July 2009

PORT BRUCE RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION
MEETING MINUTES
July 02, 2009

Executive Present: Calvin Grissom, Wayne Huber, Linda Newman, John Blankenship, Jerry Lee , April Anderson.

Meeting called to order 7:40 pm

Treasurer's Report


Down 1/2 of Paid Membership from the year past...need to get more members

Treasurer report read

Motion to accept by John Blankenship, seconded by Wayne Huber seconded

Old Business

Craft Sale/Perch Derby
July 11-12, 2009

Promised by Jim Collins - dried bag material instead of plants/perennials. Linda will stop in to talk to plant store just south of Aylmer

There seems to be no organization involved with the Perch Derby

Neighbourhood Watch

Port Bruce RatePayers will continue to support the Neighbourhood watch program and we are willing to help financially to ease the burden of expenses such as advertising office supplies etc.

Linda Newman motioned to accept and April Anderson acccepted

An amount of $200 was offered to April Anderson of Neighbourhood Watch to help offset any start up costs. April thanked the RatePayers for their generous support but declined for now with the understanding if needed the monies would be there for use by the Neighbourhood Watch in the future.

New Business

A thank you card was sent to Tim Horton's (Talbot Street) Aylmer for the generous donation of coffee for our annual meeting.

Port Bruce RatePayers looking for ways to increase monies coming in to continue with future projects.....A fish fry could be one way to generate more monies and if successful can become an annual event for Port Bruce

Linda will tak with the legion in Port Stanley to see how they handle the fry.

After much discussion it was decided to put it on hold for future thought.

The next step would be to meet with Doug Claus to discuss further

Dance to be held on August 2nd.....John will talk with Eujene about his DJ services.

More discussion on the issue of garbage in the Provincial Parks

Meeting adjourned 9 pm

Linda Newman motioned to accept John Blankenship seconded

Where Has the Year Gone

PORT BRUCE RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

SATURDAY MAY 23, 2009 10 AM

The annual general meeting of the Port Bruce Ratepayers' Association will be held on Saturday May 23rd, 2009 at the Port Bruce Sunday School. Every ratepayer in the hamlet of Port Bruce is welcome and strongly urged to attend.

2009/2010 membership renewals and new memberships will be accepted prior to the meeting. Without a paid up, valid membership in the PBRA you are not eligible to vote for the incoming executives or other matters pertaining to the association.

Membership in the PBRA is not mandatory to attend...everyone, including summer residents in the various trailer parks and boaters who rent a slip are more than welcome

So What has Happened Since the Last Annual Meeting


We Raised Money

$1420.00 was collected from 2008/2009 membership fees
$518.37 raised by the annual craft sale
$595.00 profit from the annual Perch Derby
$300.00 in donations
$1.71 in interest



We Spent Money

$2,094.39 to be exact

Advertising, bank charges, insurance, memorials, postage/mailings, church rental, new floor in Sunday school.

We Lost a Member of the Executive

Aaron Henderson passed away
A donation in his memory was made to the Children's Hospital of Southwestern Ontario

We Held the annual Lighting of the Trees (Christmas)

38 candy bags were made for the kids



We Witnessed the Dedication of Many
During the February Flooding

A big thank you goes out to the Township, and Volunteer Firefighters...to all that were involved

What to Expect From Us
In 2009/2010

April 2009

PORT BRUCE RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION
MEETING MINUTES
APRIL 02, 2009

Executive Present: Calvin Grissom, Wayne Huber, Linda Newman, Betty Shelley-Wiebe, April Anderson.

Meeting called to order 7:35 pm

To allow more time to discuss the possible implementation of the Port Bruce Neighbourhood Watch, Calvin waved the hearing of "Old Business" from the meeting of March 05, 2009. Accepted by Linda Newman, seconded by April Anderson....Carried

Correction in Treasurer's Report.....one expense in March to VCW for flooring

Motion to accept by Wayne Huber, seconded by Betty Shelley-Wiebe

New Business

Perch Derby
July 10-12, 2009

John Carval has volunteered to run the derby but needs assurance as to what the money collected will be used for. This will benefit greatly when John goes out asking for support from the local businesses.

