The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My Public Portal About2018-01-18_COW_Public_Agenda PackagePage 1 of 2 of Agenda Cover Page(s) Committee of the W hole AGENDA Thursday, January 18, 2018 –8:30 a.m. Chester Municipal Council Chambers 151 King Street, Chester, NS 1.MEETING CALLED TO ORDER. 2.APPROVAL OF AGENDA/ORDER OF BUSINESS. 3.PUBLIC INPUT SESSION (8:30 A.M.–8:45 A.M.) 4.MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING: 4.1.Committee of the Whole –January 4, 2018 5.MATTERS ARISING: 5.1 Letter of response from Department of Natural Resources dated December 19, 2017 in response to letter dated November 20, 2017 regarding extending the fall closure of provincial parks in MODC.(Origin -November 2,2017 –COW Meeting) 5.2 Information Report prepared by Administration Department dated January 12, 2018 regarding Demolition Permits and Sewer Disconnections (Origin –January 4,2018 -COW Meeting. 6.CORRESPONDENCE: 6.2 Email from UNSM dated January 11, 2018 regarding UNSM Spring Workshop and Fall Conference Session Topics Request (response deadline February 2, 2018). 7.NEW BUSINESS: 7.1 Request for Decision prepared by Finance Department dated January 12,2018 regarding Properties on Tax Sale list for consideration of Municipal bid. 6.1 Presentation by Tina Hennigar, NOW Lunenburg County regarding update on next tour. (appointment at 9:00 a.m.) (presentation cancelled and Page 2 of 2 8.IN CAMERA: 9.ADJOURNMENT. 8.1 MGA Section 22 (2)(a) – Land Negotiations – Simms Settlement (appointment at 10:15 a.m.) Information Report Prepared By:Tammy Wilson, CAO Date January 12, 2018 Reviewed By:Date Authorized By:Date CURRENT SITUATION At the January 4, 2018 Committee of the Whole meeting, staff were directed to report back to them regarding a recent issue with the building and demolition permit process as it relates to sewer disconnections and the associated fees. The concern was over an incident where a demolition permit was applied for and issued but the pr operty also required a sewer disconnection, with an accompanying fee. Engineering and Public Works (EPW) was not informed of the demolition permit issuance and the applicant did not obtain the necessary permissions and pay the required fee for the sewer di sconnect. RECOMMENDATION N/A-Report is for information only, as a follow up to the January 4, 2018 Committee of the Whole request for information. BACKGROUND The following was the practice in place at the time of the incident in question: 1.Property owner applies for a demolition permit. 2.Community Development (CDD) staff advises that it is the applicant’s responsibility to contact public works to ensure that there are no requirements from them that need to be met. 3.CDD staff then notify EPW staff that an application has been received. 4.Demo Permit processed and permit issued. The permit contained a notification in bold lettering that it was applicant’s responsibility to contact EPW (with contact number provided) prior to excavation, digging,plumbing renovations, construction or disconnection. 5.Once EPW is contacted, an application is submitted and a permit issued. Generally, the disconnection permit fee is $150 which covers the administration of the permit and the required inspections. DISCUSSION In the most recent incident, EPW staff were not notified that there was an application by CD staff, neither was the applicant. The demolition and disconnection occurred without EPW being notified, doing the inspection and collecting the required f ee. The fee that is being disputed in the most recent case is not a penalty fee, it is charged to cover the costs of inspections and ensuring that disconnections are done in a manner that does not cause damage to the sewer main. REPORT TO:Committee of the Whole SUBMITTED BY:Administration DATE:January 18, 2018 SUBJECT:Demolition Permits and Sewer Disconnections ORIGIN:January 4, 2018 –Committee of the Whole 2 Error! Reference source not found./Direction In order to prevent a repeat of this situation, we have already implemented some changes that should address future issues, as follows: Following an application being entered into our permit tracking software, EPW now receives notification of all building permits, demolition permits, and development permits. This is intended to address the issues we have had with demolition permits but it also should help EPW identify when they need to look at the number of sewer connections and the EDUs that are being charged. IMPLICATIONS Policy n/a Financial/Budgetary n/a Environmental n/a. Strategic Plan Work Program Implications n/a. OPTIONS 1.n/a ATTACHMENTS COMMUNICATIONS (INTE