Skip to content

Tay Township council grants staff more power during pandemic

But Mayor says township doesn't plan to follow Tiny's lead and declare an emergency situation.

Tay Township staff now has greater capacity to make emergency decisions relating to municipal operations and staff self-isolation.

During a special meeting earlier this week, councillors voted to allow staff to change practices around submission of tenders and other daily operations while also allowing employees to bank 14 days of self-isolation at 75% of their regular wages.

"We have been preparing," said Lindsay Barron, chief administrative officer (CAO). "Senior management has been working diligently to address issues as they evolve to evaluate and focus on the safety of our staff and residents. In the short term, we're ramping up our business continuity efforts and continuing business as usual."

Speaking to MidlandToday Tuesday, Mayor Ted Walker said the township doesn't plan to follow neighbouring Tiny Township's lead and declare a state of emergency.

"We're going to carefully monitor everything," Walker said. "I'm keeping in touch with staff. The county hasn't declared either."

Walker said that sometimes an emergency is declared so a municipality can avail of some provincial grants, such as the disaster relief fund.

"But in this case, it's not necessary for us to declare emergency to recoup any assistance that might be provided by the feds or province," he said. "In our case, it would be more on a service level where we had a shortage of staff or something and certain services have to be reduced."

The municipality has informed the province about revenue losses with the provincial government indicating that it will be reviewing the situation with the federal government, as well as the possibility of using the disaster relief fund to help municipalities recoup lost revenue.

Barron, meanwhile, noted during the special council meeting that the township may decide to add another barrier between the public and staff.

"It's valuable even in the regular flu season. We will no longer accept cash from next week. It's a germ carrier. Our frontline staff have decided they want to wear gloves as an added precaution."

She said they're also working on setting up an alternate office location that will not be disclosed to the public.

"Staff have been working getting all of the right tools in place so a select number of staff can work there," said Barron. "It will provide a separation, in the event that this office is contaminated or has a case, we still have staff at the other location to continue business as it needs to."

All committee meetings will be cancelled and public meetings planned for the end of April will be deferred, she said. Council and committee of all council will continue as scheduled, however delegations will be given the option to reschedule if they choose.

Barron said staff has been talking with area municipalities for mutual response and services, particularly for water and wastewater operations and for cooperation between fire departments.

The townships of Tiny, Springwater, Severn and Ramara have already closed their office doors to the public.

"We are still of the opinion that we can continue to operate and will continue to do so until we can," Barron said, noting that it appears municipalities can make their own decisions regarding office closures.

"I think people are just reacting, to be honest. We had multiple stakeholders on a three-hour call this morning and no clear way forward came out."

Deputy Mayor Gerard LaChapelle and Coun. Paul Raymond were concerned around the safety for firefighters, both volunteer and full-time.

"City of Orillia's fire department policy is to not enter the building but ask questions through the door if they get a medical call," LaChapelle said. "Will we be entering houses if we have calls?"

But Tay fire Chief Brian Thomas said his department's calls come through in a different way when compared to Orillia.

"Orilia paramedics get there pretty quick, we have longer distances to cover," he said, adding the fire department doesn't get called to go to look into flu-like symptoms.

"If it's a profuse bleeding, let's say, and they also have other symptoms, we have to go. The County of Simcoe paramedics updated what they would like to see done. The rules are there (with) one person going in to do an intial assessment. The other person will be at a safe distance and from there we will go with what we have. It limits the amount of equipment and people who will be there."

As for a reduction in service should firefighters report symptoms, Thomas said they have been asked to stay away from calls. 

"We have the advantage of having four firehalls," he said. "We have a lot more firefighters than the areas around us. Our fires have two halls respond automatically. If we get down to the point we feel there's going to be a problem, I will be in contact with all of the neighbouring departments."

Employee sick-time banking provisions give municipal staff the ability to go into self-isolation while getting 75% of their regular gross wages for each day of that period. An employee may go into self-isolation if they experience COVID-19 symptoms, or are in contact with someone experienceing the symptoms of the virus, or have travelled outside of Canada within the past two weeks.

Walker and Coun. Mary Warnock asked how it would be determined if the staff member is taking sick time due to Covid-19 or the flu?

"If there's a case, that an employee shows up and thinks they have COVID-19, are we going to require they provide a test?" Walker asked.

But Thomas said employees must meet a certain criteria since "they don't have enough resources and kits to test everybody."

Public Works director Peter Dance said employees have a moral obligation to phone the health unit. 

"We don't want to be too fussy about what you've got," he said. "If someone is significantly sick with the flu, we don't want to see them here. If you're sick enough to have significant symptoms, we don't want them in the building. As the system gets overwhelmed, everybody will not be tested, especially if you're not showing extreme symptoms. We should be very careful about saying the test is a requirement, because we won't be able to meet that requirement."

As a follow-up, Walker asked, if the township would have to bring it to the attention of the health unit if an employee shared they're showing symtoms?

"They will be self-isolating at that time," said Thomas. "They will call the health unit to get an over-the-phone evaluation and a test if it is warranted."

Coun. Barry Norris asked if the plan for providing 75% wages would apply if staff decided to travel after Tuesday. 

"How many days is it being limited for, 14, 28 or are we leaving it at the discretion of senior staff?" asked Norris. "If they come back after a 14-day quarantine and then ask for another 14 days because they're showing symoptoms again, how do we go about that?"

Barron said the extension wouldn't be automatic, especially since the federal government has issued directives limiting international travel.

"One of the things we talked about, upon return to work, we ask the employee to fill out a self-declaration form," she said. "I would say the bank is 14 days, but it would be looked at on a case-by-case basis. You wouldn't someone coming back to work if they're sick."

Walker agreed that the issue could be taken on a case-by-case basis.

"There is such thing as good faith," he said. "I think we should implement and if the CAO gets a report of this being misused, the CAO can deal with it."