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519-961-9285 A LOOK INSIDE Essex down around $250,000 due to COVID-19 PAGE 2 ______________ Town of Essex Council meeting notes Tuesday, September 8 PAGE 3 ______________ CREW sign will have some modifications PAGE 11 _______________ Site zoning amendment sought for an accessory building with second floor dwelling unit PAGE 18 _______________ Petroleum leak forces evacuation at Arner PAGE 19 _______________

Looking For A Good Home

Vol. 140

Thursday, September 17, 2020

Issue No. 36

Harrow Night Market brings families and local shops together

Derek Yorke and Lisa Heﬀernan came out to support the Harrow Night Market last Friday.

by Adam Gault In spite of the cancellation of the longstanding Harrow Fair this year, community spirits couldn’t be dampened as the Harrow Night Market gave families and vendors a chance to enjoy some late summer fun this past Friday evening. King Street was shutdown to traffic to make room for the Harrow Night Market, which

London’s Golden Harps Steel Orchestra was one of several live musical acts during the Harrow Night Market.

allowed families and friends to enjoy live entertainment and shop from a diverse selection of more than 20 vendors in a safe, physically distant, and PPE

encouraged environment. “I think that not having the fair this year was sad,” Libro

Credit Union Regional Manager Lori Atkinson, said. “It’s just nice Continued on Page 2

“NICO” See Page 5 for adoption info.

Libro Credit Union presented the Harrow & Colchester South Chamber of Commerce with $3000.

2 I Community / News Essex Free Press

I Thursday, September 17, 2020

Harrow Night Market... Essex down around $250,000 due to COVID-19 Continued from Front Page

to get that feel tonight.” Libro Credit Union presented a cheque to the Harrow & Colchester Chamber of Commerce for $3,000 in support of the event, which was also sponsored by the Town of Essex, Harrow Chiropractic, and Councillor Sherry Bondy. The warm weather and wide-open streets allowed individuals to stay within their bubbles at a safe distance with a strong adherence to PPE, conforming to the health standards put forth by the Windsor Essex County Health Unit in ensuring a safe event for all those in attendance. Restaurant patios were open, and the sounds of live music from across the downtown could be heard. Playing up and down King Street were The Golden Harps Steel Orchestra, from London. Foxboro and the Oxley Duo also performed, being local Harrow favourites. President of the Harrow & Colchester South Chamber of Commerce, Tammy Affleck, added that the organization would continue to explore the possibility of additional Health Unit approved public events in the future to ensure support for local businesses throughout the duration of the pandemic.

was $1,310,565 in revenue. From January 1 to July 30, 2020, there was $685,188 in revenue. Due to the Provincial orders implemented because of the pandemic, the Town closed all of its recreational facilities, which impacted user-fee revenue that would typically be received through programming and rentals, the Report to Council noted. From April through July, the waiver of penalties and interest on property tax accounts, as a way to provide flexibility to residents as they work through the financial hardships of the pandemic, cost the Town $103,276. The total impact to expenses for the period ending July 31, 2020 versus the period ending July 31, 2019 is a decrease in expenses of $997,620. As part of that, there was a decline in contracted services. The most significant contributor in contracted services fell within the drainage division, which had completed $156,000 of work through contracted services at July 31st, 2019 versus $26,000 of work completed at July 31st, 2020, the report notes. Because of the pandemic, the Town’s workforce was reduced wherever possible, the report continues. Upon the closure of

by Sylene Argent According to the report “COVID-19 Financial Impact as of July 31, 2020,” which was discussed at the September 8 virtual Essex Council meeting, the total impact to revenue for the period ending July 31, 2020 versus the period ending July 31, 2019 is a decrease in revenue of $1,151,725. With savings in other areas, however, the total loss to date, for COVID-19 impacted revenue and expense groupings, is around $250,000, when comparing the same periods. “Council and administration have monitored and continue to monitor the rapidly escalating situation. Measures were introduced throughout the onset of the pandemic to ensure the health and safety of staff and residents. Additional measures attempted to provide economic relief where possible,” it states in the Report to Council, which adds the around $250,00 loss is predicted to increase on a continual basis, due to the new environment that COVID-19 has created in the community. The largest decrease in revenue was noticed in the Community Services Department. In 2020, there was a 48 percent decrease from the year-to-date. From January 1 to July 30, 2019, there

facilities, contract and casual aquatic and programming staff were not offered hours. In addition, the Town entered into an agreement with CUPE to allow employees to accept a voluntary layoff or leave of absence. This contributed to the overall decrease of $264,000 in salaries and wages There was also a significant reduction in employee training expenses, which was included in the salaries and wages total. This resulted in a cost savings of approximately $60,000, or 75 percent over 2019, the Report to Council notes. It notes in the report that the Town’s Finance Department has concerns for the 2021 budgeting process, due to the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the major expected impacts to the remaining operating year, and into 2021, include possible continued revenue declines; reduction in user fees and service charges; and continued expense increases related to additional janitorial and material supplies needed to comply with Health Unit requirements. Council received the report for informational purposes. No Councillors commented or

Continued on Page 6

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Thursday, September 17, 2020

by Sylene Argent and Adam Gault New regulations around election complaints approved Essex Council has approved new rules surrounding official complaints around municipal elections, partially due to concerns surrounding the alleged misuse of proxy votes during the 2018 Essex election. This new mandate will now direct the municipal Clerk to seek legal counsel, contact the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, or call the Ontario Provincial Police, should it be suspected that a candidate or other individual has been in violation of the Municipal Elections Act. “If you want residents to come out and vote, they have to know that there’s a lot of checks and balances in the system,” Councillor Sherry Bondy commented, speaking to the numerous complaints received surrounding the 2018 election. “Now, it’s very clear. Last election, our Clerk was in a very difficult position receiving all these complaints.” On February 26, the OPP announced that its Essex County Major Crime Unit completed its investigation into the 2018 Essex Municipal Election, which related to the reported misuse of proxy voters. The OPP commenced an investigation after receiving a complaint in October of 2018 of the alleged improprieties under the Municipal Elections Act of Ontario. As a result of the investigation, the OPP has charged Essex Mayor Larry Snively with the offence of Procuring Persons to Vote in a Municipal Election, when those persons were not entitled to do so, contrary to Section 89(d) of the Municipal Elections Act. The matter has not yet gone to court. This by-law will also address issues surrounding campaign signage as

News I 3

Essex Free Press

- Tuesday, September 8, 2020 well as candidate’s use of municipal resources. Over $66k transferred from current Harrow/ Colchester CIP reserve In addition to receiving Economic Development’s report on the Community Improvement Plan (CIP) 2020 budget update, it also approved the transfer of $66,107.46 from the Harrow and Colchester CIP Reserves to the current budget year. The Town’s CIP program offers a variety of municipal grants to approved businesses in predetermined boundaries. The funding varies in nature, from façade improvements to demolition grants. In the report to Council, it notes there was an increase in interest in the Town of Essex Community Improvement Plans (CIP) this year from Harrow and Colchester. As a result, the initial $100,000 budget for Harrow and Colchester is nearly assigned. Through the report, administration recommended Council transfer $66,107.46 from the Harrow and Colchester CIP Reserves to the current CIP budget. There is currently $29,182.40 remaining in the Essex Centre CIP

reserves. Harrow property owner accepts new fill permit by-law Harrow area property owner, Mr. Darrel Dufour, has decided to accept the Town’s by-law regarding an issue surrounding a fill permit on his property. Brought to Council during the August 24 meeting, Mr. Dufour presented the issue of a fill permit he obtained in 2015 to raise a section of his land to road grade, because parts of the farm were lower than the bottom of the road ditch. This permit was revoked, in part, due to issues surrounding current stormwater runoff onto a neighbour’s property, after some work pertaining to the original permit had already been underway. In 2019, By-Law Enforcement received complaints regarding properties where fill was being brought in. After reviewing several open permits, it was determined that a number of these permits were issued with deficient information. The municipality determined that not enough was being done with regards to storm water control, such as the prevention of run-off onto

adjacent property. With this, the property owner will reapply for a new permit that satisfies the requirements of current Town by-laws. Community Pantry approved in Harrow The Town of Essex has approved a pilot project in partnership with the nonprofit organization Project Hope Windsor-Essex, that will construct a “food pantry” structure adjacent to the main entrance at the Harrow Arena. The around 100 square-foot, climatecontrolled building will hold perishable and nonperishable foot items and toiletries, and will be accessible by anyone in the community. “[Project Hope] is asking for no financial resources, they’re just looking for property on municipal lands to put this facility,” Essex Director of Community Services/ Deputy CAO Doug Sweet, said. “Any cost for electrical, they would cover those costs as well.” Councillor Sherry Bondy said the project would go a long way in addressing food insecurity in the region, and the model of the structure Continues on Page 7

