OCTOBER 1ST - TOWN COUNCIL MEETING

NEW DIRECTION FOR HMCC. HORSES ON HOLD. CITIZEN REPS ON LIBRARY COMMITTEE. AND MORE.

Hantsport Memorial Community Centre President Lorraine McQueen reported that the HMCC Board has accepted the recommendations of external consultants to take the HMCC in a new direction. It will be redefined as a self-sustaining business entity.  To do this, the Board needs a budget of $50,000 a year for 6 years, the Red Barn be fixed or demolished within a year, and the Hantsport & Area Historical Society make other arrangements for its museum. Council accepted the report without questions. HMCC AGM is Thursday, October 24 at 7 PM at HMCC.

The Planning Advisory Committee met earlier the same evening. It delayed its decision on horses in the town. It recommended that owners of buildings zoned commercial may allocated up to 50% of their ground floor to residential but 50% must be commercial.

The Joint Council of Hantsport, Windsor, and West Hants may hire a consultant to consider municipal co-operation. CAO Rob Frost suggested the cost may be in six figures.

According to the CAO's financial update the town at six months into the year "is bang on."

Three citizens volunteered to sit on the town's committee studying the future of the library. It chose Joe Foy and Martin Vanderbaaren.  They will join several others to consider the issue.

The owner of the Windsor & Hantsport Railway has contacted a company to clear the line and the yard. Councillors described the railway and the station as "It's a shame to let it fall to the ground" and "It's an environmental nightmare." The owner is interested in leasing the station on a yearly basis.

The future of the Tourist Bureau will be considered in the next budget. Tourism figures have been falling for the last three years.

According to the CAO the town may issue bonds for a specific purpose - a project which the residents are excited about.

The HMCC grounds were mowed 36 times during the season at a cost of $12,000. To contract it out, the cost would be $30,000.

A letter from a participant in the Terry Fox Run stated that the Legion building was closed and no water was available. Council admitted a mistake had been made. In the 30 years of the run, this was the first negative comment.

The playground at Hantsport School will last 2 or 3 years and then will need to be replaced. A letter asked if the town will partner with the school to make necessary improvements.