Notes from the regular Council meeting, which was held on Wednesday, December 3, 2025.
Staff Reports
Public Works Department
- Pickup truck for Public Works
Council approved the purchase of a new 2026 F250 4X4 crew cab, 6.7L Power Stroke V8 diesel truck for $80,600.96 (plus HST). While the original budget for the new vehicle was $60,000, another $22,019.57 from the vehicle capital reserve will be used to cover the added cost.
The new vehicle will replace the Public Works Department’s current 2013 F150 as it has reached its designated end of life.
The Township’s policy is to replace Township owned pickup trucks after ten years of service. According to the report, submitted by Jim Borton, Director of Public Works, this is common practice in most municipalities as it allows the vehicle to be auctioned off before any major repairs or replacement parts are required.
Seven area dealerships were contacted in regards to the purchase, and of the five that responded, two did not have anything on the lot that would meet the needs of the Township.
The following three submissions were received from Woodstock Ford, Finch Chevrolet and Glassford Dodge:
- 2026 F250 Crew Cab, XL, 6.7L Power Stroke V8 Diesel for $80,600.95 plus HST.
- 2026 Silverado 2500 4WD, 6.6L V8 Gas for $75,288.50 plus HST.
- 2026 Ram 2500 Big Horn, 6.4L V8 Hemi Gas for $85,529.78 plus HST.
The Township ultimately decided to go with the diesel engine truck.
“It has been staff’s experience that the diesel engine is more fuel efficient than a regular gas motor,” read Borton’s report. “Also, due to the nature in which the trucks are used by the Township, the diesel engine is better suited to handle the weight being carried in the box (sander/salter) and when hauling a trailer carrying lawn mowers or park equipment.”
- Monthly Report
The report, prepared by Borton, provided the following update in regards to the activities of the Public Works Department for the month of November.
Capital Work
- Princeton Phase 4
Borton told Council that this phase is close to being completed. All the underground work has been finished, and curbs and sidewalks have now been installed.
“There is one section by Hwy 2 that still needs asphalt, they also have some driveways that need to be completed,” he said. “All the asphalt is planned to be completed in the first week of December. The topsoil and sod is being completed.”
According to his report, Township staff, Township engineering staff and the contractor will be doing a walk through to identify insufficiencies that will need to be fixed. While winter weather has officially arrived, the plan is to push through and get everything completed.
- Bridge 24 Environmental Assessment
The Township’s engineer is currently still waiting for Indigenous partners to complete comments on the reports.
Staff are also still waiting on Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to send its comments in regards to an in-water study. Once complete, the drawings for the bridge can be finalized, and the project can be sent out to tender.
Borton told Council that, because the Township received funding from both the provincial and federal governments (33 per cent each), staff are looking to resolve all outstanding requirements and get the project moving forward before 2027, when they would otherwise need to request a funding extension.
“With the Department of Fisheries, because it’s in water, we’ve actually just heard back from them this week about another test that they want for endangered species, so we’re getting through it,” he said. “I’ve met with the engineers and we’re hoping everything will still go, but with the temperature we have now, water work can’t start until July. So, we do have a little bit of time and the plan is still to get this finalized, tendered and started. We do have until 2027 for the funding without having to ask for an extension, so hopefully we don’t have to ask for that.”
Other
Borton told Council that throughout the month, Public Works staff worked on completing various tasks including:
- Preparing for winter by getting the roads and equipment ready for the season.
- Working on getting new signage up and repairing any that have been damaged–for example, the two three-way stop signs on Fennell Street have been installed.
- Working on approving road permits that would allow Xplorenet to use the Township right-of-way to run fibreoptic cable in the Township.
- Working with MESH, the Public Works service coordinator, Community Services and the Township’s Drainage Superintendent to create an on-line check list for equipment inspections and patrols.
- Planning to look into park inspections and some activities at the arena.
- Attending biweekly meetings on the progress of the Princeton project.
- Continuing to meet with landowners at outdoor sites to discuss ditch or road issues, and
- Working on 2026 budgets.
Following Borton’s presentation, Councillor Bruce Banbury told the group how he witnessed a large trailer carrying an excavator on it, had narrowly made it over the railway crossing in Princeton before a train came through.
“The arms came down before he had cleared the tracks, so it was a matter of about six or seven seconds before the VIA train went through,” recalled Banbury. “…Had they had a head on collision, half of Princeton would be gone. It was just terrible, actually frightening.”
The Councillor wondered if they could get in touch with Oxford County about putting up signage far away enough to properly warn people, or have them close Main Street South all together until CN Rail could get it fixed.
“It’s just an accident waiting to happen. Even [if you’re in] a car or a small truck, you have to crawl over those tracks or you’re going to damage your vehicle,” continued Banbury. “I can’t get that out of my mind, that vision, because the train would have derailed, the engineers would have been killed and it would have been a mess.”
Mayor Mark Peterson said that he had been in contact with a representative from CN Rail and was told the train tracks would be fixed by the end of November, but given that it’s now December and it still hasn’t been done, he or staff would reach out again to stress the matter.
In the meantime, Borton said he would reach out to Oxford County and see about getting signage put up.