4 I Opinion Essex Free Press

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I Thursday, September 17, 2020

Howling at the Moon ••• Comment by Sylene Argent ••• The cool weather is making my animals hyper

So, I should not be surprised that the cooler weather we have experienced the last week or so is making my animals a bit rambunctious. That happens every year. I always seem to forget it, though. One of my dogs does laps around our small pond while outside, and can’t help himself but grab item after item around the house, usually a shoe or sock, just so I can chase him. The other day, I was not paying any attention to him while in the bathroom, and heard him bark from the other end of the house, usually a sign he has to go out to outside. But, when I went to check on the matter, he was playing with toys. I shrugged it off, thinking he was barking while he played, but then he did it again. So, I again went to check on him, only to notice he had snuck a mostly empty toilet paper roll from the bathroom behind my back, and was letting me know he had it. Oh, what a silly little bugger.

The other morning, my mare, who is now 24 and has a host of medical issues due to her age – including arthritis – was pacing heavily in her stall, letting me know she wanted outside, despite having food in her stall already. Even after scolding her, as I did not want her to lose her balance and fall as a result of acting so rambunctious, she continued her restless behaviour. I had to walk her out, encouraging her to go as slowly as she could, but she only had high gear on the mind. Now, to be fair, my mare has really only had one gear; the fast one. So, this behaviour is not abnormal for her, but it worries me as she ages. When she was younger, she and my gelding would run full tilt for several minutes when I let them outside, bucking and leaping as they went along. They just loved to run. My gelding on the other hand, who is now 21, has seemed to outgrow that habit of running, and is much more patient than the mare is,

thank goodness. Though, I love fall. It may actually be my favourite season, it brings along that added stress of keeping the animals calm, until they get used to the weather change. Sometime, I wish that weather change would give me that pickme-up it seems to pass along to my animals every year, for whatever reason, it always instead makes me want to curl up under a blanket. I guess I will have to wait until Daylights Saving Time, when we get that extra hour of sleep, to do that. Heck, I can’t even figure out how to dress myself this time of year. I find it too cool to wear only my summer stuff, but too hot to wear even a light jacket.

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Commentary - OFA

Support for women in Ontario agriculture encourages equity, diversity and inclusion By Peggy Brekveld, Vice President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

From an historical perspective, women have always played a vital role in agriculture, but it was often undocumented, unacknowledged, and unquantified. Each woman is strong and influential in their own right. These women encourage us in their leadership, actions, and language. In your community, these influential women might be your mother, sister, daughter, neighbour, colleague, or partner. On the OFA board, their names are Jackie, Debra, Tracey, Teresa, and soon to be Jennifer. In the past, they included Melissa, Eleanor, and Bette Jean. I am proud to have worked with these women on the organization’s Board of Directors. This demonstrates how the landscape of the Ontario agriculture industry has diversified to include women. Supporting evidence of this is that while the number of farms in Ontario decreased by 13% from 2006 to 2016, the number of farms with female operators increased by 12%. In the past, the agriculture sector has often been viewed as a male-dominated industry, which lacked female representation and rarely showcased women in leadership roles. In a 2015 Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) study, only 8 out of the 65 Canadian agricultural associations surveyed had a woman as their board chair or president, and only 28% had at least one woman on their board. These statistics can be daunting. Although Ontario’s agriculture industry has evolved to include the representation and inclusion of women, there continues to be a lot of work to do to eliminate gender stereotypes and achieve equity. OFA conducted a survey in January 2020 where 67% of female farmer respondents indicated that they had been disrespected because of their gender, compared to just 2% of their male counterparts. Women in agriculture continue to face more barriers

than their male counterparts, both in their careers and their personal lives, as a result of gender roles. The CAHRC study found that women identified barriers to advancing in the field of agriculture (41%) and barriers balancing career and family responsibilities (16%). Another 16% spoke of the ‘old boys club’ and 13% found there was a lack of female role models in leadership positions. Additional barriers noted by the women included access to childcare, gendered roles and responsibilities, different levels of on and off farm expectations, access to resources, and off-farm employment. Female farming operations are also smaller scale than male owned operations and gross less profit. In 2017-18, OFA participated in an Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) and University of Guelph research study. Female-operated farms on average tended to be smaller acreage (132 acres), compared to 287 acres for male-operated farms. With 57% of femaleoperated farms generating less than $25,000 in gross farm receipts, there is more to be done to support female farmers with funding, training, and support services. However, what the numbers fail to illustrate is the passion for farming that women in agriculture possess. It drives their success in a way that defies the statistics. There are programs and initiatives that aim to encourage female involvement in agriculture. In 2019, to address the gender disparity, Farm Credit Canada (FCC) developed the Women Entrepreneur Program to provide support for female entrepreneurs with a commitment of $500 million over 3 years. FCC has also developed a resource page to support women searching for programs, funding, and resources. Additionally, in 2013 The Ag Women’s Network

Continued on Page 6

Thursday, September 17, 2020

Opinion I 5

Essex Free Press

Letter to the Editor

Re: Ethics in Essex

In 2016, my wife, Casey, and I, along with our two oldest kids, moved from Forest Glade in Windsor to Westchester Beach in Colchester. We quickly became enamoured with the Village and the Town, its communities, the people, and the charm of it all. We began to get involved in community efforts, and were readily embraced with open arms. On our first visit to Harrow Public School, I was astonished to see graffiti on one of the outside storage buildings. Large pink hearts, and stars, and slogans like, “WE LOVE HARROW PUBLIC” and “GO HORNETS” were scrawled in chalk. I knew we were home. We attended the Council Election Debate in Harrow that year. We were not politically active types ourselves at the time, but were passionate about our new home. Casey and I made this a “date/let’s be more involved in our community” night. We had heard from friends and family about the “Essex Circus” known as Council. It was still a shock to me when Randy Voakes was yelling from the back row at certain candidates, repeating things like, “Liar!” and “No, YOU didn’t do that.” I’m no saint, but this seemed really out of line. Turns out, other people thought so too, but it also looks like he wasn’t wrong. Sometimes good ideas come from unappealing sources. It pays to listen. We did not. In light of the decision made in Council during the September the 8 meeting, I want to apologize to

my friends, family, and community. I voted for Larry Snively. I voted for Richard Meloche. I voted for Chris Vander Doelen. If you’re not aware, you’re not alone (as around 300 people have seen the YouTube video of that meeting at the time I am writing this), so I’ll sum it up. I’m referring to the acceptance of the contraventions to the five-yearold by-law #1350, given to CREW Winery, which was directly against the wishes of the public. CREW gets a bigger, taller sign, with an additional large electronic media sign on the side, all of which violate the by-law. The public’s wishes were made clear on this many times in the last five-years in numerous ways: through a public poll a couple months back (77% voted in favour of upholding the by-law against electronic media signs, which is obviously therefore against CREW’s request), and most recently by the excellent presentation made by Anne Marie Grant to Council on the day of the decision, as well as a great deal of ground work done by administration and Council, twice now. Now, some variances are normal from time-to-time. This one is exceptional, and not in a positive way. Over the months this ordeal has unfolded, Mayor Snively and Councillor Vander Doelen have openly admitted to lengthy friendships with the owner of CREW, Mr. Bernard Gorski, and members of Mr. Gorski’s family. Yet, neither seem to have offered to recuse themselves, and, to me, Mr. Snively made it pretty obvious he wasn’t interested in hearing anything more on this topic if you watch the meeting on YouTube. To me, he sounded like he wanted to vote on the topic as soon as Mr. Gorski had finished his presentation, before Mrs. Grant even spoke. Thankfully, the CAO reminded the Mayor that there is a format to follow in meetings, even if by-laws don’t need to be followed. After all, they’re just “guidelines.” (Search: Essex Ontario on YouTube, and subscribe)

