Municipality of the District of Clare
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
Wednesday, December 21, 2022, at 7:00 pm
Meeting held at 1185 Highway 1, Little Brook, NS

PRESENT: Council: Deputy Warden Eric Pothier; Councillors, Danny Hill, Nil Doucet, Philippe Gaudet, Carl Deveau, Brian Comeau, and Nadine Comeau
Staff: CAO Stéphane Cyr, Executive Assistant, Nicole Comeau
Presenters:            

ABSENT: Warden Yvon LeBlanc


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

2) Adoption of the Agenda
The CAO requested that Item 13.2 - Acquisition and Sale of Municipal Property be removed from the agenda.

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

3) Declaration of conflict of interest
Councillor Philipe Gaudet declared a conflict of interest with Item 12.4 Funding Request – Le Courier de la Nouvelle-Écosse (85th Anniversary)

4) Presentations
None

5) Adoption of the Minutes from Previous Council Meetings
5.1 November 16, 2022 – Regular Council Meeting

MOVED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Philippe Gaudet that the minutes of the November 16, 2022, Regular Council Meeting be accepted as presented.
MOTION CARRIED

5.2 December 7, 2022 – Council in Committee Meeting

MOVED BY Councillor Nadine Comeau and SECONDED BY Councillor Philippe Gaudet that the minutes of the December 7, 2022, Council in Committee Meeting be accepted as presented.
MOTION CARRIED

6) Business Arising from Previous Meetings
None

7) Warden’s Activity Report – Warden Yvon LeBlanc
In light of the Warden’s absence, presentation of the monthly activity report was deferred to January 2023.

8) Official Statements from Members of Council
Councillor Nil Doucet congratulated Claude Chaloux from Art & Mineraux in Belliveau Cove for his 35 years in business and asked that a certificate of recognition be sent to Mr. Chaloux. Council agreed.

9) Correspondence
9.1 The Honourable Jill Balser – MLA Digby-Annapolis
The CAO read a letter from the Honourable Jill Balser, MLA Digby-Annapolis. (pdfSee attached)

9.2 Wanda Doucette – Event Coordinator, Coldest Night of the Year 2023
The CAO read a letter from Wanda Doucette – Event Coordinator, Coldest Night of the Year 2023. (pdfSee attached)
Following the reading of the letter, and in keeping with its previous level of support for this event, Council made the following motion:

MOVED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Carl Deveau that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare contribute $500 to the Coldest Night of the Year.
MOTION CARRIED

9.3 Bruce Kiley – Chief Clerk of the Board, NSUARB
The CAO read a letter from Bruce Kiley – Chief of the Board, NSUARB. (pdfSee attached)

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

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

November 2022

Year

Permits

Construction Value

Year to Date

2021

20

$2,688,300

$45,565,179

2022

11

$123,480

$13,834,060

11.2 Police Advisory Board – Councillor Brian Comeau
Councillor Brian Comeau presented the Police Advisory Board report. (pdfSee attached)

12)  New Business
12.1 Motion to Award Tender – Clare Health Centre Expansion
A tender was issued for the expansion of the Clare Health Centre. The closing date for the tender was November 8, 2022. A total of four bids were received. After a thorough review of the bids by both the CAO and Grey Cardinal Management Inc. (the project management firm assigned to this project), it was recommended the tender be awarded to Rikjak Construction Ltd. in the amount of $6,248,730 plus HST. Council agreed and made the following motion:

MOVED BY Councillor Philippe Gaudet and SECONDED BY Councillor Danny Hill that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare award the tender for the Clare Health Centre Expansion to Rikjak Construction Ltd. in the amount of $6,248,730 plus HST.
MOTION CARRIED

12.2 Motion to Transfer Funds from the Operating Reserve to the Capital Reserve
Given the current and expected level of capital project activity, both the Director of Finance and the CAO are recommending the transfer of $1,000,000 from the Operating Reserve to the Capital Reserve. Council agreed and made the following motion:

