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CLC Charter 
1. Purpose

1. Purpose of the Community Liaison Committee Charter

This document outlines the background and purpose of the Community Liaison Committee (CLC) established for the Town Point Oysters operations in the Antigonish area.

 

Once approved by the CLC members, this charter will form its operational basis.  It can be amended as needed from time to time.

2. Background

2. Background to the Community Liaison Committee

Town Point Oysters currently operates a land-based aquaculture facility at Antigonish Harbour. 

 

In order to foster effective and meaningful communications and relations with members of the local community, Town Point Oysters has established an arms-length CLC comprising representatives of stakeholders in the community.

3. Mandate
3. Mandate

The CLC is:

 

  • an advisory body, providing input to Town Point Oysters  on concerns and potential concerns in the community as it relates to Town Point Oysters operations;

 

  • a forum for ongoing dialogue between community representatives on the CLC;

 

  • a forum for Town Point Oysters  to disseminate information, consult with community members, and obtain advice on local issues related to the operation of Town Point Oyster’s  aquaculture facilities;

 

  • a conduit for members of the community to bring ideas and issues of concern forward to be addressed;

 

  • a forum for discussion of community interests associated with the project, such as:

    • operation;

    • management;

    • a shared working waterfront;

    • shared use of the ocean resource; and,

    • opportunities for community and economic development.

 

The CLC shall:

 

  • proactively engage with the local community through its network of stakeholder representatives to disseminate information about Town Point Oyster's  operations;

 

  • take community concerns seriously and evaluate opportunities to minimize and mitigate to the extent possible any negative impacts to community stakeholders; and,

 

  • operate in a transparent and accessible manner, and in accordance with this Charter.

4. Responsibilities
4. Responsibilities

The main responsibilities of the CLC are to:

 

  • review and agree to this Project Charter;

 

  • act as a working group where the CLC can test ideas and findings;

 

  • gather community input;

 

  • identify and discuss potential issues, challenges, and opportunities in a timely fashion, and assist in developing mechanisms to identify satisfactory outcomes;

 

  • ensure that the information from the CLC is communicated back to the community through stakeholder networks.

5. Membership
5. Membership

The membership of the CLC is based on the following principles:

 

  • members are residents or have a business or other interests in the community;

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  • members reflect and represent the various communities, stakeholder interests, and demographics within the local area;

 

  • membership in the CLC does not signify a member’s approval or disapproval of aquaculture facilities in the community;

 

  • representation from the Aboriginal Community;

 

  • representation from local municipal governments;

 

  • additional members may be added as key interests are identified, however, the CLC is intended to have a maximum of 12 members.

 

The recruitment of the CLC will be conducted in a transparent fashion.

 

Resource people, such as representatives from Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, will not be members of the CLC, but will be welcome at meetings as observers and to provide information to the CLC.

5.1. Adding Members
5.1. Adding Members

New members will be added based on the criteria described in Section 5. The addition of any new member will be considered when:

 

  • the addition of the member would provide a representation of a stakeholder group not already represented on the Committee;

 

  • the addition of the member would help to better meet goals of representation of the community as described above; and

 

  • the addition of the member would not create a committee that is too large.

 

The addition of new members will be subject to a review by a Membership Committee comprising three members of the CLC, including the CLC chair. The Membership Committee will review the proposed membership and make a recommendation to be voted on by all CLC members in an in-camera session.

5.2. Removing Members
5.2. Removing Members

Members may be removed from the Committee if they are not meeting their responsibilities as members. This will include unexcused absences from meetings.

 

The Membership Committee will investigate the reasons for not meeting the responsibilities of being a member. Based on the investigation, the Membership Committee will make a recommendation on whether or not to remove a member, which will be voted on by all CLC members in an in-camera session.

6. Term of Membership
6. Term of Membership

Membership in the CLC is for three-year terms, which can be renewed.

7. Meetings and Attendance
7. Meetings and Attendance 

For the first year of operation, the CLC is expected to meet three to four times, with the first meeting being an Orientation Session. Afterward, the CLC is expected to meet two times a year, although special meetings may be called if warranted.

 

It is important that members try to attend all meetings to ensure consistency in the discussions and effective representation of stakeholder interests.

 

Members should advise the Committee Chair if they anticipate difficulty in attending meetings.

