Here is a collection of news items from Wednesday's committee of the whole meeting:
Cumberland municipal council hears pitch for new animal shelter in Upper Nappan
Cumberland municipal council heard a presentation from volunteers with the L.A. Animal Shelter about a planned campaign to build a new shelter at its facility on the Smith Road in Upper Nappan.
Mark Casey said the shelter has provided an important service to Cumberland County residents since 1987, providing a warm, nurturing surrounding for stray, neglected, sick and abandoned dogs and cats across the county.
The estimated cost of the new shelter is $1.1 million which will be funded partially by $200,000 from the shelter’s reserves.
Casey said the organization is asking for leadership contributions of $150,000 each from the municipality as well as the Town of Amherst. It will also have a number of private contributions before going to a public capital campaign later.
The footprint of the building will be approximately 4,000 square feet with about 500 square feet of outdoor kennel space under the roof. Mayor Murray Scott said council will take the information presented and include it in its budget deliberations.
Municipal council forwards youth research project request to regular meeting
Cumberland municipal council has agreed to forward a motion to its March 29 regular council meeting to approve $13,500 in funding for the Pathways to Resiliency research program.
Amherst’s director of Community Living Sharon Bristol made a presentation during Wednesday’s March committee of the whole meeting, explaining the project is a recommendation from the inter-municipal Poverty Action Committee that centers around gaining qualitative data from youth ages 12 to 19 in Cumberland County on what barriers are faced by today’s youth.
It will help inform municipalities on what resources may be required to make the community more vibrant to youth, provide insight into the complex challenges between education-life skills-employment and ultimately help build a framework that helps make youth more resilient.
Through application to Mitacs funding, 50 percent of the project’s cost would be covered with the three municipalities making up the difference with Amherst and Cumberland County each contributing $13,500 and Oxford $3,000.
The Poverty Reduction Action Committee, of which Coun. Jennifer Houghtaling is the municipality’s representative and has developed a three-year strategic plan that has identified three pillars of concerns to be addressed including food insecurity, housing/homelessness and youth outreach and education.
Council forwards Pugwash Farmers’ Market request to regular meeting
Municipal council has agreed to forward a request from the Pugwash Farmers’ Market to its March regular meeting.
The market has applied for $15,000 in funding from the Christie Community Foundation to develop a market community hub, which would serve as a gathering and resource space for the community.
The cooperative was established in 2006 and has steadily grown to become the largest and most attended market in Cumberland County. Each week, more than 35 local producers use the venue to sell local produce, preserves, eggs, baked goods and handmade goods to more than 800 residents and tourists.
Cumberland County asking Parks Canada for improved signage for Beaubassin
The Municipality of Cumberland is sending a letter to Parks Canada to request additional signage on the Trans-Canada Highway directing visitors to the former Acadian village of Beaubassin near the provincial border at Fort Lawrence.
The municipality was requested to write the letter by the newly-formed Cumberland Acadian Society.
In a letter to Mayor Murray Scott, society president Leon Landry said the society does not understand why the National Historic Site at Fort Beausejour has excellent signage while there’s only minimal signage for Beaubassin, which is also a National Historic Site.