Minutes of Wabana Town Council Meeting

TOWN OF WABANA
May 19, 2009

The last regular meeting was held on Tuesday, May 19th. with the following in attendance:

Mayor Gosine
Deputy Mayor Pendergast
Councillor Craig
Councillor Kent
Councillor Laurie
Councillor McCarthy
Councillor Somerton
Town Manager/Clerk Diane Butler
Accts Receivable Clerk Joe Donkers

RCMP – Corp. O’Keefe and another officer.

Gallery:
Lester Rose
Stan McDonald
Wayne Durdle

Mayor Gosine opened the meeting at 8pm

The minutes of the 8 meetings listed on the agenda were adopted as circulated on a motion by Councillor Craig and seconded by Councillor Laurie. Motion carried.

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE REPORT

Because Mr. Donkers had to catch the ferry it was agreed to deal with his report first.

Mr. Donkers asked for a resolution of council to write off a list of uncollectible taxes. It was felt that we would take a harder look at these accounts before having them written off.

Other topics in the report were discussed.
RCMP

A long discussion took place concerning the following issues:
• Break-ins
• Drugs
• Fires
• ATV’S
• 5 members required here at all times.
• RNC?

As was discussed in an earlier meeting with RCMP senior officers it was felt that a community meeting should be convened to set goals and means to achieve an improvement in security on the island. Also that invitations to stakeholders and community representatives be issued (verbally) by Corp. O’Keefe and Mayor Gosine.

Another point raised was that we should make an effort to check with some communities of similar size as ours as to how their policing is carried out, and how severe crime is.

ARISING OUT OF THE MINUTES

1. Arena – will Mr. Bickford and Mr. Martin be back at the arena in the fall. This to be discussed at a later date.
2. Leak Detection – agreed to check with Kean’s and Kendall’s for some help regarding a leak detector and an electric sewer rod.
3. Water Tower – reported that it would be erected in June but not operational until Aug or Sept. It was felt we should try to have an earlier completion date for this system.
4. Road to new wells – who will be doing this work?
5. Ore Rock – will it adversely affect new wells?

FINANCIAL REPORT

1. Problem with cats – maybe if the fee for putting cats to sleep was dropped we would have less cats roaming around creating problems for people. Agreed that we would check to see if we can alter our tax and fee structure to eliminate this fee.
Further that we check with the SPCA and some small communities to see how they control over population of animals.

TOWN MANAGER’S REPORT

1. Culvert – check to see if the culvert installed for Jim Roberts' property is suitable.
2. Clean-up – employees to be asked to work some overtime hours to speed up the clean up. This will be done.

REPORT OF NORTHEAST AVALON REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEV. BOARD – tourism planning session, attended by Joe Donkers. Report noted in the minutes and ordered placed on file.

REPORT OF MNL SYMPOSIUM – attended by Joe Donkers. Report noted in the minutes and ordered placed on file.

CONSULTANT’S REPORT

(1) Student employment – agreed that our MP be contacted re the reduction in the number of students approved for Bell Island for this year.
(2) ACOA – a motion was made by Councillor McCarthy and seconded by Councillor Craig that council would support the application to ACOA to top up the arena capital funding to $750,000. Motion carried.
(3) Hydro Seed – a motion was made by Councillor McCarthy and seconded by Councillor Craig that we would accept the lowest of three bids to carry out the hydro seeding for the sports field. Therefore the contact will be awarded to Spraklin’s Hydro Seed Inc. for $7,100.00. Motion carried.
(4) Taxes – a motion was made by Councillor Craig and seconded by Councillor Somerton that the following be approved:
a. Water/Sewer Tax for apartments over 3 units – 50% cut.
b. Minimum tax – legal confirmation $450.00 for each property – tax does not apply to owner.
c. Minimum tax for land must be $450.00 but council has option to exempt to achieve the same result of $100 tax on land.
(5) Clean up – list of dilapidated buildings, and list of wrecked vehicles to be reviewed and letters sent advising that buildings will be demolished if no action taken, and owners of wrecked vehicles to be called or written seeking their cooperation in having them disposed of.
(6) Tangible assets (inventory) – progress well. Mayor Gosine thanked Stan McDonald for his on going help in working with Derek Ryan to have this inventory completed.

CORRESPONDENCE

1. Email from Ocean Net – Friends of Beaches Network – agreed that we check to see when they would be coming to Bell Island.
2. Letter from MNL re Ferry Committee– Mayor Gosine explained this issue.
3. Letter from Minister Whalen re MOG’s – these will be bi-annually instead of quarterly, and this year we will get an increase of 20%.
4. Letter from Nestle Waters Inc. re bottled water. Ordered placed on file.
5. Letter from Tour for the Cure – bus tour – coming to Bell Island on June 16th.
6. Letter from Heart and Stroke Assoc. re Mayor’s March – Mayor Gosine said he would be walking again this year.

APPLICATIONS

1. Mr. Phil O’Keefe to put structure on Town Square in order to clean up the old foundation area, approved on a motion by Councillor Craig and seconded by Councillor Kent. Motion carried.
2. Mr. John Brown to construct a house at Freshwater, approved on a motion by Councillor Craig and seconded by Councillor Kent. Motion carried.

CONCERNS

1. Councillor Kent asked that regular flushings be carried out on our water systems.
2. Councillor Craig said that he hopes all old buildings, etc. will be removed and properties cleaned up.

3. Councillor Craig presented a resolution that the Town of Wabana take the following actions:
1. Draft the job specifications for the position of Town Clerk.
2. Post an advertisement in The Telegram for June 6th.
3. Establish a hiring committee of 3 persons.
4. Appoint Derek Ryan to the position of Works Superintendent for a trail period of 4 months beginning June 1, 2009, with a 20% wage increase.
This motion was seconded by Councillor Kent, and carried unanimously.

Councillor McCarthy gave notice of motion that he would be making a motion at the next meeting of council that there would not be a separate ballot for Mayor for the upcoming election in Sept. It was mentioned that this motion requires a 2/3 vote of councilors in office, which means 5 would have to be in favour of this motion.

There being no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 10:45pm on a motion by Councillor Craig and seconded by Councillor Somerton. Motion carried.

CONFIRMED

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Mayor

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Town Manager/Clerk