The last regular meeting was held on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2003 with the following in attendance:

Mayor Gosine
Deputy Mayor Pendergast
Councillor Kent
Councillor Pitts
Councillor Squires
Councillor Wade
Town Manager, Mr. Kent
Town Clerk, Mrs. Butler

The meeting was called to order at 3:45pm
The minutes of the last regular council meeting were adopted as circulated on a motion by Councillor Pitts and seconded by Councillor Wade. Motion carried.

The following reports were accepted as presented:

Financial Report
Town Manager's Report

The following correspondence was tabled and ordered placed on file or dealt with accordingly:

1. Letter from NLFM re board of director's meeting.
2. Press release from NLFM.
3. Letter from Avalon East School Board re sidewalks.

Next the Operating budget for 2004 in the amount of $1,218,981. was approved and will be submitted to government for their approval. This was covered in a motion by Councillor Pitts and seconded by Councillor Wade. Motion carried.

Next the Tax Schedule for 2004 was presented and approved without any changes or increases. This was covered in a motion by Councillor Pitts and seconded by Councillor Wade. Motion carried. The schedule will be published in the newspaper and/or the RCMP newsletter in January.

Next Mr. Kent asked from approval to have a proposal prepared and submitted to ACOA for the development of the lighthouse area as a tourist attraction. The funding required from council is 25% of the total, which comes to approximately $2000 for our share. This was approved on a motion by Deputy Mayor Pendergast and seconded by Councillor Kent. Motion carried.

The Town Manager advised that he had obtained quotations for a snow-clearing blade for our dump truck. He said it would cost approximately $7.000. Permission was granted for this purchase on a motion by Deputy Mayor Pendergast and seconded by Councillor Pitts. Motion carried.

At this point council met with Honourable Dianne Whelan MHA and her Executive Assistant Myrle Vokey.

Mayor Gosine welcomed them to our meeting and congratulated Ms. Whelan on her election as MHA and new minister of Government Services and Lands. He congratulated Mr. Vokey on his appointed to that of executive assistant to Ms. Whelan and being that he is a former Bell Islander he has some strong ties to the island and its concerns.

All topics on the agenda were touched on with Ms. Whelan assuring council she will do her best to have our concerns addressed and dealt with. She informed council that she intends to form a stakeholders meeting soon of Bell Islanders and see about having a strategic four-year plan prepared and put in place.

Minister Whelan said she would investigate improved banking services for Bell Island. In regard to vacant land where owners are unknown she said that sale for taxes is the best route to go re finding owners/and or selling the properties.

Mayor Gosine thanked Ms. Whelan and Mr. Vokey for meeting with us and hoped for very good relations during her term in office. She in turn expressed the wish that we work together for the betterment of our community.

After the guests left the meeting, Councillor Squires said he did not like the fast pace of this meeting and will be addressing this issue at our January meeting. Councillor Pitts said that meetings don't have to be long in order to get things accomplished, as many things were accomplished today in spite of the fast pace.

The meeting adjourned at 4:30pm on a motion by Councillor Pitts and seconded by Councillor Wade. Motion carried.

Mayor Town Clerk