Pop some popcorn, and binge watch the YouTube coverage, it starts back in January. If you need help, I’m available by email at ryan.harnadek@gmail.com, or on Facebook, and I’m confident in saying Councillors Sherry Bondy, Joe Garon, and Kimberly Verbeek would gladly help you find the information as well, and can speak to this better than I can. Don’t bother to call Councillor Morley Bowman, as he might need to call the Mayor first before knowing what he’s supposed to do, because I had spoken to him earlier in the day and he said he would uphold the bylaw, but still had to look into it further before the meeting. I’m already looking forward to 2022. Ryan Harnadek #weremember2022 #ethicsinessex

Pet Of The Week: Nico Nico is a kitten, so his “feline-ality” is still being formed. Nico will likely be full of energy as he runs practicing his hunting skills. He can turn anything into a toy, so hide your valuables if you don’t want him practicing on them! He will require patience and gentle training until he learns the rules of your household. If you think that Nico could be the kitten for you, come to the shelter to meet me today! Only a limited number of animals will be made available at a time. They will be posted on the adoptable animal pages at www.windsorhumane. org. To apply to adopt an available animal, please click the “Interested in this Animal? Click here” link. All applications will be reviewed. For more info, contact us today. This pet comes with 6 weeks of pre-paid pet health insurance. For more information, visit www.ospcainsurance.ca or call 1-866-600-2445. The Windsor-Essex County Humane Society shelter is at 1375 Provincial Rd., Windsor. Ph: 519-966-5751.

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6 I News / Opinion Essex Free Press

I Thursday, September 17, 2020

Essex down around $250,000 due to COVID-19... Voice Of Inspiration “Songs and smells will bring you back to a moment in time more than anything else. It’s amazing how much can be conjured with a few notes of a song or a solitary whiff of a room. A song you didn’t even pay attention to at the time, a place that you didn’t even know had a particular smell.” ~ Emily Giffin

asked questions on the report. As far as the Town’s operations are concerned, Chris Nepszy, CAO, said the Town’s summer day camps, hosted with modifications due to the pandemic, have now ended. Beach water testing at the Colchester Harbour continues, but will end sometime in September. Earlier this year, Essex Council voted to hire its contractors, who maintain its water and sewage facilities, the Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA), to test the beach water twice per week. This vote happened after the Windsor Essex County Health Unit noted it would not be testing area beaches, due to lack of resources during the pandemic.

Commentary - OFA

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(AWN) was created. The AWN is a volunteer nonprofit association and was created to cultivate and connect leaders through the empowerment of women. The AWN Mentorship Program receives sponsorship support from FCC to provide a unique opportunity for women – from any aspect of agriculture or career stage – to connect in a mentoring partnership. Also, programs such as the Influential Women in Canadian Agriculture highlight role models for the next generation across all fields of farming. Now, my proposal to all of you, is to find a woman in farming that you admire, across the table, online, or maybe

Continued from Page 4

even in the mirror. Tell them, “You’re amazing, and farming wouldn’t be the same without you. You help grow food for the world and you should be proud of all that you do. You’ve got this. You inspire me. Thank you for all that you do for Ontario agriculture.” Our industry has an important role to play in supporting equity, diversity, and inclusion in our workplaces, our boardrooms, our governments, and in our society. We are stronger and more valuable when everyone has a voice at the table.

Continued from Page 2

Nepszy noted the Harrow Arena opened the evening of Tuesday, September 8, which he said was fantastic. “The staff here have done a great job working through the protocols, the videos, the information, that we are tying to push out there for our residents and our user groups,” Nepszy said. “I look forward to that getting used, and seeing it being used.” He noted there have been some hiccups in arranging live, in-person Council meetings, in regards to live streaming. He said the Town is working through some technical issues in terms of making sure that it is seamless for users, delegates, and members of Council and Town administration. “We are very close to achieving that and I hope to come back at the next meeting with a report,” Nepszy said, adding at that point, Council can decide on what that looks like. Council moved to accept Nepszy’s verbal report.

Thursday, September 17, 2020

News I 7

Essex Free Press

Essex Council notes... being open to anyone will help with the perceived stigma surrounding the usage of food banks. “It’s [accessible to] anybody. It’s a mom or a dad, if they’ve run out of milk or bread, they can go there,” Bondy said. “It’s reducing the stigma and filling a gap in our community.” Town redefines “Centre” designation Council approved a motion to drop references to “Centre” on wayfinding signage in and around municipal urban centres outside of Essex Centre. This would have “Harrow Centre,” “Colchester Centre,” and “McGregor Centre,” referred to as just the proper noun, without the use of the word “Centre” following their respective name on all municipal wayfinding signage. The implementation of the signage in the four urban centres of the municipality has been an ongoing project throughout 2020, and is designed “to inform and direct visitors and residents to key points of interest related to cultural and recreational amenities, business districts, and municipal services.” This includes an overall signage design that is cohesive, attractive, easy to follow, and creates improved branding for the Town of Essex. The “Centre” designation was initially implemented to reduce confusion surrounding whether someone in conversation post-amalgamation was referring to downtown Essex, or the municipality as a whole. “When I’m outside of Harrow, I don’t hear people saying ‘Harrow Centre,’ when I’m outside of Essex, I do hear people saying ‘Essex Centre,’” Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche said. That sentiment was shared among the majority of Council, with Councillor Vander Doelen referring to the use of the word “Centre” outside of downtown Essex as “clunky.” “I don’t think it works as smoothly as it should,” Vander Doelen said of the use of the word. “Just call Essex Centre a “Centre,” because McGregor and Harrow and Oxley and Colchester will never stop being those places.” Digital Grant Growth fully allocated Council received Economic Development’s report regarding the COVID-19 Business Grant funding update, and learned the Digital Growth Grant was fully allocated. In June, Council approved forwarding $15,000 for the Digital Growth Grant program for businesses within the municipality. The Essex Centre BIA also contributed an additional $5,000 to this initiative and the WindsorEssex Small Business Centre provided in-kind support. The Digital Growth Grant program has been allocated, with $1,000 grants distributed to twenty businesses within the municipality. Less than half of the COVID-19 Business Relaunch Program allocated In addition to receiving Economic Development’s report regarding the COVID-19 Business Grant funding update, Council also approved extending

Continued from Page 3

the deadline of the Business Relaunch Grant until October 2, 2020 for all businesses assessed in the commercial class. Council originally approved the Business Relaunch Grant in July. It was designed to set aside $100,000, so that up to $500 could be distributed to any businesses within the municipality, fitting the criteria, to help with restart costs during the COVID-19 emergency. To date, $43,827.15 has been allocated to 92 businesses through the program. At the recommendation from administration, because the program received less than half of the uptake possible, Council moved application deadline from August 31 to October 2. Essex to apply for grant, commit funds to develop Agri-Tourism Strategy Council voted to support the Town of Essex’s grant application in the amount of $25,000 to the Tourism Economic Development Recovery Fund, through the provincial Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism, and Culture Industries. The idea would be to use the grant funds to create an Agri-Tourism Strategy. It further approved reallocating up to $25,000 in funding from the 2020 Tourism Marketing Budget to create an AgriTourism Strategy in 2021. The Report to Council notes, despite challenges farmers and the agriculture sector have had over the past several years in regards to factors that impact their ability to derive income from their land, agri-tourism in the Town of Essex has been a way to add value to those businesses. Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island (TWEPI) has expressed that this project supports agri-tourism on a local level and would have a positive impact on the entire region. TWEPI has therefore confirmed their commitment by contributing $5,000 towards the project, the Report to Council notes. The report adds unspent tourism funds have been identified that could be redirected to support the preparation of an Agri-Tourism Strategy. Of the $45,000 that Council approved in the Tourism Marketing Budget for 2020, $10,196.53 has been spent so far. Bondy wants more youth categories for positive COVID-19 cases Essex Council received a letter from Theresa Marentette, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Nursing Officer, for the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, which was issued on September 2. At the July 20 meeting, Essex requested the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit provide the breakdown of COVID-19 cases in the municipality and region, based on classification. At the August 2 regular meeting, Council, voted to send second letter to Health Unit, asking for more detailed information as it relates to numbers of tests issued and where within a municipality positive cases of COVID-19 are. Kingsville Council also sent a similar letter to the local Health Unit. In addition, at the August 24 meeting, Continued on Page 9

Reopening schools safely matters to everyone That’s why the government of Ontario has worked with health officials, school boards and educators to develop a comprehensive plan to keep kids and staff safe. • Physical distancing measures will be implemented such as desk separation, signs, ﬂoor markings and one-way hallways. • Face coverings will be required for staff and students in Grades 4-12. • Hand hygiene will be enabled with hand sanitizer and hand washing. • More nurses will be in schools. • School cleaning will be enhanced.

