Demanding street beggar. Photo created with help from Chat GPT
In a 6-2 vote, Tantramar Town Council gave first and second readings Tuesday night to a new bylaw that would prohibit loitering and soliciting in public places.
The proposed bylaw had been substantially revised from earlier versions including one that was rejected by council last month.
For one thing, the word “beg” has been replaced by “solicit” which is defined as “to ask for money, donations, goods or other things of value whether by spoken, written or printed word or bodily gesture for one’s self.”
If it receives third and final reading, the new bylaw would now prohibit soliciting or harassing “a pedestrian who has made a negative initial response to the solicitation or has otherwise indicated refusal.”
It would also ban anyone from soliciting “from the occupant of a motor vehicle in a matter which obstructs or impedes the convenient passage of any vehicular traffic unless with the approval of the Chief Administrative Officer or designate.”
But the proposed bylaw now also says that the restrictions “shall not apply to sidewalk musicians.”
Nicole Bulmer voiced concerns that the bylaw could interfere with fundraising efforts
During a five-minute presentation to council, Sackville resident Nicole Bulmer expressed concerns that the complaint-driven bylaw could interfere with sidewalk or street solicitations for minor hockey or other youth sports as well as the annual fire department boot drive or the Mt. A. student Shinerama campaign that raises money for cystic fibrosis.
“I urge council to consider the impacts these fundraisers have had in terms of community services they support,” Bulmer said, adding that the vaguely worded bylaw could harm “our community which relies on community support and everyone standing together to make it a good place to live.”
Assistant Town Clerk Becky Goodwin pointed out that, under the new bylaw, such fundraisers could proceed with the CAO’s approval.
But Councillor Debbie Wiggins Colwell said she agreed with Bulmer that the bylaw’s wording could have negative effects even if they are unintentional.
In the end, the vote went as follows:
Ayes: Mayor Black, Deputy Mayor Martin, Councillors Allison Butcher, Matt Estabrooks, Barry Hicks, Michael Tower.
Nays: Councillors Bruce Phinney, Debbie Wiggins-Colwell.
(Councillor Josh Goguen was absent.)
The new bylaw on loitering and soliciting is expected to be up for final approval at council’s next regular meeting in September.
To read the new bylaw, click here.
For previous coverage, click here.
So if the members of the Sackville Fire Department, or the Mt A Shinerama Campaign students, invest in a few harmonicas, then they will seemingly have unrestricted eligibility to carry out their fund raising efforts. Go for it!!!!
I’m all excited with the new changes. But someone needs to order Black’s Dictionary of precedent law for the town stewards. I am including Mayor Black who keeps sabotaging the role of a mayor as Chief Judiciary official of Tantramar. The Mayor shouldn’t be keeping back any facts that were not shared with council at the committee of the whole. Otherwise the Town Stewards who on our behalf act as advisors to the Mayor’s office are not taken seriously. The Mayor may editorialize Town Council when the vote is taken .
Ummm! Let us do some wordsmithing.I’m rusty a little. Oh Yes! My musical pots and pans are arriving any day and I hope you love my rendition of William Tell Overture in front of the Town Hall . Mean while before citizens look for pitchforrks where is the Whitle Blowers By – law that gives staff either immunity or privilige to come forward and point out serious fiduciary violations. There are so many gate keepers in the office you can tell that any pretense to being transparent. How about ” executive limitations’ by- law. Dr. John Carvers “policy governance’ basically supports indebtedness has no limits if the ends are good. Memrancooke indebeted itself for years .
This is plain foolish. There goes bottle drives, girl guide cookie, cadets apple drive, what about Sackville Swim Club no more selling oranges and for god’s sakes neighborhood kids better not have a lemonade stands or yard sales lol. Is this just a big brother move keeping its citizens in line. I didn’t know we lived in a communist state.
The draft bylaw needs more editing.
In 1 (d), the phrase “whether a thoroughfare or note” looks like a typo for “whether a
thoroughfare or not”.
In 1 (e), “one’s self” is used incorrectly where “oneself” should be used. And to make sense, “for oneself” should be placed after “value”, not tacked onto the end of the sentence. Maybe someone from council could explain what “without consideration” means in this section?
In 2 (d), “set-forth” should be “set forth”.