[1:17] Good morning everyone. Welcome to council session for March 23,

[1:23] 2026. I'd like to call this meeting to order.

[1:28] Uh councelor Patterson has sent his regrets. uh he will not be joining us

[1:34] today and I just all council is with him at this our

[1:41] thoughts and prayers are with him during this difficult time for him and his

[1:44] family. Can I get

[1:48] approval for the agenda please?

[1:53] It's moved by councelor Mat Lefort second by councelor Donovan. All in

[1:58] favor? Motion carried.

[2:02] Okay, before we start with the agenda, I Warden would like to recognize that

[2:08] March 21st, 2026 was International Day for elimination of racial

[2:12] discrimination. It is a day to reaffirm our commitment to confronting and

[2:17] dismantling systemic racism and promoting inclusivity.

[2:23] I also have a proclamation for autism acceptance month for April. Whereas it

[2:29] is estimated that one in 66 people across the county are autistic or have

[2:34] autism and one in 32 people approximately 30,000 individuals in Nova

[2:40] Scotia are autistic or have autism. And whereas many dedicated autistic

[2:46] individual people with autism, parents, teachers, researchers, and

[2:50] professionals, including those at Autism Nova Scotia and their community-based

[2:55] organizations, work tirelessly throughout our province to make the

[2:59] committees or sorry, communities where we live accessible and inclusive for

[3:04] autistic individuals with autism and their loved ones. And whereas with 11 no

[3:11] locations throughout the province and with the support of autism community,

[3:16] Autism Nova Scotia builds understanding, acceptance, and inclusion for autistic

[3:21] individuals on the autism spectrum and for their families through leadership

[3:26] and advocacy, education, training, and programming across the lifespan. And

[3:32] whereas this month of April marks Autism Acceptance Month and Tuesday, April 2nd

[3:38] marked the World Autism Acceptance Day when people across the globe come

[3:42] together as a community to celebrate autism and promote acceptance and

[3:47] inclusion. Therefore, be it resolved that I, Warden, Oregon, on behalf of the

[3:52] County of Victoria, do hereby proclaim April 2026 as autism acceptance month

[3:59] throughout the county of Victoria and encourage all our residents and visitors

[4:03] to recognize the autistic individuals, people with autism, family members,

[4:09] caregivers, educators, and other professionals who strive to make Nova

[4:13] Scotia an inclusive and accessible place for us to all call home.

[4:20] Also, a proclamation for National Volunteer

[4:25] Week, April 19th says 2026 2026. Whereas, a sense of caring and the

[4:34] desire to share have motivated thousands of Nova Scotians of all ages to

[4:39] volunteer their time and services to the needs of others in in our communities.

[4:44] Whether it be by helping the sick, the needy, the disabled, children, students

[4:49] or elderly, by enriching their lives of all through the arts, recreation and

[4:55] cultural activities or by serving on boards and committees. And whereas

[5:00] volunteer action is powerful force for the solution of problems. And whereas

[5:05] volunteers are increasingly recognized as their important as an important

[5:10] partner with government and industry in providing services to citizens. And

[5:16] whereas anyone can be a volunteer and reap the rich rewards that come from

[5:21] doing for others while improving one's own skills and widening one's horizons.

[5:27] And whereas volunteering offers all Nova Scotians, young and old, the opportunity

[5:31] to participate in the life of their community and to link their talents and

[5:36] resources to address some of the major issues

[5:39] facing our communities. And whereas it is all fitting that for all Nova

[5:44] Scotians to join and celebrate of our rich volunteer heritage and to give

[5:49] special recognition to the dedication dedicated volunteers and volunteering

[5:53] groups which contribute immers immemorously to communities throughout

[5:59] the province. Therefore, I, Warden, on behalf of Victoria County Council, in

[6:04] recognition with the splendid efforts of all volunteers, do hereby designate the

[6:09] week of April 19th to the 26th, 2026 as volunteer

[6:15] week in the county of Victoria.

[6:22] Okay, now we'll get back to our agenda. Can I get approval of the minutes uh for

[6:29] February 2023?

[6:36] It's moved by councelor Bourne. I'm going to get a second.

[6:40] Second by councelor Hen. All in favor? Motion carried. Now we'll get to our

[6:46] presentations. Uh, Victoria County Home Support,

[6:51] Northwood,

[6:56] Miss Ripley and Mlan. Um, you know the drill. We have 20

[7:02] minutes and we'll go around the table. I I think

[7:08] we'll we'll start introducing uh right here with counselor Mat Lord.

[7:13] Good morning and welcome. Glad we didn't get the snow today so we could actually

[7:17] be here today for presentations. Uh my name is Donna Matis Leford and I'm in

[7:22] district one which is Wadmakook Washabug Peninsula and Buckla. Thank you for

[7:26] coming today. >> Good morning. Uh Mloud uh welcome

[7:30] district 2 big middle river inlet Nansa and M River. Yep.

[7:38] » Welcome. Great to see you here today. And although you already know me, I will

[7:42] say that my name is Rossella Bourne and I am in district 4 and that would be

[7:48] part of Bedc Bay Road, English Town, Big Harbor, St. Ans, and up to the base of

[7:54] uh Smokeoky. Welcome.

[7:58] » Morning. Welcome. Uh I'm Tim Donovan, counselor for district 6, which is uh

[8:03] from the sum of the Smokeoky to Doring Ganesh.

[8:09] » Good morning. Uh my name is Wanda Henik. I'm in district 8 which would be

[8:13] Dingwall Cape North at Lawrence up to Capstick. Welcome

[8:17] and good morning. I'm Jackie Organ. I'm from district 7 between these two fine

[8:21] counselors here. So go ahead with your presentation.

[9:00] It's on. Oh, can you hear me now? Yeah.

[9:09] So, I support both the home care agencies for Antiggones and Victoria

[9:14] County. And so we're here just to kind of give you a little bit of an update as

[9:18] well as our community connections um programming as well.

[9:36] Perfect. Thank you. And so now there's been since I started uh prior to that

[9:41] there was a management agreement with Northwood and they were providing some

[9:44] oversight and accountabilities for the agencies. As of January 1st we are now

[9:51] formally under the Northwood umbrella. And so that's for all employees um and

[9:57] the management functions, financial accountability, recruitment, all of

[10:00] those pieces. And so I've included on this slide both uh just a bit about the

[10:05] Victoria County and the Antiggonia area. So for our specific area, we have about

[10:10] 17 home support workers and we provided 1,800 hours of support during um

[10:17] approximately each month to about uh 100 to 120 clients. We also offer services

[10:23] around meals plus and cluster care. And then just for comparison, our oversight

[10:28] now includes anti Ganesh where we have 37 home support workers and provide um

[10:34] approximately 2700 hours per month to over 240 240 clients.

[10:41] And so

[10:50] the button is not working.

[11:00] Yeah, that's what it is. >> That side. Okay. Pardon me.

[11:08] So, just to share with you a little bit about Northwood and so because these

[11:13] values really closely align with Victoria County and so everyone has a

[11:17] play plays a part. People come first. We promote social justice and we do that

[11:22] through um part of our community connections program as well within

[11:25] Halifax. We have um some supportive housing for unhoused clients in the

[11:30] community and um some programming to support um those with mental health and

[11:36] addictions within those environments. We are all accountable and we can always do

[11:41] better. And so I share this with you because I've found these to be uh

[11:46] Northwood to really live by their values in the organization. Just want to share

[11:49] that with you for local context given that your shift has gone from heavy

[11:54] local governance to a provincial or nonfor-profit organizational structure

[11:59] and it's really important for me that we maintain these values as we move forward

[12:02] with Victoria County. And so within this new structure like our board that was

[12:07] local has dissolved and so now we are there we go um looking towards a

[12:13] community advisory committee. So we still have the local input from the

[12:17] ground into our program areas. And so our first meeting was scheduled for this

[12:23] afternoon. Uh it's now delayed for two weeks um just because we had some

[12:28] declinations and um couldn't get everybody in the room at the same time.

[12:33] And so really this is where we're going to work with our our community members

[12:39] right from Bay St. Lawrence through to I think we have someone from Iona. Yes.

[12:45] Um right across the district. So we're very happy that we have representation

[12:49] in our five members. We were looking for around eight members and really we will

[12:54] look to them to provide advice on our service delivery and our practices and

[12:59] help to identify what are the gaps in community and trends that we can bring

[13:03] to the table and consider for our overarching strategic plans and goals.

[13:09] and then really to foster that open communication between Northwood and our

[13:13] community partners. And then ultimately to support community

[13:17] engagement and awareness, which really fits within our Accreditation Canada um

[13:23] standards for for involving community in our practices and um policies.

[13:32] So this is next couple of slides are really just a reminder about what we do

[13:36] in the community from the personal support worker lens. And so really we're

[13:40] looking to assist people to stay in their homes as long as they can with

[13:44] dignity and quality care. So this could be, you know, their personal care and

[13:49] mobility, meal prep and advanced meal prep, um lighthousekeeping and respit

[13:54] care. And a lot of our home support workers have been with us for a number

[14:00] of years. The newer class of CCAs coming through have an expanded skill set and

[14:05] scope. And so we're looking to embed those skills into our current population

[14:10] of home support workers. And so what I mean by that is that we'll be looking to

[14:16] ensure that all of our staff are kind of brought up to speed on their scope

[14:22] around administering medication, applying medicated creams and ointments,

[14:27] assisting with um opening the medication and and delivering it. In the past, that

[14:32] was an was not a normal practice. They weren't allowed to do that unless it was

[14:36] authorized. uh doing their vitals so we can support

[14:40] measuring the blood pressure, their temperature, blood oxygen levels, um

[14:44] pulse and respirations. And then with the activities of daily living, this

[14:49] will be a a bit of a newer scope for our team in Victoria County is around the

[14:53] nail care, nail trimming, filing for our stable and predictable clients and then

[14:58] they can support collection of specimens.

[15:03] And so what we can expect within our county is we need to provide the

[15:08] refresher training and the goal was to have it completed by um the first of

[15:12] this year. However, just with some of the transition pieces and we have a

[15:16] little bit of a staff shortage right now that we're looking to to put this into

[15:21] practice between May and September will be our goal. So that that just means

[15:27] that we need to have someone come from Halifax to provide that training um to

[15:30] our CCA population. And then for clients that we have already with us, if our

[15:37] CCAs identify a need for a new service to be provided to the client, that

[15:42] request will go to our supervisor who will assess the situation and then

[15:46] receive authorization from continuing care just to make sure we're billing

[15:50] appropriately. And so for any new clients, that can

[15:54] already be done once we have our CCA standardization in place. then the

[15:58] continuing care could just include it as part of the new service plans coming

[16:02] forward. And so we're looking to really kind of build on our our tools that we

[16:07] provide again to support quality care in the home.

[16:13] In terms of um I'm not quite sure what's been presented at this table in the past

[16:17] around the roles between continuing care and the agency, but really the

[16:21] continuing care drives the service plan. They did the assessment using a

[16:25] standardized tool. They authorize services and they coordinate with the

[16:30] Department of Seniors long-term care and and partners around the uh funding and

[16:35] provision of services on our side. We take those plans and we enact them and

[16:40] and put them into place given our our human resource availability and the

[16:45] scheduled hours that we have available.

