Municipal Council Minutes

Municipality of the District of Digby
Municipal Committee of the Whole Minutes
February 8, 2010
Seabrook, Nova Scotia

Call to Order The meeting was called to order with Deputy Warden MacAlpine Warden in the chair at 6:08 pm. Attendance Councillors present:  Jim Thurber, Warden  Jimmy MacAlpine, Deputy Warden  Linda Gregory, Councillor  Randall Amero, Councillor Staff present:  Linda Fraser, Chief Administrative Officer  Gordon Wilson, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer  Cora Lee Bremner, Executive Secretary Regrets:  Maritza Adams, Councillor
Prayer Warden Thurber asked everyone to pause to seek guidance for the meeting. Agenda Councillor Gregory added Smith’s Cove’s View of the Digby Gut as New Business #7. MOVED and seconded that the agenda be approved as amended. MOTION CARRIED

Hearings & Presentations Darla Purdy – NSP Low Income Program MOVED and seconded that Ms. Darla Purdy come before the Committee to make a presentation regarding the Nova Scotia Power Low Income Program. MOTION CARRIED
Ms. Purdy came before the committee to make Council aware of the NSP Low Income Program which has been created for people who own their own home, heat their home with electric heat, and are in a low income bracket. The program is very easy to access by making a quick phone call to Nova Scotia Power Low Income Program.
The person will be asked a few questions and if they qualify, an application will be sent out to them. Someone from NS Power will come and do a home audit and will do free upgrades. This program is free to the home owner. There was a question and answer period which followed the presentation. Council mentioned that it would be good to advertise this program in the Coastline Newsletter.
Linda Graham – Marketing Levy MOVED and seconded that Ms. Linda Graham come before the Committee to make a presentation regarding marketing levies. MOTION CARRIED  Ms. Graham came before the Committee representing many tourism operators who are opposed to the marketing levy that has been proposed by Digby Area Tourism Association (DATA). Some accommodation owners have received a call from a representative of DATA making them aware of the proposed levy; however, there are still a large number of people who have not been contacted. The majority of accommodation owners are against the proposed levy and have a lot of questions they would like answered, such as, how and where this money would be spent, and why DATA singled out accommodations to tax. A petition has been signed which has been forwarded to Council as well as a copy of the presentation.

Bernadette MacDonald – Tri County Women’s Centre MOVED and seconded that Ms. Bernadette MacDonald from Tri County Women’s Centre come before the Committee to make a presentation. MOTION CARRIED  Ms. Bernadette MacDonald came before the Committee to make a presentation regarding a program they are trying to get up and running in the Yarmouth area called Supportive Housing Youth Focus Team (SHYFT). This program is designed to provide a stable home environment for homeless youth. There are no programs offered in the Tri-County area to provide for these needs. The Federal Government has agreed to fund all capital costs which
include the house and its contents; however, it will not fund operations. They would like to get a total of $15,000 from Towns and Municipal units in the Tri-County area to help fund operations. There was a question and answer period following the presentation. This program will be provided for Youth in the entire Tri-County area. Deputy Warden MacAlpine advised Ms. MacDonald that this request would be considered during the upcoming budget deliberations.
 Deputy Warden MacAlpine gave the chair to the Warden who just arrived. Minutes January 11, 2010 MOVED and seconded that the minutes of January 11, 2010 be approved as circulated. MOTION CARRIED Business Arising/Old Business NIL Other Business Arising NIL Warden Thurber  No Business Arising Deputy Warden MacAlpine  No Business Arising Councillor Gregory Road Conditions

 Council agreed that road conditions have not been good this winter and they have received complaints. It was agreed that both the RCMP and EHS be contacted to get their input whether there has been an increase in accidents and ask their opinions on the road conditions. These comments are to be sent along with a letter to the Minister stating Council’s concerns.
MOVED and seconded that a letter be written to the Minister of Transportation outlining Council’s concerns with the road conditions. MOTION CARRIED Councillor Amero  No Business Arising Councillor Adams  Absent

