RURAL MUNICIPALITY OF MISCOUCHE
Monthly Council Meeting

February 13th, 2024

1. OPENING MEETING

Mayor Albert Gallant called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M.

Present:

Albert Gallant  – Mayor
Allan Parks – Deputy Mayor
Ivan Blanchard- Councillor
Charles MacAusland  Councillor
Corey Gillis  Councillor
Patrick MacLellan Councillor (Absent)
Jonathan Gallant Councillor
Michelle Perry- CAO

2. Minister Gil Arsenault and his assistant Francine Arsenault came to meet with council and to give a brief description on what he is trying to accomplish in his term. Council had a few questions to ask the minister.
Q.  Augustine St needs to be paved this year, since all the big trucks traveling on it for the lagoon project tore it up.
A. It is on the list to get done this year.
Q. If the government was helping Rustico out with the Rink.
A. There is an ongoing investigation for that project as someone was signing off for the change orders.
Q. Are there any thoughts on the government helping out small communities with purchasing new fire trucks.
A. There is nothing right now however they will check with the Justice of Public Safety to see if they could develop some sort of funding that they might be able to tap into.
The minister also provided his direct # to the Office in Wellington 902-218-8638 and he is in the office every Monday and sometimes on Friday. There is also Seniors Navigator Melanie Melson 902-213-5820 who will help seniors fill out forms for funding or answer questions and give them the information that they need to get them to the correct department. Francine will send some information to the municipality so that we can add this information to the newsletter.
Mayor Gallant thanked them both for coming to the meeting.

3. Declaration of Conflict of Interest: No One declared a Conflict of Interest

4. MAINTENANCE REPORT: Monty MacAusland gave the following report: Pump # 1 at the East Lagoon had to be pulled on Monday as there was a blockage in it.  Preston sent a couple of his workers to help Monty with the task. Everything is back working the way it should. And in the spring the pump # 2 will be changed and taken out for some maintenance.
5. ADOPTION OF MINUTES: Monthly Meeting January 9th, and special meeting January 24th, 2024.

MOTION moved by Allan Parks seconded by Charles MacAusland and carried.
THAT the minutes for the Monthly Meeting January 9th, and Special Meeting January 24th, 2024, be approved as presented.

6. BUSINESS ARISING:
a) West Lagoon Upgrades: The 3rd claim was paid out and there should be 1 more bill submitted by March 31 for this year and the rest of the projected will be completed after April 1 2024.
b) Wilfred St: The community should be receiving the invoice for the project for $675,500.00.    $ 300,000.00 will be transferred out of the Gas Tax for the project and the rest will come out of the general funds and then submitted to the Active Transportation Fund to get the rest of the money owning for the project.
c) Hydrant: Pump was ordered.
d) Code of Conduct Training: There are 3 councillor left to complete the training.

e) Budget: The public meeting for the Budget will be February 27, 2024 @ 7 pm and the Approval date will be March 12 2024 at the Monthly meeting.
f) Unsightly Property 100 Lady Slipper Dr S: At this time Mayor Gallant closed the meeting to the public to discuss a letter that was written from the resident.
After 10 minutes Mayor Gallant opened the meeting back up to the public.
g) Funding for the Generator for the Rec Center: CAO Perry heard back from ACOA and the funding will be honored even though we will not receive the generator till mid-April.
h) Damage to the Rec Center Camera: Council received an apology letter from the youth and also received from the youth $150.00 for the payment of the camera.

7. COMMITTEE REPORTS:
a) Fire Dept: Councilor MacAusland gave the following report. The annual meeting was Monday evening and there was a total of 30 calls for the year. And 1200 hours of training. The department will be the Fire Smart ambassadors for this year, and they also applied for funding to help out with some mitigation for the spring. They will also be doing a cleanup of the hall before the Pancake breakfast March 9th, 2024.
b) Recreation, Park, Playgrounds and Green Spaces: Councilor Gallant gave the following
report: There is nothing to report at this time and he is still working with councillor MacAusland on the playground equipment for the new fiscal year.
c)  Water & Sewer:  Councilor Gillis had nothing to report but wanted to know if JC Drilling had completed his work that needed to be fixed on Dawsyn Crt.  CAO Perry spoke with JC Drilling and the issued will be fixed in the spring.
d) Repairs, Maintenance and Village Properties: Councilor Blanchard gave the following report: There will be a list made for all the properties as to what needs to be fixed or repaired. Other than that, everything is good on the properties.
e) PEI Federation of Municipalities: Councillor MacLellan was absent for the meeting so there was no report given
f) Finances, Budgets, Pay Committee, Bylaws and Planning:  Councillor Parks gave the following report: All the council received the budget ahead of time to review and were asked if they had any questions or concerns about it. At this time Deputy Parks asked that the meeting be closed to discuss the pay committee: The pay committee met on January 17, 2024, and recommended after reviewing information from other communities that the CAO wages increase by 3.2% and the Maintenance increase 3.2 % as well.  They also reviewed the council Honorarium and recommended that the council honorarium increase by $100.00 each except the Deputy, this one should be increased by $200.00 as of right now it is only $100.00 more than the councilor. The committee also reviewed the fire department honorarium and they recommended that it increase by $2,000.00.  All these increases have already been factored into the new proposed budget and will be put into place once the new budget has been approved by council.
The meeting was opened back up to the public.

8. APPROVAL OF BILLS TOTALING $ 293,270.19

MOTION moved by Allan Parks seconded by Charles MacAusland and carried.
THAT the payment of the bills totaling $293,270.19 be approved.

9. NEW BUSINESS:
a) Support letter for the ATV Club.

MOTION moved by Corey Gillis seconded by Ivan Blanchard and carried.
THAT the community write a support letter to the Government that they are supporting the share the road program for the ATV’s.

10. NEXT MEETING: Monthly Meeting March 12th, 2024

11. MEETING ADJOURNEDMOTION moved by Charles MacAusland THAT the meeting of February 13, 2024, be adjourned.