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

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


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

2) Approval of the Agenda

MOVED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Brian Comeau that the proposed agenda be approved as circulated.
MOTION CARRIED          

3) Declaration of conflict of interest
None declared.

4) Presentations
None.

5) Adoption of the Minutes from Previous Council Meetings
5.1 September 15, 2021 – Regular Council Meeting

MOVED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Carl Deveau that the minutes of the September 15, 2021, Regular Council Meeting be accepted as presented.
MOTION CARRIED

5.2 October 6, 2021 – Council in Committee Meeting

MOVED BY Councillor Carl Deveau and SECONDED BY Councillor Eric Pothier that the minutes of the October 6, 2021, Council in Committee Meeting be accepted as presented.
MOTION CARRIED

6) Business Arising from Previous Meetings
None.

7) Deputy Warden’s Activity Report – Deputy Warden Yvon LeBlanc

September 21 – Attended a By-Law Committee meeting to revise Municipal By-Law 25 – A By-Law concerning Building.
September 25 – Attended a meeting of the Board of Governors of Université Sainte-Anne.
September 28 – Attended a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Villa acadienne.
October 7 – Attended a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Conseil de développement économique de la Nouvelle-Écosse. During this meeting, Alfred Poirier was named Vice President of the CDÉNÉ, replacing Ronnie LeBlanc who previously held this position.
October 13 – Attended a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Villa acadienne to discuss current job vacancies.
October 19 – Attended a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Villa acadienne.

8) Official Statements from Members of Council
Councillor Philippe Gaudet congratulated Simone and Lowell Briggs on their 55th wedding anniversary, which they celebrated on August 6, 2021. Council will send them a certificate.

Councillor Nil Doucet congratulated Ryley Deveau on being named by RBC Training Ground as one of its top 100 athletes invited to compete in the National Final. RBC Training Ground is a talent identification and athlete funding program designed to find young athletes with Olympic potential and provide them with the resources they need to achieve their podium dreams.

Councillor Danny Hill congratulated Ronnie LeBlanc on being elected the MLA for Clare and suggested Council send him a letter congratulating him on this election win and thanking him for his 20 years of elected service to the Municipality. Council agreed.

9) Correspondence
None.

10) CAO Report – Chief Administrative Officer – Stéphane Cyr
The CAO presented his report for the month of October 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 September 2021.

September 2021

Year

Permits

Construction Value

Year to Date

2020

31

$ 1,121,600

$ 7,878,560

2021

21

$ 1,203,740

$ 41,029,633

11.2 Police Advisory Board – Councillor Eric Pothier
Councillor Eric Pothier presented the Police Advisory Board report. (pdfSee attached)

12)  New Business
12.1 Motion to Increase Deed Transfer Tax
The Director of Finance first raised this issue at the July 2, 2021, Council-in-Committee meeting for Council’s consideration.

Currently, the Municipality of Clare has a deed transfer tax rate of 0.5%. This rate has remained unchanged for some 40 years. It is the lowest in Southwest Nova Scotia and one of the lowest in the entire Province, with most other municipal units having a rate of 1.0% or 1.5%. Based on current budgetary projections, increasing the Municipality’s deed transfer tax rate to 1.0% would generate $125,000 in incremental revenue. To be clear, the deed transfer tax is only collected on the sale of property, it has no impact on either the residential or commercial tax rates currently in place. Given increasing budgetary pressures faced by the Municipality, both the CAO and the Director of Finance are recommending Council proceed with a modest 0.5% increase of the deed transfer tax, from 0.5% to 1.0%. Council agreed and made 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 increase the Deed Transfer Tax for the Municipality of the District of Clare from 0.5% to 1%, effective April 1, 2022.
MOTION CARRIED

12.2 Motion to Amend By-law No. 25 – A By-law Respecting Building, First Reading
The CAO presented a proposed amendment to the Building By-Law for Council’s review and consideration. The proposed amendment provides clarity to the existing by-law and increases the Municipality’s competitiveness in terms of permit pricing. It has been vetted by both the Municipality’s solicitor and its buildings officials, as well as the By-law Committee. Council made the following motion:

MOVED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Philippe Gaudet that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare read By-Law No. 25, Amendment No. 25-02-2021, a By-Law respecting Building, and that the By-Law be read for the first time by title only.
MOTION CARRIED

Councillor Danny Hill read the following: BY-LAW NO. 25 - A BY-LAW RESPECTING BUILDING

12.3 Motion to Award Tender – Library Washroom Renovation
The tender for the Library Washroom Renovation closed on September 29, 2021. Two bids were received. Following a review of the bids, and given the understanding that these washrooms are in need of renovations to meet legislated accessibility standards, the CAO is recommending the tender be awarded to Intuitive Carpentry Inc., in the amount of $26,525.54 plus HST. Council 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 award the tender for the Library Washroom Renovation to Intuitive Carpentry Inc., in the amount of $26,525.54 plus HST, and that these funds be taken from the Municipality’s Capital Reserve.
MOTION CARRIED

