Councillor McCann Meeting Report (October 19, 2021)

Parry Sound Public Library Board Meeting
On Wednesday morning, October 13, 2021, the Parry Sound Public Library Board meet for a regular meeting.  I was not in attendance but can report on that meeting.  The two hour meeting focused on the sustainability of the building.  The building is old and in need of the kind of care old buildings are known for.  Money of course is the problem.  We don’t have a reserve, something our auditor strongly advised that we make a priority. There was at one time a reserve in place held by the Town when it was believed that the Town owned the building.  Dipping deep into the records it was discovered that both the land and the building are properties of the library board.  We continue to explore means of raising capital.  The building is entering its 65th year of operation and those major investments I just referred to are “imminent”.  Significant expenses coming up include insurance and equity pay which involves going back to 1994, and of course determining present day market value for salaries.  There is a good news story written by the North Star’s Stephannie Johnson and is current on the paper’s website regarding the work and progress the library management and staff have accomplished during the pandemic.  As was presented at a Council deputation recently by Tom Lundy and Rita Orr, the Kids’ Learning Portal Escape Into Knowledge is a major addition to the library.  It includes four computers and games directed at children.  Five months of fundraising this year, led to $16,000 towards the goal of $30,000.


In Memory of Bob Cooke
I would like to take this opportunity to pass along condolences to the family of Robert, known as Bob, Cooke who passed away on Monday, October 4th, 2021 at age 76 years.  He resided at The Pines Long Term Care, in Bracebridge.  If you moved to Parry Sound in the last 20 years that name may not mean anything to you, but prior to that, Bob Cooke served as a Community Safety Officer with the Parry Sound Ontario Provincial Police.  In this capacity, staff at CKLP FM in the 80s and 90s, and that would include me, got to know Bob very well.  The station offered free time for public safety announcements and Bob regularly came in to record these.  Bob was also instrumental and very passionate in the development of the Annual CKLP - OPP - Optimist Halloween Safety Show.  A man of integrity, he was a wonderful person, serious about his work and always a pleasure to see.  Our sympathies to his sons, Dave and Rob and their families.