Municipality of the District of Clare

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING

Wednesday, June 20th, 2018 at 7:00 pm

 

PRESENT: Council: Warden Ronnie LeBlanc, Deputy Warden Nil Doucet; Councillors, Hector Thibault, Carl Deveau, Brian Comeau and Eric Pothier
Staff: CAO Stéphane Cyr, Administrative Assistant to the CAO, Alain Poirier
ABSENT: Councillors Danny Hill and Yvon LeBlanc

 

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

2) (a) Approval of the Agenda

MOVED BY Councillor Hector Thibaut and SECONDED BY Councillor Carl Deveau that the proposed agenda be approved as presented.
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) Adoption of the Minutes from Previous Council Meetings
4.1 May 16th, 2018: Regular Council Meeting
MOVED BY Councillor Carl Deveau and SECONDED BY Deputy Warden Nil Doucet that the minutes of May 16th, 2018 be accepted as circulated.
MOTION CARRIED


4.2 June 6th, 2018: Council-in-Committee Meeting
MOVED BY Councillor Eric Pothier and SECONDED BY Councillor Hector Thibault that the minutes of June 6th, 2018 be accepted as circulated.
MOTION CARRIED

5) Business Arising from Previous Meetings
5.1 Motion to approve borrowing resolution – Clare Health Centre
The Clare Health Centre was funded in part by a $2.5 million loan from the Municipal Finance Corporation (MFC), amortized over 20 years. Now entering the 11th year of the loan, the Municipality has the option of making a one-time balloon payment to pay off the remaining $1.25 million balance or refinance said balance over the remaining 10-year term of the loan.

Earlier this Spring, Council made a motion to refinance the remaining amount. Doing so requires Council to adopt a temporary borrowing resolution. The CAO read the proposed resolution for Council’s consideration. (See attached)

Council passed the following motion:

PROPOSED BY Councillor Eric Pothier and SECONDED BY Councillor Brian Comeau
that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare pass a temporary borrowing resolution not exceeding $1,250,000, as per the recommended balloon payment refinancing for the Clare Health Centre, as presented on June 20th, 2018.
MOTION CARRIED

5.2 Motion to approve borrowing resolution – St. Bernard Fire Hall
Council will be applying to the MFC for a $577,018 loan to finance the new St. Bernard Fire Hall. Doing so requires the adoption of a temporary borrowing resolution. The CAO read the proposed resolution for Council’s consideration. (See attached)

Council passed the following motion:

PROPOSED BY Deputy Warden Nil Doucet and SECONDED BY Councillor Hector Thibault that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare pass a temporary borrowing resolution not exceeding $577,018, for the construction of the new St. Bernard Firehall, as presented on June 20th, 2018.
MOTION CARRIED

6) 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.

May 18th Attended the opening ceremony of the “Jeux Régionaux de l’Acadie” at Université Sainte-Anne.

May 22nd Attended a public engagement meeting organized by the ‘le Conseil
communautaire de Santé (secteur Ouest)’’ for the development of a community plan.

May 31st Attended a public engagement meeting organized by the CDÉNÉ for the development of a community plan.

June 3rd & 4th Attended the AGM and board of directors meeting of the CDÉNÉ in Halifax.

June 7th Participated in a conference call with the NSFM and the Nova Scotia Department of Business on the subject of rural Internet.

June 8th & 9th Attended the AGM of the “Réseau de santé Nouvelle-Écosse”. There, I was part of a discussion panel highlighting the many successes in French-language healthcare services.

June 11th Attended a meeting with members of the RCMP and MP Gordon Wilson to review the Gran Fondo Committee`s Traffic Plan for the 2018 event.

June 12th Attended the Clare 250th Photo Exhibition at the Rendez-vous de la Baie.

June 13th Participated in a Mayors’ Roundtable on rural Internet. This meeting was organized by i-Valley and was held in the Municipality of Kings.

June 14th Attended a meeting of the WREN Liaison and Oversight Committee in Yarmouth.

June 19th Attended the WREN AGM at the Clare Golf and Country Club.

7) Official Statements from Members of Council
Councillor Carl Deveau provided a summary of the meetings and events that he attended since the last Council meeting.

June 10th Attended the Grand Opening of the Lake Doucette Motor Speedway on behalf of Council.

June 14th Attended the AGM of the Western Counties Regional Library

Councillor Brian Comeau congratulated Mr. and Mrs. Bill & Irene Theriault, who celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary on May 16th, and Mrs. Joyce d’Entremont for her recent “Leadership & Innovation in Healthcare Award”. Congratulatory certificates be sent on behalf of Council.

Councillor Eric Pothier congratulated Mrs. Elizabeth Flynn who will be celebrating her 90th birthday on June 25th. A congratulatory certificate will be sent on behalf of Council.

