Very Important (01/13/26)

There are concerns regarding the recent decision to appoint, or continue appointing, a bookkeeper for the condominium corporation who is an employee of the developer.

As a bare land condominium corporation governed by the Nova Scotia Condominium Act, the Board has a fiduciary obligation to act honestly, in good faith, and in the best interests of the corporation and its unit owners. This includes avoiding real or perceived conflicts of interest, particularly with respect to financial management and recordkeeping.

While developer involvement during the developer-control period is common and lawful, once control has transitioned to the owners, the Board is expected to operate independently of the developer. Ongoing financial administration by a developer-employed individual creates a clear conflict of interest, or at minimum the appearance of one, especially where the developer may retain units, adjacent lands, or ongoing obligations connected to shared infrastructure and common expenses.

The Condominium Act requires that the corporation maintain proper books and records and that owners be entitled to transparent access to financial information. Independent bookkeeping and accounting are widely recognized as best practice and are often expected in Nova Scotia following turnover, precisely to ensure transparency, accountability, and confidence in the corporation’s financial management.

My concern is not personal, but structural. Allowing a developer-employed bookkeeper to manage the corporation’s financial records places the Board in a position where its fiduciary duties may be compromised, or perceived to be compromised, regardless of intent. This exposes both the Board and the corporation to unnecessary risk.

It's my opinion that the Board reconsider this appointment and take steps to have the treasurer manage the books or make a request for a member to assist.  There should be no reason to pay for this service which would be a substantial cost coming out of our budget. I am confident we have the resources/skills to handle this without issue. I do recommend that members voice their opinion or concerns to the board.

I would further like to point out that this is a clear example of how a Board controlled website would not be in the communities best interest.  This is the type of transparency a community is entitled to but wouldn't get without the communities contribution.

Regarding the dry hydrants for firefighters access to water:  The only dry hydrant that has ever been installed in our village is at access 3 in Mill Cove.  This dry hydrant was installed, inspected and passed the inspection at that time.  We have been advised that the dry hydrants are checked twice a year by the Uniacke and District Fire Department to make sure they are functioning properly.  For some reason, there was an issue in August and it is still being addressed.  As of January 2026, there has still been no update to the statis of this issue, members are encouraged to ask the board.