Videos of Meetings

Since May of 2020, Dysart Council meetings have been livestreamed to the Dysart YouTube page. Click the link below to view previous meetings. 

Dysart YouTube

Land Acknowledgement

We respectfully acknowledge that Dysart et al is located on the Treaty 20 Michi Saagiig territory and in the traditional territory of the Michi Saagiig and Chippewa Nations, collectively known as the Williams Treaties First Nations, which include: Curve Lake, Hiawatha, Alderville, Scugog Island, Rama, Beausoleil, and Georgina Island First Nations.

These ancestral homelands are more than a place where the Anishinaabe hunted, fished, gathered and grew their food long before the settler’s arrival. Indigenous peoples cared for these lands and waters and have welcomed us as their guests. We pay them respect by ensuring we continue to recognize their ongoing connection to the area and by supporting the health and integrity of the lands and community for generations to come.

Photo of Dysart Council Members

Council Contact Information

 Mayor Murray Fearrey

Mayor Murray Fearrey

Municipality of Dysart et al

135 Maple Avenue, P.O. Box 389

Haliburton, Ontario K0M 1S0

 

Email: mfearrey@dysartetal.ca 

Phone: (705) 457-6423

 Deputy Mayor Walt McKechnie
Deputy Mayor Walt McKechnie

Municipality of Dysart et al

135 Maple Avenue, P.O. Box 389

Haliburton, Ontario K0M 1S0

 

Email: wmckechnie@dysartetal.ca 

Phone: (705) 854-0987 

 Ward 1 - Councillor Pat Casey
Councillor Pat Casey

Municipality of Dysart et al

135 Maple Avenue, P.O. Box 389

Haliburton, Ontario K0M 1S0

 

Email: pcasey@dysartetal.ca

Phone: (705) 457-8473

 Ward 2 - Councillor Nancy Wood-Roberts
Councillor Nancy Wood-Roberts

Municipality of Dysart et al

135 Maple Avenue, P.O. Box 389

Haliburton, Ontario K0M 1S0

 

Email: nwood-roberts@dysartetal.ca

Phone: (705) 455-2070 

 Ward 3 - Councillor Tammy Donaldson
Councillor Tammy Donaldson

Municipality of Dysart et al

135 Maple Avenue, P.O. Box 389

Haliburton, Ontario K0M 1S0

 

Email: tdonaldson@dysartetal.ca

Phone: (705) 457-6325 

 Ward 4 - Councillor Carm Sawyer
Councillor Carm Sawyer

Municipality of Dysart et al

135 Maple Avenue, P.O. Box 389

Haliburton, Ontario K0M 1S0

 

Email: csawyer@dysartetal.ca 

Phone: (705) 854-2401

 Ward 5 - Councillor Barry Boice
Councillor Barry Boice

Municipality of Dysart et al

135 Maple Avenue, P.O. Box 389

Haliburton, Ontario K0M 1S0

 

Email: bboice@dysartetal.ca 

Phone: (705) 457-0906

Dysart et al Council is comprised of a Mayor, Deputy Mayor and five Councillors representing five geographical wards within the Municipality as listed. If you are not sure which Ward you are in, please refer to the Municipal Ward Boundary Map.

Councillors are appointed to various Committees and Boards to represent the Municipality’s interests. By virtue of position, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor represent Dysart et al Council at the Haliburton County Council table where we are one of four lower tier municipalities that comprise the County-Level Government

Council Meetings

Regular meetings of Council are held in the Municipal Council Chambers located at 135 Maple Avenue commencing at 9:00 a.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month except for the month of December, where the regular meeting is held on the second Tuesday of the month. Any changes to this schedule or special meetings called will be posted on the Home page and updated on the Calendar.

Since May of 2020, Council has been livestreaming meetings which can be accessed on the Dysart YouTube page

Delegations, Correspondence and Petitions to Council

Please carefully review the following rules and guidelines for delegations, correspondence and petitions to Dysart et al Council.

