Municipality of the District of Clare
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
Wednesday, January 20, 2021 at 7:00 pm
Meeting held at 1185 Highway 1, Little Brook, NS

PRESENT: Council: Warden Ronnie LeBlanc; Deputy Warden Yvon LeBlanc; Councillors, Nil Doucet, Carl Deveau, Brian Comeau, Philippe Gaudet, Danny Hill and Eric Pothier
Staff: CAO Stéphane Cyr, Executive Assistant, Ashley Hanks, and Communications Officer, Amy Paradis
Presenters:
ABSENT:

1) Call to Order
Warden LeBlanc called the Council meeting to order at 7:00 pm.

2) Approval of the Agenda
Warden LeBlanc asked that the following items be added to the agenda:

  • 1 Catherine Hart – Engage Nova Scotia
  • 2 The Honourable Mark Furey – Attorney General and Minister of Justice

MOVED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Deputy Warden Yvon LeBlanc that the proposed agenda be approved with the above noted additions.
MOTION CARRIED          

 3) Declaration of conflict of interest
None declared.

4) Presentations
None.

5) Adoption of the Minutes from Previous Council Meetings
5.1 December 16, 2020 – Regular Council Meeting
MOVED BY Deputy Warden Yvon LeBlanc and SECONDED BY Councillor Carl Deveau that the minutes of the December 16, 2020 Regular Council Meeting be accepted as presented.
MOTION CARRIED

5.2 January 6, 2021 – Council in Committee Meeting
MOVED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Philippe Gaudet that the minutes of the January 6, 2021 Council in Committee Meeting be accepted as presented.
MOTION CARRIED

6) Business Arising from Previous Meetings
None

7) Warden’s Activity Report – Warden Ronnie LeBlanc
The Warden provided a summary of the meetings and events that he attended since the last Council meeting.
January 6 – Recorded a virtual message in recognition of the 2021 African Heritage Month celebration which will be taking place in February.
January 13 – Attended a meeting at the municipal office with representatives of the Maritime Fishermen’s Union for an update on the crisis in the lobster fishing industry.
January 13 – Attended a training session for elected officials on emergency management, delivered by Andrew Mitton of EMO NS.

8) Official Statements from Members of Council
None.

9) Correspondence
9.1 Catherine Hart – Engage Nova Scotia
The CAO read a letter from Catherine Hart of Engage Nova Scotia (pdfSee attached).

9.2 The Honourable Mark Furey – Attorney General and Minister of Justice
The CAO read a letter from the Honourable Mark Furey, Attorney General and Minister of Justice (pdfSee attached).
Deputy Warden Yvon LeBlanc, Councillor Eric Pothier and Councillor Brian Comeau are on the Municipality’s Accessibility Committee. The CAO will be issuing an expression of interest shortly seeking community representation on this committee.

10) CAO Report – Chief Administrative Officer - Stéphane Cyr
The CAO presented his report for the month of January 2021 (pdfSee attached).

11) Committee Reports
11.1 Building Permits Report – Councillor Danny Hill
Councillor Danny Hill read the building permit report for the month of December.

December 2020

Year Permits Construction Value Year to Date
2019 10 $ 1,719,100 $ 10,433,335
2020 7 $ 87,363 $ 9,588,582

11.2 Police Advisory Board – Councillor Eric Pothier
The Police Advisory Board met on January 11th with Corporal Jeff LeBlanc.

The Meteghan River incident from June 2020 was discussed. A total of 13 charges are pending. The individual in question has yet to make his plea in court. A court date to do so has been set for March 8th. In the meantime, all of his firearms have been seized.

The RCMP presence in the region has returned to normal detachment levels as of December 22, 2020. Although the circumstances surrounding the ongoing lobster fishery dispute seem to have quieted down somewhat, the RCMP detachment is currently in discussion with both Halifax and Ottawa, planning their response should tensions rise once again in the absence of an acceptable resolution to this dispute.

Minimal number of calls were received over the holidays. Nothing out of the ordinary. The RCMP continues to receive calls relating to COVID-19 and have been checking in (in some cases daily) with individuals who are self-isolating. In terms of compliance with COVID-19 restrictions, Corporal LeBlanc indicated that municipal residents have been very cooperative and are doing very well.

In terms of staffing, officers J.F. Theriault and Josée Légacé have been re-assigned/transferred to other detachments. Their replacements have already been identified and will be brought in shortly. No reduction in overall numbers at the Meteghan detachment.

The Municipality will be issuing an expression of interest shortly for additional community representation on its Police Advisory Board.

