Municipality of the District of Clare
COUNCIL-IN-COMMITTEE MEETING
Monday, May 6, 2019 at 7:00 pm
PRESENT: Council: Warden Ronnie LeBlanc, Deputy Warden Nil Doucet, Councillors, Eric Pothier, Hector Thibault, Carl Deveau, Brian Comeau, and Yvon LeBlanc.
Staff: CAO, Stéphane Cyr; Executive Assistant, Ashley Hanks, Director of Finance, Ginette Cheff, Communications Officer, Amy Paradis, Community Development Officer, Réanne Flynn, and Recreation Manager, Réanne Titus
Presenters:
ABSENT: Councillor Danny Hill
1) Call to Order
Warden Ronnie LeBlanc called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.
2) (a) Approval of the Agenda
Warden Ronnie LeBlanc asked that the following item be removed from the Agenda and moved to June:
• 5.1 Committee Membership Review
Warden Ronnie LeBlanc asked that the following items be added to the Agenda:
• 6.1 Second Division Road – Garbage Cleanup
• 6.2 Spring Gala – Yarmouth Hospital Foundation
• 6.3 International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia
• 6.4 Tender – Mowing of Grounds, Cape Saint Mary Lighthouse Park
• 6.5 Osprey Nest – Ecoparc
• 8.3 Rural Internet
MOVED BY Councillor Hector Thibault and SECONDED BY Councillor Yvon LeBlanc that the proposed agenda be approved with the above noted revisions.
MOTION CARRIED
(b) Declaration of Conflict of Interest
Warden Ronnie LeBlanc asked for any declarations of conflict of interest.
None Declared
3) Presentations
None.
4) Staff Reports
4.1 Clare Veterans Centre – Recreation Manager, Réanne Titus and Community Development Officer, Réanne Flynn
Recreation Manager, Réanne Titus, presented plans for a dog park to be located behind the Clare Veterans Centre. The proposed park is conditional upon receipt of infrastructure funding for planned renovations to the Centre, as part of the Invest in Canada Plan.
Community Development Officer Réanne Flynn presented updated costing for the proposed renovations to the Clare Veterans Centre. The total project cost is currently estimated at $800,000. Under the Rural and Northern Communities Stream of the Invest in Canada Plan, the Municipality would be required to contribute 27% of the $800,000, with the remainder coming from both the provincial (33%) and federal (40%) governments.
Lack of storage space at the Clare Veterans Centre remains an issue. Staff is proposing to approach the Clare Veterans Association regarding the possibility of re-purposing a portion of the space they currently occupy. According to Ms. Flynn, the Municipality would only seek to this in collaboration with the Clare Veterans Association and would not proceed unless agreed to in writing by said group.
4.2 Draft Capital Budget – CAO, Stéphane Cyr
As part of the preparation for the Municipality’s annual capital budget, the CAO presented a list of 25 possible projects for Council’s review and consideration. The idea is not to pursue all 25 projects but rather provide direction to staff in terms of those projects Council wishes to pursue in the current fiscal year. Based on the comments received by Council, it was agreed that the CAO and Director of Finance would revise the list and present it to Council at a later meeting for further discussion.
5) Business arising from Previous Meetings
None
6) New Business
6.1 Second Division Road – Garbage Clean Up – Brian Comeau
Councillor Brian Comeau was contacted regarding the amount of garbage along the unpaved section of Second Division Road in Saulnierville. The CAO will send staff to investigate prior to exploring clean-up options. Waste Check will also be contacted and advised of the situation.
6.2 Spring Gala – Yarmouth Hospital Foundation
The Yarmouth Hospital Foundation Spring Gala will be held on May 25, 2019. Councillors interested in attending are asked to please advise the CAO as soon as possible. As per custom, an invitation will be extended to the volunteer of the year to attend the Gala and join Councillors at the Municipality’s table.
6.3 International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia
The CAO was approached by the Société acadienne de Clare as to the possibility of having a pride flag raising ceremony on May 15, 2019, before the Regular Meeting of Council, in support of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia. This request was originally made of the Société by Charles MacDougall of the Rivière de Fierté Association. Council is supportive of this request.
Considering this and other similar requests which may come forward, the CAO will look at developing a flag raising policy and obtaining a quote for another flag pole to be used for special events and/or community requests.
6.4 Tender – Mowing of Grounds, Cape Saint Mary Lighthouse Park
An invitational tender was issued for the mowing of the grounds at the Cape Saint Mary Lighthouse Park. Two bids were received. Robert J. Deveau submitted the lower bid of $2,608.70 plus HST. Whereas this will be a 3-year contract, the CAO is requesting a motion from Council to accept Mr. Deveau’s proposal. Council passed the following motion to recommend:
PROPOSED BY Councillor Yvon LeBlanc and SECONDED BY Councillor Carl Deveau that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend awarding the tender for the mowing of the grounds at the Cape Saint Mary Lighthouse Park to Robert J. Deveau in the amount of $2,608.70 per year plus HST.
MOTION CARRIED
6.5 Osprey Nest - Ecoparc
Earlier this year, the Municipality acquired a permit to remove an osprey nest at the Ecoparc since the structure on which the nest rested was scheduled for demolition. The Osprey have since returned and built their nest on a Nova Scotia Power pole, subsequently shorting out the power. For the safety of the birds and to avoid similar outages in the future, a pole (complete with a platform for their nest) could and should be installed. Council passed the following motion to recommend:
PROPOSED BY Councillor Carl Deveau and SECONDED BY Councillor Hector Thibault that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend installing a pole with platform at the Ecoparc in Meteghan to house the existing osprey nest.
MOTION CARRIED
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 Human Resources – EMO Coordinator
8.2 Former Landfill – Meteghan Centre
8.3 Rural Internet
PROPOSED BY Deputy Warden Nil Doucet and SECONDED BY Councillor Yvon LeBlanc that Council proceed to the Regular Council Meeting.
MOTION CARRIED
9) Date and time of the next Council-in-Committee Meeting
The next Council-in-Committee Meeting will be held on April 3, 2019 at 7:00 pm.
10) Adjournment Deputy Warden Nil Doucet to adjourn the meeting at 10:20 pm.
Submitted by
Ashley Hanks,
Executive Assistant