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HomeMy Public PortalAbout2012-10_MunicipalInsight_pdfmunicipal insight “Keeping you informed about October 2012 your municipal government” Vo• ng is rela• vely straigh• orward: choose the candidate in your District that you feel will best represent you at the Council table. However, to those who haven’t voted before, plus confusion around Advance Polling and the introduc• on of “electronic vo• ng”, the upcom- ing elec• on might pose some ques• ons. Can I vote? You can if you are 18 years of age or older by October 20, 2012 AND if you are a Canadian ci• - zen or become one by October 20, 2012 AND if you have lived in the Municipality of the District of Chester since July 20, 2012 and s• ll live here. Where can I vote? If you are vo• ng on Elec• on Day (October 20), you must vote at the Polling Sta• on in your Dis- trict. You should have received an elec• on le! er indica• ng the loca• on of your Polling Sta• on. You can see the en• re list on our website at www.chester.ca or on Page 4. If you are vo• ng electronically in the Advance Poll, use the Personal Iden• fi ca• on Number (PIN) found on the elec• on le! er you receive in the mail. Then, either call the toll-free number in the le! er or login at the secure Internet site and cast your vote. What are Advance Polls? Advance Polls are for those who want to cast their vote early. Advance Polling begins on Oc- tober 10 at 8:00 a.m. and ends on October 18 at 7:00 p.m. YOU CAN ONLY VOTE ELECTRONICALLY DUR- ING THE ADVANCE POLL. IF YOU WANT TO USE A PAPER BALLOT TO VOTE, YOU MUST VOTE ON ELECTION DAY (OCTOBER 20) AT YOUR DESIG- NATED POLLING STATION. Who can vote during Advance Polls? All voters eligible to vote in the Municipal Elec• on can vote in the Advance Polls. In the Municipality of the District of Chester this summer... Ahem...Can we help you? EVERYTHING ELECTION! Guess who’s turning 40? Find out what your Who are your candidates? Talk about “improving Municipality can do for you Where can I vote? Who do I call with age”... on pg. 2. with ques• ons? See pgs 4 & 5 Look on page 6 to fi nd out MUNICIPAL ELECTION COUNT DOWN What is “electronic vo! ng”? Electronic vo• ng is when eligible cons• tuents vote using the telephone or a secure Internet site instead of vo• ng at the Polling Sta• on on Elec• on Day. Using a PIN you receive in the mail, access your “paperless ballot” and vote any • me of the day or night only during the Advance Polls period. You can only vote electronically during the Ad- vance Poll period. You cannot vote electronically on Elec• on Day or any • me before or a# er the Advance Poll dates. Why is the Municipality off ering elec- tronic vo! ng? Council wants to increase voter awareness and par• cipa• on. In the last elec• on, less than half of eligible voters cast their ballot. Vo• ng is important, especially with a government as ac- cessible as municipal government. By allowing votes over the phone and online, we hope to see an increase in voter turnout. I don’t want to vote over the telephone or internet. Do I have to? Absolutely not. If you prefer cas• ng your bal- lot on good old paper, by all means, do so. Just go to your designated Polling Sta• on on Octo- ber 20 and vote for your candidate. Is electronic vo! ng secure? Yes. You must have a Personal Iden• fi ca• on Number (PIN) to even access your electronic “ballot”. Also, the website we use is secured. Follow the instruc• ons on your “voter le! er”. If you did not receive a le! er, please call the num- ber below. If you have ques• ons that are not listed here, please contact an Elec• ons Offi cial by calling (902) 275-3631, faxing (902) 275-4771, emailing elec• on@chester.ca, dropping by the Municipal Offi ce (151 King Street, Chester) or mailing P O Box 369, Chester NS B0J 1J0. On pages 4 and 5, there is more elec• on in- forma• on and a complete list of candidates run- ning in the Elec• on as well as Polling Sta• on lo- ca• ons. “Paperless Ballot”? Do I, or do I not, vote in the Advance Poll? Am I even ELIGIBLE? You have ques! ons. We have answers. MUNICIPAL COUNCIL Internal Structure: • Established priori! es as a community based on the country’s fi nancial climate, which meant not moving forward with projects like the pool. • Developed a community sustainability plan using a public consulta! on process. • Created a municipal planning advisory commi# ee. • Restructured our Planning and Building Departments to enhance communica! on and streamline service delivery. Both were merged to become the Commu- nity Development Department and includes fi re ser- vices and by-law enforcement. • Developed an Ac! ve Transporta! on Policy Advisory Commi# ee. • Streamlined the commi# ee structure of Council to make mee! ngs more effi cient. • Developed a process for greater community involve- ment in By-Law and Policy development (P-74 By-Law Amendment Policy, which you can fi nd at chester.ca). • Invested in technology - such as so% ware and equip- ment - to maximize produc! vity and improve service. • Began the process of developing a long-term climate change adapta! on strategy • Took the ini! a! ve to be the fi rst municipality in Nova Sco! a to have a quality management program meet- ing the ISO standard, which can be measured against industry standard best prac! ces. • Developed an electronic vo! ng policy to increase voter turnout, par! cularly among our youth. WHY AREN’T YOU FIXING MY ROAD? Staff at the Municipality of the District of Chester receive many calls from the public asking about issues that are just simply out of our jurisdic! on - most of them provincial responsibili! es. To help sort out the confusion, we’ve listed some of the more common topics and to whom they belong. Provincial: • Snow plowing • Public road repairs • Ditches and culverts • Tree/bush trimming • Public