[16:53] And so what's coming up for us really in this year? Uh there's a lot of system

[16:58] changes which delays some of the ability to to do the CCIA standardization

[17:04] earlier than we'd like. We are now switching to a new software. So as of

[17:09] April 27th, the software that the teams are using for cure is is no longer being

[17:14] supported anywhere. And so we're moving to Alli Care and the training starts in

[17:18] the next um the next month. Uh we have a tentative agreement on the union

[17:26] contract. So that is underway as well. And then we're really looking at

[17:30] scheduling workflows. I'm sure that you've heard within the community that

[17:34] we've had a lot of more canceled visits as of late with a couple of unexpected

[17:38] staff shortages. And so with that comes the opportunity. We're hiring a new

[17:43] full-time scheduler. And um they'll so between Anti Ganesha, Victoria County,

[17:50] we'll have a scheduling model that supports 7-day a week coverage and

[17:54] holiday coverage. So that um across the two counties and um with that also comes

[18:00] the opportunity to ensure that they have the proper training and supports and are

[18:05] really working to common workflows and practices. Whereas right now they're

[18:10] everyone's was trained at a different time under different governance

[18:13] structures and um they're doing the best they can with what they have but there's

[18:18] lots of opportunity for improvement. And then with education priorities I

[18:23] mentioned CCA standardization. We need to look at safe client handling

[18:28] as well as crisis intervention. or finding some mental health issues with

[18:32] our senior population that comes to our CCAs and um we just want to be able to

[18:36] ensure that they have more tools in their toolkit to better support the

[18:40] client as well as their own mental health.

[18:43] For recruitment, we're looking to hire more CCAs. Um we have a couple of of

[18:50] interviews next week. Oh no, it's this week, pardon me, for the north area,

[18:54] Bedak area. we really need to get some more CCAs here. And so we have some ads

[18:59] posted and um through the universities and the regular recruitment channels and

[19:05] then again I mentioned the staffing officer and so all of these within the

[19:10] context of our values again listed on the on the bottom there that we really

[19:14] want to do better. We are accountable and we're looking for process

[19:18] improvements and team building so that everyone we're sharing a common goal

[19:22] sesh and working towards the best practice we can within our communities.

[19:30] Now it's my turn. Thank you uh Laurian. That's a lot of as you've heard really

[19:34] exciting things that are happening under the the home care side of the agency now

[19:37] that we're part of Northwood Victoria County. One thing I'm really happy to

[19:41] share is that um the community connections program which was launched

[19:45] here and was unique to Victoria County because of this integration now gets to

[19:50] be expanded to Annie Ganesh. So the best practices that not only council

[19:54] supported in the past but the rest of Victoria County has supported will be

[19:57] shared with other counties for the benefit of all which is in my opinion

[20:02] very exciting. So thank you for your past support. Um, as you know that in

[20:07] addition to the home care services, we also offer community services. So, when

[20:11] you get to come by the office and see our new sign and it says home and

[20:14] community care, it really gives a sense that not only are we offering the

[20:18] clinical um services that Laurianne went over, but we are working to continue to

[20:23] address the community needs. Our community programs are not only

[20:26] available to clients, they are available to anyone in the county over the age of

[20:30] 55. But I want to stress as well as with home care, these are supplemental

[20:34] programs. So they're not intended to be a complete fix, but they are intended to

[20:38] be a bit of a safety net as we're able to. So some of our ongoing programs that

[20:43] were able to continue because they are self- sustaining is the meals plus

[20:47] program for clients that is continuing. Our community cupboard is continuing

[20:52] with our partnerships from the north of Smoky Food Bank as well as the helping

[20:56] hand south of Smokeoky Food Bank. Um and we have four locations for that

[21:00] community cupboard. Um we are also able to continue our volunteer supports, our

[21:05] navigation services, our recreation loan program, again courtesy of the

[21:10] municipality, and our send support loan program which focuses on dementia

[21:15] friendly um items and also items for loneliness like our companion pets. So

[21:19] those are continuing um and we'll be sharing some of those best practices

[21:23] like I mentioned with Andy Ganesh. Some of our new programs that we have going

[21:27] on currently and in the near future is the home to healthcare pilot that was um

[21:32] funded through our CBU research program where we're offering complimentary

[21:36] transit to medical appointments for anyone in the county. That's going very

[21:40] well and it's very uh manageable we're finding right now. So, um we probably

[21:45] have funding to continue that till the end of April. So, it's been um a great

[21:48] way to offer support especially during this time of year when driving is tricky

[21:52] for for weather reasons. Um, but as more daylight comes and as weather improves,

[21:56] hopefully that will be easier for folks. We're also offering a medical companion

[22:01] program for folks who maybe just need some assistance getting into the medical

[22:05] building and some time, somebody to wait with them. Um, so that's been um, uh,

[22:10] very satisfying to offer as well. and the community champions program uh

[22:15] running both for youth and for older adults um in coordination with uh Chris

[22:20] from your recreation department and and with Dan's support there. So that's

[22:24] going on uh well we have both in uh Bedc Academy and the uh Iona School of

[22:30] Franken School of the Narrows is um working with us on that and we have

[22:34] folks going and calling bingo uh once a week over um at our highdensity building

[22:39] projects there and I was really surprised to learn how few teenagers

[22:43] know how to play bingo. So I think everyone's learning through this

[22:46] process. So that's that's great. Um, the last thing I'd just like to mention,

[22:50] being mindful of time, is that over the last two years, the community side of

[22:54] our programming has worked really hard to develop relationships with existing

[22:58] community groups. And I believe we have all of the districts um here. Um, all

[23:03] eight districts are represented. So, we have official community partnerships

[23:08] with everybody and we work together. So, if we have programs, we try to reach

[23:12] out. It's been most successful with food distribution, but has been really

[23:16] helpful when we're trying to connect a volunteer with someone locally. So, um

[23:20] we have about 10 partnerships in total. So, we're really hoping that will

[23:24] continue um so that we're not competing against each other, but working together

[23:29] for uh for the benefit of all. So, um did you have anything else to add,

[23:33] Marian? No. All right. Well, thank you very much. We really appreciate. Just

[23:36] wanted to be able to bring everybody up to speed on the good things that are

[23:39] happening and thank you for your time. Thank you ladies. Great presentation. Uh

[23:45] do I have any questions or councelor Matson Lefort

[23:50] » just the part where you said that they would take someone to a healthc care

[23:53] facility is would there be an option to expand on that for some people that are

[23:58] uncomfortable going into the doctor alone and getting a diagnosis or

[24:02] instructions to have someone assist them with that to be able to take notes or at

[24:07] this time that's not something we're looking at. we really want to refine at

[24:10] least getting supporting people getting two medical appointments. Um our

[24:15] volunteer supports also is mindful of the volunteer mental health needs as

[24:19] well. So until we have a better handle on how what that would look like um but

[24:23] all of our programs are driven from requests and needs. So if that is

[24:27] presented as something that folks would like to be included then I think it's

[24:31] something that we should explore but it's not something available at this

[24:35] time. >> Thank you very much.

[24:38] Councelor Henock.

[24:42] » Hi there. Thank you all for your such great work. Um I just want to applause

[24:46] the the pilot project that was done with the the the lawn care and the snow

[24:51] removal. Uh people in my district absolutely loved it. They were sad to

[24:56] hear that it was just a pilot project that it wouldn't be continued. Um is

[25:00] there any um indication from the province if they'll renew that program

[25:05] or not? Thank you for that. excellent feedback

[25:08] because we heard the same thing. So, it does resonate with what we heard from

[25:12] folks. Um that was such an amazing um learning project over those two years.

[25:17] Um in terms of what we've heard from the province, we have um that was federal

[25:21] funding. So, we did submit our final report uh with the strong recommendation

[25:26] that any funding that they could give to us would be put to that use. Um we have

[25:31] explored other options. At this time the recommendation is to use the senior's

[25:36] care grant which we are supporting people with and we are looking to take

[25:40] our learnings and apply them to other grant applications for um perhaps more

[25:45] sustainable longer term projects that could meet that need for for people. So

[25:51] we we took the learnings and we took the feedback and we are applying for more

[25:54] funding from other sources but nothing uh at this time.

[26:01] questions for from the counselors. I too heard a lot of uh people wanted

[26:07] that program come back and I think around all north or the smoke Victoria

[26:12] County where you know we'd like it but anyway no other questions.

[26:18] Oh go ahead Deputy Warden. >> Thanks. Uh you say about it's a was a

[26:22] federal funding. anything we can help uh to advocacing something about

[26:28] » uh you will be seeing an application coming through in the next couple of

[26:31] days. Yes. >> Okay. But it's still for the federal

[26:35] government >> uh from the federal government at this

[26:37] time. No, but they are still reviewing all of the final reports. Um December

[26:42] 31st was the end of that and our final report was submitted end of January. So,

[26:46] it's still fairly recent from the report submissions, but um we will continue to

[26:51] to seek that out because it did um really resonate with Victoria County

[26:55] residents. >> Okay. Thank you.

[26:59] » Thank you. Thank you, ladies.

[27:15] Next we have the property tax interest waved request

[27:20] from Miss Fitzgerald.

[27:24] Okay.

[28:53] Hi, Hillary. Can you hear us?

[29:14] Good morning, Hillary. Can you hear us?

[29:26] We're having te technical difficulties.

[30:06] Good morning, Hillary. Can you hear us?

[30:30] Uh oh. Hello.

[30:33] » Good morning. >> Hi. Sorry about that.

[30:35] » That's okay. >> Technical difficulties.

[30:38] » I Yes, I understand. >> Um, you're here today to talk about the

[30:45] property tax interest. >> Yes, I am.

[30:48] » Okay. if you would like to go ahead. >> Okay. Um, in

[30:56] June of 2024, it was probably closer to July, my

[31:01] husband called and changed the date or the address of our our billing address

[31:06] for our tax bill. Um, so I didn't think anything else of

[31:11] it. And then I go away. I I I have a house in Inganesh. So I I spend my

[31:18] summer in Gananish. I didn't get back until October. When I got back, it

[31:23] dawned on me that oh, I didn't get a tax bill.

[31:28] So I called and uh I called I think it was around October 27th

[31:37] or maybe the day before and I told them that I did not get my tax bill and I

[31:42] asked if they could send me my tax bill. So, I got my tax bills on October the

[31:48] 27th and I paid them on October the 28th

[31:55] less the interest because I didn't get a bill. So, I didn't think that the

[32:01] interest was justified considering I didn't even know how much

[32:05] I owed on my taxes. Um, I've been here for 20 years. I've

[32:11] never been late for my taxes and I just think it is completely unjust

[32:16] to be charged interest on uh for a bill that I didn't I didn't even receive

[32:24] after already asking that the address be changed.

[32:35] » Okay. Um is that all you would like to say at this time right now?

[32:41] Well, I I don't think there's much more to it. Um if if if I don't have a bill,

[32:46] I don't know how much I owe. The I guess what I will add there is we were running

[32:51] a business at this location and we closed the business. So, we had

[32:56] contacted the assessment office as well to switch from commercial to

[33:00] residential. So, we were expecting uh a reduction in the tax bill as well, but

[33:09] that I mean that didn't happen, but I don't think that that has anything to do

[33:12] with this.

[33:16] » Okay. Thank you. I'm going to ask any counselors if they have any questions

[33:20] for you. Yeah. >> Okay.

[33:25] » Councelor Bourne, >> thank you. The question that I have is,

[33:29] was this the first year that you did not receive a bill and did prior bills get

[33:33] to you? >> Yes,

[33:36] this is the first year that I did not get a bill. Um, we had closed our post

[33:41] office box and just switched to the uh our um civic location address and it was

[33:50] I got a note here on the bill. My husband actually called and he switched

[33:54] it in in and around. He doesn't have the date there, but he's got a note here

[33:59] that switched and it's on the June 20th, 2024 bill that he called and changed

[34:06] address. >> So, he would have contacted PVSC to make

[34:10] the change or who did he contact? He contacted uh municipality of the

[34:16] county of Victoria 282953231.

[34:24] » Thank you. >> Okay.

[34:28] Any other questions?

[34:34] » Okay.

[34:40] Can I clarify again what's the amount that's asking to be waved?