Visit ontario.ca/ReopeningSchools Paid for by the Government of Ontario

8 I Community Essex Free Press

I Thursday, September 17, 2020

Council discusses possibility County Road 50 may get downloaded - the issue is part of the upcoming Essex County Roads Rationalization Study -

by Sylene Argent During the Essex Council meeting on September 8, Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche noted County Council members had their first viewing of the County Road Rationalization report earlier this month. This report, he said, started around four-years ago, with the Town of LaSalle’s Mayor, Marc Bondy, making

the request. He is continuing to push for the study, Meloche said. The report was deferred to a future County Council meeting. As part of the study, County Road 50 was being proposed, west of Erie, as possibly being assumed by the Town of Essex, in addition to County Road 41. “That’s the most current recommendation from County Council at this point in time,” Meloche said of the possible impact on Essex, due to the study. “It is still to be debated, obviously,” Meloche said, adding he believes he and Mayor Larry Snively will argue the thoroughfare should remain under the care of Essex County because of its tourism aspect. He believes he and Snively, in addition to administrational support, will have a strategy. Meloche believes the entire route along the shoreline of Lake Erie should continue to be County roads to ensure proper maintenance is given to the outside edge of the county, and that any tourism issues, for instance cycling, can be upheld through the County roads system.

Snively said County Road 50 from Colchester west, is a mess. “The road is checkered. The road is done,” he said. “To me, it should have been done this year, repaved. But, it is not going to be done.” If the road is downloaded from the County to the Town of Essex, “We will fight to make sure that road is upgraded before it is handed over to us,” Snively said. Councillor Chris Vander Doelen was glad to hear the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Essex have raised the issue, because it would be a huge responsibility to the Town if the road was downloaded onto Essex taxpayers’ backs. Vander Doelen would like to know how much it would cost to rebuild the stretch Snively spoke of, how many kilometres it is, and if snow removal would be effected. He said there are several lanes and beach roads along that stretch, and if the downloading changes the county snow removal service, that could be a serious problem. He also wondered about the responsibility of the bike lanes in the area. “I think we need to get the public involved. This is the kind of thing I think only public pressure will change, or will certainly help prevent,” he added. CAO Chris Nepszy said the study has been around for four years, and for four years, it is even noted in the report, the Town of Essex does not believe the road should be downloaded. “It is well known to the County and the consultant,” he said. “We will continue to carry the torch for the Town that way.” Right now, Nepszy said, the County of Essex is trying to determine the roads network, how that works in each municipality, and how the connecting links work, which seems to be the bigger issue of downloading of most of those roads. Councillor Sherry Bondy wondered if it would be worthwhile to forward Essex Council’s position that it does not want County Road 50 downloaded. Meloche said when he or Snively addresses an issue at County Council, it is mostly understood they are speaking on behalf of Council, and sometimes, they note it is a Council desire. He added that it does not even make sense for the County to download County Road 50 to the Town of Essex, because it is a connecting road from Leamington through to Amherstburg. He doesn’t think the road will be downloaded to the Town. “I don’t think there is really any need to have a letter or anything like that. It’s usually understood that Council supports whatever the ideas the Mayor or Deputy Mayor are bringing forward. We will make sure though, that we say, we have 100 percent support from our administration and our fellow Town Council members on this issue; that we fully believe that County Road 50 needs to remain as part of the County Roads Network,” Meloche said. At the Essex County Council meeting held on Wednesday, September 2, the Essex County Road Rationalization Study was deferred to a meeting in October. The road rationalization study was planned over three phases: define the transportation network; road classification and examine recommendations / jurisdictional impacts; and implementation action plan. The study is meant to determine what the specifications would be in designating certain roads as county or municipal, as well as the potential implementation of a new cost-sharing mechanism between the County and municipalities.

Thursday, September 17, 2020

News I 9

Essex Free Press

Essex Council notes... Councillor Bondy spoke of her concerns regarding the Windsor-Essex Health Unit not breaking down ages for youth with positive cases. It just has a category for those aged 19 and under. Bondy would like to see a further breakdown in ages for youth, with kids going back to school. In the letter, Marentette thanks Council for its past correspondence, sent in July, that requested raw data on positive COVID-19 cases in Essex County. Marentette responded the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is committed to providing accurate and timely data on local, positive COVID-19 cases. She wrote that its website is updated daily and provides key information on COVID-19 cases in the region, and that its epidemiological summary provides more in-depth analysis on all cases, including GIS maps of cases in the region and a weekly epidemiological summary by municipality. Its team of epidemiologists, the letter continues, supports data sharing efforts with the community, without compromising the integrity of the data, while respecting the privacy and confidentiality of individuals positive for COVID-19. Bondy was glad to see a response from the Health Unit, albeit it was given two months after the initial request. “Our Council never asked for any private information. We asked for more stats, but we didn’t ask for any private information.” With youths in school, she had concern with the age breakdown. She still wants to see a further breakdown of ages for youths; that could group those who are in daycare, grade school, and high school separately. Mayor Larry Snivley said he would forward the request to the Health Unit at its next meeting. Essex supports Windsor’s correspondences to support journalism, Vander Doelen thinks motion is a waste of time Essex Council received and supported correspondences from the City of Windsor that noted a healthy, professional news media is essential for the proper functioning of civil

Continued from Page 7

society and democracy at the local, regional, federal and international levels; Information provided as part of the correspondence, through ink-stainedwretches.org – which is a group of former newsroom employees – noted Canadians lost the essential service of around 2,000 media workers in 100 communities across Canada, due to layoffs in only six weeks from the time the COVID-19 pandemic began, and advertising revenues have plunged, prompting an emergency $30-million advertising-buy by the federal government; and, that190 Canadian communities lost 250 established news outlets, due to closings on mergers between 2008 and 2018. Council was also urged the federal government quickly pass legislation to ensure an ecosystem for a healthy news media to serve all Canadians. Councillor Chris Vander Doelen did not think the resolution would be effective, as a past reporter and columnist. He expressed his “disappointment in the lateness and the lameness of this support, which comes about ten-years too late and is going to be completely ineffectual. It is a complete waste of time and it doesn’t even get at the real issues of what is wrong with the media. And, in fact, this is going to do media more harm than good, because what this means is that all levels of government will now feel an obligation, in fact we are seeing it on this Council, to start throwing money at local media, which means you are buying them off, which means the media are not independent anymore, which means they can’t be trustworthy and they are going to be even less likely to survive in the future.” One of the main problems with the dying local media in Canada is that the CBC is subsidized greatly, which is sucked out of all the rest of the media, he said. “Does that mean we are…in favour of defunding the CBC and clawing that money back so local media can have it? That would work,” he added. Drain Maintenance NoM removed Councillor Sherry Bondy removed a proposed Notice of Motion that she wanted to discuss that would have the Town send out Notices of Drain Maintenance Works in December and January to minimize impact to the farming community during planting and harvesting season. Bondy removed the Notice of Motion after learning that the municipality does plan on sending out the notices earlier, after receiving complaints from farmers that municipal drain maintenance without sufficient notice was

impacting their crops. Representatives from administration noted the Town is currently striving to be earlier when notifying farmers of upcoming work projects, and will seek to delay projects that would impact crops. Procedural by-law held until report is created Councillor Sherry Bondy withdrew a Notice of Motion seeking to direct Administration to review the agenda and procedural by-law for regular Council meetings after it was agreed that the Town Clerk would return at a later meeting with a report on the matter. Bondy hopes the potential change would give Council more of an open forum to discuss Town matters with less procedural formality. “I’m wondering if we can have a half-an-hour or an hour to discuss items,” Bondy said. “Maybe we want to have more recorded votes, maybe we want to have a question period, maybe we want to look at giving our delegations more time to get on agendas.” Councillor Chris Vander Doelen was opposed to the issue, as he believes it seemed to be an attempt to remake how Council does business. “It seems to me that it might open us up to becoming like an out of control talking shop,” Vander Doelen commented, citing what he believes are excessively lengthy council meetings from other municipalities in the region. “I know one of our local Councils often talk until 11 p.m. over the same number of items we do, and that’s a waste of not only the Council’s time, but the administration’s time and the public’s time.” Administration will now explore different avenues for some additional free-form discussion within Council meetings, and will return to Council with a formal report on the subject.

