Seulement disponible en anglais pour le moment

Municipality of the District of Clare
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at 7:00 pm
Meeting held at 1185 Highway 1, Little Brook, NS

PRESENT: Council: Warden Yvon LeBlanc, Deputy Warden Eric Pothier; Councillors Réanne Evans, Danny Hill, Réanne Cooper, Carl Deveau, and Nadine Comeau
Staff: CAO, Stéphane Cyr, Executive Assistant, Ashley Hanks, and Communications Officer, Anique Dugas
Presenters:
ABSENT: Councillor Brian Comeau

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

2)  Adoption of the Agenda

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

3) Declaration of conflict of interest
None.

4) Presentations
4.1 Basic Income – Susan Comeau and Clyde Deviller, Coordinator, Clare Community Health Board
Clyde Deviller and Susan Comeau of the Clare Community Health Board gave a presentation on the subject of guaranteed basic income (See attached).

The Clare Community Health Board is respectfully requesting Council’s support in its efforts to promote guaranteed basic income and communicate this support in writing to both the Prime Minister of Canada, the Right Honourable Mark Carney, and the Premier of Nova Scotia, the Honourable Tim Houston. Council agreed and made the following two motions:

PROPOSED BY Deputy Warden Eric Pothier and SECONDED BY Councillor Réanne Cooper that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare send a letter to the Right Honourable Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, asking him to recognize the federal-provincial working group on a guaranteed basic income in PEI and to initiate discussions for the creation of a similar working group in Nova Scotia.
MOTION CARRIED 

PROPOSED BY Deputy Warden Eric Pothier and SECONDED BY Councillor Réanne Cooper that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare send a letter to the Honourable Tim Houston, Premier of Nova Scotia, requesting the creation of an all-party committee of the Nova Scotia Legislature to examine the implementation of a guaranteed basic income program for Nova Scotia.
MOTION CARRIED 

5) Adoption of the Minutes from Previous Council Meetings
5.2 May 21, 2025 – Regular Council Meeting

MOVED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Nadine Comeau that the minutes of the May 21, 2025, Regular Council Meeting be accepted as presented.
MOTION CARRIED

5.3 June 4, 2025 – Council-In-Committee Meeting

MOVED BY Councillor Carl Deveau and SECONDED BY Councillor Réanne Cooper that the minutes of the June 4, 2025, 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
May 27 – Attended a public consultation session hosted by Stantec as part of the Municipality’s ongoing efforts to draft a new municipal planning strategy and land use by-law.

May 28 to June 1 – Attended the annual FCM conference.

June 9 – Attended a guided tour of the new Clare Veterans Center.

June 17 – Attended a meeting with the fire chiefs and representatives of the CFFA to discuss the recommendations proposed in the Fire Services Review.

8) Official Statements from Members of Council
None.

9) Correspondence
9.1 Mrs. Hayley Crichton – Executive Director, Public Safety and Security Division, Nova Scotia Justice
The CAO read a letter from Mrs. Hayley Crichton, Executive Director of the Public Safety and Security Division, Nova Scotia Justice. (See attached)

9.2 Mr. Michael Belanger – Director of Operations, Oceanographic Environmental Research Society
The CAO read a letter from Mr. Michael Belanger, Director of Operations of the Oceanographic Environmental Research Society. (See attached)

9.3 Mr. Ian Wallis – Sales and Marketing Manager, Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism
The CAO read a letter from Mr. Ian Wallis, Sales and Marketing Manager of Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism. (See attached)

PROPOSED BY Deputy Warden Eric Pothier and SECONDED BY Councillor Réanne Evans that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare send a letter to Mr. Ian Wallis, Sales and Marketing Manager of Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism congratulating them on the opening of their new visitor centre.
MOTION CARRIED 

9.4 Dr. Laurette Geldenhuys – Nova Scotia Regional Committee, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
The CAO read a letter from Dr. Laurette Geldenhuys of the Nova Scotia Regional Committee for the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. (See attached)

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

11) Committee Reports
11.1 Waste Check – Carl Deveau
The Waste Check Committee met on June 10, 2025, for their AGM. Warden Linda Gregory was once again elected Committee Chair.

The regular meeting of the Waste Check Committee was held immediately following the AGM. Here, EPR was once again discussed. Progress is being made on this file. The proposed launch date of December 2025 remains unchanged.

12)  New Business
12.1 Motion to Rescind Motion from February 19, 2025 – Clare Columbus Club
The Clare Columbus Club was previously 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 motion:  

PROPOSED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Reanne Evans that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare rescind the following motion from February 19, 2025:

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

12.2 Motion to Approve Funding – Clare Columbus Club
As per the context provided in 12.1.

PROPOSED BY Councillor Carl Deveau and SECONDED BY Councillor Nadine Comeau that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare approve 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 

12.3 Motion to Approve Funding – 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. 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:

PROPOSED BY Councillor Nadine Comeau and SECONDED BY Deputy Warden Eric Pothier that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare contribute up to $41,186 plus HST to the Meteghan Fire Department for the construction of a new fire hole in Meteghan and that these funds be taken from the Municipality’s Operating Reserve.
MOTION CARRIED 

13) Closed Session

PROPOSED BY Councillor Réanne Evans and SECONDED BY Councillor Nadine Comeau that Council proceed to the Closed Session.
MOTION CARRIED

Topics discussed
13.1 Personnel Matters

PROPOSED BY Councillor Nadine Comeau and SECONDED BY Councillor Réanne Evans 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, July 16, 2025, at 7:00 pm.

15) Adjournment
MOVED BY Councillor Réanne Evans to adjourn the meeting at 8:40 pm.

Submitted by:
Ashley Hanks
Executive Assistant