VICTORIA COUNTY MUNICIPAL COUNCIL

November 5, 2001

            A meeting of Victoria County Municipal Council was held at the Court House, Baddeck, on Monday, November 5, 2001, beginning at 5:30 p.m. with Warden Gerald Sampson in the Chair.

            Present were:

District #1 – Dan E. MacNeil

District #2 – Shane Toms

District #3 – Bruce Morrison, Deputy Warden

District #4 – John Graham MacInnes

District #5 – Gerald Sampson, Warden

District #6 – Lawrence Barron

District #7 – Wayne Budge

District #8 – Robert MacLellan

            Also present were:

Arthur Pickup, Municipal Solicitor

Brian Trask, CAO

Heather MacLean, Recording Secretary

CALL TO ORDER/APPROVAL OF AGENDA

            Warden Sampson called the meeting to order and presented the agenda for approval.  He indicated that Rick Beaton, Vice-President, ECBC, will be in attendance at 6:30 p.m., so the agenda as presented from 6:30 p.m. on will be deferred until a future meeting.

            It was moved by Deputy Warden Morrison, seconded by Councillor Toms, that the agenda be approved as amended.  Motion carried.

DANGEROUS AND UNSIGHTLY PREMISES

            Courtesy of Council was extended to Paul Burt, Building Inspector, who was in attendance regarding a dangerous and unsightly premises owned by Charles and Ruby MacPherson, 209 Matheson Road, Kempt Head, Victoria County.

            Mr. Burt presented background information on the property in question and indicated that a notice was forwarded to Mr. & Mrs. MacPherson, to appear at tonight’s meeting in this regard.  Mr. Burt distributed photographs and indicated that the property is in contravention of Section XV of the Municipal Government Act.

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            Mr. Burt indicated that if Council so wishes, they may issue an order that the property is dangerous and unsightly.  If the McPherson’s fail to heed to this order, after 30 days the Municipality may entered upon the property without warrant or other legal process and carry out the work specified in the Order.  The expenses for this clean up may then be recovered from the owners.

Mr. Burt advised that Bruce Barrington was in attendance representing the McPherson’s.  Mr. Barrington made a presentation to Council on behalf of Charles and Ruby MacPherson.

            It was moved by Deputy Warden Morrison, seconded by Councillor Barron, that the Municipality issue an order to Charles and Ruby MacPherson, indicating that their property situate at 209 Matheson Road, Kempt Head, Victoria County, is dangerous and unsightly within the meaning of the Municipal Government Act, Chapter 18 of the Statutes of Nova Scotia, 1998, Section XV, and ordering that they remedy this situation within 30 days.  Motion carried.

RCMP PRESENTATION

            Courtesy of Council was extended to Sgt. Hoss MacKenzie, Baddeck Detachment, Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

            Sgt. MacKenzie was requested to be in attendance to respond to comments made by residents of Boularderie at the last Council meeting concerning lack of police presence in Boularderie.

            Sgt. MacKenzie advised of the Community Policing Office in Boularderie and explained this office’s role to Council.  He outlined the structure of his detachment and how these resources are utilized.

            Sgt. MacKenzie requested that when Councillors receive complaints or when Council have complaints of their own, he would appreciate it if these complaints could be addressed with him.  He has an open door policy and will make himself available.

            Discussion took place on the problem of counterfeit currency and a possible way of notifying businesses throughout the area when such currency is passed.

            Discussion took place on the DARE Program.  Sgt. MacKenzie advised that only certain members are qualified to teach this program.  Constable Thomas is the only member in the Baddeck Detachment.  Constable George of the Ingonish Beach Detachment is also qualified. 

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Sgt. MacKenzie introduced Constable Glynnis Thomas to Council. Constable Thomas advised that the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Program is taught to Grade 5 and 6 students.  It educates the students to resist drugs and alcohol. There is also a prep program that is offered to students in Grade P-4. This program is taught in 83 countries and has proven very successful.  The program is a 17-week program (one 45 minute session for 17 weeks).  It will be initiated in Boularderie this year and expand to other Victoria County schools.

            After further discussion, Sgt. MacKenzie and Constable Thomas were extended a vote of thanks for their report and they left at this time.

ASSESSMENT PRESENTATION

            Courtesy of Council was extended to the following representatives from the Assessment Division – Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations:

·        Charles (Skip) MacKenzie, Regional Director of Assessment – Eastern Region

·        Sandy MacNabb, Coordinator – Client Services

·        Mike Musycsyn

Mike Musycsyn was the spokesman for the group and he indicated that in July, 2001, preliminary assessment notices were sent out to any assessment account with over a 3% increase.  This is when concerns regarding the increase in Water Street assessments arose.

