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Municipality of the District of Clare
COUNCIL-IN-COMMITTEE MEETING
Wednesday, June 4, 2025, at 7:00 pm
Meeting held at 1185 Highway 1, Little Brook
PRESENT: Council: Warden Yvon LeBlanc, Deputy Warden Eric Pothier, Councillors Réanne Evans, Danny Hill, Réanne Cooper, and Carl Deveau
Staff: CAO, Stéphane Cyr, and Executive Assistant, Ashley Hanks
Presenters:
ABSENT: Councillors Brian Comeau and Nadine Comeau
1) Call to Order
The Warden called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.
2) Approval of the Agenda
MOVED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Réanne Evans that the proposed agenda be approved as circulated.
MOTION CARRIED
3) Declaration of Conflict of Interest.
None.
4) Presentations
None.
5) Staff Reports
None.
6) Business Arising from Previous Meetings
None.
7) NEW BUSINESS
7.1 Project Funding – Clare Columbus Club
The Clare Columbus Club was previous approved for funding assistance from the Municipality to aid with their hall renovation project. The total project cost was estimated at $40,696 and largely dependent on a provincial contribution of $30,522 or 75% of the total project costs. The request to the Municipality was for 15% of the total project cost, up to a maximum of $6,104. The remaining 10% was to be provided by the Applicant (Clare Columbus Club).
The Clare Columbus Club has since been advised that their application to the Province has been approved, albeit for a much smaller amount. The Province will be contributing $12,411 towards this project, not the $30,522 previously requested. As such, the Clare Columbus Club must now scale down their project and is respectfully requesting the Municipality amend its previous motion to remove the reference to 15% of total project costs and maintain its full $6,104 contribution towards this project.
Despite the reduced provincial contribution, the group’s request and the revised funding mix remains consistent with the Municipality’s revised Grants to Organizations criteria. As such and given the many contributions the Clare Columbus Club makes towards the well-being of the community, it is the recommendation of the CAO that Council maintain its funding contribution of $6,104 towards this project despite the reduced funding assistance provided by the Province. Council agreed and made the following two motions to recommend:
PROPOSED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Réanne Cooper that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend rescinding the following motion from February 19, 2025:
MOTION CARRIED
PROPOSED BY Councillor Carl Deveau and SECONDED BY Councillor Réanne Evans that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare approve a contribution from its 2025-26 Grants to Organizations Program to the Clare Columbus Club in support of its hall renovation project, and that said contribution be equal to 15% of the total project cost (up to a maximum of $6,104) and conditional upon confirmation of the balance of project funding.
MOTION CARRIED
PROPOSED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Deputy Warden Eric Pothier that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend approving a contribution of $6,104 from its 2025-26 Grants to Organizations Program to the Clare Columbus Club in support of its hall renovation project.
MOTION CARRIED
7.2 Collaboration Agreement – Université Sainte-Anne
It is becoming increasingly commonplace for universities and municipalities to enter into collaboration agreements. In keeping with this trend, the President of Université Sainte-Anne, Kenneth Deveau, approached the CAO regarding the possibility of entering into such an agreement, citing the University of Quebec and the Town of Trois-Rivières as an example. Université Sainte-Anne is a key strategic partner of the Municipality and as such, it can be reasonably argued that entering into a formal collaboration agreement would serve to properly document the relationship and the exchange of resources already occurring between both parties on various files of mutual interest (i.e., language policy, EDIA, infrastructure, innovation, branding and promotional opportunities, etc.). Council expressed an interest in developing such an agreement and asked the CAO to further pursue these discussions with the University.
7.3 Municipal Per Diem Rates
The Municipality of Barrington is considering an increase to its per diem rates (currently set at $75). As part of its review, their CAO reached out to other municipalities and towns across the province, via the provincial list serve, for comparables.
In reviewing the results received thus far, including from neighboring municipal units in South West NS, it appears the Municipality of Clare’s current rate of $70 is low. Whereas this rate was last revised in 2022, the CAO is recommending the Municipality’s per diem rate be increased to $85 - $90. Council will review the information provided and revisit the topic of per diems at its July 2, 2025, Council-in-Committee meeting.
7.4 Regional Emergency Management Organization
Provincial regulations now require municipalities to be part of a Regional Emergency Management Organization (REMO). In an effort to ensure compliance, the CAO has initiated exploratory discussions with both the Town and Municipality of Digby as to the possibility of joining their REMO. There appears to be a general willingness on behalf of both municipal units to welcome Clare into their REMO and in doing so, create a true Digby County solution. A meeting between all three municipal CAOs is being planned for later this month to further discuss this issue. It should however be noted that the possibility of joining a REMO does not eliminate the Municipality’s need for an EMO Coordinator and that the current plans to staff this position remain unchanged.
7.5 New Fire Hole, Meteghan Fire Department
The Meteghan Fire Department has previously expressed the need for a fire hole. Despite discussions with the CAO, a new fire hole was not included in the department’s 5-year capital plan. Recently, with the construction of the new Villa Acadienne, runoff from the driveway is flowing readily on to the department’s land and pooling next to its burn unit. In an effort to both address this issue and satisfy its need for reliable access to water, the department is proposing the construction of a new fire hole on site.
The cost of the fire hole has been quoted at $35,286 plus HST, plus an additional contingency of $5,900 should the contractor hit bedrock and need to employ a hydraulic hammer. The CAO is proposing Council authorize the construction of this fire hole with the understanding that it would be reimbursed by the department over 3 years, via its annual capital funding allocations. Council agreed and made the following motion to recommend:
PROPOSED BY Deputy Warden Eric Pothier and SECONDED BY Councillor Carl Deveau that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend contributing up to $41,196 plus HST to the Meteghan Fire Department for the construction of a new fire hole in Meteghan and that these funds be taken form the Municipality’s Operating Reserve.
MOTION CARRIED
8) Questions and Comments from the Public
None.
9) Closed Session
PROPOSED BY Deputy Warden Eric Pothier and SECONDED BY Councillor Carl Deveau that Council proceed to closed session.
MOTION CARRIED
Topics Discussed:
9.1 Legal Advice
9.2 Personnel Matters
PROPOSED BY Councillor Réanne Evans and SECONDED BY Councillor Danny Hill that Council proceed to the Regular Council Meeting.
MOTION CARRIED
9) Date and Time of the Next Council-in-Committee Meeting
The next Council-in-Committee Meeting will be held on July 2, 2025, at 7:00 pm.
10) Adjournment
PROPOSED BY Councillor Réanne Evans to adjourn the meeting at 8:20 pm.
Submitted by
Ashley Hanks,
Executive Assistant