There is a need for volunteers


Craft Show
July 10-12, 2009

There are 12 tables in total, with the possibility of only 2 left available. Please get in touch with Calvin Grissom ( 519-765-1395) for more information.


More discussion pertaining to quarterly Newsletter. April Anderson has volunteered to take this over.

Wayne presented the Township with a letter of "Thank You" for their efforts during the recent flooding in Port Bruce. The letter will be posted in the Aylmer Express

An educational process is needed for the residential emergency guidelines/shelter.

Neighbourhood Watch

Calvin Grissom opens the discussion of Neighbourhood Watch Implementation

Mention of new Mission Statement for PBRA....community involvement - one voice

The executive of PBRA agree, Neighbourhoood Watch has to be a separate entity with little involvement from PBRA...only to help facilitate.

All residents were notified of this open discussion
16 participated

The discussion was mostly about where to monitor...do we extend outside of the village of Port Bruce....how many people needed to form an executive....who actually enforces...what are the responsibilities of the participants...talk about signage, cooperation from insurance companies.

Complaints were mostly of noise, uncertainty of bylaws, vandalism

At the end of the discussion, the residents participating in the discussion were asked to sign if interested in continuing with the idea of implementing a Neighbourhood Watch program. Ron Evans stepped forward to help with the next step in the process.

Annual meeting to take place Saturday May 23rd at 10 am.

The week before, collecting of membership fees will take place...streets will be divided between executive to make collecting easier.

The PBRA will continue funding for community projects

UCW sent a thank you note for the donation towards new carpet.

Meeting adjourned 9:30 pm

An Introduction to the.....

Port Bruce Ratepayers Association

The damaging flood of February 14, 1984 united the resolution of the residents of Port Bruce to prepare for any future threat of flooding and to take measures to prevent flooding in the village.

The Port Bruce Ratepayers Association

was formed to organize a plan for the security of local property owners. This association interfaces with the various local administrative bodies such as the Catfish Creek Conservation Authority and the Malahide Town Council, which are several of the organizations responsible for the funding of flood prevention projects such as ice breaking, creek dredging and erosion control of the cliff at the harbour entrance.

Our Accomplishments

Successfully Lobbied....

For yearly ice-breaking and dredging

The Township to lease the Federal property along the pier

The Provincial Government to keep the provincial park

keeping the location of Port Bruce identified on the Provincial road maps

For the installation of a sidewalk making the pier, pavilion and washrooms wheelchair accessible

To have Rocabore Bay filled to help precent erosion and assist flood prevention

For erosion control measures to be carried out along the bluffs east of the pier ($200,000 project)

The Township to change garbage pickup from Fridays to Mondays

Made Representation to Town of Aylmer re annexation plan

Installed the water system in the Sunday School

Refurbished and installed folding legs on all tables in the Sunday School and more recently purchased new, more comfortable chairs

Installed lights in pavilion and washrooms, as well as 100 amp electrical panel

Purchased playground equipment for park

Made and installed NO WAKE signs along the creek

Make annual contributions to Malahide Township and Catfish Creek Conservation Authority. We also contribute to Ontario Parks to show our commitment

Organize and maintain the emergency phone warning system

Donated funds to various organizations

Contributed $5,500 to Township of Malahide Fire Department for Emergency Ice Rescue Equipment

Sponsored Summer dances at Pavilion

Sponsor the Annual Perch Derby and Craft Sale

Spearheaded and had "Welcome to Port Bruce" sign erected at the entrance to the Hamlet

One representative from the PBRA was invited by the Town of Aylmer and Catfish Creek Conservation to tour the towns treatment plant to asure us that no raw sewage was sent down the creek to Port Bruce