MOVED BY Councillor Nadine Comeau and SECONDED BY Councillor Carl Deveau that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare transfer $1,000,000 from the Operating Reserve to the Capital Reserve.
MOTION CARRIED

12.3 Request for Funding – Clare Firefighters Association (CFFA)
The CFFA is requesting funding to replace its current compressor with a larger, 6,000 PSI compressor, and four new tanks. The rationale for this request is the industry is moving from 2,200 PSI tanks to 4,500 PSI tanks. The proposed cost of this upgrade, with the four new tanks, has been quoted at just under $40,000.   

As part of its due diligence on this request, municipal staff reached out to the equipment supplier in question and were informed that the CFFA’s current compressor is upgradable from 4,500 to 5,000 PSI. According to the supplier, many departments across the province have gone this route rather than purchase a new compressor (for the obvious cost savings). The cost of such an upgrade is believed to be less than $2,000 and will result in sufficient capacity to properly fill the new 4,500 tanks.

Keeping in mind this represents and unbudgeted purchase late in the year, the CAO is recommending the proposed upgrade and the purchase of the 4 HC6000 UN E9909 cylinders (as per the quote dated Dec. 5, 2022), up to a combined maximum of $12,000 plus HST. Council agreed and made the following motion:

MOVED BY Councillor Carl Deveau and SECONDED BY Councillor Nil Doucet that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare approve the proposed upgrade to the CFFA’s compressor and the purchase of 4 HC6000 UN E9909 cylinders, up to a combined maximum of $12,000 plus HST.
MOTION CARRIED

It was further understood that over the course of the next year, if the proposed upgrade was not delivering as planned, the need to purchase a larger compressor would be revisited.

12.4 Funding Request – Le Courrier de la Nouvelle-Écosse (85th Anniversary)
Le Courrier de la Nouvelle-Écosse is celebrating its 85th anniversary. As part of the celebration, it is launching a fundraising campaign as a means of supporting local journalism. Following a review of the available sponsorship packages and considering the amount of annual municipal advertising dollars already invested in Le Courrier, the CAO is recommending the Municipality opt for the bronze package (value $500). Council agreed and made the following motion:

MOVED BY Councillor Brian Comeau and SECONDED BY Councillor Carl Deveau that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare contribute $500 to Le Courrier de la Nouvelle-Écosse as part of the paper’s 85th anniversary and its fundraising campaign in support of local journalism.
MOTION CARRIED

12.5 Request for Letter of Support – YREACH
YREACH is requesting a letter of support from the Municipality, as part of its response to a call for proposals issued by the Province of Nova Scotia. Whereas YREACH has shown itself to be a valuable partner to the Municipality on local issues / activities relating to immigration, Council agreed and made the following motion:

MOVED BY Councillor Nadine Comeau and SECONDED BY Councillor Danny Hill that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare send a letter to YREACH as requested, in support of its response to the call for proposals issued by the Province of Nova Scotia.
MOTION CARRIED

13) Closed Session

PROPOSED BY Councillor Nil Doucet and SECONDED BY Councillor Danny Hill that Council proceed to an In-Camera Session.
MOTION CARRIED

Topics Discussed:
13.1 Contract Negotiations

PROPOSED BY Councillor Philippe Gaudet and SECONDED BY Councillor Carl Deveau that whereas Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare meets all the requirements of the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program, the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare authorizes the Chief Administrative Officer to execute the agreement on behalf of the Municipality of the District of Clare.
MOTION CARRIED

PROPOSED BY Councillor Nil Doucet and SECONDED BY Councillor Danny Hill 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 Wednesday, January 18, 2023, at 7:00 pm.

15) Adjournment
MOVED BY Councillor Nil Doucet to adjourn the meeting at 9:30 pm.

Submitted by:
Nicole Comeau
Executive Assistant