TEAM SHELBURNE COUNTY MEETING
December 12, 2007
December 12, 2007
The meeting was called to order by Warden Louise Halliday at 10:00 a.m., in the Conference Room, in the Administrative Centre, in Barrington, N.S., with the following members present:
- Warden Louise Halliday, District of Barrington
- Warden Paulette Scott, District of Shelburne
- Mayor Leigh Stoddart, Town of Clark’s Harbour
- Mayor Parker Comeau, Town of Shelburne
- Mayor Darian Huskilson, Town of Lockeport
Also present were:
- Doug Drane, Shelburne Area Chamber of Commerce
- Marilee Ross, Representing MLA Sterling Belliveau
- Joan Bower, South West Shore Development Authority
- Cecil Brannen, Councillor, Town of Clark’s Harbour
- Calvin Butler, Nova Scotia Business Inc.
- Reg Ridgley, CAO, Municipality of Shelburne
- Brian Crowell, Town Clerk, Town of Clark’s Harbour
- Robert Maillet, Department of Economic Development
- Joyce Young, Town Clerk, Town of Lockeport
- Brian Holland, Clerk-Treasurer, Municipality of Barrington
ADDITIONS TO AGENDA
The following items were added to the agenda:
- Letter from Shelburne County Industrial Commission.
- Letter from Town of Lockeport.
TOWN OF LOCKEPORT REPRESENTATIVE
The Town of Lockeport has forwarded correspondence indicating that Mayor Darian Huskilson will now be the representative to Team Shelburne County for the Town of Lockeport replacing their previous representative, Councillor Howard Roszel.
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APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Moved by Mayor Comeau and seconded by Mayor Stoddart that the agenda be approved as amended.
Motion carried unanimously.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Moved by Mayor Comeau and seconded by Warden Scott that minutes of the last previous meeting held November 2, 2007 be approved as circulated.
Motion carried unanimously.
COURT CASE UPDATE
A copy of the Consent Order resulting from the court hearing heard before Justice Allan P. Boudreau was circulated to members for their information. This court hearing was held in Yarmouth last Thursday, December 6, 2007. The Consent Order says, in part, that the plaintiff’s claims against the municipal units in Shelburne County, including the Shelburne Area Industrial Commission, are hereby discontinued without cost to any party. The Consent Order also says that the proceeds of the sale of the lands and premises known as Shelburne Place, together with the balance remaining in the maintenance fund at the time of sale, shall forthwith upon the sale of the former Naval Base be deposited by the South West Shore Development Authority into an interest bearing segregated bank account, or GIC, to be held pending the outcome of the plaintiff’s claim against the S.W.S.D.A. in the proceeding known as the first action. As a result of this Consent Order made by Justice Boudreau, the municipal units will not have to incur any further additional costs in this matter.
Members then discussed this Order and its implications for Team Shelburne County. The concern was again expressed that there is no connection between Youth Centre funds and the Shelburne Base property and the funds used to pay expenses there.
Some municipal units still wish to have access to the funds from the proceeds of the Shelburne Youth Centre now, and do not wish to have to wait until the Base property is sold and the related court case is settled.
Some members could not understand why the payment of funds was dependent on the sale of the Base property and how they were related to each other.
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It was also stated that some members felt that the monies had been used and were not being “held in trust”.
It was suggested that there are other ways to handle this situation without pursuing legal action. It was also suggested that the Board of the South West Shore Development Authority needs to exercise more diligence to obtain accountability from employees of its organization.
Concern was expressed that the Minister of Economic Development was reneging on the original agreement which had been to have the municipal units distribute the funds from the proceeds of the sale of the Shelburne Youth Centre, in the county, for economic development. It was not clearly stated who would hold, or administer, or be in charge of the funds at the beginning of this agreement with the province.
Moved by Mayor Huskilson and seconded by Mayor Comeau that Team Shelburne County request a meeting with the Premier, together with the Minister of Economic Development, in order to present the municipalities case for the monies not being administered by the South West Shore Development Authority, and that a clear direction be given to them from Team Shelburne, and that this meeting be held as soon as possible.
AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE
Warden Louise Halliday Warden Paulette Scott
Mayor Leigh Stoddart
Mayor Parker Comeau
Mayor Darian Huskilson
Motion carried.
Moved by Mayor Stoddart and seconded by Mayor Comeau requesting that the Chair of the South West Shore Development Authority confirm and clarify that the funds remaining from the sale of Shelburne Place are to be used as designated by the members of Team Shelburne County, and that this confirmation be sent, in writing, to the CEO of the South West Shore Development Authority, and that this be done at the Board Meeting of the South West Shore Development Authority scheduled for January 16, 2008.
Motion carried unanimously.
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Shelburne County Industrial Commission
Conflict of Interest
Mayor Darian Huskinson declared a conflict of interest at this time as he is also the Chair of the Industrial Commission.
Mayor Huskilson retired from the meeting table at this time.
Correspondence has been received from the Shelburne Area Industrial Commission requesting that they not be required to pay any legal fees pertinent to the previous action from which they have now been absolved.
Moved by Warden Scott that the previous motion indicating how the legal fees would be shared by the member units and the Industrial Commission, be rescinded.
The Chairman asked for a seconder for this motion three times and having heard none declared the motion lost.
Moved by Mayor Comeau and seconded by Mayor Stoddart that a response be sent to the Shelburne County Industrial Commission indicating that as per the previous resolution all the members named in the action would be responsible for their legal fees.
Motion carried unanimously.
NEXT MEETING OF TEAM SHELBURNE COUNTY
It was agreed by consensus of members that there would be no further meetings of Team Shelburne County until after the January 16, 2008 Board Meeting of the South West Shore Development Authority, and until after the Warden and Mayors of Shelburne County had had an opportunity to meet with the Premier and the Minister of Economic Development.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned by mutual consent of members at 11:33 p.m.
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