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Home My WebLink AboutSpecial Council Minutes March 30, 2021 CAPE BRETON REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY Special Council Meeting Minutes Tuesday, March 30, 2021 9:32 a.m. Via Video Conference Mayor Amanda M. McDougall called the meeting to order. Council: Mayor Amanda M. McDougall Councillor Gordon MacDonald Deputy Mayor Earlene MacMullin Councillor Cyril MacDonald Councillor Steve Gillespie Councillor Eldon MacDonald Councillor Glenn Paruch Councillor Steve Parsons Councillor James Edwards Councillor Ken Tracey Councillor Darren Bruckschwaiger Councillor Darren O'Quinn Councillor Lorne Green Staff. John MacKinnon, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Jennifer Campbell, Chief Financial Officer Deborah Campbell Ryan, Municipal Clerk Demetri Kachafanas, QC, Regional Solicitor Wayne MacDonald, Director of Engineering &Public Works Michael Ruus, Director of Planning & Development Karen Neville, Senior Planner Kristen Knudskov, Planner Sharon MacSween, Senior Administrative Assistant Angela Ross, Recording Secretary Absent: N/A Special Council Meeting- Minutes March 30, 2021 Approved June 15, 2021 2 of 6 Summary of Decisions Roll Call 1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Motion to approve the March 30a', 2021 Special Council Agenda as circulated. Carried. 2. CBRM Forward—Collaborative Community Planning A presentation was provided to Council regarding CBRM Forward, Collaborative Community Planning. 3. Committee Meeting Structure and Schedule: Motion to approve the Council Meeting Structure and Schedule as follows: • Hold two (2) Regional Council meetings per month, one (1) scheduled and one (1) as an option. • Special meetings scheduled as required via Zoom and or in person • Monthly themed meeting • Standing item on agenda for Committee reports Carried. ADJOURNMENT Council Meeting- Minutes March 30, 2021 Approved June 15, 2021 3 of 6 Roll Call 1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Motion: Moved by Councillor Parsons, seconded by Councillor Cyril MacDonald, to approve the March 30a', 2021 Special Council Agenda as circulated. Motion Carried. 2. CBRM Forward—Collaborative Community Planning; Michael Ruus, Director of Planning and Development, welcomed the project team from Dillon Consulting and the subconsultant Jupia, who will outline the process for the review of various Planning Policies and Economic Development Strategy for CBRM. Stephen Stone, Dillon Consulting Project Manager and Planning Lead, Jennifer Brown, Planner and Engagement Specialist, David Campbell, Economist, and Aileen Murray, Economic Development Practitioner, provided a presentation on CBRM Forward — Collaborative Community Planning, that included an overview of the process for the next two years. The following was highlighted: • What is CBRM Forward • Economic Development: o Strategy o Defined o Paradigm Shift • CBRM key assets and attributes • Potential barriers to growth • Opportunities • Growth Management Strategy • Municipal Planning Strategy • Enabling By-laws • CBRM Forward Engagement o Round 1 - April 2021 o Round 2 - June/July 2021 o Round 3 - October/November 2021 o Round 4 - March 2022 o Round 5 - August/September 2022 • Project Milestones o Phase 1 —April to October 2021 o Phase 2—October to March 2022 o Phase 3 —March to December 2022 Continued... Council Meeting- Minutes March 30, 2021 Approved June 15, 2021 4 of 6 CBRM Forward—Collaborative Community Planning (Cont'd): • How to get involved: o Citizens Advisory Working Group: ■ Two Council members to participate ■ Ask Council to recommend citizens for the Advisory Working Group that will assist in moving the project forward. o Technical Advisory Working Group—involvement from Department Heads and the Cape Breton Partnership for technical and implementable aspects of the Project • CBRM Forward website launch (April 6a') • Virtual Open House Event(April 14a') • Public & Stakeholder interviews and Focus Groups: throughout April. Following the presentation, Mayor McDougall opened the floor for questions, some of the items discussed included: • Location Quotation was explained (i.e. high concentration of employment when compared to the national workforce) • Citizens Advisory Working Group timeframe • Eskasoni and Membertou engagement methods • Barriers for CBRM i.e. commercial and residential tax • CBRM has 120 small communities that should be included in the process. • Funding by CBRM and the CBRM Partnership Carla Arsenault, CEO, Cape Breton Partnership, advised Council that they are ready to get started on the process and will work closely with the team. Mayor McDougall thanked the team for their presentation. 3. Committee Meeting Structure and Schedule: It was agreed to suspend the speaking time rules of the meeting to allow Councillors to offer input and share their likes and dislikes regarding Council the meeting structure and scheduling. Mayor McDougall initiated the discussion and advised that she thought it would be a great opportunity to set quarterly specialty meetings to report on the work on the Committees. She also felt that two (2) Regional Council meetings per month work great, however there has been feedback from staff that one (1) day meeting and one (1) meeting held in the evening may work better to offset staff overtime. She also noted that monthly themed meetings to discuss items within the Strategic Planning process and economic development would be important to maintain focus. She also expressed her agreement with the recommended 3-hour time limit for meetings,with the ability to request to go beyond three hours if required. Continued... Council Meeting- Minutes March 30, 2021 Approved June 15, 2021 5 of 6 Committee Meeting Structure and Schedule (Cont'd): Councillors shared their thoughts and discussion included the following: Consensus from all Councillors not to meet for the sake of meeting Special meetings of Council every 3 months was thought to be too often and that perhaps these meetings could be scheduled as needed, with a consensus of whether they would be in person or via Zoom Councillors shared both positive and negative comments about alternating the Chair for Committee meetings Standing item on agenda for Committee reports Consent agenda a good idea, but more information is required Councillors expressed pros and cons of daytime vs. nighttime meetings • Important presentations should take place at evening televised meetings • Reduce the number of Committee meetings • In person meetings vs. Zoom Councillors agreed on three (3) hour meetings with an option to continue longer • Monthly themed meetings • Police and Fire Committee meetings should continue to be stand alone • The video recordings of all open meeting proceedings are stored and can be viewed on the CBRM website In response to how the schedules of Council affect the Clerk's Department, the Municipal Clerk explained that the main function of the Clerk's Department is to provide secretarial service to the Council and Committee meetings and the Department will work with whatever Council decides. If staff resources are an issue, then the CAO would be consulted. The Clerk advised that overtime is budgeted for annually and is approximately 5% of the wages budget. Mayor McDougall provided a summary of the discussion and the following motion was then put forward. Motion: Moved by Councillor Gordon MacDonald, seconded by Councillor Parsons,to approve the Council Meeting Structure and Schedule as follows: • Hold two (2) Regional Council meetings per month; one (1) scheduled and one (1) as an option (depending on pending agenda items) • Schedule special meetings as required to be held via Zoom or in person • Monthly themed meeting based on the outcomes through the Strategic Planning • Standing item on future agendas for Committee reporting Discussion: In response to questions, Mayor McDougall clarified that General Committee meetings are eliminated and that the Regional Council meetings will be held in the evening. She also advised that the themed meetings will be a consensus-based on the topic up for discussion. Motion Carried. Council Meeting- Minutes March 30, 2021 Approved June 15, 2021 6 of 6 Meeting adiourned at 11:05 a.m. Mayor Amanda M. McDougall Deborah Campbell Ryan Municipal Clerk