10 I Community Essex Free Press

I Thursday, September 17, 2020

Reports made of someone collecting stray animals, while claiming to represent the Humane Society -Humane Society is gearing up for its first-ever barn cat spay/neuter eventStock Photo

by Sylene Argent Suspicion has been heightened at the Windsor-Essex County Humane Society, that there could be someone collecting stray animals, and claiming to be associated with the local

organization or the Essex County Animal Control Service. “We received information from a couple different sources that people had indicated that either the Humane Society or the Essex County

Animal Control Service had picked up an animal that they had found as a stray, and that was not the case,” Melanie Coulter said, who is the Executive Director of the Windsor Essex County Humane Society. The issue was concerning enough that when the Humane Society had heard several different reports, its reps wanted to put the word out to the community that if anyone finds a stray animal, and contacts the Humane Society or Animal Control to pick them up, that the officers will wear an official uniform and will drive a marked vehicle, Coulter said. If anyone experiences someone trying to retrieve a stray animal, and claiming to be of either organization, but is not wearing a

uniform and is driving an unmarked vehicle, the Humane Society asks that the animal not get surrendered to them and that they get contact about the incident immediately at 519-966-5751. Anyone who has experienced this situation is also asked for forward that information to the same phone number or email a report with the date and address to feedback@ windsorhumane.org. Though the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way the Humane Society has been able to adopt pets, and has cancelled its fundraising measures – including the annual Strays on the Street Corner and gala events – the community has stepped up to forward donations. Coulter believes the Humane Society will start seeing more people who have struggled because

their animal becomes ill, and they are out of work and cannot afford veterinary care, or people who may get evicted or are moving from their homes. Coulter said shelters across North America are worried about those potential situations. Because of generosities of the community, the Humane Society is able to provide care for animals in need and offer services to the program. People who can are being generous and are helping to keep the Humane Society’s doors open, she said. On Sunday, the Humane Society is offering its first-ever barn and farm cat spay, neuter event. “This is the first-ever promotion we have done specifically focused on barn cats or farm cats. It is a great chance for people to get their barn

cats or farm cats spayed or neutered.” Appointments are required to take advantage of the program, which will not only spay or neuter the pet, but will also include microchipping, FVRCP and rabies vaccine, treatments for internal and external parasites, and an ear-tipping, which indicated the animal has been altered, for a nominal fee. “We are really hoping to get a lot of barn cats spayed or neutered that day,” Coulter said, adding the clinic has offered many similar programs to target feral cats in the community. People who have barn cats don’t think of them as community cats, and they don’t necessarily think of them as their own cats. Often, the Humane Society gets the offspring of those barn cats, that need to find homes.

Thursday, September 17, 2020

News I 11

Essex Free Press

CREW sign will have some modifications by Adam Gault Essex Council has approved a site-specific amendment for Colchester Ridge Estate Winery (CREW), allowing for the retention of their County Road 50 facing signage, albeit with physical modifications. The more than 14-foot sign was put in place with an electronic signage component in late 2019, in violation of Town of Essex By-law 1350. By-law 1350 states that in a zoned agricultural district (in which CREW is located) a ground sign must be no more than six and a half feet in height. The Report to Council notes Bernard Gorski of CREW submitted a request for site-specific amendment to By-law 1350 in December 2019. Council was presented with an application seeking the retention of an existing 4.4 metre (14.4 foot) pole sign structure with electronic media component on January 20, 2020. At that January meeting, Essex CAO Chris Nepszy explained that Gorski had failed to get a signed permit to modify the sign as part of the site plan control agreement. The Town then issued a survey to garner public feedback. At a special Council meeting on July 13, and following the submission and presentation of survey results concerning the adequacy of signage along County Road 50, Council decided to make no general amendments to the existing Sign Bylaw regulations and continue to receive applications for amendments on a site-specific basis. The issue was then discussed more recently, at the August 4 meeting, where Gorski withdrew his application for a request for a Site Specific amendment and noted he had been formulating some new ideas that would be more inline with the current bylaws and he would need more time to plan a proper presentation. During the September 8 meeting, discussion on the issue also surrounded the use of electronic signage, or animated text displays, which could be used to display various scrolling messages, a feature that was present on the sign in question. Gorski said he made major concessions to the design of his sign. He said he is reconfiguring it to fit the Sign Bylaw. He said he cannot make expensive changes. The plan uses the same components in the current sign, just making it horizontal. He plans to lower the overall height to meet the regulations of the Sign Bylaw. He said, however, it will be less than two-meters in height, but there is an exception. At the top of the sign, there will be a dome, an attractive feature that contains his logo, which will be above the regulation by about 18-inches. Area resident, Anne-Marie Grant, said the issue directly impacts the quality of life for her family. She said back in January, when the topic was first discussed, she several members of Council spoke of the importance to get community feedback. A survey was issued for signs on County Road 50, with 144 respondents, of which 77 percent were opposed to electron signs and 72 percent were opposed to pole signs. Lori Chadwick, Director of Development for the Town,

said administration did a through review of the three requests for amendments for the sign, which includes an increase of .39m in the height of the sign, an amendment to increase 0.27meters squared for the sign face area, and the lighted portion of the sign. She said administration noticed an oversight in that word “lighted sign.” In the Report to Council, it was noted that “Although the intention of By-law 1350 was to clearly permit lighted signs in agricultural districts, upon further review of the By-law, it was noted that reference to lighted signs are absent from any land use district in the By-law and are therefore, not explicitly permitted nor prohibited in the Agricultural district.” After being brought to Council several times over the course of the year, Council approved CREW’s new sign proposal, where the sign will be changed to include a horizontal layout of roughly six-and-a-half feet tall by eleven and a half feet wide, rather than the previously proposed vertical orientation, which was more reflective of

a pole sign structure. The animated portion of the sign has been removed and the newly approved sign will now feature a lighted sign area for the display of CREW information, such as opening and closing hours. Since words and numbers are no longer going to be permitted in the animated format, the lighted portion of the sign area no longer constitutes the definition of an electronic media sign.

Continued on Page 13

12 I Classifieds

I Thursday, September 17, 2020

Essex Free Press

Classifieds _______________________________________________

EVENTS

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_____________________

FARMING _____________________ WANTED Farm Land to Rent Cash or Share Crop Call Jeﬀ Siefker (cell) 519-796-1240 or (home) 519-776-9501. 1-t _____________________ SERVICES _____________________ MARTY’S SMALL ENGINE REPAIRS  Tune-ups, repairs, & service on snowblowers, riding lawn mowers, chainsaws, & more! 519-733-0986, (c) 519-965-5918. 4-tf _____________________ KENNETH YARDWORKS  Fall Clean Up. Sod, mulch, eavestrough cleaning and repairs, power washing. Trees & bushes trimmed or removed. Loads to the dump. Fully licensed & insured. Free estimates. Call Kenneth: 519-982-0362.

_____________________

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_____________________ FOR SALE - 3 piece living room set, bedrooms set (queen), kitchen table & four chairs. 226-280-4859. 36-1t* _____________________ FOR SALE - 3 wheel chairs - 1 tilt, 1 foldable, and 1 smaller. $400 each. Duncan Phyfe table with 3 embroidered chairs. $100. Call: 519-379-6600, for more information. 36-1t* _____________________

HELP WANTED _____________________ HIRING! LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE and LANDSCAPE LABOURERS, $18/hour, Experience necessary. Fax your resume to (519) 723-2336. 1-tf

11-tfn

Sell It! Find it! Rent It! Buy It!