The Mayor also asked Borton to speak to staff about changing the direction in which they plow Mechanic Street in Drumbo, noting that children traveling on foot to the school have had to walk on the road to get there because of the build up on the sidewalk.
Borton responded saying he will be sure to remind the drivers about the direction change.
Community Services Department
Trevor Baer, Blandford-Blenheim’s Director of Community Services, came to council with the following three reports:
- Blandford-Blenheim Helping Hands Food Bank
Council recently received a letter from Suzy Birley of the Blandford-Blenheim Helping Hands Food Bank during the Wednesday, November 19, 2025, Council meeting.
Given that the food bank has traditionally been housed in privately owned residential spaces, the correspondence requested the Township’s assistance in finding a stable, municipally-owned space where food inventory can be stored.
Baer said that staff had since reached out to food bank volunteers to ask what would work best for them, and that all parties agreed that it would be best to set it up in Drumbo as its a more central location for the Township.
“We determined that the best location would be in the Drumbo Park canteen,” added Baer. “It hasn’t been operated since 2018 and it’s a storage area for our two user groups–the firefighters and the Drumbo Lions Club,” said Baer. “We talked to the food bank about that as well, and they’re comfortable sharing the space with those two user groups. So staff [have determined] that the Drumbo food booth would work for Blandford-Blenheim Helping Hands as it’s an area that’s underutilized by the Township. In the future, if the food booth was ever to be reopened, we could put up a wall there if needed.”
Baer said that as far as timelines go, the food bank isn’t in a rush, but they wanted to be prepared and secure a location for the future in the event they needed to move the inventory out of the private home it’s currently in.
He also added that when it comes to cost, the Township would need to put in two heaters so as to keep the food inventory around 5 degrees.
“We got quotes on that which was about $700, and it’s about $200 a year to keep it 5 degrees in that booth, so that would be our operating cost for 2026 budget,” said Baer.
Councillor Nancy Demarest thanked Baer and staff for their work, noting that a location is needed and the cost to the Township is overall minimal.
Her only concern was the lack of a delineation between the storage area and the canteen.
“I know it’s only used two or three times during the summer, but when it is used, it’s fairly busy with people going through there,” Demarest explained. “It may be helpful having a wall there to give them shelf space and things, but maybe that’s something we can raise money for through donations once we’ve tried it out for a year. But I think it’s a great idea and I’m glad we have an option to accommodate them.”
Council later approved the staff direction to move forward with refurbishing the Drumbo Park canteen as a storage space, as well as the operating expense for the future budget.
- Princeton & District Museum Land Extension Agreement
Baer told Council that the land agreement between the Township and the Princeton & District Museum, which was originally established in 1997, was approaching its expiration date.
Staff met with the Museum Board to review and update the document, though only minor changes surrounding reinstating the organization’s responsibility for the cenotaph and front gates were required.
According to Baer’s report, the Museum Board approved the revised agreement on November 25, 2025, and staff were recommending Council authorize a new ten-year extension on the land agreement.
“Extending the land agreement ensures long-term stability for the Princeton & District Museum and supports the continuation of a valued cultural asset within the Township. The Museum Board has demonstrated ongoing commitment to operating and maintaining the facility and heritage features on the property,” the report stated. “The updated agreement reflects current expectations, clarifies maintenance responsibilities, and provides a secure foundation for future programming and operations. The partnership aligns with the Township’s strategy of supporting community-driven initiatives, encouraging volunteerism, and preserving local heritage. The Museum’s programming, displays, and community events contribute to quality of life and offer residents and visitors opportunities to learn about the Township’s history in an accessible and welcoming environment.”
The direction to sign the updated land agreement was then carried unanimously.
- Monthly report
The report, prepared by Baer, provided the following update in regards to the activities of the Community Services Department for the month of November.
Plattsville Arena Operations
Baer told Council that the Plattsville Memorial Community Arena has been operating with ice for approximately two-and-a-half months, and that operations are running smoothly.
He also said that staff are preparing a report for the next Council meeting in regards to a request from Plattsville Minor Hockey to consider installing LiveBarn at the arena.
“LiveBarn is a subscription-based streaming service used widely in arenas across North America. It allows families and spectators to watch games and practices live or on-demand from their phones, computers, or smart TVs,” read Baer’s report. “Many small communities use Live Barn to provide remote viewing for relatives, fans, and parents who cannot attend in person, and to support player development by allowing coaches to review gameplay footage. Staff will provide an informational report to receive direction from Council and provide installation options, revenue sharing information, and operational considerations.”
Community Programs
Given the recent discussions surrounding the Township reinstating community drop-in programs, staff have been working to launch various adult programs in both Plattsville and Drumbo.
Princeton Hall has already started hosting Pickleball on Thursdays at 11:30 a.m. and according to the report, the response has been positive.
Accessibility Advisory Committee Meeting
The Township of Blandford-Blenheim recently hosted the Oxford County Accessibility Advisory Committee’s annual meeting at the Plattsville Arena in November.
Baer said the main topic of the meeting focused on accessible playground design and the importance of municipalities planning for inclusive equipment and surfacing in future park upgrades.
“We had a special guest come in and talk about accessible playgrounds and how they function,” said Baer. “We had good representation from Oxford County and from the Accessible Advisory Committee, and I think every township was there but one, so it went over pretty smoothly.”
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
