HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial Council Minutes - February 18, 2025 Cape Breton Regional Municipality
Special Council Meeting Minutes
February 18, 2025
9:30 a.m. at City Hall Council Chambers
Council
Mayor Cecil P. Clarke
Councillor Gordon MacDonald
Councillor Earlene MacMullin
Councillor Esmond "Blue" Marshall
Councillor Steve Gillespie
Deputy Mayor Eldon MacDonald
Councillor Glenn Paruch
Councillor Steven MacNeil
Councillor Dave MacKeigan
Councillor Paul Nickituk
Councillor Darren O'Quinn
Councillor Kim Sheppard-Campbell
Staff
Demetri Kachafanas, KC, Interim Chief Administrative Officer
Christa Dicks, Municipal Clerk
Robert Sampson, KC, Solicitor
Jennifer Campbell, Chief Financial Officer
Kirk Durning, Director of Recreation, Parks and Grounds, and Buildings and
Facilities
Wayne MacDonald, Director of Engineering and Public Works
Deanna Evely, Director of Human Resources
Mark Bettens, Fire Chief and Director of Fire and Emergency Services
Sean Tobin, Chief of Staff
Robert Walsh, Chief of Police
Bruce MacDonald, Manager of Emergency Management
Craig MacNeil, Deputy Fire Chief
Alex MacAuley, Communications Manager 911
Spencer Merrill, Information Technology Technician
YueCong Cao, Administrative Assistant, Clerk's Department
Kelly McDonald, Recording Secretary
Absent
Councillor Steve Parsons (Regrets)
Special Council Meeting - Minutes
February 18, 2025 Approved June 10, 2025 Page 2 of 6
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.w...,,_c_b_r..m,._n ..,_c. ..
Mayor Cecil P. Clarke called the meeting to order.
Land Acknowledgement
Roll Call
1. Approval of Agenda
Motion
Moved by Councillor Gordon MacDonald, seconded by Councillor Paruch, to
approve the February 18, 2025, special council agenda as presented.
Motion Carried
At 9:32 a.m., Council met in camera in accordance with Section 22(2)(c)(g)
and (e) of the Municipal Government Act.
Council reconvened in open session at 1: 11 p.m.
The Mayor advised that the next two agenda items have been referred to
open session.
Business Arising - In Camera Session
2.4 Modernization Plan
The Interim CAO provided the recommendation to approve the management
portion of the modernization plan as presented to Council.
Motion
Moved by Councillor Paruch, seconded by Councillor MacMullin, to approve
the CBRM modernization plan regarding senior management positions.
Discussion:
Special Council Meeting - Minutes
February 18, 2025 Approved June 10, 2025 Page 3 of 6
• Realignment of management positions
Motion Carried
2.3 Legal Advice
The Mayor provided a proposed motion stemming from the in-camera legal
advice, that the Solicitor refer the matter of corporate credit card
irregularities to the municipality's police agency of jurisdiction for review.
Motion
Moved by Deputy Mayor Eldon MacDonald, seconded by Councillor Paruch, to
direct the Solicitor to refer the corporate credit card irregularities matter to
the Municipality's Police Agency of Jurisdiction for review.
Discussion:
• Processes and timelines
• Request for this vote to be recorded
Motion Carried
3. 911/311 Service Overview
Alex MacAulay, Manager of 911/311, provided a presentation with an
overview on the 911 and 311 communication centers.
Deputy Mayor assumed Chair at 1:40 p.m.
Discussion on the presentation included information on Next Generation 911,
call volumes and call processes for 311, the differences between 911
centers, and staffing levels.
For information only.
Special Council Meeting - Minutes
February 18, 2025 Approved June 10, 2025 Page 4 of 6
4. Update to Emergency Coordination Centre (ECC) Plan
Bruce MacDonald, Manager of Emergency Management, provided a
presentation updating Council on the Emergency Coordination Center (ECC)
Plan.
Mayor assumed Chair at 2:00 p.m.
Discussion on the presentation included the ECC location, the use of and
training in Incident Command Systems 300 and 400, and recent power
outages.
For information only.
S. CBRM Policies
Christa Dicks, Municipal Clerk, reviewed the report included in the agenda
package relating to an organization-wide policy review.
Motion
Moved by Councillor Gillespie, seconded by Councillor Sheppard-Campbell, to
direct staff to initiate a review of all CBRM policies; and to develop a policy
framework for Council's consideration.
Motion Carried
6. Records Management
Christa Dicks, Municipal Clerk, reviewed the report included in the agenda
package related to CBPM's records and information management.
Motion
Moved by Deputy Mayor Eldon MacDonald, seconded by Councillor Gillespie,
to direct staff to coordinate and draft a Records and Information
Management Policy to address the maintenance and destruction of CBRM
controlled records; and to direct staff to issue an Expression of Interest for
Special Council Meeting - Minutes
February 18, 2025 Approved June 10, 2025 Page 5 of 6
work related to the transition of digital documents to a centralized repository
including design and build of the repository and tagging for documents.
Discussion:
• Current information storage
• Budgetary process
Motion Carried
7. Communications and Municipal Events Policy
Christa Dicks, Municipal Clerk, reviewed the report regarding a policy on
public communications and municipal events.
Motion
Moved by Councillor Paruch, seconded by Deputy Mayor Eldon MacDonald, to
direct staff to coordinate and draft a policy on public communications and
municipal events.
Motion Carried
A Point of Privilege was raised by Councillor Gordon MacDonald to request
to have the media report regarding the corporate credit card matter included
in the next council meeting.
8. Expression of Interest - Physical Space
Demetri Kachafanas, Interim Chief Administrative Officer, reviewed the
report related to issuing an expression of interest for physical space.
Motion
Moved by Councillor MacMullin, seconded by Councillor Gordon MacDonald,
to direct staff to issue an Expression of Interest for physical space for a
variety of municipal purposes.
Discussion:
Special Council Meeting - Minutes
February 18, 2025 Approved June 10, 2025 Page 6 of 6
• Purpose to explore options for physical space
• Current space challenges
Motion Carried
Meeting adjourned at 2:31 p.m.
Cecil P. Clarke
Mayor
Christa Dicks
Municipal Clerk
/km