Espanola council has given its initial approval for renovations to take place at the Public Works Office as well as expanded on a mutual assistance agreement.
Town clerk Joseph Burke says the approval includes a recommendation, in principle, that Council allocate funds within the 2023 budget to begin preparing for renovations of the Public Works Office next year.
He says the renovations are needed to meet AODA requirements to remove and prevent barriers for people with disabilities and under provincial legislation must be completed by January 1st, 2025.
He adds budget talks are getting underway.
Burke adds a mutual assistance agreement for the use of Espanola and Nairn and Hyman’s respective Emergency Operations Centres was also approved.
He says under the deal the two would provide a space for either municipality to have its Municipal Emergency Control Group in the event of an emergency that renders the impacted municipality’s EOC inoperable.