[34:43] » Is it the 17250 that I'm seeing? >> 17494 is now what it is. The last one I

[34:51] received. >> Okay. Thank you.

[34:54] » Yep.

[35:06] » Yeah. um to talk about this. We'll need a

[35:10] motion on the table and a seconder.

[35:17] Okay.

[35:29] Your your mic. Yep. Sorry.

[35:35] Go ahead. your your mic on. Go ahead.

[35:40] » Okay. I make a motions to what is that? Wave the wave the interest

[35:46] for 172. >> So there's a motion on the table to wave

[35:50] the interest. Is there a second? Councelor Dunovan. Discussion please.

[35:58] » Just to Can I? >> Deputy Warden. Go ahead.

[36:01] » Okay. So just to understand you. So you didn't receive a bill because you were

[36:07] in English, right? >> You were in English.

[36:10] » No, the bill did never got mailed to me at all.

[36:14] » Well, was mailed to in the address pure address we have in the system. Correct.

[36:21] » Not the new not to the new address that we called and switched it like.

[36:25] » Yeah. Okay. Do you change the address? >> Yes.

[36:29] » In the municipality, you come you came to the municipality to change your

[36:32] address. No, he called >> Untalable.

[36:38] » He doesn't have a name here. I I'm sorry. He doesn't have a name here. It

[36:42] just says he just has a note on the bill from June 2024 called switched from PO

[36:50] Box to 785 Highway 105. At that time, we were switching a lot of

[36:58] our switching our address with a lot of people. So, unfortunately, he didn't he

[37:05] didn't record the name of the person he spoke to. I'm sorry.

[37:10] It's okay because we have email here. This elevation spoke

[37:17] with him. That was it. It's in the email here.

[37:23] Anyway, so you know when you have to pay your

[37:27] taxes, right? It's in, you know, the bills go in August and then you if you

[37:33] not receive your bill, you call in August to see where is your bill. Not

[37:36] until October. So it is

[37:42] as you run a business, you know, the taxes, how paid, right?

[37:46] I I understand that. But at the time, uh,

[37:51] all of my mail was being forwarded to me in Ingenanish. I didn't think I was

[37:55] missing anything. And if I don't have it in front of me, I I I'm busy. I'm really

[38:00] busy. I work 60 hours a week. I If I don't have it in front of me, I I don't

[38:06] remember. No, I I don't remember what dates bills come out.

[38:10] » Yeah. Yeah. I understand that. Everybody's busy, but

[38:14] » Yeah. I know. And I pay my bills. I I'm not I'm not disputing the the amount of

[38:19] the bill or anything. And I paid it within one day of receiving.

[38:24] » Yeah. But you wait until October to figure out your bill. It was not there.

[38:28] » I didn't think of it until October. >> Well, so my Yeah, it's it's just to my

[38:34] knowledge. Uh you know, your bill went uh uh send it to the pure address. You

[38:41] didn't you were not there. You were in some in another place.

[38:45] » No, you're you're missing something here. My bill did not come to my civic

[38:52] address. I never received a paper bill. I received an email bill when I

[38:56] requested it. I did not receive a paper bill.

[39:02] » What address they use, Le, to send it?

[39:20] Yeah. So, where is the address?

[39:25] So, if our bills went out the first week of June in 2024, they would have been to

[39:31] the address that we had on file. If we were called June 20th with a

[39:38] different address, it would have gone to the address that we had on file.

[39:44] So, our bills went out earlier than June 20th.

[39:48] » Okay. So, the bill was gone before you called.

[39:52] And our process is if people call and they say that they their address has

[39:57] changed or there's they're disputing some parts of the bill, we say please go

[40:01] to your bill, pay the whole amount that is owing. If there is anything that is

[40:06] to be uh written off, pay the whole thing and then square it up later so

[40:12] that it's it's taken care of so there's not more that is um building on the

[40:19] bill. I I don't I totally understand that I

[40:24] did not receive a paper bill. I called in October because I said,

[40:32] "Wow, I didn't get a tax bill."

[40:37] I got the email with my tax bill on the 27th of October and I paid it on the

[40:44] 28th of October minus the interest owing because I did not think that that was

[40:51] justified.

[40:54] But today, as of this date, I have not received a paper bill. only the emails.

[41:05] » Any other questions?

[41:12] » Councelor Henk. >> Uh just a quick question there. Uh so

[41:16] when you closed your PO box uh off, did you get your mail transferred to your

[41:23] new address? >> I did for quite a while. Absolutely.

[41:28] » Yeah. So funny like if if it didn't go in the box prior to and you then you

[41:34] transferred it to your new address. Funny you didn't receive the bill that

[41:39] went out on June 4th.

[41:45] Now we're talking two different years. We're talking 2024 and 2025.

[41:51] So my husband called in 2024.

[41:58] So yeah, it's it's really funny I didn't get it to the proper address. 785

[42:03] Highway 105 because it's not a couple of days in the difference. It's a year in

[42:08] the difference. >> Yeah. And and if I had received it,

[42:15] trust me, I would have paid it. You can look at my record. I I don't neglect my

[42:19] bills. This is a matter of principle to me.

[42:24] Any other questions or comments or

[42:30] discussion?

[42:37] » You

[42:50] warden, did you want to say something? No, it's just uh uh it's about dates. Is

[42:56] it that you say I say and in the mail, right? But in the end of the day, we

[43:02] know that you have you we need to pay our taxes in determined time. If you are

[43:08] in in June for the the bill went, you go in June 20 in 20 to call the you change

[43:15] your bill, why you didn't ask for your bill in that time. And second, you

[43:19] should have pay, you know, you should have paying be in no until October.

[43:24] » Yeah, you're you're talking a year in the difference though. Like this is we

[43:28] changed the address in 2024. We're talking about the bill in 2025.

[43:34] So it's not days here, it's or months here, it's a year.

[43:42] So I I'm asking the what address was in 2024 in the administration.

[43:52] » That's a good point.

[43:56] » Don't know but uh Alex is looking it up to the address that was on the bill I

[44:00] think. Or if you can contact

[44:20] So, what address is it right now?

[44:29] So, just to clarify, you're saying that since 2024, you've never received any

[44:34] mail for any taxes from Victoria County? >> No, I have not.

[44:41] » So, our system has notes um that they received the property the property tax

[44:48] bill was returned by Canada Post in June of 2025. Says moved unknown. And then

[44:55] there was a property tax reminder that was returned also November 11th with

[45:00] moved unknown. >> Okay. So November 11th of 2025

[45:08] notes that we sent out reminders that we don't have an address change on file.

[45:14] But that would have been then the second time I've tried to change the address.

[45:17] Then I did receive I I know it's right now

[45:22] because I have a bill. I've been receiving these tax bills since November

[45:28] 19th, 2025, but when I called in October,

[45:33] you guys still had the P.O. box and I changed it again.

[45:42] And >> so we so we have no record of an address

[45:45] change until November 19th. Well, that's ridiculous because when I

[45:52] was when I requested that my bills get emailed to me, I in October,

[46:00] you emailed me my bills. I had changed it again. Then

[46:04] » I didn't change any questions. >> I change it was tried to tried to change

[46:08] it in June of 2024, tried to change it in October, and now you're saying it

[46:13] didn't go through until November. Well, that doesn't sound like my fault.

[46:26] So in our system as soon as uh we were contacted the address was changed.

[46:32] Reminders go out in early October. It would have went in the mail to their it

[46:37] would have been rejected. It would have came back to us in November when we

[46:41] received it. we would have recorded it as owner returned or owner unknown or

[46:45] owner moved. The November piece is irrelevant because that's just the date

[46:50] that we got it back in the mail. >> Okay,

[46:55] » that makes sense. >> Councelor Dunovan.

[46:59] » Uh yeah, I guess it sounds like there was an error somewhere along the line

[47:03] that something got missed or misplaced or not recorded or whatever. Um

[47:11] I I I guess my opinion is take the past history of the taxpayer. They've never

[47:18] been late. It's always been on time. This is an anomaly that apparently

[47:22] there's no explanation for. So I would say take it from there.

[47:30] » Question. Alex, don't we have an explanation

[47:34] or in your opinion? >> I mean, I can only go So, we send out

[47:42] 12,000 tax bills a year to multiple property owners. So, we can only go by

[47:48] what the system says. So, in the system, we have no record of the address change.

[47:54] I'm not trying to convince anyone that nobody contacted so and so. We just

[47:59] don't have evidence that there was an address change that came through in June

[48:06] of 2024. As soon as the address change was

[48:10] requested in October, we did it. And just as she said, she paid. But our

[48:16] policy says that when the property tax bill is due, the wording is that it's

[48:20] the responsibility of the property tax owner even if the bill is not received.

[48:24] That is what is written in the policy. And the reason it's written like that is

[48:29] because we send out 12,000 bills. So, we can't follow up on every single one

[48:36] that comes back. Um, and we always use Nova Scotia Power as

[48:44] the analogy that when the bill comes, you know, the bill is due. So, our bill

[48:50] is annual, which makes it it does make it more difficult, but when the due date

[48:55] comes, the bill is due. If it's not paid by that, we just run interest. We don't

[49:00] do any exceptions, the system processes interest. If it continues to not be

[49:05] paid, the system processes interest. So the way our policy is written is what we

[49:11] followed and any exception to that policy is a decision of council. So,

[49:17] Alex, uh, for the policy, is it not that the interest should be paid and then

[49:23] taken up so that there's not more interest being put on?

[49:28] Uh, I don't believe our system charges interest on interest.

[49:32] » Okay. >> Um, but as the CIO said earlier, we do

[49:36] encourage people to pay it in full and then work out the details after the

[49:40] fact. But where it was just interest that's not paid, I I'm pretty certain it

[49:46] we don't charge interest on interest. >> Thank you for that. So there is a motion

[49:52] on the table. We've discussed it. So uh the motion was

[49:58] depart

[50:01] again please >> to the on the amount of interest for the

[50:05] tax bill is 2020. >> Okay.

[50:08] » 2025. So, we have a motion on the table. We

[50:12] have a seconder. All in favor to wave the interest.

[50:20] All in favor to wave the interest. We have one against

[50:26] to pay the interest so that the the onus is on the owner of the property. Can I

[50:33] have a count again? Motion's defeated. I'm sorry. Um, you're

[50:39] going to have to pay your interest on your bill.

[50:46] » Okay. I think it's totally unfair,

[50:55] but that is your decision. >> Thank you.

[51:03] » Thank you.

[51:09] Next we have the community garden project. I'm sorry I will butcher your

[51:14] name but

[51:23] Yes.

[52:08] Come on.

[52:22] So, welcome to our council. Um, your mic is in front of you and if the

[52:29] green light is on just when you speak, but I will get counselors to introduce

[52:33] yourselves and then you can tell us a little bit about yourself. You have 20

[52:37] minutes for uh to to go ahead. We're going to start right here. Uh, welcome.

[52:42] My name is Donna Mat Leford. I'm District 1 which is Wadma Cookook,

[52:46] Buckla and the Washabug Peninsula. Thank you for coming today. Thank you.

[52:50] » Good morning. Uh my name is Pa Mloud. District 2 Big Bedc Middle River inlet

[52:55] Nansa and Jack.

[52:58] » Welcome. Thank you. My name is Rosella Bore and we've met before district 4 and

[53:03] that would be uh part of Bedc Bay Road, Big Harbor, uh South Haven, English

[53:09] Town, St. An's and all the way up to the base of Smokeoky. Welcome. Morning.

[53:15] Welcome. I'm Tim Donovan, counselor for district 6, which is from the summit of

[53:19] Smokeoky to North Ingenanish. >> Morning. My name is Wanda Hen. I'm from

[53:25] district 8. That would be Dingwall Cape North Bay at Lawrence and Capstik.

