The short version; the detailed version follows. Deputy Mayor Gibb voted in favour of a motion, it passed unanimously, and he or Mayor Prue were to bring it up at county council ‘at the first available meeting’ (May 1); they didn’t. Instead, Gibb introduced it as a Notice of Motion at the May 15 county meeting. Meanwhile, Gibb wanted it reconsidered at the May 27 town council meeting. It was reconsidered, Councillor Crain suggested it should go to committee, which would require a motion, which failed. Councillor Pouget wondered about the motion’s wording change. Gibb made a motion to ask for a report from staff before they ask the county and that motion was defeated too. Crain made a motion to adjourn; Prue advised he could do that but that would mean this whole day didn’t happen because they have confirmatory by-laws to pass. Crain wanted to make a motion to approve confirmatory by-laws but Prue asked if there was any other new business. Councillor Allaire was acknowledged but then a motion was needed to extend the meeting past the 10:00 pm deadline because otherwise the meeting would be automatically adjourned. The motion to extend the meeting carried.

The more detailed version is:

April 22.
At the April 22 council meeting, Councillor Pouget introduced a motion that carried for Mayor Prue and Deputy Mayor Gibb to ask County Council to include the Town of
Amherstburg, when they initiate the Town of Lasalle’s Traffic Study of County Road 20,
in particular the stretch of highway between County Road 10 intersection heading north
to the River Canard Yacht Club.

Councillor Pouget provided the reasons for the motion were excessive speed, unsafe conditions for motorists and pedestrians and a section of highway 20 in LaSalle has been reduced to 50 kilometers per hour to provide better safety in a housing density similar to our request.
 
Mayor Prue passed the gavel and said LaSalle’s mayor did raise this at the last county council meeting and she cited one of the reasons for LaSalle needing a traffic study and a slowdown on highway 20 in LaSalle was all the extra traffic that is being generated out of Amherstburg. Prue took the gavel back, members voted, the motion carried and Prue said the deputy mayor or I will bring it up at the first available meeting.

May 1.
The first available county council meeting was May 1.

During the May 1 County Council meeting, LaSalle Mayor Meloche read aloud her motion and mentioned Amherstburg but neither Prue nor Gibb brought forward the Amherstburg town council motion. Gibb and Prue voted in favour of the County Council motion and it carried unanimously.

May 15.
Gibb brought up the Notice of Motion at the May 15 County Council meeting and mentioned the April 22 Amherstburg council meeting motion and it was worded differently. Gibb said direction was given to Mayor Prue and myself to request the County of Essex conduct a traffic study for Essex County Road 20 from Texas Road to Essex County Road Three. This notice of motion is to request Essex County Council direct staff to conduct a traffic study which will investigate the effectiveness of speed reductions and other traffic calming measures to ensure that both vehicular and pedestrian traffic on this section of County Road 20 is being managed as safely and efficiently as possible.

Councillor Pouget’s motion, as recorded in the minutes is: That our Mayor and Deputy Mayor TO ASK County Council to include the Town of Amherstburg, when they initiate the Town of Lasalle’s Traffic Study of County Road 20, Town of Amherstburg – Regular Council Meeting in particular, the stretch of highway between County Road 10 intersection heading north
to the River Canard Yacht Club.

May 27.
At the May 27 town council meeting, Gibb introduced a reconsideration of the April 22 motion that he and Prue were to bring up at the ‘first available meeting’ which was May 1 and a lengthy discussion followed.

Gibb explained his reason for the reconsideration was because he was concerned they were going to cede control of what happens to that road to the county. (this is confusing since it is a county road). He asked a few what if questions:

• what if the county wants to change the speed limit to 50 kilometres an hour?
• How is that going to affect companies like Diageo?
• How is that going to change traffic patterns and have people move from County Road 20 perhaps onto our concession roads that that aren’t prepared for that kind of traffic?
• How is that going to affect the commuting time of 1000s of people who commute on that road every day?
  
  He felt in their haste they may have opened themselves up to something that an upper level of government is going to force upon them before they’ve had a chance to discuss it amongst themselves. (But the chance to discuss it was on April 22 during the town council meeting).

The vote to reconsider carried.

Gibb thought they needed a ‘sober second thought’ and wanted to get a report from staff so they know what they’re getting into before it’s too late. (But wouldn’t county staff conclude their traffic study with a report to county council?)

Councillor Pouget pointed out the unanimous April 22 motion and asked if Gibb hadn’t introduced the Notice of Motion that town council directed him to do in over a month.

Gibb answered that the motion was introduced at the last county council meeting and then would be discussed at the next county council meeting.

Pouget asked if Gibb was suggesting that this council passed this motion unanimously, he introduced it, didn’t introduce it when he should have the first meeting, skipped a meeting and then introduced it then and now go back to them and say maybe you don’t have to do that. Gibb said he generally doesn’t speak with that voice and that is categorically false what you’re saying.

Prue called for calm because it was getting late (that’s what happens when meetings are inefficient). and he summarized: What has happened is that the deputy mayor issued the notice, he’s having second thoughts and wants to know council’s position. If Council doesn’t want to change its position that’s well within council’s right. If Council is happy then it just goes to the county and the county makes the decision. That’s what’s going to happen. There will be debate, and I will assure you if the debate goes forward, I will raise the same issues and I’m sure the deputy mayor will raise the issues that we would like to be consulted down through the process because we are a little afraid if it goes from 70 and 80 kilometres to much lower that it may have ramifications on our concession roads.

The April 22 motion was back on the table and was read aloud: That our mayor and deputy mayor to ask county council to include the town of Amherstburg when they initiate LaSalle’s traffic study of County Road 20 in particular the stretch of highway between county road 10 intersection heading north to the River Canard Yacht Club.

CAO Critchley emphasized the importance of being consulted.

Councillor Crain thought it might be appropriate to have the economic development committee review the suggested idea to change the speed limit and Prue advised that would require a motion to amend the original one. The motion failed.

Pouget noted a discussion regarding adding Texas Road.

Gibb said they have a Doctorate in traffic studies on town staff and asked that they maybe get a report and he would prefer a report from staff. Gibb made the motion to get a report from staff before they ask the county to make any changes and said if that fails, then he’s done.

Crain wanted to make a motion to adjourn. Prue said he could but if you do it, it means this whole day didn’t happen because they have confirmatory by-laws. Crain moved to approve confirmatory by-laws but Prue asked if there was any other new business. Councillor Allaire was acknowledged but they needed a motion to continue before 10:00 pm when they’re automatically adjourned.

June 5. County Council Agenda 15.2 Traffic Study for Essex County Road 20 from Texas Road to Essex County Road 3

Chris Gibb brought forward the following Notice of Motion at the May 15, 2024 meeting of Essex County Council:

At the April 22, 2024 meeting of Amherstburg Town council direction was given to Mayor Prue and Deputy Mayor Gibb to request the County of Essex conduct a traffic study for Essex County Road 20 from Texas Road to Essex County Rd 3. 

This notice of motion is to request Essex County Council direct staff to conduct a traffic study which will investigate the effectiveness of speed reductions and other traffic calming measures to ensure that both vehicular and pedestrian traffic on this section of County Rd 20 is being managed as safely and efficiently as possible.

Recommendation:That Essex County Council direct staff to conduct a traffic study which will investigate the effectiveness of speed reductions and other traffic calming measures to ensure that both vehicular and pedestrian traffic on County Rd 20 from Texas Road to Essex County Road 3 is being managed as safely and efficiently as possible.