8) Correspondence
8.1 Housing Nova Scotia – Brian Holley, Director, Accounting and Control
The CAO read a letter from Brian Holley, Director, Accounting and Control for Housing Nova Scotia. (See attached)

8.2 Yarmouth Hospital Foundation – Paulette Sweeney-Goodwin, Managing Director
The CAO read a letter from Paulette Sweeney-Goodwin, Managing Director for the Yarmouth Hospital Foundation. (See attached)

8.3 2018 National Special Olympic Summer Games – Carl Chisholm, Co-Chair
The CAO read a letter from Carl Chisholm, Co-Chair for the 2018 National Special Olympic Summer Games. (See attached)

Council firmly believes in the value of the Special Olympic Summer Games however its preference is to provide direct support to athletes from Clare participating in these games (which it is currently doing) rather then supporting the games themselves.

8.4 Municipality of Digby – Jimmy MacAlpine, Warden
The CAO read a letter from, Jimmy MacAlpine, Warden for the Municipality of Digby. (See attached). Council passed the following motion:

PROPOSED BY Councillor Hector Thibault and SECONDED BY Councillor Carl Deveau that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare write a letter to Premier Stephen McNeil, with copies to Colin Fraser, MP for West Nova, the Honourable Lloyd Hines Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, and Gordon Wilson, MLA for Clare Digby, requesting approval of phase 2 funding for the completion of Highway 101 from Marshalltown to Weymouth.
MOTION CARRIED

8.5 Welcoming Communities Potluck – YREACH
The Warden explained that the YMCA’s from Yarmouth and Cornwallis are organizing a potluck for the immigrant workers employed by Riverside Lobster International, as a means of further integrating them into the community. The potluck will be held at the Rendez-vous de la Baie on Sunday, June 24th at 4:30 pm.

9) CAO Report – Chief Administrative Officer - Stéphane Cyr
The CAO read his report for the month of June 2018. (See attached)

10) Committee Reports
10.1 Building Permits Report – Councillor Danny Hill
Deputy Warden Nil Doucet read the building permits report for the month of May 2018, in the absence of Councillor Danny Hill

May 2018
Year                                    Permits                                  Construction Value
2017                                       23                                             $ 321,710
2018                                       25                                           $1,040,300

10.2 CDÉNÉ – Warden Ronnie LeBlanc
As previously mentioned, the CDÉNÉ held its AGM on June 3rd, 2018. Mr. Allister Surette is now the President of the Board of Directors. Warden LeBlanc is both Vice-President of the Board and the representative for the Municipality of Clare.

11) New Business
11.1 Motion to amend By-law No.8 – A by-law respecting solid waste – second and final reading.
Following the notice to amend By-Law No.8, only one concern was raised regarding the placement of garbage at curbside. This concern is addressed in the amended by-law. Having received no other questions or concerns, Council passed the following motion:

PROPOSED BY Councillor Brian Comeau and SECONDED BY Councillor Carl Deveau that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare read By-Law No.8 Amendment No. 08-01-2018, a By-Law Respecting Solid Waste and that the By-Law be read for the second and final time thereby enacting the By-Law Amendment.
MOTION CARRIED

Councillor read the following:
By-Law No.8 Amendment No.08-01-2018, a By-Law respecting solid waste.

11.2 Motion to approve the 2018-19 Capital Budget

PROPOSED BY Councillor Hector Thibault and SECONDED BY Deputy Warden Nil Doucet that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare approve the proposed 2018/2019 Capital Budget in the amount of $2,191,445 as presented on Wednesday, June 6th, 2018.
MOTION CARRIED

11.3 Motion to appoint a community representative to the Audit Committee

PROPOSED BY Councillor Eric Pothier and SECONDED BY Councillor Carl Deveau that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare appoint Mrs. Angéline Thimot to the Audit Committee as a community representative.
MOTION CARRIED

11.4 Cultural exchange – Students from Taicang, China
Following the signing of the friendship agreement between the Municipality of Clare and the City of Taicang as a means of fostering opportunities for economic and educational exchanges, the Municipality will welcome a delegation of 23 students from the Shaxi High School Jiangsu Province in Taicang on July 7th and 8th.

11.5 Saulnierville Road
The Saulnierville Road is home to several residents, a daycare facility and is actively used by pedestrians. Also, like many of our roads, it has relatively narrow shoulders. In recent weeks, concerns have been expressed by a growing number of residents regarding both vehicular and pedestrian safety stemming from the posted 80 km/h speed limit along the Saulnierville Road. Council shares these concerns and passed the following motion:

PROPOSED BY Councillor Carl Deveau and SECONDED BY Councillor Brian Comeau that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare write a letter to the Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal outlining its concerns regarding vehicular safety on Saulnierville Road and requesting the department promptly initiate a study to assess the matter at hand and address said concerns.
MOTION CARRIED

12) In Camera Session
PROPOSED BY Deputy Warden Nil Doucet and SECONDED BY Councillor Eric Pothier that Council proceed to an in-camera session.
MOTION CARRIED

Topics discussed:
12.1 Clare Health Centre
12.2 Congrès Mondial acadien 2024
12.3 Ecoparc

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

13) Date and time of the next Regular Council Meeting
The next Regular Council Meeting will be held on July 18th, 2018 at 7:00 pm.

14) Adjournment
MOVED BY Deputy Warden Nil Doucet to adjourn the meeting at 9:07 pm.

 

 

Submitted by:

 

Alain Poirier
Administrative Assistant to the CAO