil rights activist and businesswoman of Black Nova Scotian descent. In 1946 she challenged racial segregation at a cinema in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia by refusing to leave a whites-only area of the Roseland Theatre. (source Wikipedia)