Eastern Charlotte Council Highlights For May 2023

At the regular May council meeting for the Municipality of Eastern Charlotte, CEO Jason Gaudet gave an overview of ongoing projects, such as the finalizing of project pricing for the water main break on Riverview Avenue and the hiring of a new administrative assistant. The Building and Planning department presented several rezoning requests and demolition permits. Council approved several motions including, the Eastern Charlotte Waterways partnership agreement with the electric vehicle charging station, the lighting installation at the Patrick Connors Recreational Complex, and the acquisition of eleven street lights in Back Bay. Council also approved the first and second readings of bylaws that focus on dangerous and unsightly premises and all-terrain vehicles on Main Street. 

During the council meeting, members of the public spoke about their concerns, including criticism of some council members' treatment of a taxpayer who expressed his opinion at a previous council meeting. Two council members, Alexa Detorakis and Lisa McKay, said that they did not have a problem with what the taxpayer in question said at the last meeting. Instead, they were concerned over the fact that he sent a private message to a councillor after the meeting that they found disturbing, which is why they requested this citizen not be allowed to volunteer covering the council meetings on camera.

Mayor John Craig gave updates on community events, such as a bicycle safety rodeo and an upcoming ceremonial review of an army cadet corps. Council members gave updates on ongoing projects such as improvements to the arena and upcoming festivals.

Faith Avery presented a report on free community meals at The Hub, which has served upwards of 200 people per night. Avery emphasized that companionship is just as important as the meals and discussed ways to sponsor or to donate to Community Meals. Council members had several questions for Avery, including whether community meals accepts food donations and whether the poverty statistics she cited applied to Charlotte County.

Another speaker, Mark Driscoll, discussed the need for a dedicated resource to conduct an analysis of local crime, to figure out the hotspots, and provide informed information to the council, so that it can follow a strategic plan versus a reactive approach to combatting crime in the community. Speaking as a security consultant, he said he believed that a litany of solutions would work better than a one-size-fits-all approach. Driscoll acknowledged that every community in the region faced issues with a lack of services from the RCMP. He suggested that the council needed someone who was familiar enough in the area to offer informed decisions on various solutions, from electronic surveillance, access control, to supplemental security patrolling of rural and town areas.