New Business #1 Paul Gidney – 2010 NS Power Lifting & Bench Press Championships – Funding Request  Councillor Gregory declared a conflict of interest and left the meeting.  The funding request from Mr. Gidney for the 2010 NS Power Lifting and Bench Press Championships was discussed. It was mentioned that the funds would come from the Grants to Organizations 2010/2011 budget. MOVED and seconded that Council support the local Power Lifting Association to host power lifting championships in Digby in the amount of $800. MOTION CARRIED  Councillor Gregory returned to the meeting. #2 Senior Girls Basketball (Youth Program Budget) – Funding Request MOVED and seconded that Council give DRHS Senior Girls Basketball, who will be hosting Division 3 Provincial Championships in Digby on March 4-6, 2010, a donation in the amount of $200. MOTION CARRIED  This donation will be taken from the Youth Program Budget for 2009/2010. #3 Transport de Clare – Expansion of Service Area to Include Barton  Transport de Clare is looking to expand their service area to include Barton and would like Council to contribute $7,000 for the 2010/2011 fiscal year. This would come out of the 2010/2011 budget.
MOVED and seconded that Council support Transport de Clare’s expansion of service up to and including Barton in the amount of $7,000 for the 2010/2011 fiscal year. MOTION CARRIED
#4 Tri County Regional Science & Technology Expo – Request for Support – (Youth Program Budget) MOVED and seconded that Council give $100 to Tri-County Regional Science and Technology Expo. MOTION CARRIED
#5 Digby Salvage & Disposal – Organics Facility – Request for Letter to Waste Check  Mr. Thomas is requesting Council to write a letter to the General Manager of Waste Check, Gus Greene requesting that he assist Digby Salvage and Disposal with information he will need to open a compost facility in Digby County. MOVED and seconded that a letter be written in response to Digby Salvage and Disposal’s request to the General Manager of Waste Check, Gus Greene requesting that he assist Digby Salvage and Disposal in obtaining the information that they will need in building a compost facility in Digby County. MOTION CARRIED
#6 Councillor Gregory – D.A.R.E. Graduates  Councillor Gregory attended the D.A.R.E. graduation in Digby. There was one in Barton and Sandy Cove as well that she didn’t know about. It was agreed to congratulate the graduates from all three schools in the Coastline Newsletter. #7 Councillor Gregory - Smith’s Cove’s View of the Digby Gut  A letter has been received concerning the view of the Digby Gut from Smith’s Cove. There are several spots to look at the Digby Gut from Smith’s Cove and Council was unsure which one this letter referred to. Councillor Gregory is going to check and see which area this letter referred to.
Municipality of the District of Digby
Municipal Committee of the Whole Minutes
February 8, 2010
Seabrook, Nova Scotia

MOVED and seconded that a letter be written to the Department of Natural Resources questioning the closure of the look-off in Smith’s Cove. Included in this letter it should be asked why the look-off has been closed and ask if they have any intent to open it again. MOTION CARRIED Chief Administrative Report Maud Lewis Site Municipal Office Renovations  The CAO report dated February 8, 2010 was included in the COTW Package.  The CAO has received a letter from Minister Paris that indicated that they couldn’t provide capital funding for an interpretive centre.  There was a discussion of Council regarding how to proceed with this initiative. It was decided to get the CAO to look into Federal Programs that might be available through heritage.  The Deputy CAO has been investigating the work that needs to be done to the Municipal Office. It looks like the office will have to be vacated for four months. The Curling Club is not available, but the Deputy CAO is currently investigating the option of moving into the Airport. The Town of Digby has offered their Council chambers for those months. It was suggested to take the COTW meeting out into the communities again. The renovations were discussed as well. Request for Decisions/Direction NIL Department Reports Taxation  The Taxation report for January 2010 was included in the meeting package. The tax sale is scheduled to take place on March 12, 2010. There were a few questions regarding the upcoming sale. Building Inspection Report/Fire Inspection Report  The Building Inspection report for January 2010 was included in the meeting package.
Municipality of the District of Digby
Municipal Committee of the Whole Minutes
February 8, 2010
Seabrook, Nova Scotia
7
Airport/Dispatch  The Airport/Dispatch report for January, 2010 was included in the meeting package. Dog Control Activity and Financial Report  The Dog Control Activity and Financial report for January 2010 was included in the meeting package. There was a discussion whether the fee for euthanizing the dogs is charged back to the owner. It was suggested to look at the policy and discuss it at the By-law and Policy meeting. Coordinator Program Development  The Coordinator Program Development report for January 2010 was included in the meeting package. Kings Transit  The Kings Transit report for January 2010 was included in the meeting package.  The ridership for January was lower than two years ago and there has been a decline for the last seven months. There was a discussion on ways to find out why people are not using the service. It was decided to put a questionnaire in the next issue of the Coastline for people to fill out and bring back to the Municipal Office.  It was also mentioned that for future issues of the Coastline it would be beneficial to ask people if they like receiving the newsletter and ask what they would like to see in it.  It was suggested that there be an incentive to those who filled out the questionnaires which may encourage people to return them. Other Business N/A Updates from Previous meetings N/A Special Projects Updates N/A Strategic Priorities Update The Strategic Priorities Update for January 31, 2010 was circulated prior to the meeting. Notice of Motion N/A
Municipality of the District of Digby
Municipal Committee of the Whole Minutes
February 8, 2010
Seabrook, Nova Scotia
8
Comments from the Gallery N/A Adjournment MOVED and seconded that the meeting adjourn at 7:45 PM. MOTION CARRIED

