Ramara residents are almost equally divided on the fate of two aged municipal buildings on Highway 12 in Brechin. About half of residents want to see the buildings renovated, while the other half think they should be demolished. Financially impacting the decision, the Ministry of Transportation requires them to be set back from the highway. […]

A suggested policy change erupted in an argument about how Ramara conducts business. A staff report suggesting a change in fees related to information requests recommended same day ratification. “Although it is proposing an amendment to the fee structure, what we’re really trying to do is get records into the hands of the requesting party […]

Ramara chambers was limited to standing room Monday morning. It may have been the first time the garage door was opened to make space for everyone, noted a resident in attendance. A deputation by Jen Dundas, executive director of Camp Couchiching, drew the crowd. She requested the township’s support for a safety review of the […]

Transparency is a major topic for all tiers of government and the public is ever the more curious about how officials uphold openness to scrutiny in their civil service. With the provincial government’s recent changes to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), local officials are also keeping the subject open to […]

Ramara residents want to know why the township’s responsibility to maintain their road is not more clear-cut. According to a report from the township’s lawyer, Ryan Matson, the status of Sunset Drive is “unassumed,” which is not the same as ownership. “Assumed roads carry heightened liability and financial risk exposure for a municipality’s general tax […]

The length of time Ramara Township should keep video footage of council meetings is back under the magnifying glass. With no standard set by the province, municipalities are left to establish their own framework for keeping footage. During this week’s committee of the whole meeting, Ramara politicians discussed amending a schedule of its record retention […]

Ramara council heard what the community wants to do with two buildings on Highway 12 in Brechin, known as St. Andrew’s Hall and the former Standard Bank. Community engagement took place between October and November. It included various online and in-person ways to convey preferences. “Respondents expressed interest in community-focused use of the properties. There […]

“Blindsided.” That’s the word Roger Selman, president of the Ramara Chamber of Commerce, used to describe an unexpected eviction notice his organization received this week. For 14 years, the chamber has had a presence in the Township of Ramara administration building in Brechin. The shared office space was a way to encourage mutual support and […]