11.3 Waste Check – Councillor Carl Deveau
The Waste Check Committee met virtually on January 11, 2021 for its AGM. The officers were named, and the sub-committees established. A total of 9 new directors were appointed to the Board.

A regular meeting was held following the AGM. Promotional efforts for the Recycle Coach App (https://recyclecoach.com/) were discussed. This app contains information on how to properly sort waste, garbage collection dates, interruptions to collection schedules, etc. Residents are encouraged to download the app on their mobile devices and to contact Waste Check directly if they require assistance.

12)  New Business
12.1 Motion to Approve Repairs and Upgrades – Transfer Station
The Municipality is nearing completion of needed repairs and upgrades to the scale at the transfer station. The repairs and upgrades are being completed by Advatek Systems Inc. Given the evolving scope of work relating to the scale, the decision was made to temporarily cash flow these costs from the Municipality’s operating fund. With the work now almost complete and the total costs better defined, the CAO and Director of Finance are recommending the funds be taken from the capital reserve, rather than the operating fund. Council agreed and passed the following motion:

MOVED BY Councillor Carl Deveau and SECONDED BY Councillor Danny Hill that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare approve up to $18,000 plus HST in needed repairs and upgrades to the scale at the transfer station, as completed by Advatek Systems Inc., and that these funds be taken from the Municipality’s Capital Reserve.
MOTION CARRIED

12.2 Motion to Award Tender – Generator and Transfer Switch Connections, Clare Health Centre
As a follow-up to the December 16th Council meeting discussion regarding the purchase and installation of a generator for the Clare Health Centre, the Municipality has received four bids for the generator and transfer switch connection. Upon review of the bids, the CAO and staff determined the low bid to be incomplete as it did not address all the requested items in the request for proposals. That said, it is the recommendation of both the CAO and staff that Council accept the second lowest bid and award the contract for the generator and transfer switch connection to B. LeBlanc Electrical Ltd. in the amount of $36,958 plus HST. The CAO further recommended that the Municipality purchase motorized louvres from Philip LeBlanc Diesel Repairs Ltd. in the amount of $5,296 plus HST. Council agreed and made the following motion:

MOVED BY Deputy Warden Yvon LeBlanc and SECONDED BY Councillor Eric Pothier that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare award the tender for the generator and transfer switch connection at the Clare Health Centre and the purchase of motorized louvers for the building housing the generator, as detailed below, for a total of $42,254 plus HST, and that these funds be taken from the Municipality’s Capital Reserve:

  • Generator and transfer switch connection – B. LeBlanc Electrical Ltd. - $36,958 plus HST
  • Purchase of motorized louvers – Philip LeBlanc Diesel Repairs Ltd. - $5,296 plus HST

MOTION CARRIED

12.3 Motion to Send a Letter of Support – Association sentier de Clare Rails to Trails Association
The CAO received a request from the President of l’Association sentier de Clare Rails to Trails Association asking for a letter in support of their application to the OHV Infrastructure Fund. The Association has made similar applications to the OHV Infrastructure Fund in previous years. These applications all enjoyed municipal support.  Council made the following motion:

MOVED BY Councillor Carl Deveau and SECONDED BY Councillor Philippe Gaudet that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare send a letter to the Association sentier de Clare Rails to Trails Association in support of their application to the OHV Infrastructure Fund.
MOTION CARRIED

12.4 Motion to Nominate Community Representative – Yarmouth Hospital Foundation
In late December, the CAO received a single application in response to the Municipality’s expression of interest for a community representative to sit on the Board of the Yarmouth Hospital Foundation. Lisa Doucette was the applicant. The Warden and CAO both endorse this application. Council passed the following motion:

MOVED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Nil Doucet that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare nominate Lisa Doucette to the Yarmouth Hospital Foundation as the community representative for the Municipality of Clare.
MOTION CARRIED

13) In Camera Session
PROPOSED BY Councillor Nil Doucet and SECONDED BY Deputy Warden Yvon LeBlanc that Council proceed to an In-Camera Session.
MOTION CARRIED

Topics discussed:
13.1 Personnel Matters

PROPOSED BY Councillor Nil Doucet and SECONDED BY Deputy Warden Yvon LeBlanc that Council proceed to the Regular Council Meeting.
MOTION CARRIED

14) Date and time of the next Regular Council Meeting
The next Regular Council Meeting will be held on February 17, 2021 at 7:00 pm.

15) Adjournment
MOVED BY Councillor Nil Doucet to adjourn the meeting at 8:25 pm.

Submitted by:
Ashley Hanks
Executive Assistant