Municipality of the District of Clare
COUNCIL-IN-COMMITTEE MEETING
Wednesday, January 5, 2022, at 7:00 pm
Meeting held at 1185 Highway 1, Little Brook

PRESENT: Council: Warden Yvon LeBlanc, Deputy Warden Eric Pothier, Nil Doucet, Philippe Gaudet, Brian Comeau, and Nadine Comeau
Staff: CAO, Stéphane Cyr, Executive Assistant, Ashley Hanks, Communications Officer, Amy Paradis, Director of Finance, Ginette Cheff and Recreation Manager, Tori Comeau
Presenters: Réanne Titus, Les Dames patronnesses de la CJA
ABSENT:    Councillors Danny Hill and Carl Deveau

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

2) Approval of the Agenda
The CAO asked that the following item be removed from the agenda:

• 7.2 – Tender – Renovations, Clare Search and Rescue Association Headquarters

The closing date for is tender is January 10, 2022. As such, this item was deferred to the January 19, 2022, regular meeting of Council.

MOVED BY Councillor Brian Comeau and SECONDED BY Deputy Warden Eric Pothier that the proposed agenda be approved with the above noted revision.
MOTION CARRIED

3) Declaration of Conflict of Interest.
None declared.

4) Presentations
4.1 Colonie jeunesse acadienne (CJA) – Réanne Titus, Les Dames patronnesses de la CJA, and Tori Comeau, Recreation Manager, Municipality of Clare
Reanne Titus, President of Les Dames patronnesses de la CJA, provided an overview of the organization, an update on the current uncertainty surrounding this summer youth camp and a request for assistance from the Municipality for the management and operations of this camp, including leading the application process to Canada Summer Jobs, and the provision of balance of funding, for the hiring of 8 summer students for said camp. (See attached)

Tori Comeau, the Municipality’s Recreation Manager, provided examples of a few other municipal-run summer camps, underscored the synergies with the Municipality’s current summer programming and confirmed her department’s ability and willingness to take on this project (a sentiment shared by both the CAO and the Director of Community Development).

Council was supportive of the request, citing the important role played by the CJA in the community and its deeps roots in Acadian culture. The following motion to recommend was passed:

PROPOSED BY Deputy Warden Eric Pothier and SECONDED BY Councillor Nil Doucet that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend partnering with les Dames patronnesses de la CJA on the management and operations of a summer youth camp, including leading the application process to Canada Summer Jobs, and the provision of balance of funding, for the hiring of 8 summer students for said camp.
MOTION CARRIED

5) Staff Reports
5.1 Financial Update
The Director of Finance provided an overview of the Municipality’s financial position. (See attached)

6) Business arising from Previous Meetings
6.1 Deed Transfer Tax
As a follow-up to the motion passed by Council in 2021 to increase the Deed Transfer Tax from 0.5% to 1%., and amendment to the Deed Transfer Tax By-law is required. The content of this by-law is concise and for the most part, consistent across municipal units. Therefore, the CAO is proposing to make the necessary revisions to the current by-law, circulate it electronically to Committee members and the municipal solicitor, and following their approval, present it to Council for first reading on January 19, 2022. Council was supportive of this approach.

6.2 Gravel Pit – Patrice Road
Councillor Philippe Gaudet has received complaints regarding the gravel pit on Patrice Road. This notwithstanding, municipal staff have visited the site and found it to be compliant with all current municipal by-laws. The CAO has reached to NS Environment on this matter. Based on this discussion, the pit appears to meet provincial guidelines. Furthermore, given its relatively small size (i.e., less than 2 hectares) it does not require a permit from the Department. Nevertheless, the CAO will speak with the owner to apprise him of the situation and ask when the site will be returned to its previous state.

7) New Business
7.1 Tender – Kitchenette Renovations, Clare Health Centre
The tender for Kitchenette Renovations at the Clare Health Centre was issued with a closing date of December 21, 2021. A total of two bids were received. Following a review of the bids, both the CAO and the Senior Building Official are recommending the tender be awarded to Shep-Com Construction Ltd. in the amount of $6,614.40 plus HST. Council agreed and made the following motion to recommend: 

PROPOSED BY Deputy Warden Eric Pothier and SECONDED BY Councillor Philippe Gaudet that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend awarding the Tender for Kitchenette Renovations at the Clare Health Centre to Shep-Com Construction Ltd. in the amount of $6,614.40 plus HST and that these funds be taken from the Municipality’s Capital Reserve.
MOTION CARRIED

7.3 Funding Request – Clare Bluegrass Association
Late last year, the Municipality received a request for funding from the Clare Bluegrass Association to aid with ongoing site improvement efforts, including a proposed stage expansion. The amount requested exceeded the total budget available under the Municipality’s Grants to Organizations Program and was subsequently declined. Ultimately, it was decided that rather than contribute an arbitrary amount (i.e., significantly lower than the amount requested) which would likely see the Municipality entertain requests year over year, Council would hold off on funding and asked the group to seek other funding sources, the goal being to leverage possible municipal support in an effort to complete the entire project. An application was later developed with the aid of the Municipality’s community development staff and submitted to the New Horizon for Seniors Program as well as the Province’s Community Facility Improvement Program and containing a possible contribution of $10,000 from the Municipality. However, based on the group’s efforts thus far, and in an effort to further demonstrate community support for this project the CAO is recommending Council formally approve the $10,000 contribution from that the Municipality’s Grants to Organizations Program and that this contribution be conditional upon confirmation of the balance of project funding. Council agreed and passed the following motion to recommend:

PROPOSED BY Councillor Nadine Comeau and SECONDED BY Deputy Warden Eric Pothier that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend approving a contribution of $10,000 in support of the Clare Bluegrass Association’s site improvement efforts, including a proposed stage expansion, and that this contribution be conditional upon confirmation of the balance of project funding.
MOTION CARRIED

7.4 Committee Appointments – Municipal Councillors
With the election for District 7 now complete and the appointment of a new Warden, a review of current committee appointments is required. Councillors are asked to review the current committee appointments and contact the CAO before January 19, 2021, should they want to request any changes.

7.5 Western REN LOC Appointment
The former Warden, Ronnie LeBlanc, was a member of the Western REN LOC with Councillor Yvon LeBlanc serving as an alternate. With Yvon LeBlanc now Warden and Ronnie LeBlanc now MLA for Clare, Council must appoint a new alternate to the Western REN LOC. Councillor Nadine Comeau offered to serve on the Committee. Council made the following motion to recommend:

PROPOSED BY Councillor Nil Doucet and SECONDED BY Councillor Philippe Gaudet that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend appointing Councillor Nadine Comeau to the Western REN LOC.
MOTION CARRIED

8) Questions and Comments from the Public
None.

9) Closed Session
None.

9) Date and time of the next Council-in-Committee Meeting
The next Council-in-Committee Meeting will be held on February 2, 2022, at 7:00 pm.

10) Adjournment
PROPOSED BY Councillor Nil Doucet to adjourn the meeting at 8:10 pm.

Submitted by
Ashley Hanks,
Executive Assistant