 Delegation Requests
Delegations to Council can be arranged by contacting the Municipal Clerk who will provide you with a meeting date and time for your delegation. Delegates must provide a brief outline of the subject to be discussed for inclusion on the agenda package no later than 12:00 noon, seven (7) calendar days before the subject meeting. 

Each delegation is limited to a speaking time of ten (10) minutes.

Tips for presenting at a Council or Committee meeting:

  • Be succinct and limit your deputation to 10 minutes or less;
  • Provide background and supporting information in writing in advance of the meeting for inclusion on the Council agenda. This information should clearly explain the topic you wish to speak to;
  • Highlight your key points for consideration;
  • Be specific about what you are asking for; and
  • Address Council through the Chair (Mayor).

All meetings are open to the public unless a resolution is passed to have a Closed Session in accordance with Section 239 of the Municipal Act, 2001.

 Correspondence Addressed to Council
If you wish to address Council or a Committee of Council in writing you may submit a letter on a specific topic or item to be placed on an upcoming agenda. Your letter must be received by the Municipal Clerk no later than 12:00 noon, seven (7) calendar days before the subject meeting. 

Deliver and address your letter to:

Municipal Clerk

Municipality of Dysart et al

135 Maple Avenue, P.O. Box 389

Haliburton, Ontario K0M 1S0

You may also fax your letter to (705) 457-1964 or email it to the Municipal Clerk.

Letter Guidelines:

Your letter should include the following:

  • Your name and address;
  • A date and signature;
  • A formal request for the letter to be placed on a future agenda;
  • A brief overview of the specific topic; and
  • An overview of past interactions with staff on the matter (if any).

Please note that all correspondence submitted to the Municipality will form part of the public record and will become a public document.

There may be occasions when your letter is not placed on the next agenda. This may be because:

  • The subject matter of your letter involves an insurance claim;
  • The subject matter of your letter involves pending or current litigation;
  • Staff are preparing a report in response to your concerns and your letter will be placed on the same agenda as the staff report;
  • Your letter is being forwarded to a Committee of Council, as it may be more appropriate for the Committee to hear your concerns first;
  • Your letter contains information which is not suitable for a public agenda and will be dealt with on a confidential basis;
  • Your letter was not legible or contained vulgar language;
  • Your letter contains a request for service that can be dealt with by staff as part of normal municipal operations; or
  • Your letter is addressing concerns outside of the jurisdiction of Dysart et al. 
 Petitions
A petition is a document presented by the community to Council to voice their opinion on an issue of municipal importance. Petition organizers must be diligent to fulfill the petition requirements to ensure their petition is considered valid. Click here to download the Petition Template prepared by the Clerk's Office.

Petitions are to be delivered to the Clerk by 12:00 noon, seven (7) calendar days before the subject meeting. Late petitions not relating to an item on the meeting agenda will be placed on the next available meeting of Council or Committee of Council with few exceptions (See “Petition Procedure” below).

Deliver and address your petition to:

Municipal Clerk

Municipality of Dysart et al

135 Maple Avenue, P.O. Box 389

Haliburton, Ontario K0M 1S0

You may also fax your petition to (705) 457-1964 or email it to the Municipal Clerk. If sending the petition by fax or email, please deliver or mail the originals for the public record.

Petition Guidelines:

Petitions must contain:

  • at least two (2) original signatures;
  • the 'petition request' at the top of each page of signatures;
  • the first and last name of each signer;
  • contact information for each signer; and
  • contact information for the organizer of the petition.

Signatures without contact information will be redacted by the individual or group submitting the petition or it will not be accepted by the Clerk nor presented to Council. Contact information can include either the mailing address, phone number or valid email address of the signatory. Using the Petition Template prepared by the Clerk's Office is a good way to ensure that your petition contains all the requirements.