8. Meeting Times
8. Meeting Times

Meeting times will be defined by the CLC but are expected to be in the evenings of Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays. 

9. Decision Making
9. Decision Making

It is understood that the CLC is an advisory body and is not responsible for making decisions regarding the operations. Decision-making is the responsibility of Town Point Oysters. The CLC makes recommendations.

 

Participants in the CLC will have the opportunity for full and open discussions on specific issues of interest and concern. Where differences of opinion occur within the CLC regarding the operation of the committee or its recommendations, participants will make all reasonable efforts to achieve consensus. Where this is not possible, differences of opinion will be documented with a rationale.

 

The CLC may determine to use simple majority voting as a method of moving forward or closing an issue when consensus cannot be reached.

 

Once a decision is made on an issue, it will not be subject to being reopened for further discussion and reconsideration, unless there is a substantial change in the situation surrounding the issue.

 

Any new member joining the CLC must accept all previous decisions made by the CLC and does not have a right to open up previous decisions for discussion and reconsideration unless there is a substantial change in the situation, as stated above.

10. Disclosure
10. Disclosure and Transparency

Members of the CLC must bring to the attention of the committee any personal or business interest they may have with respect to issues being discussed. A member will disclose if they or their family, business, or employees have an opportunity to personally gain from a decision on an issue. The member will disclose the interest immediately upon discussion of the issue, and the CLC Chair will decide whether the member should be excluded from discussion and how to proceed, taking into account the need for sector representation in the discussions. 

11. Roles
11. Roles and Responsibilities of Parties

The CLC reports its advice and recommendations to Town Point Oysters through the CLC Chair.  The following are the roles of CLC members, Town Point Oysters, and the CLC Chair. 

11.1. Community Liaison Committee Members
11.1. Community

The CLC Members will:

 

  • agree to and abide by the charter;

 

  • always respect other people and their opinions, and not be obstructive in meetings;

 

  • refrain from making derogatory comments about the CLC and its members, both in and outside of meetings;

 

  • advise the CLC of community interests and concerns relating to operations;

 

  • ensure the CLC operate effectively by offering suggestions and alternatives to issues and concerns;

 

  • communicate CLC discussions back to members’ stakeholder organizations and the community;

 

  • maintain confidentiality of items discussed in-camera;

 

  • attempt to anticipate potential problems and offer options for resolving them;

 

  • prepare for meetings in advance and consult with member’s organizations if possible;

 

  • attend all meetings; and,

 

  • declare any potential conflicts of interest.

11.2. Company Name
11.2. Town Point Oysters

Town Point Oysters will:

 

  • participate as a member of the CLC with all of the Roles and Responsibilities as described in Section 11.1;

 

  • provide note-taking services to the CLC.

11.3. CLC Chair
11.3. CLC Chair

The role of the Chair is to:

 

  • agree to and abide by this Charter;

 

  • provide study materials well in advance of CLC meetings;

 

  • copying & distribution of minutes, handouts, etc. or providing copies in an online resource center accessible to the Committee and the public;

 

  • schedule meetings and organize all meeting logistics;

 

  • invite technical specialists and government agencies to the meetings when appropriate

 

  • organize meeting space and refreshments as required;

 

  • facilitate the CLC meetings in an open, fair, and respectful manner;

 

  • work in a cooperative and constructive manner to ensure that community input is fairly considered in the operation of the Town Point Oysters facilities.

12. Meeting
12. Meeting Management, Agendas, and Reporting

  • To the extent possible, meetings will be a combination of presentations and working sessions.

 

  • The format of meetings will be discussed with CLC members in advance of their upcoming meetings.

 

  • The meeting schedule will be determined by the CLC members to maximize availability.

 

  • The Chair will develop agendas and coordinate accompanying materials.

 

  • Materials will be distributed in advance of meetings.

 

  • Committee meeting notices, agendas, and minutes will be posted on the CLC website. 

 

  • Committee meetings will be open to the public as observers. Members of the public can ask to address the CLC as a delegation. Requests must be made by contacting the CLC Chair 7 days in advance of the meeting.

 

  • The Chair will manage the draft and final meeting notes from CLC meetings.

 

  • Meeting locations will be determined by the CLC and will take place within the geographic area.   

Antigonish Oyster CLC Antigonish Oyster Community Liaison Committee

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