Municipality to consider move to former youth centre

By Greg Bennett

The Coast Guard

NovaNewsNow.com

The Municipality of Shelburne may be moving its offices to the former Youth Centre.

During Monday’s council meeting a motion was made to investigate the possibility of leasing space from a new owner of the facility.

Warden Paulette Scott made the motion to have staff look into the costs of leasing space at the facility although it brought out a minor storm of protest from several councillors who expressed concerns about the secretiveness surrounding the deal to sell the former youth centre.

The motion narrowly passed.

Pressed on the issue by several councillors, Warden Scott stressed that she did still did not know the name of the company that was purchasing the facility.

“Sometimes you never know the purchaser,” she said. “The company could have an open and public meeting after the purchase and sale agreement is signed and finished.”

The Shelburne Place sale has been a controversial transaction, one that has seen the recent resignation of the chair of Team Shelburne, the municipal group tasked with finding a seller for the property, vacant since 2004.

In 2005, the provincial government agreed to transfer ownership of the property to the South West Shore Development Authority (SWSDA), to administer operations at the direction of Team Shelburne.

Although staff has been asked to investigate leasing costs, Scott noted that it would be up to council to make the decision to move or not.