Nova Scotia Real Estate

Real Estate Trends in Nova Scotia
By Nicole Salter
Travellers to Nova Scotia have long experienced the adventure and breath-taking beauty of a land and a people truly shaped by the sea. Renowned for the highest tides in the world at the Bay of Fundy, award-winning vineyards, nationally recognized chefs and over 700 festivals annually, Nova Scotia is a place of remarkable natural beauty and thriving culture. Tourists have the option to relax at Peggy's Cove fishing village, go on a whale watching trip, tour the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton Island, or take extensive tours. These historic waterfronts are home to some of the province's hottest action (think fresh-caught seafood at trendy restaurants, vibrant live indoor/outdoor music, historic attractions such as Pier 21 Halifax, all with the stunning harbour as a backdrop).

For centuries, Nova Scotia has also been the gateway to Canada, and many Canadians can trace their family tree there. With easy access to the Atlantic and one of the world's largest natural harbours, there's a reason why it has been the entry point for millions of Canadian immigrants. But is there a practical reason to actually stay, rather than visiting as a tourist or using it as a stepping stone to another province?

In the Fall of 2009, the Nova Scotia Association of REALTORS® announced that the average price for MLS® home sales from July to September was $192,826 - still extremely affordable, even though prices had gone up 4.7 per cent over the same three months in 2008. While the market is currently still leaning towards a buyer's market, the new residential listings on the MLS® system continue to decline - which will eventually lead to competition as buyers scramble to bid on the few homes available for sale. The lack of inventory should drive prices up, moving towards a sellers' market, until more sellers put their homes on the market to balance supply with demand. These real estate cycles can take years to achieve.

Linda Smardon, NSAR President, has an optimistic outlook for the immediate future of Nova Scotia real estate. "Towards the middle of 2009, consumer confidence began to build again and the recovery from double-digit decreases in sales and dollar volume indicates a brighter 2010 for the market than some previously thought."

If you are looking for Nova Scotia homes for sale, there is a wide variety of housing choices, ranging from urban to rural, condominiums to single family detached, income properties to lots of land. For an extensive list of properties currently on the market, visit the Multiple Listing Service website and select Nova Scotia.

All in all, Nova Scotia Real Estate is holding steady as a great opportunity for buyers to find affordable homes in a beautiful setting, and for sellers to achieve full market value for their homes.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nicole_Salter

Bus Line Decline

Acadian defends bus route cuts
Last Updated: Wednesday, March 3, 2010 | 9:13 AM AT Comments15Recommend7CBC News
Acadian Coach Lines says it needs to drop one of its three daily runs between Sydney and Halifax because of fierce competition from shuttle companies.

The bus company made its pitch Tuesday before the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.

A small group of people turned out for the hearing in Sydney, but only two people spoke.

Darren Bruckswaiger, deputy mayor of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, said Acadian is a crucial transportation link for the area, since there's no passenger rail service to the island and air fares are too pricey for many people.

"Think about the economic challenges that people face here in CBRM," he said. "Consider those who depend on the bus service, especially our students and low-income people … and the fact that we're living in an aging society where seniors depend on the service."

But there are about a dozen shuttle services and they have much more flexibility than the bus line, said Manon Piche, vice-president of marketing and sales for Acadian's parent company.