Petition Procedure:

At the meeting, Council (or the committee) may make the following motions with the petition:

  • receive the petition (meaning that the Municipality will take no action on this issue other than filing the information in the public record);
  • refer the matter to staff or a Committee of Council consideration; or
  • direct staff to report back to Council or Committee.

No other motions will be permitted regarding a petition.

The Clerk will refuse to put a petition on the agenda where the petition request:

  • involves current or pending litigation;
  • involves insurance claims;
  • involves administrative complaints that have not been reported to the appropriate staff members;
  • is beyond the jurisdiction of Council; or
  • is contrary to the provisions of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Petition Privacy:

Signatories to a petition waive the expectation of privacy as a result of the petition being created for review by the general public.

Municipal staff will redact contact information for the public agenda but the petition will be available for public viewing at the Municipal Office in its entirety. Names and signatures will not be redacted. It is the responsibility of the petition organizer(s) to advise signatories that their name, signature and contact information will become part of the public record.

The Petition Template prepared by the Clerk's Office includes a disclaimer that notes this waiver of privacy.

Agendas, Minutes and By-Laws 

Since 2007, Council has used digital technology to manage Council and Committee meetings. You can search meeting agendas, minutes and municipal bylaws by visiting the Dysart iCompass website.

Municipal Elections

Council serves a four year term and the election process includes a municipal-wide voter selection of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. Eligible voters also select a Trustee of the elementary and secondary schools for Trillium Lakelands District School Board and Conseil Scolaire de District du Centre Sud-Ouest. The current Council was elected on October 24, 2022 and will serve from November 15, 2022 until November 14, 2026. The next Municipal Election will take place in October 2026.

Integrity Commissioner

The Integrity Commissioner is an independent and impartial position that reports directly to Council. 

 Advisory Role

The Integrity Commissioner  provides  confidential  written and oral advice to the Mayor, Councillors and Committee appointees (as applicable) about their own situations respecting the Code of Conduct for Elected or Appointed Officials and other By-Laws, policies and procedures governing ethical behavior, including general advice about the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.

 

The Integrity Commissioner also provides opinions and reports to Council on issues of ethics and integrity.

 Investigative Role

Complaints  about breaches  of the Code of Conduct or contraventions to the Municipal Conflict of lnterest Act (MCIA) are made to the Integrity Commissioner  pursuant to the Council approved Complaint Protocol. Complaints can be dealt with through a formal or informal process.

Informal Complaints

Anyone who has identified or witnessed behaviour or an activity by a member of Council or a local board that he/she believes is in contravention of the Code of Conduct for Elected or Appointed Officials or the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act may informally address their concern as follows:

  1. Advise the member that their behaviour or activity appears to contravene the applicable standard;
  2. Encourage the member to stop the prohibited behaviour or activity;
  3. Keep a written record of the incidents including dates, times, locations, other persons present, and any other relevant information;
  4. If applicable, confirm to the member your satisfaction or dissatisfaction with his/her response to your concern cited in #1
  5. Consider the need to pursue the matter in accordance with a formal inquiry procedure detailed below.

Formal Complaints

Formal complaints must be sent directly to the Integrity Commissioner using either the Code of Conduct Complaint Form or the Municipal Conflict of Interest (MCIA) Complaint Form. The affidavit may be sworn by any Commissioner for Taking Affidavits in Ontario. 

 

Should the Integrity Commissioner find a contravention, he can recommend various penalties for imposition by Council. The available penalties range from suspension of remuneration to a reprimand or apology.

 Educational Role
The Integrity Commissioner is responsible for providing educational programs to members of Council and Committees (as applicable). This is carried out in group settings, one-on-one meetings, annual reporting and through this web page.
 Integrity Commissioner Contact Information

Tony E. Fleming with Cunningham, Swan, Carty, Little & Bonham LLP

27 Princess Street, Suite 300

Kingston, ON K7L 1A3

 

Tel: 613-544-0211

Email: tfleming@cswan.com

Links to Documents:

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