RNAL/EXTERNAL) Staff will contact the applicant to explain the fee and the process, and ensure that the it is clear the sewer disconnection fee would have been required regardless and it is not a penalty fee. 1 Cindy Hannaford From:UNSM Info <Info@unsm.ca>Sent:Thursday, January 11, 2018 11:31 AMTo:Tracy VerbekeSubject:UNSM SPRING WORKSHOP AND FALL CONFERENCE SESSION TOPICS REQUEST--Action Required: Response by February 2nd TO:Mayors, Wardens, Councillors and CAO's, All Units FR:Judy Webber, UNSM Event Planner RE:UNSM SPRING WORKSHOP AND FALL CONFERENCE SESSION TOPICS REQUEST – RESPONSE BY FEB 2ND The UNSM Spring Workshop will take place from May 10th –12th in Yarmouth and the Fall Conference at the Halifax Westin in early November. Both planning committees will be meeting in February to begin setting the agendas. The Committees would appreciate input from the membership in terms of topics you would like to see at the upcoming events. These are your events and we want you to get the most out of them. Please provide up to three topics you would like to see offered. The Committees will review all topics received at their initial meetings. Even though we may on ly be able to accommodate a few suggestions, we sincerely appreciate all of your input. Please provide your topics via e-mail directly to UNSM Event Planner, Judy Webber –jwebber@unsm.ca. Response deadline is FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2ND, 2018 Phone: (902) 423-8331 Fax: (902) 425-5592 www.unsm.ca PLEASE NOTE:If you do not want to receive communications from UNSM, please e -mail Tracy Verbeke at tverbeke@unsm.ca,and you will be removed from the mailing list. REQUEST FOR DECISION Prepared By:Malcolm Pitman, CPA, CA, Director of Finance Date January 15, 2018 Reviewed By:Date Authorized By:Date CURRENT SITUATION MODC has scheduled a tax sale for January 23, 2018. A number of properties have been identified that may be of benefit to the Municipality. Where no bid is received for land , that is sufficient to satisfy the full amount of the taxes, interest and expenses, the Tr easurer may bid the amount of taxes, interest and expenses and purchase the land for the Municipality. RECOMMENDATION For the following properties,the Municipal Council give direction that the Treasurer bid on and purchase the lands where no bid is received for land sufficient to satisfy the full amount of the taxes, interest and expenses: AAN Item Description Assessment Amount Due 08203741 7 Land, Nevertell Lake, Beech Rd (Gold River Pulpwood Co. Ltd.) $94,000 $5,488.48 00817333 14 Highway 329, Lot 06-1, Deep cove (South Wind Properties Ltd.) $22,900 1,492.86 01518054 15 Highway 329, Parcel RL-1, Deep cove (South Wind Properties Ltd.) $29,800 1,936.92 09877371 16 Highway 329, Lot 7, Deep cove (South Wind Properties Ltd.) $4,000 743.43 09877401 17 Highway 329, Lot 1, Deep cove (South Wind Properties Ltd.) $14,700 1,304.27 09878998 18 Highway 329, Lot 1, Deep cove (South Wind Properties Ltd.) $42,000 2,499.31 09879005 19 Highway 329, Lot 3, Deep cove (South Wind Properties Ltd.) $18,600 1,328.86 09879021 20 Highway 329, Lot 4, Deep cove (South Wind Properties Ltd.) $17,500 1,414.57 09877398 22 Highway 329, Parcel D, Deep cove (South Wind Properties Ltd.) $200 572.84 Total $16,780.54 REPORT TO:Municipal Council SUBMITTED BY:Finance Department DATE:January 15, 2018 SUBJECT:Municipal purchase of tax sale property ORIGIN: 2 Request For Decision BACKGROUND Per Section 143 of the Municipal Government Act (MGA)a municipality may bid for and purchase land at a tax sale for any municipal purpose. Tax sale policy P-01 requires Council to give direction on properties up for tax sale that Council may want the Treasurer to bid for and purchase. DISCUSSION The above properties have been identified by the Director of Parks and Recreation as valuable property for parks and recreation purposes. Item 7 -Potential uses -Lake water access,hiking trails, connecting with nature Items 14-20 & 22 –Potential uses -Access to Deep Cove mountain for hiking, water access at Bear Cove IMPLICATIONS Policy –n/a Financial/Budgetary –Purchase price will be a non-budgeted purchase of land from operations. The offsetting entry will be a reduction of receivables which may have a positive impact on the allowance for doubtful accounts expense. Environmental –n/a Strategic Plan –n/a Work Program Implications -n/a OPTIONS Two options: 1.Approve the purchase of the above lands if no sufficient bids are received. 2.Approve none of the above or only some of the above properties for purchase at tax sale. ATTACHMENTS COMMUNICATIONS (INTE RNAL/EXTERNAL) Internal –n/a External-n/a.