In a recent Committee of the Whole meeting for the Municipal of St. Stephen, several important matters were discussed ranging from community initiatives to municipal plan amendments and budget preparations.

The meeting began with a presentation by students of St. Stephen High School's leadership and development class, who outlined their class initiative to paint three crosswalks in the school area. The proposed paintings would represent support for the LGBTQ+ community, Truth and Reconciliation, and the school's colours. The students requested assistance from municipal staff to ensure the safe and correct execution of their initiative.

Council also addressed a public hearing that was conducted, which aimed to amend the municipal plan. The amendment addressed zoning discrepancies for properties on Union Street, including the St. Croix Vocational Centre and a neighbouring residential property. The proposed changes sought to rectify long-standing zoning errors and alleviate the financial burden on property owners by waiving the cost of rezoning applications.

Discussions turned to the impending municipal budget process. It was noted that the administrative team had finalized the budget numbers and would be incorporating the last-minute figures received from the Department of Environment and Local Government. The deadline for budget submission to the government was highlighted, and the committee agreed to schedule a special meeting for a detailed review of the budget prior to submission.

Council addressed the potential development of a surplus land policy, which aimed to provide a structured approach to the acquisition and disposal of municipal land holdings. The policy was seen as timely, given the ongoing comprehensive review of the municipal district's land assets.

Lastly, the formation of an ad hoc committee on minimum property standards was revisited to appoint two members of the council to work directly with staff on the development of the bylaw. Councillors Marg Harding and Joyce Wright were nominated to represent different ward perspectives on the committee.