2026 Communications Coordinators meeting

The 2026 annual meeting of the ACLA Communications Coordinators and designated alternates was held 9am-noon on Saturday May 9, in the Kingsbridge Centre basement. The meeting was also available via Zoom. See Zoom recording and use passcode

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We apologize for the unintelligible sound of the voices from people sitting around the room. We were unable to capture questions from the floor and the general-discusion items at the end. Consequently, the portion after the speakers' presentations has been deleted. We will again seek a better setup for next year's meeting.

Post-meeting update, May 15: The ACLA Steering Committee has been considering what we would need in additional a/v equipment and volunteer resources to conduct a Zoom meeting in which presenters and in-person and remote participants can all hear and see each other. We have concluded that it isn't worth it. Next year, we will return to the in-person-only format. Our apologies to those who will be inconvenienced by this. PS: We will also avoid Mother's Day weekends.

Introductions

Invited guests:

• Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh Township:
  Glen McNeil
• Maitland Valley Conservation Authority:
  Phil Beard, Ben Van Dieten, Patrick Huber-Kidby

Communications Coordinators and designated alternates:

• Represented: Amberley Beach, Ashfield Beach North, Ashfield Beach South, Cedar Grove, Horizon View, Hunters Beach, Huron Sands, Huron Sands North, Kintail Beach, Maple Grove, Mid Huron Beach, Shamrock Beach, Sunset Beach, Port Albert, Victoria Beach
• Not represented: Amberley Beach South, Birch Beach, Brindley Beach, Bogie's Beach, Buchanan's Beach, Goat Trail, Green Acres Cove, Huron Shores, Lakeland Estates, Linfield Beach, Kingsbridge Shores, Menesetung Park

Maitland Valley Conservation Authority

Phil Beard, General Manager and Secretary/Treasurer

• Update on the province's consolidation of conservation authorities, the region that MVCA is being put in, and the work that we will still be doing. See presentation.

Ben Van Dieten, Agricultural Stewardship Supervisor

• Work being done in the North Shore Watersheds with funding from the Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks. See presentation.

Patrick Huber-Kidby, Planning and Regulations Supervisor

• Coastal Resilience Strategy work being done this year. See presentation.

ACW Township

Glen McNeil, Mayor

• 2026 budget: tax levy, capital projects. See budget highlights.
• Short-Term Rentals by-law now in effect. See Short-Term Rental Licencing Program.
• Agricultural Property Standards. See working group.
• At the start of July, Waste Management garbage and recycling pickup will switch from bags to two-wheeled carts for curbside pickups, and to dumpster bins to replace lakefront transfer-point locations. The carts will be distributed to curbside-pickup residents in June. ACW Public Works will be consulting with the lakefront associations about the locations chosen for the dumpsters. To avoid the staff costs to implement and maintain a system of charging residents by adding a surcharge on their property-tax bill to replace the revenue formerly covered by garbage-bag tags, Council proposes that the costs of the service be folded into the township budget.

ACLA administrative matters

Treasurer's report

Beth Ross, Mid-Huron Beach

• bank balance beginning May 2025: $2,076.44
• income:
  • member contributions: $1,370.00
  • donations: $10.00
  • bank interest: $3.56
• expenses:
  • rental fee for the Kingsbridge Centre basement: $200.00
  • annual website-hosting and domain-registration fees: $154.47
  • bank charges: $0.00
• bank balance ending April 2026: $3,105.53

Motion to accept the Treasurer's report moved by Beth Ross, seconded by Barbara Holmes. Passed.

Voluntary contributions to program funding

ACLA's programs are funded by annual contributions from the participating lakefront associations (we suggest $10 per each member of your association). It is not a requirement for membership in ACLA, but it is most certainly appreciated. It helps to demonstrate that the lakefront communities are stakeholders in the well-being of our environment.

If your association wishes to contribute for the 2026-2027 season, you may do so by direct "Interac e-Transfer" to aclatreasurer@hurontel.on.ca, or by cheque payable to "ACLA" mailed to

Beth Ross, ACLA Treasurer
122 St. Patrick Street
Goderich ON, N7A 2L7

Issues from the floor

ACW municipal election, October 26

For details, see Municipal Election on the ACW website.

What concerns should ACLA be sending to the candidates on behalf of the seasonal lakefront community? Items suggested ...

• The province's forced consolidation of the Conservation Authorities into seven "super-region" CAs risks seriously diluting the quality of care that will be given to our local watershed areas.
• The budget cuts implemented by Huron County Council related to water-quality programs will have a negative impact on the lakefront environment.
• The incoming ACW Council must continue to support the current Council's decision to reject the province's offer of "strong mayor" powers in favour of "majority rule" decision-making by all of our elected representatives.
• We very much appreciate the excellent service that ACW staff provide throught the numerous traditional and social-media channels for communicating with the ACW community.

It was suggested that ACLA sponsor an all-candidates meeting for the lakefront communities. The nomination period closes on Friday August 23, and ideal timing would be the evening of either Tuesday September 1 or Wednesday September 2. We will determine if the Kingsbridge Centre facility is available.

Adjourn

The meeting adjourned at 11:35am.

Next meeting

The 2027 meeting will be 9am Saturday May 15, in-person-only. Location to be determined.