"Unfortunately, whether or not we have people on the bus, we've got to go. Whereas shuttle vans, they just don't leave if there's no one on the vans," said Piche. "That creates quite a fixed cost that we have to cover, and there's not enough demand at the present time."

John Pearce, spokesman for Transport 2000, a transportation lobby group, said Acadian could win back business from the shuttles if it did a better job of marketing.

He also suggested a gas or tax rebate to help Acadian keep its routes.

Acadian has also applied to cut its daily service between Kentville and Digby and add two express runs between Halifax and Moncton, N.B.

Quebec-based Groupe Orleans Express Inc., which bought Acadian five years ago, estimated the company has lost approximately 100,000 passengers and $1.6 million since then.

The utility and review board is expected to release its decision in about three months.
Post a comment
Miatou wrote:
Posted 2010/03/03
at 6:08 PM ET"A gas rebate for Acadia Bus Lines???" Are you kiddin me??? Why don't we just subsidize the "CAT" to go between Sydney and Halifax? Acadia Bus Lines increased the fare with the big gas prices a few years ago and NEVER dropped them! You want more business? Lower your prices! Good on the shuttle services, you can always find one of them ready to go!!

The Real "Have-Nots" of Confederation

The real “have-nots” of Confederation
March 1, 2010

By Mark Milke
Research Director
for Public Policy


Mark Milke
CALGARY, AB, March 1, 2010/ — Canadians have long been told it is our duty as compassionate citizens to transfer money from the so-called “have” provinces to the have-nots. So they might be surprised to discover the ostensibly worse-off provinces in fact receive more lavish public services. Have-nots can staff their hospitals better, give students cut-rate tuition and fund more day care among other disparities in comparison to “have” provinces.

Simply put, the have-nots have unfocused and large social programs and bigger governments, all at the expense of taxpaying families and businesses in the “have” provinces. It’s the unfortunate but predictable consequence of federal transfer programs which prop up poor policy in “have-nots” and hammer the traditional have provinces of Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia.

There are plenty of ways in which taxpayer cash is shifted from taxpayers in one province to those in another but the most explicit example is found in the federal equalization program, under which poorer provinces receive money from taxpayers in richer provinces. The program is akin to 10 people chipping money into a common pot with a few taking the resulting spoils.

To clarify an anomaly, in the current year even the biggest province in Confederation – Ontario – is now, technically, an equalization recipient although not by much. Out of the $14.2 billion Ottawa equalization program, Ontario will receive a cheque for $347 million or $29 per person. By comparison, Prince Edward Island’s government will receive $340 million, just under what Ontario receives. But, at $2,429 per person, PEI receives the most on a per-capita basis. Quebec gets the biggest overall cheque: almost $8.4 billion, which amounts to $1,107 per capita.

Is equalization really the goal?

The interesting thing about Ontario is that this year is an exception; it has never before received equalization payments. Still, when all the other federal transfer programs are included in calculations, Ontario, along with Alberta and British Columbia, still pay much more into the federal treasury than any of them get out of it.

So it makes sense to ask if equalization’s goal — “reasonably comparable levels of public services” — as the relevant constitutional section describes it, is in fact happening. The answer is no and it is to the detriment of the have provinces.

For example, the average university tuition is $5,040 in B.C., $5,361 in Alberta, $5,643 in Ontario — and just $2,167 in Quebec for Quebecers.

On health care, consider this comparison: per 100,000 people, B.C., Alberta, and Ontario have the fewest number of nurses and residential-care beds - dead last behind the other seven provinces which benefit from the overall transfer of wealth from the three “have” provinces.

On physician ratios, B.C. is 4th highest in the country but behind better-staffed Nova Scotia, Quebec and Newfoundland (Alberta is 5th and Ontario 8th). In most other categories, similar patterns emerge: at least some or all net recipients of federal dollars do better than the “have” provinces which foot part of the bill for the “have-nots”.

It’s an unjustifiable transfer of wealth. The so-called “have” provinces are, in fact, the most expensive ones in which to live. That fact means families and businesses should keep more of their money, not send it elsewhere through a flawed federal transfer system. Also, those three provinces are the ones to which migration flows are the largest. But even though B.C., Alberta and Ontario have massive influxes of people every year, a reality which necessitates more hospitals, schools, the staff to go with them and other new infrastructure, an ever-larger larger chunk of taxpayer cash from those same provinces is instead recycled through Ottawa to support provincial governments in status quo provinces, and often where poor policy is the reason for their static state.

