Committee of the Whole Highlights: December 8, 2015

This document represents highlights taken from the December 8, 2015, Committee of the Whole (COTW) meeting.
Please be advised, the items featured in this document are only recommendations to Municipal Council. Final approval will not be determined until Municipal Council on December 15, 2015.

·      A recommendation was made that Police Advisory Board meetings be held at the Municipal Office in Bridgetown.

·      It was recommended that staff be authorized to initiate an investigation of the reduced tax status of agricultural land to determine the possibility of making that reduction contingent on use and occupancy.

·      It was recommended that Councillor Heming be removed from the Annapolis Royal Regional Academy committee.

·      A recommendation was made to proceed with the Port-Royal Habitation Family Fun Day in 2016, not exceeding a budget of $3,000.

·      Councillor Chipman and Deputy Warden Habinski will attend the 2016 Federation of Canadians Municipalities (FCM) Annual Conference taking place in Winnipeg, Manitoba on June 3-5, 2016. Alternates: Councillors Roberts and Hurlburt.

·      Recommendation to approve the release of $200,000 from the Capital Fire Services Reserve in the 2015-16 fiscal year to the Annapolis Royal Volunteer Fire Department.

·      Recommended that Municipal Council amend AM-1.4.11 Community Contributions Policy by increasing the contribution to Trans County Transportation to $35,000.

·      It is recommended that staff work with Bridgetown and Area Chambers of Commerce (BACC) to prepare a cost estimate to replace the Town of Bridgetown symbols on the Youth Ambassador Chain of Office. Also, to turn care and keeping and ownership of the Chain of Office over to the BACC.

·      A recommendation will be made to Municipal Council to approve the sale of surplus inventory items through the services of GovDeals.ca. Items not sold will be disposed of.

·      Jeff Martin, Operations Manager, and Andrew Garrett, Communications Manager, from Valley Waste-Resource Management Authority (VWRMA) presented Council with VWRMA’s draft budget. The following recommendations will be brought to Council:
o  To approve its proportional share ($1,553,900) of the Valley Region Solid Waste-Resource Management Authority’s draft 2016-17 Operating Budget.
o  To approve its proportional share ($440,400) of the Valley Region Solid Waste-Resource Management Authority’s draft 2016-17 Capital Budget.

·      Ben Buckwold, Director of Bikeways and Blue Route Implementation (Bicycle Nova Scotia)and Elizabeth Pugh, NS Department of Transportation & Infrastructure Renewal, presented Council with an update on the Blue Route project.(www.blueroute.ca )
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