[53:31] Morning. I'm Jackie Organ and my district is seven from Ingadesh down to

[53:35] uh Dingwall for Wanda or Councelor Henick's area. So, welcome. Thank you so

[53:42] very much for all of your warm welcome. Uh here I'm beyond honored to sit here

[53:48] and tell you about my idea. Um so when I was a little girl, I got to take my

[53:54] grandmother to our um kindergarten for a soup fest and that was a point of great

[54:01] pride and honor for me to take her there and um provide her the variety of soups

[54:07] that we had prepared there. So I would like to share this value with my

[54:12] community and um so with great hope and excitement I would like to introduce the

[54:19] community project as an extension to our community garden that we already have

[54:24] here on the property. Um I would be working together with Bold to um get the

[54:31] funding through Nova Scotia Literacy Fund as well as some seniors of

[54:36] Northwoods. they would also collaborate with um our idea. So really it's about

[54:42] bringing children's hands back into the soil, exposing them to all those

[54:46] valuable lessons, bridging the gap between seniors and children as we have

[54:51] a large demographic gap here um on the island in general, but as well as in

[54:57] Bedc um to increase the patches of native species throughout our town that

[55:04] can also provide food for pollinators as well as for us.

[55:10] Um so the project would be structured from seed to harvest. That means

[55:16] children and seniors can plant the crops that we are to harvest in the end of the

[55:21] year together. They can learn at the bold community center through

[55:26] presentations to through other gardeners and local artisans artisans that will

[55:31] come and help create this really important educational program uh during

[55:38] the summer. And we would celebrate with a harvest soup festival in the end where

[55:43] we would invite every partaking person and um community

[55:51] together to enjoy the soup and kind of learn about Thanksgiving

[55:56] in a way. Um, Bedc Academy has garden boxes that they would be happy to um,

[56:04] provide for us to plant in them as well as working with their children together

[56:09] to create this um, program. Um, as well as the daycare down here on Chbakto

[56:17] Street, they also have um, shown interest in planting their gardening

[56:21] boxes. So I think it would be a amazing project to initiate and see how big this

[56:28] can grow. I think lots of people are very interested in supporting this and

[56:33] coming together for a good reason. So this is my idea and I hope we can make

[56:38] it happen. Thank you very much. So I met with

[56:43] Salana last week. Um she's talking about uh the piece of property that we have

[56:48] back here beside the community boxes. um and digging into the ground there and

[56:54] creating a a garden. >> Yeah.

[56:56] » And so it's a it's a blank piece of property that we're not it's currently

[57:01] not being used. Sounds like a great idea.

[57:06] » I also didn't want to take away from the existing raffle um that we do have with

[57:11] the gardening boxes up here uh because there is plenty of avid gardeners in

[57:16] town that may may want to do their own thing or Yeah.

[57:21] partly contribute and so I didn't want to take away from that and yeah the lawn

[57:26] spaces there and >> okay um any questions from the

[57:30] counselors

[57:34] » deputy warden go ahead >> thank you so yeah it's a great idea so

[57:38] why you need for us >> uh well the permission um to use the

[57:43] lawn space that is there so yeah >> I would be working with um our community

[57:50] centers together, but um the piece of lawn that is right there, that's what

[57:54] we're interested in. Um and kind of scooping the the county into this great

[58:01] idea. >> Okay.

[58:02] » Yeah.

[58:06] » Thank you for this. Um do you have a budget on what it's going to cost to

[58:12] roll out and maintain this throughout the summer? and how much is in the food

[58:17] and literacy fund grant that you're going to be seeking. So, it's two parts

[58:21] of that question. Thank you. >> Very good. Thank you. Um, so the Nova

[58:25] Scotia food literacy fund that we are applying for is $2.5,000

[58:30] » and um so that's what we're going after for this project. And

[58:38] the um the program itself is a very lowcost program. So all we would really

[58:44] need through this funding is the some of the materials that we can't gather

[58:49] through um community um collaboration

[58:54] and some of the labor.

[59:00] » Would you be the project lead on this? >> Uh yes uh I suppose uh I would be

[59:06] delighted to keep uh pushing and uh work with many other people together. there's

[59:12] absolutely strength in community. So I think the project itself can be kept at

[59:17] very low cost especially since um our local landscaping company the big tree

[59:23] my company kind of I want to volunteer some hours of the installation for sure

[59:29] for this project just to get it going and off the ground.

[59:35] Councelor Matthys for So this was a success this year as I used to be a a

[59:43] private teacher in a project based school overseas and we were always

[59:47] looking for those real life scenarios to work into our curriculum that we had.

[59:52] » Yes. >> Would you be looking at if this was a

[59:54] success contacting and having meetings with the teachers to find out what

[59:59] grades would be able to work some of their problems?

[1:00:01] » Absolutely. Absolutely. So starting from what is a seed right there is so many so

[1:00:07] much value in in um rolling up this gardening project

[1:00:14] um and depending on which grade the program can always be altered to to help

[1:00:21] support learning. Yeah. Yeah.

[1:00:27] So, as the deputy warden said, you're looking for from us the piece property

[1:00:32] here to grow on. >> Correct.

[1:00:34] » You're not It's not an ask for money right now or

[1:00:40] » council born. >> Question. What liability do we need to

[1:00:43] help support this? Is there liability? Is there risk with offering this piece

[1:00:48] of land to volunteers in case there's an injury?

[1:00:53] » It's a good question. I would say that it's similar to the community boxes that

[1:00:58] we currently have. Um I'm not sure what our insurance coverage

[1:01:04] is, but we do have a blanket policy currently. I'm hoping it's a low low

[1:01:11] liability. Um but we can certainly reach out uh to see if there's any

[1:01:17] anything that would need to be insured. And one other question, when it comes to

[1:01:20] children and vulnerability with children, will these volunteers have

[1:01:25] police checks and checks? >> Okay, thank you.

[1:01:27] » Yeah,

[1:01:35] » councelor Donovan. >> Yeah, I seem to recall that there was a

[1:01:38] similar program that was run in HRM a few years back. Uh, same idea. um group

[1:01:46] of children uh gu did the the planting and the harvesting only they took it a

[1:01:51] step further and I think they they planted the ingredients required to make

[1:01:56] salsa. >> Okay.

[1:01:58] » And I think they were on Dragon's Den or one of those one of those TV shows. They

[1:02:04] didn't get what they were looking for, but I think they got like a $100,000

[1:02:09] boost from the the folks on the dragons and

[1:02:13] » yeah, >> they they thought it was a a really good

[1:02:16] thing and it is a really good thing. It >> is truly Yeah, it intersects with many

[1:02:21] many of the aspects that we're trying to cover. Um, and yeah, as I said, I think

[1:02:26] I I see the potential of this growing really big, too.

[1:02:34] to make a motion to

[1:02:38] to allow this group. I don't know what you're going underneath, but anyways, um

[1:02:44] community garden uh to use the piece of property in the backyard of the building

[1:02:52] here. >> Yeah. I I move that we allow the uh the

[1:02:57] group to use the piece of property for their for their project.

[1:03:00] There's a motion on the table. I'll second by councelor Mat Lefor. Any

[1:03:05] discussion?

[1:03:12] » I think so. A pilot project. How about

[1:03:19] Can you read that back to me?

[1:03:28] Salana.

[1:03:32] Yeah.

[1:03:42] » Okay. There's a motion on the floor and we have a seconder. All in favor?

[1:03:47] Your motion is carried. You have your piece of land to you.

[1:03:50] » Thank you. Wow. >> Well, we look forward to having a bowl

[1:03:53] of soup in the fall. >> Wonderful. Your first soup goes to

[1:03:56] Jackie. We're good. >> Thank you very much everybody for coming

[1:04:01] » so much.

[1:04:05] We're going to take a 15minute recess. Yes.

[1:05:23] Hey, we're back. Um, we're here for council discussion. First one is the

[1:05:28] water protection symposium. Uh, attendance. Uh,

[1:05:34] anybody that's wishing to go or would like to speak on it. I know councelor

[1:05:38] Mat Lefort is wants to speak on that. I I I registered for it the minute it came

[1:05:43] in. So, and I was at the um Bdor Lake Biosphere Region Associ and I told them

[1:05:50] about it as well to see if anybody from there wanted to go and represent. So, if

[1:05:54] I was going to attend, it was kind of almost was going to be for Bor Lake and

[1:05:59] municipality. So,

[1:06:04] councelor Vaughn did sign up because it was free. So, I do have an option to

[1:06:08] cancel if other people would like to go, but I did put my name down to go.

[1:06:17] I I don't see why you know both of you can't

[1:06:22] go for it. It's okay with the rest of council of

[1:06:26] symposiums. You hear symposium? I'm like I'm there.

[1:06:30] There. Okay. Motion. We need a motion. Uh can I get a motion to accept that

[1:06:37] both counselors attend the water protection symposium?

[1:06:44] Yes, councelor Dunovan. It's moved by councelor Dunovan, second by councelor

[1:06:48] Henick. All in favor motion is carried.

[1:06:54] We'll look forward to your report when you come back, ladies.

[1:07:00] Okay, next one is the committee vacancies and to speak on that is Steph

[1:07:06] Mloud.

[1:07:21] Hi, morning everybody. Um, so I sent her an email I guess probably almost a month

[1:07:25] ago now um with um actually a few weeks with the councelor Kerr's resignation

[1:07:31] there. That that means that there's vacancies on committees. Um the

[1:07:36] following committee members are needed. Um an alternate member for EDPC

[1:07:40] committee, member of the housing committee. Um we do need a board member

[1:07:46] for the VDEC moing authority. This position is typically filled by district

[1:07:49] 3 counselor. So they um are not meeting anytime soon. I think we would be um

[1:07:57] fine to wait to um appoint this position to district 3 counselor when that

[1:08:04] happens. Um and we need a board member for the Invess Victoria Federation of Ed

[1:08:09] agriculture. Um and this will need to be filled by a counselor as well. Um and I

[1:08:13] if you want I can reach out to the Bedc Moring authority but it is typically

[1:08:18] um appointment of district 3 counselor.

[1:08:28] Go ahead councelor Henick. I could probably go on the member of the housing

[1:08:32] committee.

[1:08:37] Okay. So, what we'll do, we can we'll do one big motion. So, if you kind of want

[1:08:41] to discuss all of them and then we will do a motion for the um appointments of

[1:08:46] the committees to the following counselors and we'll do it that way.

[1:08:48] We'll do one big motion. >> I could be the alternative to the EDPC.

[1:09:13] put it out there that I'm on so many right now that I really can't stress

[1:09:16] myself anymore. Okay, thank you.

[1:09:21] The agricultural one I'm like no don't do it.

[1:09:25] It's he was in the past he is not right now.

[1:09:33] It was council occurr but he has been in the past.

[1:09:39] Can we reach out to him to see if the later date if we just get

[1:09:46] past for two? Councelor Dunovan, do you have something

[1:09:50] to say?

[1:09:58] That's not the way it works here.

[1:10:03] Um yeah, we can do that. So I think maybe then we'll hold off on the motion

[1:10:07] and we'll bring that to committee to the whole as a recommendation when councelor

[1:10:10] Patterson can speak for himself regarding that.

[1:10:12] » Yeah, it's just that uh with he he was on the committee before and maybe his

[1:10:17] experience with with it he might like to do that again.

[1:10:22] Councelor Matson Lefor, >> what's the issue with as we know there's

[1:10:28] going to be an election and have a new counselor coming in. Is it an issue

[1:10:32] right now just to have those positions, empty positions like put on hold in case

[1:10:37] uh the new counselor coming in wants any of them.