12.4 Motion to Send a Letter of Support – Société Acadienne de Clare
The Société Acadienne de Clare is asking Council for a letter in support of their three-year operational funding application to Canadian Heritage. The Municipality had provided the Society with such a letter in 2018, in support of their previous application to Canadian Heritage. Council made the following motion:

MOVED BY Councillor Eric Pothier and SECONDED BY Councillor Carl Deveau that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare write a letter for the Société Acadienne de Clare in support of its operational funding request (2022-2025) to Canadian Heritage.
MOTION CARRIED

12.5 Motion to Appoint Assistant Building Official and Assistant Fire Inspector – Ryan LeBlanc
With the recent hiring of Ryan LeBlanc, the CAO is requesting that a motion be made formally appointing Mr. LeBlanc as the new Assistant Building Official and Assistant Fire Inspector. Council passed 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 appoint Ryan LeBlanc as the new Assistant Building Official and Assistant Fire Inspector for the Municipality of Clare.
MOTION CARRIED

12.6 Motion to Apply for Appointment of Special Constable – Ryan LeBlanc
In order to allow Ryan LeBlanc to enforce municipal by-laws, he must first be appointed by Council as a Special Constable under the Nova Scotia Police Act. The CAO is therefore requesting such a motion be made. Council agreed and 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 make an application to the Department of Justice for the appointment of Ryan LeBlanc as Special Constable under the Nova Scotia Police Act for the Enforcement of Legislation and/or Municipal By-Laws.
MOTION CARRIED

12.7 Motion to Purchase Rotor Blades – Wastewater Treatment Plant, Church Point
The rotor blades at the Church Point Wastewater Treatment Plant must be replaced. The Municipality included the replacement of 12 blades in its 2021-22 Capital Budget, at a cost of $1,270 per blade (USD). During budget deliberations (April / May 2021), it was decided to temporarily delay the purchase of these blades, in anticipation of new provincial funding programs. Now October 2021, the unit price of these blades has increased three-fold, to $3,810 (USD). Given the importance of these blades to the ongoing operations of the Church Point Wastewater Treatment Plant, the Municipality can no longer delay this purchase. That being said, the CAO is recommending the Municipality purchase a set of 12 rotor blades from Lakeside Equipment Corporation in the amount of $61,374 (CAD), assuming an exchange rate of $0.79 and including an allowance of $3,000 for shipping and $500 for hardware. In the meantime, should any new potential funding programs be launched, the Municipality will make every effort to apply. Council agreed and 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 purchase a set of 12 rotor blades for the wastewater treatment plant in Church Point from Lakeside Equipment Corporation in the amount of $ 57,874 plus HST, as well as an additional allowance of $3,000 for shipping and $500 for hardware, for a total of $61,374 plus HST, and that these funds be taken from the Municipality’s Capital Reserve.
MOTION CARRIED

12.8 Motion to Send a Letter of Support – Belliveau Cove Development Commission
The Belliveau Cove Development Commission (BCDC) is looking for a letter of support as part of their fundraising efforts to purchase the Stella Maris, a 36-foot replica of a 17th century Dutch Royal Class Vessel. While the Municipality is supportive of the BCDC’s efforts to secure the vessel, it cannot guarantee that it will house it as part of the proposed re-development of the Joseph and Marie Dugas Park in Belliveau Cove. Doing so would be premature given the infancy of the project and the many unknowns that remain. This notwithstanding, the CAO is recommending Council issue a letter in support of the BCDC’s ongoing fundraising efforts as a show of good faith. Council agreed and 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 Belliveau Cove Development Commission in support of their ongoing fundraising efforts to purchase the Stella Maris, a 36-foot replica of a 17th century Dutch Royal Class Vessel.
MOTION CARRIED

12.9 Motion to Name a Road – Grand Point Road
The Municipality has received a request to name a private road. The proposed name is compliant with the Municipality’s Road Naming Policy and has approval from 75% of the abutting property owners thus far. Council made 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 the request to name the road shared by the PIDs (Property Identification Number) listed below, as follows:
In English: Grand Point Road
In French: chemin de la Grande Pointe

30096671

30253090

30253157

30096523

30097075

30097083

30096549

30253447

30097356

30069793

30097067

30349583

30253413

30349559

30349443

30097042

30349435

30349575

MOTION CARRIED

13) In Camera 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 Personnel Matters

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 November 17, 2021, at 7:00 pm.

15) Adjournment
MOVED BY Councillor Nil Doucet to adjourn the meeting at 9:00 pm.

Submitted by:
Ashley Hanks
Executive Assistant