The Province is responsible for assessment in Nova Scotia.  Under the Nova Scotia Assessment Act, the Assessment Department is required to provide an assessment roll to the 55 municipal units in the Province.  They also provide an assessment notice for each property assessment.  There is an assessment appeal mechanism that allows ratepayers to appeal their assessment if they feel it is unfair.

Assessment is based on market value and a standard formula is used throughout the province.  When a building permit is issued, it generates a visit from the assessor who takes all documentation and enters this data into a costing system and the assessment is generated from there.

Mr. Musycsyn indicated that it is the assessor’s job to determine the fair market value of a property, but it is the municipality’s job to set the tax rates, calculate and send out the tax bills.

Mr. Musycsyn stated that the Assessment Department have been watching sales in the Water Street area for a period of years and the land sales have indicated a specific trend and market value assessments have been set accordingly.  It was again reiterated that there is an assessment appeal mechanism available.

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Discussion took place on the Water Street proposed assessments.  In areas where there is an influence of water, assessments have typically increased.

The loss of community that results from these high assessments was discussed.  Local residents living in these areas can no longer afford it and people from outside who can afford it are buying up the waterfront property. 

Lloyd Stone stated his feelings that the whole system of taxation needs to be changed.  There is no fairness in the way taxation is done now and he felt that taxation should be based on the income of the taxpayers.

Discussion took place on tax exemptions and deferment of payments.  The solicitor had previously provided an opinion on these matters and that they all pertain to low-income persons.

Whether the proposed increases for the Water Street area would be the official assessments for 2002 was questioned and Mr. Musycsyn indicated that unless there is evidence to the contrary, these proposed values will be the values for 2002.

The question as to whether assessment will ever be based on any other method but market value was discussed and it was indicated that this method is used around the world.

After further discussion, the Assessment representatives were extended a vote of thanks and excused from the meeting at this time.

OLIVE MACKAY

            Courtesy of Council was extended to Olive MacKay who was in attendance to make a presentation on renaming a section of the Old Margaree Road to the Old Cabot Trail Road. 

            Petitions were circulated in this regard and when forwarded to the Department of Transportation for approval, were rejected.  Since that time a map dated 1939 has been provided to the Department of Transportation indicating that this road was in fact named the Old Cabot Trail Road at one time.

            Mrs. MacKay indicated that she would like to see three signs erected indicating the Old Cabot Trail Road – one at Exit 9, one at Baddeck Bridge and one at the foot of Hunters Mountain leading back to the Old Cabot Trail Road.

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            Mrs. MacKay was extended a vote of thanks for her presentation.

IN CAMERA

            Warden Sampson advised that Council would move In Camera.

            Council then returned to regular session.

DISTRICT CONCERNS

District #6

            It was moved by Councillor Barron, seconded by Councillor Budge, that $500 be approved for Ski Cape Smokey from the District #6 budget.  Motion carried.

District #2

            It was moved by Councillor Toms, seconded by Deputy Warden Morrison, that $125 be approved for the Silver Dart Skating Club from the District #2 budget.  Motion carried.

District #1

            It was moved by Councillor MacNeil, seconded by Councillor Toms, that $125 be approved from the District #1 budget for the Silver Dart Skating Club.  Motion carried.

District #3

            It was moved by Deputy Warden Morrison, seconded by Councillor Toms, that #200 be approved for the Crowdis Mountain Snowmobile Club and $125 for the Silver Dart Skating Club from the District #3 budget.  Motion carried.

District #4

            It was moved by Councillor MacInnes, seconded b Councillor MacNeil, that $125 be approved for the Silver Dart Skating Club and $200 for the St. Ann’s Bay United Church from the District #4 budget.  Motion carried.

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District #7

            It was moved by Councillor Budge, seconded by Councillor Barron, that a letter be forwarded to the Department of Transportation and Public Works requesting that the loader remain in the Ingonish area to clear the side roads during this winter season.  Motion carried.

            It was moved by Councillor Budge, seconded by Councillor MacLellan, that $300 be approved for 1^st St. Andrews Boy Scouts and $350 for St. John’s Parish Hall from the District #7 budget.  Motion carried.

WATER COMMITTEE MEETING

            A meeting of the Water Committee will be held at the Court House, Baddeck, on Thursday, November 8, 2001, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

IN CAMERA

            Council then adjourned to an In Camera Session.