Municipality of the District of Clare
COUNCIL-IN-COMMITTEE MEETING
Wednesday, September 1, 2021, at 7:00 pm
Meeting held at 1185 Highway 1, Little Brook

PRESENT: Council: Deputy Warden Yvon LeBlanc, Councillors, Nil Doucet, Philippe Gaudet, Carl Deveau, Brian Comeau, Danny Hill, and Eric Pothier
Staff: CAO, Stéphane Cyr, Director of Finance, Ginette Cheff, Director of Community Development, Pam Doucet, Communications Officer, Amy Paradis and Executive Assistant, Ashley Hanks
Presenters:
ABSENT:  

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

2) Approval of the Agenda
The CAO asked that the following correction be made to the agenda:

  • Item 5.1 should read Special Election (District 7) – Director of Community Development, Pam Doucet.

MOVED BY Councillor Carl Deveau and SECONDED BY Councillor Danny Hill that the proposed agenda be approved with the above noted correction.
MOTION CARRIED

3) Declaration of Conflict of Interest.
None declared.

4) Presentations
None.

5) Staff Reports
5.1 Municipal Special Election (District 7) – Director of Community Development, Pam Doucet
Having been elected as the MLA for Clare, Ronnie LeBlanc has submitted his resignation as Councillor for District 7. As such, a date for a special election for District 7 must be set by Council within thirty days of receiving this letter.

In her presentation to Council, Ms. Doucet provided a summary of the needed preparations for the special election, including key recommendations and required motions pertaining to:

  • The appointment of a returning officer
  • The choice of election date
  • The type of election
  • The delegation of approval authority to create the tariff of fees and election expenses
  • The approval of the polling divisions

Council agreed with the suggestions put forward by Ms. Doucet and made the following motions to recommend:

PROPOSED BY Councillor Carl Deveau and SECONDED BY Councillor Brian Comeau that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend appointing Pam Doucet as the Returning Officer for the 2021 Special Election for District 7.
MOTION CARRIED

PROPOSED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Nil Doucet that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend setting November 20, 2021, as the date of the Special Election for District 7.
MOTION CARRIED

PROPOSED BY Councillor Philippe Gaudet and SECONDED BY Councillor Carl Deveau that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend having a hybrid election with electronic voting during the advanced polls, from November 12, 2021, up to and including November 20, 2021, and paper ballots on election day, November 20, 2021.
MOTION CARRIED

PROPOSED BY Councillor Eric Pothier and SECONDED BY Councillor Brian Comeau that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend delegating approval authority to the CAO to create the tariff of fees and election expenses.
MOTION CARRIED

PROPOSED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Philippe Gaudet that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend approving two polling divisions for the 2021 Special Election for District 7:  Poll 7 for all residents and Poll 7A which shall be a mobile poll for the residents of the Foyer Celeste only.
MOTION CARRIED

5.2 Financial Update – Director of Finance, Ginette Cheff         
The Director of Finance provided an overview of the Municipality’s financial position. (pdfSee attached)

6) Business arising from Previous Meetings
6.1 Beach Access – Meteghan Shore Road
Councillor Brian Comeau has received complaints from residents regarding the right of way to the beach off the Meteghan Shore Road. More specifically, the entrance to the right of way isn’t properly delineated and is often hindered by the activities of the neighboring business. The CAO will ask the Building Inspector to investigate this matter and explore the possibility of placing markers to clearly define the right of way.

7) New Business
7.1 Request for Community Flag to Be Flown – Inclusion Clare
Inclusion Clare has submitted a request to fly the Disability Pride Flag on the community flagpole during the period of September 13th to September 19th. Whereas this request satisfies the requirements of Municipality’s Flag Flying Policy, Council made the following motion to recommend:

PROPOSED BY Councillor Brian Comeau and SECONDED BY Councillor Philippe Gaudet that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend approving Inclusion Clare’s request to fly the Disability Pride Flag on the Municipality’s community flagpole, from September 13, 2021, up to and including September 19, 2021.
MOTION CARRIED

7.2 Funding Request – Far Out Festival
The CAO read a letter from the Far Out Festival. (See attached)

The Far Out Festival has traditionally received municipal funding of $500 to offset the cost of renting the Municipality’s mobile stage. This rental fee is paid directly to Clare Search and Rescue in exchange for setting up and later dismantling the stage. This year, with all the uncertainty surrounding Covid-19, festival organizers did not apply for funding, thinking the Festival would almost certainly be cancelled. The last-minute decision to go forward with the Festival forced organizers to scramble in making their preparations, including paying the $500 themselves for the stage in order to ensure its timely installation. With the Festival now over, organizers are asking the Municipality to reimburse them for the aforementioned $500 expense. In light of the challenges in organizing this year’s festival, the CAO is recommending Council contribute $500 to the Far Out Festival to offset the stage rental costs. Council agreed and passed the following motion to recommend:

PROPOSED BY Councillor Eric Pothier and SECONDED BY Councillor Carl Deveau that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend contributing $500 to the Far Out Festival to offset stage rental costs and that these funds be taken from the Municipality’s Operating Reserve.
MOTION CARRIED

7.3 Funding Request – Société édifice Sainte-Marie de la Pointe
Société édifice Sainte-Marie de la Pointe was recently given a 1-year extension by the Diocese to secure the necessary funds to restore and take ownership of l’Édifice Sainte-Marie. In exchange for this extension, the Society would agree to pay the operating costs for this building, estimated by the Diocese to be $11,500, over this same 12-month period.

The CAO has since been approached by Hector Thibault and Guy LeBlanc, both members of Société édifice Sainte-Marie de la Pointe, as to the possibility of municipal funding assistance to aid in paying these operating costs. Recognizing the cultural and historical importance of this building and the Society’s efforts thus far to ensure its preservation, Council made the following motion to recommend:

PROPOSED BY Councillor Brian Comeau and SECONDED BY Councillor Danny Hill that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend contributing $8,000 to the Société édifice Sainte-Marie de la Pointe as a one-time contribution to help cover operational costs over the next 12 months, as they continue their efforts to restore and preserve the building, and that these funds be taken from the Municipality’s Operating Reserve.
MOTION CARRIED

8) Questions and Comments from the Public
None.

9) Closed Session

PROPOSED BY Councillor Nil Doucet and SECONDED BY Councillor Danny Hill that Council proceed to closed session.
MOTION CARRIED

Topics Discussed:
9.1 Personnel Matters
9.2 Contract Negotiations

PROPOSED BY Councillor Nil Doucet and SECONDED BY Councillor Danny Hill that Council proceed to the Regular Council Meeting.
MOTION CARRIED

PROPOSED BY Councillor Carl Deveau and SECONDED BY Councillor Danny Hill that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend increasing its contribution towards its Running Track and Sports Field project from the current amount of $400,000 up to a maximum of $600,000, and that these funds be taken from the Municipality’s Capital Reserve.
MOTION CARRIED

9) Date and time of the next Council-in-Committee Meeting
The next Council-in-Committee Meeting will be held on October 6, 2021, at 7:00 pm.

10) Adjournment
PROPOSED BY Councillor Nil Doucet to adjourn the meeting at 9:05 pm.

Submitted by
Ashley Hanks,
Executive Assistant