[1:10:41] » I believe the there's a sense of urgency for the housing committee. Um that's

[1:10:46] just based on observations um for council meetings. That is entirely

[1:10:51] council's call though. >> Can I ask who was currently because I

[1:10:55] had asked to be put on the housing one and then it hadn't shown up as I wasn't

[1:11:00] in any of the emails but then it was listed on my h who is currently in the

[1:11:05] housing one officially >> born and Donovan.

[1:11:11] » Tim you are on the housing committee.

[1:11:16] » Okay. because I had wanted to be on the housing committee

[1:11:19] » and I had gone back and forth and >> Yeah.

[1:11:21] » Yeah. >> Yeah.

[1:11:21] » Well, we couldn't figure we couldn't find anywhere where that was said, but

[1:11:24] we both believed remembering that you had asked, but um

[1:11:30] » do you want to be the alternate or >> we don't need an alternate for the

[1:11:33] housing? We just need an alternate for EDPC.

[1:11:37] » Oh,

[1:11:41] I thought Councelor Henock said she was going to be on to be on the housing. She

[1:11:46] was and and councelor Mass the fourth thought she was already on it but we

[1:11:49] can't find anywhere that she was >> before.

[1:11:54] Yeah. So it's council's committee >> more the marrier.

[1:11:59] » Okay. We have another it'll be born Donovan

[1:12:03] Henik and Matson fort on the housing two north and two south.

[1:12:10] Okay.

[1:12:15] Move to have these committees approved and then wait on the Perfect. Thank you.

[1:12:23] So, can I get a motion to have those two committees approved

[1:12:30] and then or do you want to wait to the cow? It's up to you guys.

[1:12:36] » I move to have those two committees. It's moved by councelor

[1:12:41] Mat Lefor, second by councelor Bourne that these two committees be filled. All

[1:12:48] in favor? Your motion is carried. Uh we'll bring

[1:12:53] the other two committees to cau

[1:12:58] or when yeah

[1:13:03] position is filled for district three. Okay. Um

[1:13:11] information report District 3 by election.

[1:13:16] Um Miss Cloud, you're up again.

[1:13:23] Um yeah, so you've all gotten the information report provided to you um in

[1:13:28] your council package. Um there was a resignation for district 3, so we do

[1:13:32] need to have a special bi-election. Um so this the report was just to kind of

[1:13:37] walk council through that process and how it's going to take place. There are

[1:13:41] a couple things that council needs to decide today. Um we are going by the mun

[1:13:46] municipal elections act as directed by the department of municipal affairs.

[1:13:50] Today is the absolute last day that we can that council can pick a election

[1:13:55] day. Um you have council has to pick an election day for the bi-election

[1:13:59] anywhere from April 25th to June uh June 6th. You also have to pick a first

[1:14:07] advanced poll day and I can give you those dates but I have to we have to

[1:14:11] first pick the election day. it has to fall within certain requirements. And

[1:14:16] then you also have to um appoint a returning officer and as recommended in

[1:14:21] the report um that would be myself, the municipal clerk as operationally I am uh

[1:14:27] that is on my job description.

[1:14:37] So we do have to pick the councelor Matson

[1:14:41] » or you also have to pick voting options. That was the other um and there there is

[1:14:46] a cost breakdown of per voting option that was supplied in your report.

[1:14:51] » Council, I'm just going to I plotted all this out beforehand. So for me

[1:14:56] personally, I was going to suggest Saturday May 30th. The rationale is

[1:15:00] because it falls within the legislated window. Provides sufficient time for

[1:15:05] nominations, staffing and public communication. It

[1:15:08] avoids rushing the process which can create inefficiencies. It balancing time

[1:15:14] that supports proper election administration without extending the

[1:15:17] timeline unnecessarily. I also went with the Elchipo decision. I

[1:15:24] would be going for paper ballots personally at this point and minimal

[1:15:28] advanced polling to reduce costs further. So that's my rationale. That's

[1:15:32] what I'm >> Can I ask what you said about the

[1:15:35] advanced poll thing? >> Uh minimal advanced polling cost further

[1:15:40] and anyway that's that's what I chose. But

[1:15:47] » any other council Henick? I agree with the with the paper ballot um way. I feel

[1:15:56] that it's uh a safer way of doing it. You show your identification, who you

[1:16:00] are, and it's it's an easier way to do it.

[1:16:08] Councelor Bourne, >> I'm fine with those recommendations so

[1:16:11] far.

[1:16:18] Deputy Warden, are you okay with Yeah. >> Okay. So, if it is May 30th for the

[1:16:25] election that you're that you're choosing, then

[1:16:29] Sorry, just one sec. >> Got to get my calendar back up.

[1:16:34] » That would be the first advanced poll day. Um would either be you have to pick

[1:16:38] either the Thursday the 21st or the Saturday, May 23rd.

[1:16:45] for the first advanced poll day

[1:16:50] and that would also make nomination day May 5th.

[1:16:59] » Um, is there any

[1:17:03] best practices with a weekday versus a weekend for advanced polling? Not that

[1:17:07] I've seen. Not that you've seen. So, >> there's two polls. You have your first

[1:17:10] advanced poll and then you have your legislated second advanced poll. And

[1:17:13] that's four days prior to this election day.

[1:17:15] » Okay, fair enough. >> Okay.

[1:17:19] » So, can you say that date again? The advanced poll would have to be the 26th,

[1:17:23] right? >> Nope. No.

[1:17:24] » So, election day, if election day is May 30th, you have two options for first

[1:17:30] advanced poll day. You have May 21st as the option

[1:17:33] » or you have May 23rd as the option. It's a Thursday or a Saturday.

[1:17:38] » So, you're not here for the You don't need to be here for the events.

[1:17:41] » No. Okay. They're very quiet. >> I'm I'm just checking with our CCO is

[1:17:47] sort of vacation time there. So, >> um

[1:17:56] » yeah, >> if it was to reduce costs, the Thursday

[1:17:59] would be the less of a cost.

[1:18:06] I'm >> fine with that. Like I said, with me,

[1:18:08] it's just Council Born, you have your Okay. Vance poll 21st.

[1:18:14] » Yes. >> Okay. So that means that the special

[1:18:17] election for district 3 by election would be May 30th, 2026 with first

[1:18:24] advanced poll being May 21st, 2026 and

[1:18:32] May.

[1:18:36] That's two. >> And nominations, they have to have their

[1:18:38] nominations in by >> uh nomination day would be May 5th.

[1:18:44] » May 5th. >> Yep.

[1:18:46] » Okay. Um >> and are you going by paper ballot?

[1:18:50] » Per ballot. Okay. One thing Go ahead, Council Mat Lefor.

[1:18:57] Just to just to note, I'm backing a paper ballot for this just because it's

[1:19:03] an exceptional bi-election, but that's not necessarily where I would stand for

[1:19:07] the next it. It's just for this bi-election. That option is Yep. Yep. We

[1:19:12] just want to I just wanted to supply all the options that are available.

[1:19:16] » Mr. CL, can I ask what about the seniors residents? Uh the

[1:19:22] » So, there is a a vote by proxy. Um, and we could also I need I'm going to be

[1:19:28] looking into it. I just needed to find out what the decision was on council.

[1:19:32] Um, but there is a potential that an advanced polling station could be set up

[1:19:35] there at one of the homes. >> Yes. Yes.

[1:19:38] » Just to make sure that >> Yes.

[1:19:40] » Okay. So, >> I'm also fine with appointing staff as

[1:19:46] the officer election administration

[1:19:50] returning officer. >> Do you need a motion for that?

[1:19:52] » I have one. I so I provided a um a sample motion um for all of the it's one

[1:19:59] motion that entails everything. >> Yes.

[1:20:03] » Yeah.

[1:20:07] » Can we get a motion then? So the motion should say that council declare May 30th

[1:20:14] » as the date of the district 3 bi-election that the first advanced

[1:20:17] polling will be May 21st in accordance with legislative

[1:20:22] requirements and that the municipal clerk be appointed as returning officer

[1:20:25] for the bi-election and that council approve the use of paper ballots as a

[1:20:32] voting method.

[1:20:36] That's the motion. If somebody wants to >> somebody want to make that motion,

[1:20:40] councelor Henock, the motion's on the table. Do I have a seconder?

[1:20:44] Councelor Mat fort. No discussion discussion.

[1:20:48] » Just one discussion. Do we need to add the

[1:20:51] » um the 21st in there just to dates to pick?

[1:20:56] » Was that in there? I guess. Okay. Y Thank you. No problem.

[1:21:02] Okay. Uh there's a motion on the table. We have a seconder. All in favor?

[1:21:07] Motion is carried. Bi-election May 30th, 2026 for district 3. Thank you.

[1:21:14] Counselors,

[1:21:22] are you speaking on this? >> I

[1:21:28] Okay. Next, we have the uh tip fee uh write off uh for the Bedc Rink demo. um

[1:21:36] our CEO is going to be speaking on this. >> Yeah. So, um we have received some um

[1:21:42] some material so far from the Victoria County Highland Civic Center. Uh it was

[1:21:47] brought to council in the past about writing off the tipping fees for the um

[1:21:53] demolition of the old arena. Um and I think that it was noted to wait until uh

[1:22:01] we came in to see how much that would cost.

[1:22:04] So, currently where we're where we're at, we wanted to bring council up to

[1:22:08] date on it. Um because Bill O'Brien, the manager there, approached uh our

[1:22:14] department requesting municipal council wave the tipping fees. Uh what we have

[1:22:18] so far um is that to date 34.6 me metric tons of demolition materials have been

[1:22:26] disposed of at the Bedc Waste Management Facility, resulting in $2,492.20

[1:22:32] 20 cents in tip fees. Uh the demolition project is still in progress. Um and

[1:22:38] updated information will be provided at the time of completion, but just wanted

[1:22:41] to keep you up to date on where we are at with the fees. I think we're thinking

[1:22:47] that the total is probably going to come in around$7,000.

[1:22:51] » Okay. So, this is just for information purpose. And

[1:22:54] » well, you could um choose to write it off currently if you wanted to. That's

[1:22:59] the number that we have so far. Um that's council's decision.

[1:23:06] » Councelor Bourne >> suggesting that so it stays in the

[1:23:08] fiscal year and that way this portion is and then the rest would be okay. Ideally

[1:23:19] questions on the tipping fee. >> Okay.

[1:23:27] Make a motion on that. Sure. I' I've put a motion on the floor that we pay the

[1:23:32] $2,492 in tipping fees in this fiscal year.

[1:23:38] » You actually just write it off. Yeah, >> there's a motion on the table. Do I have

[1:23:44] a seconder? Second by councelor Dunovan. Any discussion

[1:23:56] during just during this fiscal year? in the just to capture this amount in this

[1:24:00] fiscal year.

[1:24:05] All in favor? Your motion is carried. So you'll be

[1:24:10] writing that off. Councelor Dunovan.

[1:24:15] » Councelor Dunovan.

[1:24:19] Um community shredding event. This was asked for. So, our staff have

[1:24:26] been in contact with Scotia Shredding, Scotia Security Shredding. Um, they have

[1:24:32] proposed a couple of Saturdays to come and do this event. Um, the following or

[1:24:39] the Saturdays of May 9th and May 23rd were the Saturdays that were suggested.

[1:24:44] Um the quoted costs for having this service done which would be um ideally

[1:24:50] they come park in a parking lot and residents can come and give their um

[1:24:57] items that they wish to be have shredded their personal items um through a a

[1:25:03] secure system through a secure company. Uh so south of Smokeoky is $700 and

[1:25:09] north of Smokeoky was about $1,200. Uh this service would include the mobile

[1:25:13] shredding truck staff and on-site secure shredding for residents during the

[1:25:17] scheduled time period. A spot where they uh request so I guess

[1:25:22] there's two different pieces to this. Are we interested in doing this? We may

[1:25:26] actually be able to get a grant from divert to offset the cost of these uh

[1:25:31] which we will look into if it's something the council is interested in

[1:25:34] doing on those dates. Um and on top of that, uh we are hoping that the location

[1:25:42] that's determined is the school parking lots. Seems to be the best most sort of

[1:25:48] out of the way locations for um for having this truck go in park. So

[1:25:55] we're hoping that when Susan Kelly comes to council that council will request

[1:25:58] that that be something that happen in the school parking lots.

