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Municipality of the District of Clare
COUNCIL-IN-COMMITTEE MEETING
Wednesday, December 3, 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, Carl Deveau, Steven Comeau, and Nadine Comeau
Staff: CAO, Stéphane Cyr, Director of Finance, Christien Deveau, Executive Assistant, Ashley Hanks, and Communications Officer, Anique Dugas
Presenters:
ABSENT:

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 Carl Deveau that the proposed agenda be approved as circulated.
MOTION CARRIED

3) Declaration of Conflict of Interest.
Warden LeBlanc declared a conflict of interest with item 7.2 Municipal Property Tax Write-Off – AAN #05755301.

4) Presentations
None.

5) Staff Reports  
5.1 Financial Update – Christien Deveau, Director of Finance
The Director of Finance provided an overview of the Municipality’s financial position. (See attached)

6) Business Arising from Previous Meetings
None.

7) NEW BUSINESS
7.1 Municipality of Clare – Accessibility Plan 2025-2028
With a new EDIA Coordinator now hired, the Accessibility Advisory Committee has met on several occasions since October as part of ongoing efforts to update the Municipality’s Accessibility Plan. To this end, an online survey coupled with several targeted stakeholder sessions and a larger public forum have been held to help inform the plan. Once approved by Council, the plan will be submitted to the Accessibility Directorate, as legislated under the Nova Scotia Accessibility Act. That being said, Council made the following motion to recommend:

PROPOSED BY Councillor Réanne Evans and SECONDED BY Deputy Warden Eric Pothier that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend approving the 2025-2028 Accessibility Plan for the Municipality of the District of Clare as presented.
MOTION CARRIED

7.2 Municipal Property Tax Write-Off – AAN #05755301

Warden LeBlanc recused himself. Deputy Warden Pothier chaired this portion of the meeting.

In 2021, following advice from a former municipal employee, the owner of the property in question opted to not pay his taxes. Taxes remain in arrears and the property is now slated for tax sale. The owner maintains he is not at fault in this case and despite staff’s best efforts to broker a solution, the issue remains unresolved. Should the property go to tax sale, it is the CAO’s belief that this conflict will escalate. Therefore, given the amount of staff time expensed thus far on this file and the Municipality’s inability to confirm exactly what was said in 2021 by its former employee, it is the CAO’s recommendation that the Municipality cut its losses and write-off the 2021-22 property tax arrears, effectively putting an end to this unfortunate misunderstanding. Council agreed and made the following motion to recommend:

PROPOSED BY Councillor Carl Deveau and SECONDED BY Councillor Nadine Comeau that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend writing off the 2021-22 municipal property tax arrears (and accumulated interest) for Assessment Account Number 05755301 in the amount of $2,190.05.
MOTION CARRIED

With this item now concluded, Warden LeBlanc returned to chair the remainder of the meeting.

7.3 Get Side Tracked Project – WREN
As part of the WREN’s Get Side Tracked Project, a new washroom facility is being built on the trail in Saulnierville Station. This will be a permanent structure. As part of the project, the Municipality will receive a one-time, $5,000 allotment to aid with the maintenance of the new washroom facility. Once these funds are fully expensed, the Municipality will incorporate the costs associated with the maintenance of this washroom into its annual operations budget.

8) Questions and Comments from the Public
None.

9) Closed Session

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

Topics Discussed:
9.1 Contract Negotiations
9.2 Acquisition and Sale of Municipal Property

PROPOSED BY Councillor Réanne Cooper and SECONDED BY Councillor Réanne Evans that Council proceed to the Regular Council Meeting.
MOTION CARRIED

PROPOSED BY Deputy Warden Eric Pothier and SECONDED BY Councillor Réanne Evans that the Council for the Municipality of the District of Clare recommend approving the proposed real estate transaction involving the exchange of three privately held parcels of land on Major Point Road (PID’s #30042535, #30382337, and #30288039) for a municipally-owned parcel on Mardigras Road (PID #30090047).
MOTION CARRIED

9) Date and time of the next Council-in-Committee Meeting
The next Council-in-Committee Meeting will be held on January 7, 2025, at 7:00 pm.

10) Adjournment
PROPOSED BY Councillor Réanne Evans to adjourn the meeting at 8:24 pm.

Submitted by
Ashley Hanks
Executive Assistant