PLACING A CLASSIFIED AD: Classified ads can be submitted in person, by phone or fax or email from Mon. to Thurs. 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. All classified and personal ads require payment, prior to print. We accept Visa | MasterCard | Debit | Cash | Cheque. CLASSIFIED DEADLINE IS TUESDAY BY 10:00 AM

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HELP WANTED _____________________ HELP WANTED: Aphria Inc. is looking for Greenhouse Production Associates to join their team. Duties include daily crop maintenance, harvesting, crop rotation, inventory counts, and cleaning of greenhouse. No public transportation available. Located in Leamington, ON. Compensation starts at $14.00/hour. Full time hours Monday through Friday. Please apply at careers@aphria.com or mail resume to P.O. Box 20009 269 Erie St. S. Leamington, ON N8H 3C4. 9-t _____________________ HELP WANTED  CLEANING LADY  Part-time $20/hr. Call: 519-818-4118. 34-2t* _____________________ HELP WANTED: Hairdresser required. Country Village Homes, Woodslee, On. Approximately 12 hours or 2 days per week. Must have a valid license and liability insurance. Experience with seniors a deﬁnite asset. Please email resume to: jacarriere@southbridgecare. 36-2t* ca or fax 519-839-4813. _____________________

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_____________________ CASH PAID for scrap cars and trucks. Free removal. Please phone: 519-776-1361 or 519-791-5046. 46-t _____________________ CASH PAID for antiques, costume jewellery, furniture, gold, sterling, coins, tools, complete estates. We take it all! Free appraisals. Call 519-727-8894. 1-tfn

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_____________________ YARD SALE - Sat., Sept. 19, 9am - 3pm, Sun., Sept 20, 10am - 3pm. 205 Fairview Ave., East. Household items, tools, boys’ & girls’ clothing, size 8 + up, books, collectibles, sports equipment, & much more. Please wear your masks. 36-t _____________________ YARD SALE - Fri., Sat., Sun., Sept, 18, 19, 20, 9am-3pm, at 119 Steven Crt., Viscount Estates, Essex. Selling: Small cooking appliances, tools, tool boxes, pictures, and a lot more. Masks required. 36-t

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_____________________ Buying or selling a farm? Do you know the right questions and answers? Farm Experienced Realtor Carl Idzinski, Keller Williams Lifestyles Realty - Brokerage. 519-817-8891. 22-tt _____________________

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Thursday, September 17, 2020

News I 13

Essex Free Press

Colchester Guardian preparing to for fundraiser in wake of busy long weekend by Adam Gault Supporters of the Colchester Guardian are making final preparations for their annual yard sale this coming Saturday and Sunday, following a busy Labour Day weekend that highlighted just how critical the 100 percent volunteer operation is in maintaining the safety of Lake Erie boaters in the vicinity of Colchester Harbour. Since 2012, the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary Colchester Guardian Rescue has been active in numerous patrols and rescue operations, and to date, has been directly involved in saving the lives of more than a dozen distressed boaters and swimmers in Lake Erie. Operating entirely on donations from the community, this year has been especially challenging for the Guardian, as while charitable donations have dried up across the board in the face of lockdown induced economic uncertainty due to the Coronavirus, boating is as popular as ever, with more people taking to local

CREW sign will have some modifications... Continued from Page 11

The issue had divided residents and Council over the past several months, with some residents saying that CREW had been given too much leniency in regards to the sign and its violation of municipal by-law, in what some see as Council favouring those in the community of whom they have a personal relationship with. “There’s too much evidence to not investigate it,” area resident Ryan Harnadek said about rumours that some residents would be seeking a code of conduct violation investigation. “I would support an investigation into that, because frankly as much as I don’t want to see us wasting any more tax dollars, there’s been a problem here in Essex with this kind of stuff for a long time.” During the meeting, Essex CAO Chris Nepszy said that in spite of the perception that the Town was “rolling out the red carpet” for CREW in devoting a portion of several meetings to the issue, treating all residents with an equal level of service is high on the Town’s priorities. “There’s no special treatment here, this is the cost of doing business,” Nepszy explained. “We try to treat all residents the same and perform that level of service equally.” The decision was approved with Mayor Snively, Deputy Mayor Meloche, Councillor Bowman, and Councillor Vander Doelen voting in favour in the modified sign, and Councillors Garon, Bondy, and Verbeek were opposed.

waters in the face of ongoing travel restrictions. “There’s more people out on the water, more inexperienced people out on the water,” Colchester Guardian Unit Leader, Jim Oakley, explained. “There’s definitely a lot more activity out there for us.” Labour Day Weekend was a particularly challenging period for boaters in the region. Inclement weather and nearly 10-foot waves led to the Colchester Guardian assisting with several rescues on Sunday, and the Kingsville Fire Department assisted with two of its rescue vessels capsizing during a rescue on Monday, demonstrating that boating in poor conditions is not an activity to be taken lightly. “People forget throughout the day to check their weather apps,” Oakley said, noting how quickly weather can change on Lake Erie. That Sunday, the Colchester Guardian assisted with two vessels that were attempting to return to Colchester Harbour

amid stormy weather. While they did not need to deploy their vessel into Lake Erie to make physical contact with the distressed boats, the Guardian and crew were kept in standby status as they helped to navigate the boaters from shore. “The motors were running, we were ready to go, but we could see their lights from a distance, so we followed them [from shore],” Oakley explained. “If there was an issue, we’d have been there in less than five minutes.” The Colchester Guardian’s annual yard sale is taking place this Saturday and Sunday at 773 Bluewater Beach Drive in Colchester, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Donations for goods to be sold at the yard sale will be accepted at the address up until the day of the sale, and will go a long way in helping to offset the costs of a program that ensures the safety of Lake Erie boaters year after year.

14 I Personals Essex Free Press

FromThe Heart _______________________________________________

BIRTHDAY ANNOUNCEMENT

I Thursday, September 17, 2020

To place a personal notice, email your photo and content to contact@essexfreepress.com or drop by our oﬃce at 16 Centre St., Essex. Personal notices must be received by Monday at 12:00 noon to appear in the Thursday edition.

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OBITUARIES

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OBITUARIES

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BEUTLER, Paula - On September 8, 2020 at the age of 86. Paula peacefully transitioned to her heavenly home. Predeceased in March by her son, Brian. Caring mother of Ron, Bruce, Dave (Carol), and Debbie. Proud grandma of Amy (Adam), Jason (Lacie) Meghan, Ryan, and Dylan. Great-grandma of Brenna, Brady, Dane, Connor, and Maddison. Sister of Bill (the late Joan), the late Irvin, the late Elsie (late Elias), Ed (Mary), Betty (Jim), and Elﬁ (late Jim). Dedicated member of Essex Baptist Church, which was always been such a wonderful support. Proud retiree of Essex nursing home where she enjoyed 25 years. We would like to thank the nursing staﬀ at Erie shores hospice for their amazing care and respect, we will never forget it. A private family service has taken place. Interment followed at Country Meadows Cemetery. Donations may be made to the Erie Shores Health Foundation (specify Erie Shores Hospice). Arrangements under the care of the Kennedy Funeral Home Ltd. (519-776-7378) 128 Talbot St. North, Essex. You may send your condolences online at www.kennedyfh.com

