The Town has a Public Input at Council and Committee Meetings policy (Policy No. 110-010.)
https://wolfville.ca/sites/default/files/2024-04/110-010_Public%20Input%20at%20Meetings_2024%20Final.pdf
Section 4.5 of the Policy contains instructAt the December 3, 2024 COW meeting, a new, that is, future, amendment to the Devour!’s Memorandum of Understanding was considered. There was no discussion of seeking reimbursement of the $50,000.00 grant already paid to Devour! nor of cancelling the anticipated $50,000.00 payment. Neither legislation, bylaw, policy nor agreement were reviewed even though there was no question that Devour! would not be meeting its timing obligations under the MOU.ions on how questions posed during the public input portion of the meeting should be responded to.
The Chair, in consultation with members of Council, the CAO and/or staff designate, will determine if a question posed can be immediately answered or if it needs to be referred to staff for further follow-up. Any questions not immediately answered will be directed to a staff member for follow-up, either in writing directly to the member of the public with a copy to Council, or in a subsequent CAO Report to Committee of the Whole. (My emphasis.)
During the public input portion of the November 12, 2024, Committee of the Whole meeting, Franklin Wilmot, P. Eng., spoke. (Here is a link to the recording of the meeting. Mr. WIlmot begins to speak at 37:09:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RRZWkpuqEU ).
Mr. Wilmot noted that there is an increased demand for staff time that results in the need for additional funding; the Town has missed a number of opportunities to acquire additional funding; and he asks that these missed opportunities be reviewed as a source of income.
Mr. Wilmot details the opportunities that the Town has missed “for whatever reason”. They are: the approximately $10,000.00 in costs the Town incurred when it reviewed major revisions to the 292 Main Street project plans; the money the Town could charge the 292 Main Street developer for the 16 public parking spaces that are being used by the developer as a lay down area; and finally, the $100,000.00 grant given to Devour!
Mr. Wilmot ends his input with an “ask”: that the Town pursue reimbursement of the tax payers money that has already been spent or granted.
Consistent with the Input Policy, a response to the questions Mr. Wilmot posed appears in the CAO report contained in the December 3, 2024, COW meeting agenda package.
“Responses to public input / questions from November 12, 2024
Will the Town more diligently pursue / recover expenses and grant monies it is entitled to?
Often these arrangements are governed by legislation, by-law, policy or agreement and will be administered based on those parameters. Town Council may consider opportunities for cost-recovery with any new by-law, policy or agreement in the future.”
The CAO’s answer is not responsive to Mr. Wilmot’s question: whether the the Town will pursue funds it is entitled to based upon the three “opportunities” Mr. Wilmot discussed in his presentation.
Mr. Horne states that recovery of funds in the future are to be guided by legislation, bylaw, policy or agreement. However, it appears that no one on Council is following that guidance.
At the December 3, 2024 COW meeting, a new, that is, future, amendment to the Devour!’s Memorandum of Understanding was considered. There was no discussion of seeking reimbursement of the $50,000.00 grant already paid to Devour! nor of cancelling the anticipated $50,000.00 payment. Neither legislation, bylaw, policy nor agreement were reviewed even though there was no question that Devour! would not be meeting its timing obligations under the MOU.