There are remedies, however, to this situation: it’s important to note the constitutional provision on equalization commits governments to the principle of equalization, not to a particular level of funding or a specific framework.

Freeze equalization and other transfers

In the short-term, Ottawa should freeze equalization and other transfer payments - better yet, cut them. In the longer term, the federal government should negotiate away equivalent tax room to the provinces on the condition that federal transfers cease. (That’s the only way to end transfers without political screams from the “have-not” provinces. It can also only happen in the context of a federal budget in surplus.)

In general, transfer payments drag down all of Canada by rewarding low productivity provinces with “free” federal money transferred from high productivity provinces. More specifically, it is the residents in expensive “have” provinces who suffer by subsidizing big government and generous levels of services in the “have-nots”.

In the mythology of modern Canada, where announced compassion has become a substitute for actual compassionate policy, nothing better demonstrates the preference for public preening over results than the federal transfer program that is equalization.

International Women's Day

Hi everyone

We have a great IWD celebration for you on Sat March 6 at The Company House.
First at 7pm we will be showing Iron Jawed Angels, a movie about the women's suffrage movement.
Then the always entertaining The Three Helens (Joanne Bond, Cathy Burke and Pam Mason) will perform for us followed by Heather and Chelsea Edgett.

It's going to be a great night. In Halifax.

7pm $7

Let's celebrate ourselves. We're awesome!

Community Owned Ferry Perhaps

NS: Movement afoot to get ferry terminal into the hands of the community
By Tina Comeau, Transcontinental Media

Source: The Vanguard, Mar. 02/10

[YARMOUTH, NS] – By accepting a recommendation to have the Yarmouth Area Industrial Commission work towards obtaining ownership of the ferry terminal on Water Street, municipal units in this area are hoping that divestiture of the terminal from Transport Canada will remove a major hurdle to finding a new ferry service for next year.

The ferry terminal is owned by the federal government, which has a lease with Bay Ferries. This adds a level of complexity to ensuring the long-term existence of ferry service in Yarmouth.

Given that it could take a year or longer to secure ferry service for the summer of 2011, there is no time to waste. That was the message coming out of the town’s committee of the whole meeting last week.

A motion to have the industrial commission obtain ownership of the terminal will come before town council at its next meeting.

Already the municipalities of Clare, Argyle and Yarmouth have agreed to this course of action.

End Women's Hockey Due to Lack of Competition?

IOC must keep women's hockey: Swiss player
Module body

Sat Feb 27, 6:53 PM


NEW.BRUNSWICK (CBC) - A Swiss hockey player is urging the International Olympic Committee to keep women's hockey in the Winter Games.

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Lucrece Nausbaum, the 23-year-old defence player who also plays for Fredericton's St. Thomas University, is back in New Brunswick after playing for the Swiss Olympic team at the Vancouver Olympics.


Before Nausbaum left the west coast, Jacques Rogge, the president of the IOC, warned that women's hockey may have to be sacrificed if other countries can't compete with Canada and the United States.


Nausbaum said it's difficult to contemplate the Olympics without women's hockey.


"I couldn't even imagine. It would be a huge setback," she said.


Nausbaum helped her home country to a fifth-place finish at the Olympics.


Canada beat Nausbaum's Swiss team 10-1 in its second game of the tournament.


Nausbaum is back in New Brunswick helping her teammates from St. Thomas University battle for the top at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport championships being held this weekend in Moncton.


She said Olympic organizers have to be more patient to allow women's hockey to develop in countries that don't have the same resources as the teams in Canada and the United States.


"Some countries have a lot more support than others, but I think we're all getting closer to each other's levels and it will be," she said.


"It will be closer in the next few years."


Nausbaum had a solid Olympics logging 107 minutes of ice time, sixth most on the Swiss squad, and registering one goal, two assists and six shots on goal.


Lisa Jordan, the head coach of the St. Mary's University Huskies, said all it takes is a commitment to share expertise and the game will grow.


"There's a lot of Canadian curlers and Canadian coaches who have gone over to Europe to help coach some of their national programs," Jordan said.


"I think we need to send more coaches over there, just to share our knowledge a little bit, about how the game needs to be developed at the younger ages."