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O’NEIL (NEE BATTERSBY), Evelyn Anne - Sunrise on January 16, 1925, Sunset on September 9, 2020. - Passed away peacefully at her home with her loving family by her side at the age of 95 years. Reunited with beloved husband Wilfred (2006). Daughter of the late Gordon and Margaret (nee St. Louis) Battersby. Daughter-in-law of the late Gordon and Sylvia (nee Deslippe) O’Neil. Loving Mother of 12, the late Gordon Joseph (1945); Gail and Ken Brindley, Wayne and Carol, Linda and Charles Neuert, Walter and Rose, Wesley and Maureen, Janice O’Neil and Boris Ropp, Jacqueline and Bradley O’Neil, Jeffrey O’Neil, Joyce and Alex St. Louis, Warren O’Neil and Jason and Dana, and survived by daughter-in-law Debbie O’Neil and predeceased by son-in-law, Bobby Chittle. Cherished Grandma of 29, Kim Taylor, Brad and Tracey Brindley; Anne Prieur, Gregory and Jeremy O’Neil; Steven and Michelle Neuert; Matthew and Jessica O’Neil; Michael O’Neil, Jennifer Sexton and Gary O’Neil; Meghan, Nathan, Carly and Jay O’Neil; Christopher and Shannon St. Louis, Jenna McMurren; Kyle and Cody O’Neil, Austyn Brohman, Bailey and Wyatt O’Neil; W.J. Owen, Avery, Walker, Evelyn Sloane O’Neil. Great-Grandma of 31, to Amanda Serpa and Kalvyn Doan, Grace and Blake Brindley; Dylan and Reese Prieur, Jaidyn O’Neil; Gabrielle and Madilynn Neuert and Mackenzie Neuert-Basar; Everly O’Neil; Madison, Wesley, Emma and Ethan O’Neil; Kevin, Ashley and Alyssa Sexton; Layla and Lucas O’Neil; Bradley and Brentley O’Neil; Brooke and Blaire O’Neil; Hunter St. Louis, Savannah and Peyton Dupuis, Nash McMurren; Jack and Sutton O’Neil, Reese Brohman. Great-Great-Grandma of 4, to Hayden, Phoenix and Tatelyn Serpa and Greyson Doan. Predeceased by her dear brothers Carl, Emerson and Gordon Battersby and sister Jeannine Fields. Survived by her sisters-in-law Phyllis Battersby, Linda Boldizar, Helen Battersby, and brother-in-law Sonny Fields. Also survived by her brother-in-law Donald O’Neil. Predeceased by Jean O’Neil, Everett and Rose O’Neil, Doris and Edward Chittle, Glen and Liz O’Neil, Harvey and Irene O’Neil, Donna and George Molnar, and Betty O’Neil. Beloved Godmother to Kim Taylor, Francine Ewing, Brenda Fields, Colleen Sizer, Ralph O’Neil and the late Paul O’Neil. Survived by numerous nieces and nephews. A special thank you to her loving caregivers D.J. Ysulat, Michael Flores, Kristine Espetero, and Sheena David, as well as Jagar and Romeo Ysulat. Mom will miss the visits and talks with special friends Ronni Hamilton, Bob Ogilvie and Louie DiPierdomenico. Evelyn was a devoted wife and loving mother. Evelyn was a selfless matriarch who will be remembered for many things, first and foremost, her love and devotion to her family and her farm. Evelyn will also be remembered for her legendary meals she would prepare for the numerous kids who would help when baling hay or straw. Evelyn was the family armchair historian, regaling anyone who would listen with the ancestry and heritage of our families throughout Essex County. Evelyn worked hard beside Wilfred and was the glue that held everything together, always negotiating behind the scenes for the best deal, be it groceries or farm equipment. She instilled strong values into her children and made sure they knew right from wrong. Evelyn’s golden rules were to always treat others how you would want to be treated, that we are all people and no one is better than anyone else, and to always help others if you are able. Evelyn was filled with kindness, generosity, compassion, and integrity and when asked which child she loved the most, she replied “whichever one needed it most at the time”. She really was our North, our South, our East, and West, she was our everything and will be greatly missed.

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Say I Love You With A Personal Greeting! Let everyone know with your announcement here! Email your photo and message to:

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What’s Going On... SEPT. 19 & 20 - CTMHV FALL OUTDOOR FLEA MARKET - 9am - 4pm, COVID safety mesures. Rain or Shine. 6155 Arner Twln. 519-776-6909 or www.CTMHV.com. SEPT. 19 & 20 - MINI STEAM & GAS ENGINE SHOW - Sat. 12-6, Sun. 12-4. Co-An Park, McGregor. Craft vendors & Food. See AD on Page 6 for info. SUN., SEPT. 20 - 2020 Kingsville Terry Fox Virtual Run. Learn more at: www.terryfox.ca/ terryfoxrun/kingsville. Donate at www.terryfox.c/mﬁt. SEPT. 26 & 27 - Ruthven Virtual Apple Festival - Free Admission. Proceeds beneﬁt Community Living Essex County. For Info: communitylivingessex.org/events/ruthvenapple-festival

OCT. 13  ESSEX BLOOD DONOR CLINIC - Essex Centre Sports Complex, 60 Fairview Ave W. From 1-7pm. For all info, visit: www.blood.ca HIATUS HOUSE: oﬀers counselling services in Essex County. Women’s Fresh Start group therapy is once a week. For info or to schedule an intake appointment, call the 24-hour Hiatus House helpline at 519-252-7781. SUN COUNTY LYME AWARENESS SUPPORT GROUP oﬀers monthly support for Lyme disease patients, family, & friends. Look us up on Facebook for updates.

Thursday, September 17, 2020

Community Hub I 15

Essex Free Press

sponsorship by:

through telephone calls or texting. During this time, we need to make changes to our services and ask everyone who would like to attend, call the church oﬃce to reserve a spot. Unfortunately, we cannot oﬀer nursery supervision or Sunday school. Our GEMS & Cadets, Youth programs and Monthly Movie Night are still postponed. Visit Essex CRC online to listen to a past sermon or two. www.essexcrc.ca.

St. Stephen’s - Church of the Redemer

Fresh food. Friendly neighbours 191 Talbot St. S., Essex

519-776-4255

submitted by Reverend Kimberly Myer

Both St. Stephen’s and Church of the Redeemer have returned to Sunday morning services. Church of the Redeemer 9am and St. Stephen’s 10:30am. Please wear a mask. Health Unit precautions have been put in place to keep everyone as safe as humanly possible. All are welcome to worship our Lord and Saviour with us.

Salvation Army Essex Church

Woodslee United Church

submitted by Carolyn Barnett

submitted by Sue Holman

The Salvation Army Food Bank is operated by appointment only. Please call Vicki at 519-776-4628 to make arrangements. All other programs and Sunday services are still on hold due to the pandemic. Please continue to pray for all those aﬀected by COVID-19.

Essex Christian Reformed Church submitted by Beverley Van Huizen

We are so excited to be back to in-person worship services and to welcome Pastor Steve Vandyk as our new pastor. God has been so good to us here by bringing Pastor Steve and his wife Rosanne to minister to us here in Essex. We encourage all to keep in contact with each other

when we last worshipped together, so please be patient as we adapt to our new situation. As we continue to navigate through this diﬃcult time, know that we are still hard at work to provide you with the spiritual resources that you need. Visit our website (www. stpaulstrinity.org), social media, or contact us by phone at: 519-776-7711. Messages are checked regularly at the church oﬃce.

Harrow United Church submitted by Larry Anderson

We warmly welcome you to Harrow United Church and invite you to join us for worship in our sanctuary this Sunday at 10:30am. We will observe social distancing protocols and ask everyone to wear a face-mask. We truly appreciate the patience and understanding of everyone as we adapt our ways to ensure the health and safety of all. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free Continued on Page 17

We are working hard to get Sunday Services again. We hope to have Services open sometime in October. Missing Services? You can get them on our website at: woodsleepastoralcharge.ca. Click on the sermon box and watch the video of Rev. Carl delivering his message. Click on the bulletin box and receive this week’s bulletin. Stay save until we all can meet again. Brooker News submitted by Ruth Newman

Weather permitting, we will gather in at the home of Ruth Newman, this Sunday, at 10am for worship. Please bring a lawn chair and respect social distancing . Rob Cornies will bring the message. In case of stormy weather, we will meet inside our Christian Education Auditorium. Social distancing and a mask are both required. Please pray for our country, the many who are ill, and those in nursing homes.

St. Paul’s Anglican Church So glad to be back in our building and oﬀering Sunday worship! Please join us for 11am service, this Sunday! There are safety protocols in place. Please bring your own mask. Things will look a little diﬀerent from what they did

Book an appointment online at www.YouHear.ca or by calling: Amherstburg ....................(519) 730-1030 503 Sandwich Street South Amherstburg, Ontario

Essex ................................(519) 961-9285 35 Victoria Avenue Essex, Ontario

LaSalle .............................(519) 970-9587 1468 Front Road Lasalle, Ontario

Bernice A. McKenzie Doctor of Audiology, Audiologist info@youhear.ca

16 I Business Directory Essex Free Press

I Thursday, September 17, 2020

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Thursday, September 17, 2020

Community Hub / Business Directory I 17

Essex Free Press

Continued from Page 15 to contact our Minister, Rev. Darrow Woods who would be pleased to speak with you: 519-738-4223. Please ﬁnd information about Harrow United Church on our website at www.harrowunited.org.

