Municipality of the District of Clare
COUNCIL-IN-COMMITTEE MEETING
Wednesday, December 5, 2018 at 7:00 pm

PRESENT: Council: Deputy Warden Nil Doucet, Councillors, Danny Hill, Hector Thibault, Carl Deveau, Brian Comeau, Eric Pothier and Yvon LeBlanc.
Staff: CAO, Stéphane Cyr; Executive Assistant, Ashley Hanks, Director of Finance, Ginette Cheff, and Communications Officer, Amy Paradis
Presenters: None

ABSENT: Warden Ronnie LeBlanc


1) Call to Order
Deputy Warden Nil Doucet called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.

2) (a) Approval of the Agenda

CAO Stéphane Cyr asked that the following item be added to the Agenda in Closed Session:
• 8.2 Human Resources

MOVED BY Councillor Brian Comeau and SECONDED BY Councillor Danny Hill that the proposed agenda be approved with the above noted addition.
MOTION CARRIED

(b) Declaration of Conflict of Interest
Deputy Warden Nil Doucet asked for any declarations of conflict of interest.
None declared

3) Presentation
None.

4) Staff Reports
4.1 Financial Report – Ginette Cheff, Director of Finance
The Director of Finance provided an overview of the Municipality’s financial position. (See attached)

5) Business arising from Previous Meetings
5.1 Upcoming CRA Changes to Council Honorariums
The Director of Finance presented an update on the positions other municipal units have taken regarding the upcoming change to council honorariums being imposed by CRA. To date, more than half of the municipal units in Nova Scotia have responded to a survey initiated by staff, with the trend being an increase in council honorariums in an effort to maintain the same levels of net pay. After reviewing this document, Council decided to defer its decision to the December 19, 2018 Council meeting.

6) New Business
6.1 Funding Application – Operation Compassion
The CAO presented a letter from Nicole Pothier, President of Operation Compassion. (See Attached).
Operation Compassion is requesting $1,450 from Council through Grants to Organizations to help a refugee family that is moving to Clare. Council passed the following motion to recommend:

PROPOSED BY Councillor Eric Pothier and SECONDED BY Councillor Carl Deveau that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend awarding a grant in the amount of $1,450 to Operation Compassion to assist a refugee family moving to Clare.
MOTION CARRIED

6.2 Calls for Applications – Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program
The CAO read a letter from Chuck Porter, Minister of Municipal Affairs. (See Attached)

The Department of Municipal Affaires will soon be accepting applications under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program - Green Environmental Quality Stream. This program is limited to solid waste diversion projects, waste water projects and drinking water quality projects. The Municipality’s five-year plan does not include projects in solid waste diversion or drinking water quality. Council has previously discussed two potential wastewater projects; one along the d’Entremont Road and the other in St. Bernard. However, these were preliminary discussions only regarding long term projects loosely scheduled closer to the end of the Municipality’s five-year capital plan. Council has been asked whether they would like to proceed to application with either of these projects and to advise the CAO accordingly. The application deadline for the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program – Green Environmental Quality Stream is January 18, 2019.

6.3 Hospitality Policy (Draft)
The Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities, the Association of Municipal Administrators of Nova Scotia and the Department of Municipal Affairs have developed a draft hospitality policy which they are recommending all municipal units within the Province adopt. Staff has reviewed the policy and is recommending its implementation. Council also reviewed the policy and subsequently passed the following motion to recommend.

PROPOSED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Hector Thibault that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend adopting the Hospitality Policy as presented.
MOTION CARRIED

6.4 Road Safety Concerns – Common Cross Road
Councillor Card Deveau was approached by residents of Common Cross Road expressing their concerns about a section of the road they believe to be dangerous. This section of road boarders a river and is located in a curb, between civic numbers 92 and 155. There is a guard rail on one side of the road but not on the other. Residents are concerned by the absence of a second guard rail and are asking that a study be completed to assess the safety of this section of road. Councillor Deveau has visited the site in question and is requesting that a letter be sent to the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal asking them to study the matter. Council passed the following motion to recommend:

PROPOSED BY Councillor Carl Deveau and SECONDED BY Councillor Brian Comeau that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend sending a letter to the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal asking them to complete a study of a section of Common Cross Road in Saulnierville due to road safety concerns stemming from the lack of a guardrail.
MOTION CARRIED

6.5 Proposed Boundary Changes – NSCAF
Daniel Gaudet, Assistant Building Inspector (responsible for Civic Numbering), received a letter from the Nova Scotia Civic Address File (NSCAF) suggesting boundary changes to better reflect the village boundaries in Clare, with respect to property descriptions. Although optional, NSCAF is recommending these boundary changes. To be clear, these changes will not impact electoral boundaries. In response to similar requests from NSCAF, Council practice has been to meet with he affected property owners to discuss the proposed changes and in doing so, involve them in the decision-making process. This approach has been well received by residents. Council will initiate a similar process in this instance and will meet in person with affected property owners to explain the proposed changes.

6.6 Request for Proposal – École Saint-Albert
As of November 1, 2018, École Saint-Albert has been transferred back to the Municipality of Clare. Knowing this transfer was pending, Council has previously taken the decision to divest itself of this property via a formal RFP process. Prior to issuing the RFP, the CAO wanted to give Council an opportunity to review the document. Of note, the document states that the Municipality will not necessarily accept the highest bid but rather the bid that will provide the greatest benefit to the community of Salmon River and the Municipality as a whole. Council was satisfied with the RFP document. The RFP itself will be advertised locally in the Clare Shopper and Le Courrier de la Nouvelle-Écosse, as well as on the Municipality’s website and Facebook page. The deadline for submission is January 31, 2019.

7) Questions and Comments from the Public
None.

8) Closed Session

PROPOSED BY Councillor Yvon LeBlanc and SECONDED BY Councillor Hector Thibault that Council proceed to closed session.
MOTION CARRIED

Topics discussed:
8.1 Rural Internet
8.2 Human Resources

PROPOSED BY Councillor Yvon LeBlanc and SECONDED BY Councillor Eric Pothier that Council proceed to the Regular Council Meeting.
MOTION CARRIED

PROPOSED BY Councillor Yvon LeBlanc and SECONDED BY Councillor Carl Deveau to recommend appointing Hubert Surette as a “development officer” for the Municipality of the District of Clare, in accordance with the provision of the Municipal Government Act, R.S.N.S. 1998, c. 18, and specifically, section 191(d), which states: “ “development officer” means the person or persons appointed by a council to administer a land-use or subdivision by-law.”
MOTION CARRIED

9) Date and time of the next Council-in-Committee Meeting
The next Council-in-Committee Meeting will be held on January 2, 2019 at 7:00 pm.

10) Adjournment
PROPOSED BY Councillor Carl Deveau to adjourn the meeting at 9:05 pm.

Submitted by

Ashley Hanks, 
Executive Assistant