[1:26:02] » Councor Mats on the floor. Um, can I ask does it cost $500 more to get to North

[1:26:07] of Smokey? Like what is the difference? What is the reasoning for the $700

[1:26:11] versus $1,200? I'm surprised it's not double. But yeah,

[1:26:20] and like search charge that I don't know about when it comes to North of Smoking.

[1:26:26] Councelor D, if you want to speak. No,

[1:26:30] » I mean that's a big difference. I get Yeah, I get if it's you're traveling

[1:26:36] extensively or maybe going into a place that's risky,

[1:26:41] like danger pay, but I don't understand the $500 difference. I'd be curious to

[1:26:46] in their quotes unless they just have an overall sweeping

[1:26:50] policy regarding that. So, >> unfortunately,

[1:26:54] north of Smokeoky, as soon as you say north of Smokeoky, it does become more

[1:26:58] expensive for transport. Uh typically there are trucking fees and also fuel

[1:27:05] fuel search charges that are applied to loads that

[1:27:10] come over Smokeoky >> was think I was thinking the same thing

[1:27:16] uh counselor um it is quite a difference between the two spots but add on to that

[1:27:22] there's there's staff that they're sending traveling to these locations so

[1:27:27] if it's two hours to get there two hours to get back plus the cost of fuel, it's

[1:27:33] it's different than coming to bed. So,

[1:27:39] if the schools are not an option, could the RC and P2 stations be a good option

[1:27:44] as well? >> Possibly both sell the Smokey and

[1:27:48] » Yeah, we're we're hoping for the school. Sure.

[1:27:50] » And then um if we need to find an alternate location, I'm sure we can

[1:27:55] somewhere. >> Great. Do you need a motion, Leanne, or

[1:27:58] » Yeah, I think that Sorry. Okay, >> councelor Hanick first.

[1:28:01] » Just curious, are they going to give us a a report on how much was shredded?

[1:28:07] » I wonder >> we we probably can ask for that.

[1:28:11] » I'm just saying because if there's no like if it's not used then then then why

[1:28:16] get it, right? Like for the >> Yeah.

[1:28:18] » You know what I mean? Like just if we have a a ballpark on how much was taken

[1:28:22] in or used or or whatnot, right? >> Right. That's something that we normally

[1:28:25] look for. So, for instance, we had our household hazardous waste uh drop offs,

[1:28:31] which was a special I think it was a huge cost that we paid

[1:28:36] and there might have been five people to 10 people show up at it. So, for this as

[1:28:43] well, yes, that will be something that will be tracked.

[1:28:46] » Okay. So, then they're only going to be there from a certain time to a certain

[1:28:49] time, right? Like if it's going to be at the school.

[1:28:51] » Yep. It's 3 hours of service on a Saturday and as we get the dates, we'll

[1:28:56] then get the information out on um getting it out to the public, doing a

[1:29:01] blitz on advertising for it.

[1:29:08] Okay. If it's council's wishes to have this looked into more or for location,

[1:29:15] um I'm going to need a motion on the table.

[1:29:20] Okay, go ahead council Bourne. >> I will move that we accept the

[1:29:24] recommendations and the report on the two dates and with the cost on both SAM

[1:29:29] Smokeoky and North Smokeoky. >> There's a motion on the table. Can I get

[1:29:33] a seconder? Second by councelor Dunovan. All in favor?

[1:29:39] Your motion is carried. Look into that for us, please.

[1:29:45] Okay. Next is council reports. We'll start with Oh, sorry.

[1:29:52] I scratched that off, too. Scheduling council and cow meetings

[1:30:02] was speaking on this. Who brought it up?

[1:30:10] Gordon. >> Yeah, I didn't ask for the councils and

[1:30:13] cal meetings but uh just I want to sk when we scheduled the training meetings

[1:30:20] and um extra meetings. So make um if we can be all full quarum to that meetings

[1:30:29] and we know that councils and cow meetings we have it Mondays is scheduled

[1:30:35] for the year. I'm fine with that um with schedule and I in personal I work I work

[1:30:42] Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursdays until noon. So it's I can be Tuesdays,

[1:30:48] Wednesdays. So um I just about schedule extra meetings so if they can give us in

[1:30:56] advance the dates and then I can make or not make it. Um about Mondays the

[1:31:03] console meetings and cloud I'm fine with that. I don't know if we keep it for a

[1:31:07] year again. That's I think we do every year, right? So, it's working. So, just

[1:31:14] because a new council is coming uh not necessarily sometimes we have to

[1:31:19] meet at 12:00 in Mondays. Maybe the new counselor is working as well. So, we can

[1:31:25] meet after 5. We do that before. So, just just want to make sure it's options

[1:31:30] there. And um yeah just if they're more u about the extra meetings that you're

[1:31:36] going to we are going to uh schedule so get more consideration about like we we

[1:31:43] need to be all full quarum for council for meetings. So now uh either one can

[1:31:51] just send us the dates the administration is giving it to you we

[1:31:56] can just figure out Yep.

[1:32:03] Let so the request is for council to send

[1:32:08] their their meeting their their their

[1:32:13] uh calendars. Uh we don't need to see the details.

[1:32:18] It helps with scheduling. There's a lot of meetings that are coming up.

[1:32:23] Two Mondays of a month are council and committee of the whole. One Monday is

[1:32:29] usually a holiday. We have a tight schedule there now to

[1:32:35] work around. So if it means moving meetings to the evenings, we need to

[1:32:40] know. But scheduling of the meetings takes a lot to have presenters come,

[1:32:47] other levels of government come, all kinds of

[1:32:52] different things. So the the scheduling of it, it it doesn't just happen.

[1:32:59] And then to have the counsel like send it to Jackie to send out to send back.

[1:33:03] Why not use ouruler who schedules things? She needs access to your

[1:33:09] calendars to fit them in. So we don't need to see what what you're what you're

[1:33:15] doing. There's settings in your calendar that can be set. As long as everything

[1:33:19] is in your calendar, we we try to accommodate But there's just other times

[1:33:24] that we just can't based on others coming. So,

[1:33:31] councelor Mat Lefor. >> Um, regarding the calendar, I was

[1:33:34] actually confused because I thought that administration already had access to it

[1:33:39] because it had shown in there that there was another party that had access to our

[1:33:43] calendars. So, I guess that's what confused me,

[1:33:47] » right? And that's what confused me. I thought it was staff that had like

[1:33:50] administered that had that. So um but on another note is it going to be in our

[1:33:55] policy because I know it's being worked on when it doesn't happen in the end of

[1:34:00] time of the year but winter about rescheduling our cow in council

[1:34:04] sessions. Are we going to have that written in so it's a definite always a

[1:34:08] week later or always three day like is are we going to do something like that

[1:34:12] for the canceled ones because of weather and things like that? So the policy

[1:34:15] currently as it so it will be discussed at committee the whole but it is written

[1:34:20] in it that it is the warden and the CEO's call to if it's going to go to

[1:34:25] virtual. So like here's an example this last meeting of committee of the whole.

[1:34:30] We've now pushed it off. Our schedule is now doubled on things because we haven't

[1:34:34] had another time there. But if if we're going to keep moving them and we only

[1:34:40] have a small time frame to schedule around, your days are going to be really

[1:34:44] long. So why we have the ability to do virtual. So we try to do what we can in

[1:34:52] virtual if that's if that's what the call is. So we're still we'd like to

[1:34:58] keep the same days, but just decide on where it's going to be or how it's going

[1:35:04] to be. Council Donovan, >> it just seems to make sense to me if all

[1:35:09] the folks on council realize that every second Monday you have a meeting. If

[1:35:13] there is a weather event and you can't make it into bedc because of snow or or

[1:35:17] whatever, doing the meeting virtually just seems

[1:35:21] to be the obvious decision >> and and we agree with that. The only

[1:35:27] issue that we've had in the past is trying to hybrid it. So if some are

[1:35:32] virtual and some are um in person, it's hard to hear. It's hard to So

[1:35:41] yeah. Oh >> no.

[1:35:45] » Yeah. So that's why the >> Yeah. And you have to also remember like

[1:35:50] there may not be anybody here today. However, we try to make the calls.

[1:35:56] You have to think about the people thinking about coming to the meetings.

[1:36:00] um the the weather that they would be um coming through. There's not it's not

[1:36:06] just making sure these people are here. You also have to think about the public

[1:36:10] if the public was to ever show up. So virtual may make more sense or or or

[1:36:19] rescheduling. It's your call, but that is in the council policy currently, the

[1:36:24] council procedural policy which you're going to see. I think we're going to

[1:36:28] send it out. Okay. Uh so there is something in there

[1:36:32] where these meetings the warden and the CEO work in conjunction to figure out if

[1:36:38] it's going to be turned to a virtual meeting or not. And there should be

[1:36:40] enough time ahead of time to figure that piece out too. But if our schedule is

[1:36:46] down to between 2 days or 2 and 1/2 days,

[1:36:52] we may have to look at the times of these meetings if they're not working

[1:36:56] for people. So we try to do our best, but we can't

[1:37:01] always we can't always. >> I understand that you can always it's

[1:37:06] just uh we have considerations a lot in the formal console. some of them were

[1:37:12] working that time. So if you can we can meet after 4:30 that I don't see the

[1:37:19] problem in that. I'm just asking more flexibility in in the meetings and not

[1:37:25] just 10 to 12 and 2 to 4 like we can meet after and we are not the only know

[1:37:31] there's a lot of consults they're meeting after 5 because people work. So

[1:37:36] it's just I'm asking for that consideration as personal because my my

[1:37:40] work is going to be there until I don't know until I finish at 4:30 but I can be

[1:37:47] by 4:30 here. So that's I'm asking a consideration for console to to keep

[1:37:52] that in mind. So I can meet every day but after 4:30 sometimes.

[1:38:02] » Councelor Matson Lefor. No, I do. I I Yeah, I acknowledge that because I know

[1:38:06] there are other councils where they're meeting at 6:00 and 700 p.m.

[1:38:10] So, mind you, my only concern was just when those things for those things

[1:38:16] happen in the winter traveling with the ones that come from the north just

[1:38:20] because we have different geographical constraints here in Victoria County and

[1:38:23] Inesse County than they would have in like, you know, or Yeah. you know.

[1:38:28] Anyway, but again, I'm I'm fine with later on in the day as well as long as

[1:38:34] it's a reasonable >> and I'm okay with a console and cow and

[1:38:37] Mondays. I I can do it just is just the days I'm working. So, I'm trying to be

[1:38:43] you guys can be consideration about that. That's it. Can be training, can be

[1:38:49] budget, but they need have to be consideration

[1:38:53] there. >> Okay. No taken. uh with the the virtual

[1:38:58] the only thing the only time that if we can't do it

[1:39:02] virtually would be with the power the power north of Smokeoky we'd have to

[1:39:06] take in consideration that our powers is usually out so

[1:39:12] » so if we could have councils share their schedules um their calendars and it is

[1:39:19] here who can help with doing that um it just makes it easier for our schedulers

[1:39:25] as Thank you.

[1:39:27] » Okay, I'll council to share their calendar. Go ahead, council. Question

[1:39:31] because the last training session was with municipal affairs. Is that going to

[1:39:35] be rescheduled and maybe that could be done on a Monday afternoon when like

[1:39:39] after cow or when we're free?

[1:39:45] Okay, thank you.

