HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial Council Stakeholder Session Minutes Cape Breton Regional Municipality
Special Council Stakeholder Session Meeting Minutes
March 5, 2025
6:02 p.m. via Videoconferencing
Council
Mayor Cecil P. Clarke
Councillor Gordon MacDonald
Councillor Earlene MacMullin
Councillor Steve Gillespie
Deputy Mayor Eldon MacDonald
Councillor Glenn Paruch
Councillor Steven MacNeil
Councillor Dave MacKeigan
Councillor Paul Nickituk
Councillor Darren O'Quinn
Staff
Demetri Kachafanas, KC, Interim Chief Administrative Officer
Christa Dicks, Director of Corporate Information Services / Municipal Clerk
Jennifer Campbell, Chief Financial Officer
Wayne MacDonald, Chief Engineer
Ray Boudreau, Director of Water and Wastewater
John Phalen, Director of Public Works
Stephen MacKinnon, Deputy Chief of Police
Absent
Councillor Esmond "Blue" Marshall (regrets)
Councillor Steve Parsons (regrets)
Councillor Kim Sheppard-Campbell (regrets)
The following does not represent a word for word record of the proceedings
of this meeting. The agenda, reports, supporting documents, information
items circulated, and video (if available) are online at verw.v..fir_„_c_b_rrr�..,..n_s c.. ..
Special Council Stakeholder Session Meeting - Minutes
March 5, 2025 Approved April 8, 2025 Page 2 of 4
Mayor Cecil P. Clarke called the meeting to order.
Roll Call
Land Acknowledgement
1. Approval of Agenda
Motion
Moved by Councillor Gordon MacDonald, seconded by Deputy Mayor Eldon
MacDonald, to approve the March 5, 2025, special council agenda as
presented.
Motion Carried
2. Presentations
2.1 Cleaner, Safer, and Happier Communities
Meghan Richardson provided a presentation titled, "Cleaner, Safer, and
Happier Communities". Topics of the presentation included goals,
introduction and history, quick facts, psychology of littering, clean Europe
strategy, and CBRM Community Action Team's role. Discussion took place
regarding potential future projects and the importance of public engagement
and education.
2.2 2024 Service-Based Homelessness Count
Catherine Leviten-Reid, Cape Breton University Associate Professor, provided
a presentation titled, "2024 Service-Based Homelessness Count". Topics of
the presentation included methods, results, homelessness by County, types
of homelessness, who is experiencing homelessness, and barriers to
accessing stable housing. Discussion took place regarding count results,
survey questions, barriers that cause homelessness, and advocacy support.
2.3 Washbrook Greenway Trail - Detailed Design and
Construction
Stephanie Johnstone-Laurette, Treasurer of Washbrook Greenway Coalition,
and Stacy Muise, EXP Senior Engineer and Project Manager, provided a
Special Council Stakeholder Session Meeting - Minutes
March 5, 2025 Approved April 8, 2025 Page 3 of 4
presentation titled, "Washbrook Greenway Trail - Detailed Design and
Construction". Topics of the presentation included who Washbrook Greenway
Coalition is, key activities completed, project funding sources, design
overview, and cost estimates. Discussion took place regarding reasons for
hard surface trails, funding sources and statuses, storm data, and design
criteria.
2.4 Capital Budget Presentation
Wayne MacDonald, Chief Engineer, provided the Capital Budget Plan for
2025-26. Topics of the presentation included prioritization framework, cash
flow summary, project summary, linear assets, linear infrastructure projects,
the Growth and Renewal for Infrastructure Development (GRID) program,
housing infrastructure projects, wastewater and stormwater projects, parks
and facilities projects, solid waste go forward plan, transit and fleet
initiatives, and information technology projects. Chief Engineer MacDonald
reviewed the final estimated financing sheet. Jennifer Campbell, Chief
Financial Officer (CFO), reviewed the capital budget draft motions that will
be recommended during the 2025-26 CBRM Special Council Budget
Deliberations meeting.
2.5 Operating Budget Presentation
CFO Campbell provided the Proposed Operating Budget for 2025-26. Topics
of the presentation included additional positions to improve public safety
and service delivery, departmental realignment, Extended Producer
Responsibility (EPR), equipment and software upgrades, tax rates, rate
summary, tax revenues, grants in lieu of taxes, provincial grants, municipal
services funding, fines and fees for service, administrative revenues,
expenditures by department, and expenditures by type. CFO Campbell
reviewed the capital budget draft motions that will be recommended during
the 2025-26 CBRM Special Council Budget Deliberations meeting.
Special Council Stakeholder Session Meeting - Minutes
March 5, 2025 Approved April 8, 2025 Page 4 of 4
Ray Boudreau, Director of Water and Wastewater, provided the Water and
Wastewater Department Budget Overview presentation. Topics of the
presentation included water operations, water utility assets, the proposed
water operating budget, water revenue sources, wastewater operations
overview, wastewater asset summary, the proposed wastewater operating
budget, wastewater revenue sources, highlights for water and wastewater
proposed budgets, organizational structure, upcoming budget challenges,
and the draft motion that will be recommended during the 2025-26 CBRM
Special Council Budget Deliberations meeting.
Meeting adjourned at 9:41 p.m.
Cecil P. Clarke
Mayor
Christa Dicks
Municipal Clerk
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