Municipality of the District of Clare
COUNCIL-IN-COMMITTEE MEETING
Wednesday, June 6th, 2018 at 7:00 pm
PRESENT: Council: Warden Ronnie LeBlanc, Deputy Warden Nil Doucet, Councillors, Danny Hill, Carl Deveau, Brian Comeau, Eric Pothier and Yvon LeBlanc.
Staff: CAO, Stéphane Cyr; Administrative Assistant to the CAO, Alain Poirier, Director of Finance, Ginette Cheff
Presenter: Annie Lalancette, MEOPAR Postdoctoral Fellow
ABSENT: Councillor Hector Thibault
1) Call to order
Warden Ronnie LeBlanc called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.
2) (a) Approval of the agenda
The Warden asked that the following item be added to the Agenda.
• 8.3 Big Clam Project – Park Joseph and Marie Dugas, under “Closed Session”
MOVED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Yvon LeBlanc that the proposed agenda be approved with the above noted change.
MOTION CARRIED
(b) Declaration of conflict of interest
Councillor Brian Comeau declared himself in a conflict of interest with item 8.3.
3) Presentations
3.1 Community-based Responses to Marine Hazards – Annie Lalancette, MEOPAR
Postdoctoral Fellow
As a follow-up to her initial presentation to Council in November 2016, Mrs. Annie Lalancette presented the results of her research focusing on community-based responses to marine hazards. (See attached)
Council thanked Mrs. Lalancette for her excellent work during this process and expressed interest in reviewing the recommendations contained in her final report once published.
4) Staff reports
None
5) Business arising from previous meetings
5.1 Yarmouth International Airport Corporation – Funding Request
Council has requested additional information relating to the response from municipal units in Shelburne County before it renders its decision on the funding request from the Yarmouth International Airport Corporation in the amount of $12,881. The Municipality of the District of Digby has respectfully declined a similar request for funding from the Corporation.
5.2 2018-2019 Capital Budget
The Director of Finance presented the revised 2018-2019 Capital Budget for Council’s consideration. The Big Clam Project – Park Joseph and Marie Dugas is included in this budget and was further discussed in-camera.
5.3 Audit Committee – Community Representative
For almost a year, the Municipality of Clare has been seeking a community representative to sit on its Audit Committee. Ads were placed in local publications with no success. In a recent discussion with the CAO, Mrs. Angéline Thimot confirmed her interest in joining the committee. Mrs. Thimot is a Chartered Professional Accountant with considerable financial management and board governance experience and will almost certainly prove herself an asset to the Audit Committee. It is the CAO’s recommendation that Council accept Mrs. Thimot’s candidacy to serve on the committee. Council agreed and passed the following motion to recommend:
PROPOSED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Yvon LeBlanc that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend appointing Mrs. Angéline Thimot to the Audit Committee as a community representative.
MOTION CARRIED
6) New business
6.1 Capital Investment Plan for 2018-2019 to 2022-23
The Province of NS requires all municipal units to submit their 5-year capital plan by early September. Whereas Council doesn’t traditionally meet in August, the CAO is asking Council to review the current plan and provide feedback in terms of additions and/or revisions. The revised plan will be presented for Council’s approval in July.
6.2 Snow Removal – Sidewalks
The Municipality has received calls from contractors interested in bidding for the Sidewalk Snow Removal Tender. The CAO will begin drafting the request for proposals shortly.
6.3 Workshop on Doctor Recruitment – Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities (NSFM)
On June 18th, the NSFM will be hosting a workshop at the Westin in Halifax on doctor recruitment. The deadline to register is June 13th. Both the Warden and the CAO will be attending. Other Councillors wanting to attend are asked to contact the CAO as soon as possible.
7) Questions and comments from the public
None
8) Closed Session
PROPOSED BY Deputy Warden Nil Doucet and SECONDED BY Councillor Yvon LeBlanc that Council proceed to closed session.
MOTION CARRIED
Topics discussed:
- 8.1 School Divestiture
- 8.2 Rural Internet
- 8.3 Big Clam Project – Park Joseph and Marie Dugas
PROPOSED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Yvon LeBlanc that Council proceed to the Regular Council Meeting.
MOTION CARRIED
PROPOSED BY Councillor Eric Pothier and SECONDED BY Councillor Carl Deveau that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend approving the proposed 2018/2019 Capital Budget in the amount of $2,191,445 as presented on Wednesday, June 6th, 2018.
MOTION CARRIED
9) Date and time of next Council-in-Committee Meeting
The next Council-in-Committee Meeting will be held on July 4th, 2018 at 7:00 pm.
10) Adjournment
PROPOSED BY Deputy Warden Nil Doucet to adjourn the meeting at 9:25 pm.
Submitted by
Alain Poirier,
Administrative Assistant of the CAO