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1992-05-25_Minutes 83-548 COMMON COUNCIL MAY 25,1992 At a meeting of the Common Council, held at the City Hall in the City of Saint John, on Monday, the twenty-fifth day of May, AD. 1992, at 7:00 o'clock p.m., being the day fixed for swearing in the new members of Common Council. Mr. Robert Adams, Piper, entered the Council Chamber, followed in procession by Mr. Kenneth Galbraith, Sergeant-at-Mace, bearing the City Mace; Mrs. Mary L. Munford, Common Clerk; Councillors-elect Patricia Landers, Albert A Vincent, P. Joseph Coughlan, Arthur L. Gould, Shirley McAlary, Melvin A Vincent, Kathy Rogers, Derek Chase, Dennis R. Knibb and Peter Trites. Mayor-elect Elsie E. Wayne, escorted by Mr. David Sherwood, Chief of Police, entered the meeting. Elsie E. Wayne, Mayor-elect, took the Oath of Mayor before the Common Clerk of the City of Saint John. Patricia Landers, Albert A Vincent, P. Joseph Coughlan, Arthur L. Gould, Shirley McAlary, Melvin A Vincent, Kathy Rogers, Derek Chase, Dennis R. Knibb and Peter Trites did individually take the Oath of Office of Councillor, and, preceded by the Mayor, took their seats at the Council table. Also present were Messrs. J. Brown, City Manager; F. Rodgers, City Solicitor; D. Wilson, Commissioner of Finance; C. Robichaud, Assistant City Manager - Operations; J. C. MacKinnon, Commissioner of Environment and Infrastructure Services; 1. Totten, Deputy Commissioner of Finance; S. Armstrong, Director of Engineering; S. Bedford, Director of Community Planning; B. Morrison, Director of Parks; S. Galbraith, Director of Supply and Services; W. Butler, Director of Water and Sewerage Services; R. McDevitt, Fire Chief; Miss D. Waye, Executive Assistant to the Mayor; Miss D. Murray, Director of Public Relations; and Ms. C. Joyce, Assistant Common Clerk, and a large assembly composed of relatives of Council members, and other interested citizens. Mayor Wayne called the meeting to order. A special invocation was offered by Reverend Isaac Walls, Rector of Glenview United Church. Mayor Wayne gave the following address:- "I would like to take this opportunity to welcome back to the Council Chamber all of my colleagues who were re-elected, as well as our three new Council members, Derek Chase, Shirley McAlary and Peter Trites, and I extend a very warm welcome to all the family and friends of those elected who are in attendance this evening. For the past 8 years, the Council of the City of Saint John has had a stable tax rate and has reduced the Capital debt by in excess of 10 million dollars by doing Capital works out of our Operating Budget, and we have saved many millions of dollars in interest cost. Yet we have continued to supply to our citizens, what I consider to be, excellent services. This is done not by anyone person, Ladies and Gentlemen - this is done only by team work, team work of the Council, staff and the citizens, and I thank those who have worked so hard to accomplish this, in these most difficult financial times. It is important that we continue to make good, honest, responsible, decisions and policies for our citizens for their future. We must build on the foundation that we have laid in the '80s for our citizens. With the number of unemployed people that we have in the Greater Saint John area today, economic development must be a number one priority, working hand in hand with the environment to develop Saint John as a good place to work, visit and do business; but jobs must be also a number one priority, particularly, as I have stated, with the high unemployment rate that we have at the present time. And this can only be accomplished, Ladies and Gentlemen and Members of Council, by working very closely with the other two levels of government and the private sector as we have in the past 83-549 COMMON COUNCIL MAY 25,1992 three years. And I want to welcome to the Council Chamber, our M.P., The Honourable Gerald Merrithew, and I also see Edis Flewwelling, who has served so many, many years on Council, as well as Joan Parfitt, who is a former Council member, and we thank you very much for being with us this evening. The Capital Budget, which we have just adopted - the outgoing Council, will include two new fire stations, a civic centre; we are giving money to the Imperial Theatre program; and our plans for Rockwood Park, water and sewerage, street construction and so on, is a 20 million dollar Capital Budget, and it will create much needed work in our City. It is anticipated that through our Capital Budget, along with the private sector, that approximately 80 million dollars of construction will take place in the City of Saint John this year. And we need to get on with that work as diligently as we can to put all of our people back to work in our City. Members of Council, the City Manager and myself will be arranging a number of teach-ins for you, particularly for the new members, but for all of us, to bring you up to date on all policy matters, so that a good business-like approach can be applied to the City's business at our Council meetings. With that in mind, the outgoing Council had appointed a committee to look at the agenda, to review same, and report back to Council on suggested changes that could streamline our Council business on Monday nights. That report, the City Manager informs me today, will be coming forward with recommendations for our consideration in the very near future. With regard to the role of Councillors, each Councillor has a duty week and it is a Councillor's duty, when the Common Clerk calls, to accommodate the Common Clerk in the request that comes from the citizens. We are elected to work for the people, but not just on Monday night. We are elected to work for the people seven days a week. Committees and commissions provide a vital role in our community, and there are approximately 40 committees on which Councillors are to serve. At next week's Council meeting, I will be recommending a Nominating Committee structure that will allow us to make recommendations to fill these positions, and it will be brought forward to you for your consideration. We have a great volunteer spirit in our Saint John community, and it is remarkable for a City this size. This community spirit and volunteerism, for which Saint John is nationally famous, must continue. And all of you here who have come tonight, on behalf of those seated here, we need your help. We'll need it; we've needed it in the past, and we'll need it in the future. So, if you're called upon to volunteer, be sure and offer your services, for Saint John needs you. I want to give our heartfelt thanks to Hugh Fitzpatrick, Sam Davis and Edis Flewwelling for the many, many years that they served the City of Saint John, diligently, faithfully and impartially. We do thank you. So, in conclusion, I am very pleased to have the privilege once again of working with a new Council, together with a competent first-class administration that we have; and, in the best interests of the citizens of the City of Saint John, I would now ask that a motion be placed on the floor for the Deputy Mayor's position.". Councillor Gould noted that there is a tradition in Saint John that the candidate receiving the highest number of votes be appointed Deputy Mayor, and expressed the opinion that the policy based on this tradition is a sound one. On motion of Councillor Gould Seconded by Councillor A Vincent RESOLVED that Shirley McAlary be elected Deputy Mayor of the City of Saint John. Question being taken, the motion was carried by the unanimous vote of all Council members present. 83-550 COMMON COUNCIL MAY 25,1992 The Mayor extended congratulations to Councillor McAlary on her election to the position of Deputy Mayor. The Mayor welcomed to the Council Chamber M.L.A Louis Murphy. The Mayor extended condolences to Councillor Coughlan on the death of his uncle, Father Mitchell. The Mayor noted that a reception will be held following the meeting, and called for a motion to adjourn. On motion of Councillor Gould Seconded by Councillor Knibb RESOLVED that this meeting be adjourned. Question being taken, the motion was carried. Common Clerk