On Monday night, Amherst Town Council voted to adopt the 2024-2028 Strategic Plan. This new tool will be used to guide Council in decision making during their term, and provide staff with direction in developing and implementing their budgets and work plans. The plan establishes Economic Prosperity and a Vibrant Community as our two main priorities, and includes outcomes and initiatives established to work towards these priorities. pdf The new plan is available on our website (8.66 MB) .
Salary Administration Policy
The new strategic plan will have a number of impacts on the distribution of work for Town staff; Council approved several recommendations to realign our resources to effectively implement the new plan, which required amendments to the Salary Administration Policy. The Procurement Coordinator position was eliminated; a new Marketing and Communications Strategist position was created; Director of Planning & Strategic Initiatives was renamed to Director of Planning & Economic Development; Business Development Officer was renamed to Economic Development Officer; Director of Communications, Procurement, and IT was reassigned to the new Deputy CAO; and, the CAO’s office was added to the Salary Administration Policy, with the following positions: Deputy CAO, Marketing and Communications Strategist, Communications Officer, Municipal Clerk, and Administrative Assistant – Clerk’s Office. While many changes have occurred, there is no net increase in staff positions.
Financial Policies
A number of financial matters were brought before Council on Monday. It is mandated under the Municipal Government Act and the Financial Reporting and Accounting Manual (FRAM) for the Province of Nova Scotia that, by January 31 following an election held under the Municipal Elections Act, the Expense Reimbursement Policy, the Hospitality Policy, and the Audit Committee Terms of Reference Policy shall all be reviewed. Council accepted recommendations to update the Expense Reimbursement Policy and the Hospitality Policy to correct minor grammatical errors, update reporting and review requirements; no updates were recommended for the Audit Committee Terms of Reference Policy.
96 Church Development Agreement
Council gave first reading to the development agreement for 96 Church Street and scheduled a public hearing for February 12, 2025. This development agreement would permit the conversion of the dwelling into a six-unit apartment building with a detached garden suite – creating additional housing in a central location near downtown, and also resulting in the repurposing of a historically significant building that had fallen into a state of disrepair.
Tax Sale
A Town of Amherst tax sale is scheduled for February 11, 2025. The property located at 59 Church Street had been vacant since September 18, 2017 and was deemed unsightly and unsafe. Demolition of the property was completed on October 31, 2019; no bids were received at the public auction tax sale held on May 16, 2023. The current balance outstanding on the account is $126,667.04 and consists of property taxes from 2020 to 2025, in addition to dangerous and unsightly charges and interest charged on overdue amounts. Given the location and size of the property, its assessed value and recent comparable property sales, Council approved setting the minimum bid for 59 Church Street at $15,000. Full details for the February 11 tax sale are available on our website.
2025 Meeting Dates
The Town’s Proceedings of Council Policy sets the third Monday of every month for Committee of the Whole meetings and the fourth Monday of the month for Council meetings. The Policy also permits the rescheduling of such meetings by resolution of Council, which took place on Monday night to amend calendars for Committee of the Whole meetings originally scheduled for Heritage Day (February 19), Easter Monday (April 21), and Victoria Day (May 19). Each of those meetings was rescheduled by one day – from the relevant Monday to the Tuesday. The December Committee of the Whole and Council meetings traditionally take place on the same afternoon, and Council directed staff to hold both on December 15, 2025, beginning at 3 p.m.
Amherst Youth Town Council Appointment
Current policy allows up to 15 members on the Amherst Youth Town Council. In June of 2024, seven students expressed interest in returning, and since then, two new persons have been recruited. Avery Hoeg Burbine contacted staff before Christmas and indicated her interest to join the AYTC, and on Monday night, Council appointed Avery to the Amherst Youth Town Council.
Council Appointment to the L.A. Animal Shelter
Council has appointed a member of Council to the L.A. Animal Shelter annually for several years. Generally, Council appoints members when Town oversight and reporting is required; Council has committed a Community Support Grant in the amount of $50,000 per year for three years to assist with the construction of the shelter’s new facility. Council agreed they would like to continue making a Council appointment to the L.A. Animal Shelter, and Deputy Mayor Davidson volunteered to be appointed for a term ending on October 31, 2025, which was approved by Council.
Details From the January 20 Committee of the Whole Meeting
- Healthcare Recruitment: The committee received a presentation from Dr. Janneke Gradstein on healthcare recruitment and the Community Navigator position, which is a collaborative role between the Town and the Municipality of the County of Cumberland.
- Cumberland Business Connector: The committee received a presentation from Jonathan McClelland – CEO of the Cumberland Business Connector.
- Council Conference Attendance and Professional Development Policy: Further to the memo included in the agenda package, discussion ensued around Council attendance at the annual Federation of Canadian Municipalities Conference and Tradeshow, particularly how many members are permitted to attend, per policy. The committee agreed they would like to maintain status quo at this time, permitting three members to attend when the conference is held outside of the Maritime provinces.
- Medical First Responder Services: A presentation was made to the committee by Amherst’s Director of Fire Services, Greg Jones. Council passed a motion requesting that staff contact EHS to request a presentation to Council regarding Medical First Responder services.
- Road Trail Act and OHV Use: Police Chief Dwayne Pike presented a memo on the Province’s Road Trail Act and discussion ensued concerning the purpose of the legislation – trail connectivity and access to amenities. There are currently no official established trails within or near town limits, with the nearest ones existing in the county only, and divided by private property and other restrictions. As with other jurisdictions, work completed and responsibilities in regards to trail connectivity is usually left to private groups and associations. This presentation was for informational purposes only and no direction was given to staff.
- Council Remuneration: Further to the memo included in the agenda package, discussion ensued around a review of Council remuneration and benefits. The committee agreed they would like to maintain the status quo at this time.
- Anson Avenue Rail Crossing: Due to comments from area residents about the disturbance created when CN trains sound their horns at the Anson Avenue rail crossing, Council has directed Town staff to investigate the feasibility of ending the practice of CN trains sounding their horns at that location.
Please visit our Council and Committee Agendas section on the website for full details on the pdf January 20 Committee of the Whole meeting (3.93 MB) , as well as the pdf January 27 regular meeting of Amherst Town Council (6.42 MB) .
Direct enquiries to:
Sean Payne
Corporate Communications Officer
902-694-6265