The secretary can be reached in the oﬃce on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9am - 1pm. Our contact info is: bmuc@xplornet. ca or (519) 723-2284. We are located at 933 Talbot Road, Maidstone, near the corner of Manning Road and Talbot. You can ﬁnd us on the web at www.bethelmaidstone.com.

Essex United Church Join us for worship on Sunday, September 20th at 10:30am. We look forward to seeing you. Rev. Lexie Chamberlain, will lead our worship. The Essex Area Food Bank is available to anyone who needs assistance at this time in the gym, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Hours open 8:30 - 11:45am.

8:30a.m. and weekend Mass is on Sundays at 8:30a.m. You need reservations for weekend Mass by contacting the parish oﬃce at 519-776-8483. Our prayers and sympathies go to the O’Neil family on the passing of their mother, Evelyn. Please keep in your prayers and all the people who are sick, shut-in, and in Hospice. Please stay healthy and safe!

Holy Name of Jesus Parish Church submitted by Wendy Cunningham

Welcome back to school all students and teachers and staﬀ! Our family of parishes, Central Essex County Catholic Family of Parishes, is up and running. Daily Mass is on Thursdays at

Welcome back to School! Our family of parishes, Central Essex County Catholic Family of Parishes, is up and running. For more information and for bulletins, please visit the new website at centralessexcatholic.dol.ca. New weekend Mass times are Saturday at 6p.m. and Sunday at 11a.m. on a first-come-first-serve basis. Weekday Mass times are Friday and Saturday at 8:30a.m. Confirmation takes place on Thursday, September 24th at 6:30p.m. and Sunday, September 27th at 2p.m. Please keep these candidates in your prayers. Life Chain takes place on Sunday, October 4th at 2:30p.m. at the corner of Talbot and Arthur. One hour of a silent vigil. If you have moved or gotten rid of your landline or if you have an e-mail, please let the parish office know in order to keep an up to date parishioner list. Please stay healthy and stay safe!

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Bethel-Maidstone United We’re looking forward to gathering in the sanctuary to worship God this Sunday! We are following protocols to keep everyone safe. Screening questions will be posted - we ask that you consider them carefully. Mask, sanitation methods, and govenment guidelines will be put in place. See us for info. Congregating inside the church will be discouraged. We appreciate your patience and kindness as we adapt to ensure everyone’s safety!

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18 I Opinion / News Essex Free Press

I Thursday, September 17, 2020

Site zoning amendment sought for an accessory building with second floor dwelling unit 1970 Land Rover ready to go!

Noah Fleming’s fully restored 1970 Land Rover.

The Rover Company Ltd. began building motorized vehicles in England in 1904. Forty-four years later, in 1948, the first front-wheel-drive Land Rover came out, patterned after the World War Two Jeep. Early Land Rovers had the steering wheel in the middle, thus avoiding the need for left and right hand drive for domestic and overseas markets. Noah Fleming, an avid reader of this column in the Southpoint Sun, is the proud owner of a left-hand-drive 1970 Land Rover with ‘body off’ restoration completed in 2002 by Wraxall Restorations in Mosport, Ontario, for Wayne Robinson of Port Perry, Ontario. Noah had tried twice last year to buy the vehicle and finally bought it this year almost to the day it was built 50 years ago on Tuesday, June 2, 1970 at the Rover plant in Solihull, England. Eight days later, on June 10, it was shipped to Leyland Motor Company in Montreal. The entire vehicle looks the same as the day it was built. Even the steering wheel was replaced with a new one. Noah writes: “The galvanized steel frame was replaced with a new one from England and has been painted gloss black. Body panels and floors were either replaced with new replacement panels or repaired. The vehicle was painted a Land Rover colour – light green with a white top. The paint is still like new. “All the glass is ‘safety glass’ and there are no marks or cracks or scratches anywhere. The windows are manual. “Under the hood is the inlet-over-exhaust overhead valve 4 cylinder 2.25 litre engine with 70 hp at 4000 rpm and equipped with an original style Zenith carb. “The four matching Michelin 750/R15 4x4 tires and are mounted on four matching original style Land Rover 5-bolt steel wheels painted white and appear as new. “Front and back seats were professionally recovered in black vinyl using Land Rover interior kits. The front seat is in three sections and seats three people. The rear part of the vehicle has two side-facing seats on each side. My two daughters love riding on the bench seats in the back.” I’m always looking for stories. Email billtsherk@sympatico.ca.

by Adam Gault Essex Council is moving forward in the process of tentatively issuing a site zoning amendment for a property on the southwest corner of Poplar Bluff Drive in Colchester that will allow for the construction of a 1120 square foot accessory building with a secondary storey to accommodate a single dwelling unit. The matter was discussed during the statutory special Council meeting on Tuesday, September 8, A site zoning amendment is required for the project, as within current R1.1 residential zoning, an accessory building is only permitted if limited to one storey with a total gross floor area of 750 square feet, and a second dwelling unit is only permitted within an existing single attached dwelling. There was discussion from members on Council that similar zoning amendments would allow for the creation of additional, affordable housing options for individuals across Essex. With the cost of living increasing with each passing year, making accommodations for those seeking additional housing options would go a long way in alleviating some of that issue. “We need to get on this. This is definitely going to be a piece of the puzzle to solve the housing crisis,” Councillor Sherry Bondy said. “So, I’m all for this.” In 2018, Councillor Bondy presented

a Notice of Motion to Council directing Administration to develop an affordable housing strategy to address the issue of housing accessibility across WindsorEssex. With the Town’s Planning Department to release a repot on the potential development of “tiny homes” this coming October, Bondy hopes an affordable housing strategy, in conjunction with more lenience in site zoning amendments, will enable more people and families to access housing in the region. “I can tell you that housing costs are unaffordable. In Harrow, we have a gentleman who’s been living in his car,” Bondy said. “We have to look at this, and now is the time.” The Town of Essex’s Official Plan has a number of stipulations that must be considered when approving a site zoning amendment, including the building’s impact on the neighbourhood and municipal infrastructure. The Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA)’s consideration must also be taken into account when seeking the approval for a project such as this to take into account how the potential project may affect various environmental factors, such as on fauna and shoreline erosion. While environmental factors are considered regardless, ERCAdetermined that no specific Environmental Impact

Continued on Page 19

Thursday, September 17, 2020

News I 19

Essex Free Press

Petroleum leak forces evacuation at Arner Townline

by Adam Gault A petroleum leak at the corner of Arner Townline and County Road 20 forced the evacuation of area residents on Sunday. OPP, Kingsville Fire, and Windsor Fire and Rescue Service Hazmat responded to the scene Sunday morning,

cordoning off the area and evacuating all residents and businesses within a 500-metre radius of the intersection. This led to the closure of around five-and-a-half kilometres of County Road 20, between Iler Road in Harrow and McCain Side Road in Kingsville, as authorities continued their investigation overnight Sunday. The road remained closed and residents evacuated throughout Monday. In spite of early reports stating that the incident was the result of a natural gas leak, it was determined by investigators late Monday afternoon that the cause of the danger was actually a liquefied petroleum leak at the Arner Townline and County Road 20 intersection. As a result of this investigation and in conjunction with local and neighbouring responders, the Town of Kingsville declared a localized State of Emergency and activated its Emergency Operations Centre to support the efforts and

actions necessary to mitigate the damage from the spill. “While this emergency response area encompasses areas in both Kingsville and Essex, the effort to protect residents and property is not limited in the scope of our emergency responders. Collectively, taking actions necessary to protect this area, our municipal control group is in enhanced monitoring mode under the Emergency Operations Centre,” Kingsville Mayor Nelson Santos explained. “The safety of the public is our top priority and emergency services personnel are working around the clock to bring this urgent situation to swift resolution.” The area remained closed to traffic and residents throughout the course of the investigation ere required to find lodging with friends and family throughout the duration. Kingsville Fire Department did not return a request for comment at the time of publication.

Site zoning amendment sought for an accessory building with second floor dwelling unit... meeting, where the decision will be either approved, denied, or deferred

to a later date if further information is required.

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permit should be approved barring any unforeseen circumstances. A Report to Council and a proposed by-law will be presented to Council during the September 21 regular

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Assessment would be required to accompany the rezoning regarding the site zoning in Colchester, based on information provided by the Town of Essex to ERCA, and that an ERCA

Continued from Page 18

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20 I Special Feature Essex Free Press

I Thursday, September 17, 2020

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