[1:39:54] Um, now we'll go to council reports. We'll start with councelor Henick today.

[1:40:03] Oh, just one.

[1:40:16] Okay, we'll start with counselor. Thank you, Warden. Um, the Cabbat Fire Hall

[1:40:22] Auxiliary will be having uh their elementary age dance along with the

[1:40:26] Easter Bunny Pictures on March 27th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Cab Fireh Hall.

[1:40:32] It was uh cancelled last week because of the storm, so come on out and uh get

[1:40:36] your bunny pictures done. Uh North Highland Nordic will be having a spring

[1:40:41] market and breakfast every Saturday in April from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

[1:40:46] Please message the Nordic to book a table. Uh and the breakfastes go pretty

[1:40:51] quick too, so uh come early. Um Bas Lawrence Community Center will be having

[1:40:56] their second annual spring health fair Wednesday, April 29th from 1 to 4. Uh

[1:41:02] please see their Facebook page for more information.

[1:41:07] A reminder to district 8 that the misable grants deadline is March 31st.

[1:41:12] And thank you to everyone that had their say in doing the municipal survey, but

[1:41:16] they still have time. The deadline is today. So, get them in. Um, and that's

[1:41:21] it for me. Thank you, councelor. Councelor Donovan.

[1:41:26] » Thank you, Warden. Um, let's Oh, excuse me. Smoker Recreation. Um, I believe

[1:41:32] they're starting to wind down on their Sunday afternoon jam sessions. They were

[1:41:38] uh very popular this this year once again.

[1:41:41] Um I from what I understand I believe uh Cape Smokey Ski Cape Smokeoky are going

[1:41:47] to be open into mid to late April provided the snow holds up. They tell me

[1:41:53] they have about a 4ft base of snow man-made so they may still be there

[1:41:58] skiing in April. uh there on uh Good Friday there will be

[1:42:04] a uh homemade beans fishcake supper at the Royal Canadian Legion in Northades.

[1:42:11] That's district. That's your district. Sorry about that.

[1:42:16] Uh and uh recently I did receive an emailed question regarding the uh septic

[1:42:22] system at the new daycare center. Uh I have asked a few questions. Uh, I spoke

[1:42:27] with the the head of smoky recreation. He tells me that he is not aware of any

[1:42:33] issue whatsoever with septic system. I haven't heard anything from any

[1:42:37] provincial authorities that pointed out that there is an issue. Um, I'm not sure

[1:42:43] who would be contacted to verify any of that. Anyway, I uh yeah, I'm not sure

[1:42:52] who else to ask. That's it for me.

[1:42:56] » Thank you, Councelor Dunham. Councelor Bourne. Thank you, Warden. We received

[1:43:00] the sad news that Recco Cove General Store will not be reopening under its

[1:43:04] current owners, Jen and Brent. Uh, for many in our community, the store has

[1:43:09] been more than just a place to shop. It has been a gathering spot, a friendly

[1:43:13] face, and part of the daily life for years. I want to sincerely thank Jen and

[1:43:17] Brent for the dedication and service and wish them all the best in their future

[1:43:21] endeavors. On March March 4th, I attended the Nova Scotia Indigenous

[1:43:26] Tourism Enterprise Network event in member 2. As a board member of

[1:43:30] Destination Cape Breton, it was a great opportunity to learn more about the

[1:43:34] important work happening in indigenous tourism. Counselor Mat Lefor also joined

[1:43:39] me which made the event even better to connect and learn together.

[1:43:44] There is a free tax clinic. So, it's a reminder of the free tax clinic being

[1:43:48] held every Thursday in March and April at Knox Hall from 10 to 1:00 p.m. except

[1:43:54] March 26. It's available for seniors and lowincome residents.

[1:44:00] The health group in St. An's Bay continues to be a strong advocate for

[1:44:04] community health. Their last senior lunch had over 60 attendees,

[1:44:10] showing much how much this program is needed. They also offer weekly guided

[1:44:15] tours, hikes, clinics, foot clinics, yoga, and more. You can check out their

[1:44:19] Facebook page and events page for upcoming activities. On March 18th, I

[1:44:24] attended the annual general meeting at the Northshore and District volunteer

[1:44:29] fire department. So, a big congratulations to the newly elected

[1:44:32] officers and to Chief McDonald. I want to sincerely thank them for their

[1:44:37] volunteer for to all the volunteers for their dedication, your hard work and

[1:44:41] commitment to make our community safer every day. On Sunday, March 22nd, I

[1:44:46] attended a community breakfast in Englishtown. Many thanks to the

[1:44:49] volunteers who put on the breakfast and for bringing the community together. I'd

[1:44:54] also like to thank Warden Oregon for joining me. We appreciate you coming and

[1:44:58] share the community event. South Haven Hall will have their community breakfast

[1:45:02] on Saturday, March 28th. And then just to note as well, Meadow Road washouts. A

[1:45:08] resident reached out about the road washouts on Meadow Road after recent

[1:45:12] heavy rains. I followed up with the Nova Scotia public works with sending

[1:45:16] pictures in and details of the area to the area manager and that we will follow

[1:45:20] up. And with that being said, I do have a motion.

[1:45:24] » Oh, go ahead. >> Thank you so much.

[1:45:27] Reliable cellular service is essential for public safety, economic stability,

[1:45:32] and quality and life of communities across Nova Scotia. However, significant

[1:45:36] gaps in coverage remain along the travel corridors, including the Cab Trail and

[1:45:43] in many rural areas in Victoria County and beyond. These gaps pose serious risk

[1:45:48] to residents, tourists, and first responders. In areas without reliable

[1:45:52] service, vehicle breakdowns, accidents, and medical emergencies can result in

[1:45:57] dangerous delays in assessing assistance, particularly in remote and

[1:46:02] hightra tourism regions. Announcement through build Nova Scotia include

[1:46:07] planned improvements at Cape Smokeoky and a new tower in Oregon are positive

[1:46:13] steps. However, current timelines indicate that these projects may not be

[1:46:17] completed before the upcoming tourist season, raising concerns about continued

[1:46:21] safety risk and potential delays in delivery. Improving cellular coverage

[1:46:26] along the cabbage trail and in rural communities is a shared priority across

[1:46:32] municipalities. It supports coordinated emergency

[1:46:35] response. It strengthens Nova Scotia's tourist in economy and advances

[1:46:40] equitable access to essential infrastructure. Victoria County is

[1:46:45] initiating a coordinated advocacy effort in inviting municipalities across Nova

[1:46:50] Scotia to support a unified call for timely delivery of critical cellular

[1:46:55] infrastructure. This isn't just about Victoria County. We're asking

[1:46:59] municipalities across Nova Scotia to join us in a coordinated effort with

[1:47:04] support from Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities, Destination Cape Breton,

[1:47:09] and the Cape Breton Partnership. So, I move that council direct chief

[1:47:16] administrative officer to take the following steps. First to draft a formal

[1:47:20] advocacy letter requesting improved and reliable cellular service along the

[1:47:24] cabbage trail and in rural areas of Victoria County and across Nova Scotia

[1:47:29] for signature by the warden on behalf of council. The letter should clearly

[1:47:33] outline public safety risk, economic and tourism impacts, and the need for

[1:47:37] equitable rural telecommunications infrastructure and request confirmation

[1:47:42] of timeless timelines and commitments to announce

[1:47:47] projects including consideration of advancing the Oregon Tower to the 2026

[1:47:52] tourist season. It should also invite municipalities across Nova Scotia to

[1:47:56] endorse and co-sign the letter creating a coordinated provincewide advocacy

[1:48:01] effort with support from the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities,

[1:48:06] Destination Cape Breton, and Cape Breton Partnership.

[1:48:13] There's a motion on the table. Do I have a seconder? Second by Councelor Dunovan.

[1:48:17] Any discussion? All in favor of this motion?

[1:48:24] Motion is carried. >> Thank you.

[1:48:25] » Thank you, councelor Bourne. Deputy Warden,

[1:48:28] » thank you. Um just want um either in cow council if we can invite Steve

[1:48:34] McDonald's from public works to just attend uh give us some um the spring

[1:48:40] projects and about the how the bud is to the Kim and give us any projects ahead

[1:48:47] for this year. either in console or cow, whatever it works for

[1:48:53] for him.

[1:48:56] » Okay, that's written down. Okay, that's and that's it.

[1:49:00] » Okay, thank you, Deputy W. >> Councelor Mat Lefort.

[1:49:06] » Thank you, Warden. Um, for the Legion and Iona, the Wednesday Legion work

[1:49:12] parties resume. So, weekly work parties at the Legion will resume on Wednesday,

[1:49:16] March 25th at 10:00 a.m. Participants will gather to set priorities for 2026

[1:49:22] before continuing the ongoing tasks and community upkeep efforts. This weekly

[1:49:26] sessions provide an opportunity to address small projects, share ideas, and

[1:49:30] work collaboratively in support of the community. All residents who are

[1:49:34] interested in contributing are welcome to attend and lend a hand.

[1:49:39] There will be a family dance night. Residents are invited to the family

[1:49:43] dance on April 4th from 7:30 to 10 at the Little Ner Community Hall. The

[1:49:47] evening will feature live music by youth musicians from around the island. This

[1:49:51] all ages event offers a fun and welcoming atmosphere for families and

[1:49:55] community members to come together and enjoy live entertainment. Admission is

[1:49:59] $5 and attendees are encouraged to bring their dance shoes for a lively

[1:50:03] familyfriendly night. Today there's a very important thing

[1:50:07] happening in Wadma Cookook. They're opening their lifelong learning center.

[1:50:11] So, they're having their grand opening today. The community is invited to

[1:50:15] attend the grand opening at Wadmakook Lifelong Learning Center today at 100

[1:50:20] p.m. at the Wadmakook Learning Center. This new space will provide residents

[1:50:26] with access to free Wi-Fi, public desktop computers and MacBooks, as well

[1:50:31] as printing services and a range of learning resources. Designed as a

[1:50:35] comfortable and quiet quiet environment, the site aims to support adult learning

[1:50:39] and skills development. The facility will be available for residents seeking

[1:50:43] to build new skills, access online services, or simply use a quiet space

[1:50:47] for focused work or study. Light refreshments, including tea, coffee, and

[1:50:51] snacks will be provided today. Again, that's 100 p.m. that the grand opening

[1:50:55] starts. And regarding spring flooding in on the

[1:51:01] Wabuk Peninsula, there's spring flooding is affecting parts of the Wabuk

[1:51:06] Peninsula where two properties are currently experiencing significant

[1:51:10] impacts. The situation has been brought to the attention of the area manager via

[1:51:16] the MLA and site evaluations are expected to take place this week,

[1:51:20] weather permitting. Updates will be provided as more information becomes

[1:51:25] available. That is it for my district update. The

[1:51:29] one other item that I have that I had as a motion, but I was told it doesn't need

[1:51:34] to be a motion, is that I will be attending and participating in the basic

[1:51:39] income guarantee Nova Scotia 1-day conference in Halifax on April 17th as a

[1:51:45] panel speaker representing the municipality.

[1:51:48] So, I'm just putting that to the council to say that I will be going and

[1:51:55] my travel I'll be expending my travel will be covered.

[1:52:01] » Okay, that's for information and it's okay approved.

[1:52:06] » Thank you. >> Thank you, counselor.

[1:52:09] Ah, District 7. Once again, the Young at Heart Social

[1:52:13] was a great success with a St. Patty's Day

[1:52:18] uh meal of bangers and mash and they had chair yoga. This Wednesday, uh Victoria

[1:52:25] County recreation coordinator Chris Woodford will be there for fun and games

[1:52:30] and a meal uh will be hamburger casserole. All come on out and enjoy.

[1:52:35] That's on Wednesday. Uh I had h I did have the pleasure of

[1:52:39] having breakfast with counselor Bourne and her husband in the English town

[1:52:42] hall. It was it was really nice. We had a we had a great morning. Um roads

[1:52:47] weren't that great going up, but going home were better. Uh fish and chips

[1:52:51] supper was held uh yesterday for a fundraiser for the Neils Harbor New

[1:52:55] Haven Volunteer Fire Department. It was a great turnout from both volunteers and

[1:52:59] people uh buying the meals. Uh once again, like Councelor Henick said, the

[1:53:05] reminder for the uh deadline for the municipal grants is March 31st and your

[1:53:11] survey is due today. Um, I think so far it's been a a really good turnout for

[1:53:16] our surveys. Um, I'd also like to remind the

[1:53:20] residents of District 3, I am acting as your counselor. Um, I can be reached any

[1:53:26] time uh via email. Um, and I will be at this the courthouse

[1:53:34] here on the first Monday of May uh between 12 and 1. But if you need to get

[1:53:40] hold of me before then, please please reach out to my email. Um, and that's it

[1:53:46] for district 7 today. Um,

[1:53:53] break.

[1:54:00] At least we can keep. Okay. So, we're going to do uh

[1:54:18] Sorry. Got it. Word. Go ahead. >> Yeah. So about the drones talking um you

[1:54:26] say the amount could be in the air in the area funding, right? Will we cover

[1:54:31] it? >> No, it's not. It's not going to be

[1:54:35] funded through EMO funding, but it could be a Remo funding. It could be a Remo

[1:54:40] priority. That seems to be where all of our emergency management things are

[1:54:44] heading. Okay. >> So, once our Remo is formed, that will

[1:54:47] be something that we'll talk about. Um cuz we're then talking regional and I

[1:54:52] heard this morning that there is one over in Valley Mills, I think, already

[1:54:57] at a fire department. So, there may be one to use. Also, we had a police

[1:55:01] advisory meeting on last week and we spoke with uh the RCMP officer that was

[1:55:06] there and he said that the RCMP here have one. So, that it has to be an has

[1:55:13] to be licensed, has to have an operator work it and so we do have people that we

[1:55:19] could draw on at this time. Um, we just have to figure out how. So that will be

[1:55:24] something that we'll be I'll be taking to the Remo uh committee.

[1:55:29] » Yeah. Just to check it out for the amount maybe if we do you think we have

[1:55:33] to put it in a budget talk about that in case

[1:55:37] » there's going to be remo items coming to the budget. So okay

[1:55:41] » um you can you certainly can um but I'm thinking it's more of a of a regional

[1:55:49] approach. However, you guys, you certainly can take it to your own

[1:55:52] budget. >> So, regional, you you think you're

[1:55:55] talking about uh just Victoria County or Inber?

[1:56:00] » No. So, I've been talking about that we've been that we're setting up a

[1:56:03] regional emergency management. There's the province is making us have Remos.

[1:56:10] So, we are in a Remo with Inesse, Victoria, Richmond, and Port Hawkberry.

[1:56:16] So this regional emergency management organization is taking over emergency

[1:56:22] management. So and fire service could possibly be fire services as well.

[1:56:28] » You say you we have one in Victoria County at least with the RCMP

[1:56:32] » are there's an RCMP drone currently that service Yep. services here and in

[1:56:39] Ganesh. >> Okay.

[1:56:40] Um so did you say in the reusal center you're thinking about um two weeks

[1:56:46] instead of three weeks for the reusable application? So for the reuse center it

[1:56:51] was um we were thinking since there is so since there was cuts to

[1:57:00] most organizations from the provincial funding that is that is uh happening. We

[1:57:05] thought maybe we would like to give um some more groups an opportunity.

[1:57:11] » So we thought maybe if if the time that each group got was two weeks rather than

[1:57:18] three weeks, it might spread out the funding the fundraising. So wondering

[1:57:24] what council's thoughts are on that and if council is okay with that.

[1:57:31] Um, councelor Matson Lefor, >> have we thought of a hybrid model where

[1:57:35] you can have a standard three weeks but groups may opt into two week voluntarily

[1:57:42] » just because some might have staffing issues with the shortened two weeks.

[1:57:47] » I think you're getting into operational stuff there. So, all we're asking of

[1:57:51] council is do you want two weeks or three weeks and then we'll figure out

[1:57:55] we'll figure out the the how to get it done. But wondering if council is open

[1:58:01] to it being proposed as a two week time frame that

[1:58:07] each group could go there. Councelor Bourne.

[1:58:09] » Yeah, I think two weeks would spread it out a bit more and to have more

[1:58:14] nonprofits have an opportunity to be selected because it is a random

[1:58:17] selection every year and some may not get it for several years. Um, so I think

[1:58:23] it would be great and just what the CIO CIO reminded us with the some of the

[1:58:28] provincial funding changes that it would be a good opportunity for some

[1:58:32] nonprofits to get um in on it. >> Yeah. And then like the scheduling of

[1:58:37] two weeks versus 3 weeks if they wanted the option it gets into more of

[1:58:44] getting in touch with the groups and get like it's it's easier to just say it's

[1:58:48] two rather than three just because we're getting to the time when we have to

[1:58:54] start opening it as well. We want to get the names out. So I think

[1:59:00] I'm proposing we change it to two weeks. see how that works. Then we can look at

[1:59:07] a debrief if we need it afterwards. >> Okay. So,

[1:59:11] » you need that in a motion or >> No, I just think so.

[1:59:14] » I need council just to be aware and supportive of that.

[1:59:18] » So, can I just get a show of hands if councils uh would like two weeks instead

[1:59:23] of three?

[1:59:27] Okay. Would like three weeks instead of two. Perfect. Okay. So, we're going to

[1:59:32] go with the two weeks. >> Okay. Great. Thank you.

[1:59:35] » And yeah, and then um the senior safety um

[1:59:41] after the cuts that the province is given and we have that launches every

[1:59:47] Thursday or every once a week, do we have to be considerating some money for

[1:59:52] in the budget to keep it going? We haven't heard yet

[1:59:58] what is happening with that uh department.

[2:00:01] » Okay. I think estimates are happening this week with the province. So that's

[2:00:06] one area that we have not heard if there is or isn't cuts to it.

[2:00:11] » So not sure at this time. However, um the projects that you are funding, so

[2:00:17] projects that you are funding through senior safety officer is something that

[2:00:20] will have to come to the budget for sure.

[2:00:22] » Okay. Just to make sure when we talk budget.

[2:00:24] » Yep. >> And for the trails, I just want to check

[2:00:27] it out if uh spring is coming. So what is we have to put the signs in the new

[2:00:34] so how it's going and the gate for it is a problem

[2:00:40] » Dan can you come to the mic there please so

[2:00:44] people at can hear you thank you

[2:00:50] » sorry about that um yeah the we I've got a meeting scheduled with Kelly on the

[2:00:54] gate and what we'll be doing for that um and then the signs will come up after

[2:00:58] that It's I think it's April 1st before they can get into that as well. So,

[2:01:03] they'll be going out soon. >> I receive some phone calls and I say

[2:01:06] just wait until >> Yeah, they at the end of the day they

[2:01:09] can't use the trails right now. Um tired vehicles wouldn't be allowed on

[2:01:14] the groomed snowmobile trail. So, as long as there's snow, there's no ATV

[2:01:17] use. So, those signs would be not useful until the snow is gone.

[2:01:20] » Okay. Thanks, Nick. >> Is that it, Deputy? I think we're on the

[2:01:25] same same wavelength today. my items for me drone reuse center senior safety.

[2:01:34] So just another one um just want to make everyone aware tomorrow there is a tax

[2:01:39] sale um at where at the inverary being held uh

[2:01:45] there's six properties remaining on it that is that updated there might be five

[2:01:50] okay so there's there's a handful of properties that are on that um our

[2:01:56] website not I think you got an email letting you know that the website has

[2:01:59] changed the meeting records page is now live there it has the live streams and

[2:02:05] the um uh meeting minutes, the agendas, the package. Um Jessica did her magic

[2:02:14] behind there and got all those things uh in there. So um that page is new and

[2:02:20] hopefully uh we have people folks visiting that site. Uh yeah, the the

[2:02:25] deadline for reuse uh applications coming in is March 31st. The donation

[2:02:31] drop off is now available. So if folks have some things, gently used items, um

[2:02:36] please drop them off. >> Uh can I ask about the water line repair

[2:02:42] in Pingwall and somewhere else? When does that have to be done and has

[2:02:49] somebody looked at it for a cost yet? So, it's a public works that are um

[2:02:56] public works is doing work on the side of their bridge and they will require

[2:03:01] our water lines to be moved. I don't think it's an if. I think it's a when.

[2:03:07] Uh we are looking at different costs for it. It is going to be extremely costly.

[2:03:14] Uh upwards of $100,000 and we're looking at different options

[2:03:18] on it currently. But I think we are holding up public works's

[2:03:24] replacement of some bridges because they're waiting for us to figure out how

[2:03:31] or where our water lines are going to go. 100,000 each.

[2:03:40] Okay. Um we need more users on the systems.

[2:03:44] Yeah. Um senior safety updated. Are we doing that now or?

[2:03:50] » No, that's just for information purposes. She sent that out to

[2:03:53] » Can we get her um I'd like to know when is her report going to come in for the

[2:04:00] 24-week um program that she had? Um will we be

[2:04:06] seeing um how it was ran during all the districts?

[2:04:12] uh how the budgets were spent and so we can make a decision whether

[2:04:18] » Yep. >> you know if if it's going to continue or

[2:04:21] » Yeah. So she's um she's away right now, but when she comes back we will

[2:04:25] certainly have her give an update, a final report on how things went on that.

[2:04:29] » Okay, that would be great.

[2:04:36] So next we have committee reports. Any committee reports?

[2:04:44] Nope. Um, correspondence.

[2:04:48] Um, everybody read their correspondence.

[2:04:54] Anybody have any? Okay. Um,

[2:04:59] I would like to talk about the letter

[2:05:05] um that we received. Um, we also had one from the town of Digby on the letter of

[2:05:11] support for uh coalition to end poverty. Um, I think we should uh also jump on

[2:05:20] board there. Um,

[2:05:26] councelor Lefork. >> Wink wink nudge.

[2:05:29] Uh, yes. I move that the municipality of Victoria County support ASAP's call for

[2:05:34] a meaningful increase to social assistance and disability support rates

[2:05:39] and the letter and the support would be I'm assuming the same thing that they

[2:05:43] did via a letter of support um to Premier Houston

[2:05:49] » at the CEO to uh to get that letter um and I will sign

[2:05:57] it. Yeah, we're going to that's kind of in

[2:06:01] the motion, too. So, there's a motion on the table. Do I have a seconder? Second

[2:06:06] by councelor Bourne. All in favor? Your motion is carried. Thank you for

[2:06:12] one for that. Um, any questions

[2:06:17] online?

[2:06:20] No. Okay. Um, we have a in camera for real estate and personnel.

[2:06:28] So, I'd like a motion to go into camera,

[2:06:31] please. Moved by councelor Dunovan, second by

[2:06:37] councelor Matford. All in favor? Okay. In camera we go.

[2:07:44] Can I get a motion to come out of camera, please? It's moved by councelor

[2:07:48] Dunovan, second by Deputy Wharton. All in favor?

[2:07:55] Motions carry. Can I get a motion to accept

[2:08:01] the recommendation that was in camera on the options to pursue a potential

[2:08:05] opportunity? It's moved by councelor Mat Lefort,

[2:08:10] second by councelor Henik. All in favor?

[2:08:16] Motion is carried. Thank you everyone. U and now we're we will adjourn.

Victoria County Council Meeting - March 23, 2026

Transcript