road setbacks • Driveway approvals • Healthcare • Medical services • Reten! on of physicians • On-site well (water) regula! ons • On-site sewage regula! ons • Unemployment rates • Property assessments • Tenancy issues • Housing grants • Childcare regula! ons • Educa! on • Road kill Municipal: • Property tax rates and area rates • Waste collec! on & disposal • Private road signs and civic numbers • Municipal planning • Building and demoli! on permits • Central sewer • By-Law enforcement • Fire inspec! ons • Animal control • Blown/broken street lights External: • Worked with our neighbouring municipali! es to cre- ate a unifi ed Regional Emergency Measures Orga- niza! on (REMO) and stabilized funding for ground search and rescue. • Worked with the region to provide enhanced services to Mahone Bay and the Town of Lunenburg, includ- ing waste disposal, planning services, and emergency preparedness. • Engaged with regional partners to explore mutually benefi cial service delivery opportuni! es like tourism, economic development, and compost management. Economic: • Maintained the lowest commercial tax rate in the re- gion. • Developed an Eco-Park and secured our fi rst tenant. • Became the fi rst wind energy project to receive both Community Feed-in Tariff (COMFIT) and environmen- tal approval to proceed in Nova Sco! a. • Worked with our partners to refocus our Regional Economic Development Authority and establish mea- surable key performance indicators. • Created a climate for and framed a policy to allow wind farm developments, such as the South Canoe Project, in a controlled manner. • Con! nued to build on our success as leaders in world- class waste management prac! ces at Kaizer Meadow Environmental Management Centre. Community Development/Investment: • Increased the frequency of our newsle# er, Municipal Insight, to be# er communicate with you. • Built on the founda! on of the P.R.O. Kids program, the fi rst of its kind in Nova Sco! a, to ensure that all of our youth and families have the opportunity to par- ! cipate in recrea! onal programs. • Invested substan! ally in local family-based facili! es, such as the Family Resource Centres in New Ross and Chester and Through the Years Daycare in Hubbards. • Built a fi rst-class skate park, which has exceeded ex- pecta! ons in terms of use and signature a# rac! on to our community. • Invested in community infrastructure, such as side- walks in Chester Basin and Chester, Ross Farm, Hub- bards Sailing Club, park land in East River, Wild Rose Park, Spectacle Lake Watershed Heritage Park, an outdoor fi tness centre (the Green Gym) in Chester Basin, trail upgrades throughout the Municipality, and water/wastewater projects to name a few. These are just some of the many things we have achieved together. We thank you for your support and par! cipa! on in building our community. It has been a pleasure to serve over the last four years, and I remain confi dent that we will con! nue to be a com- munity that we can all be proud to call home. Warden Allen Webber, Councillor District #4 2 ...as a resident ...as a business owner ...as a volunteer ...as a parent ...as a visitor ...as a community member Message from the Warden This council term is coming to a close and a new one will begin in early November. It’s ! me to refl ect on where we started and where we are today. Four years ago, we started this term of offi ce at the beginning of a global downturn in the economy, not of our making but a reality which s! ll impacts us today. We were confi dent then - because of our sound fi scal posi! on, stable popula! on base, and the resourcefulness of our community - that our Municipality was be# er posi! oned than most to con! nue achieving our desired goals. By taking advantage of opportunity and strengthening our posi! on as leaders within the region and the province, I believe we have. So what have we done? How the Municipality can support you... • No residential tipping fees at Kaizer Meadow Landfi ll under 1500 lbs • Curbside waste collection and special col- lection four times per year • By-Law enforcement • Central sewer system in some areas • Fire inspections • Curbside waste collection and special collec- tion four times per year • Funding for Chamber of Commerce • Grants and assistance with applications • Limited free photocopy service • Event advertising (free-of-charge) • Volunteer workshops (eg. fundraising ideas) • Help getting community groups established • Equipment loan service • P.R.O. Kids program • Programming for children and families • Invests in local non-profi t daycare facilities • Actively promotes healthy lifestyles for chil- dren through the healthy eating policy and by providing outdoor facilities like playgrounds • Recreational opportunities, such as events • Supports the Visitor Information Centre, Bluenose Coast, and other tourism groups • Land purchases that promote communities • Supports heritage through workshops and Planning Advisory • Develops initiatives for community sustain- ability and climate change adaptation • Protects watershed areas • Provides opportunities for active living, such as trails, parks, sidewalks, etc. • Provides avenues for public input You can contact the Warden by calling the Municipal Offi ce at (902) 275-3554, calling his home at (902) 275-2536, or emailing him awebber@chester.ca AUTUMN CHECKLIST With the turn of the seasons, summer is drawing to a close...and so is your vaca• on. All those construc• on projects that were on hold can now be started. GET A PERMIT. The Building Department is happy to as- sist you with any Permits you need. We are also available for ques• ons regarding Building Code requirements. YOU TOO, PLUMBERS! A Building Permit is required for altera• ons or addi• ons to a drainage/ven• ng system. A Permit isn’t needed to replace a sink, toilet or tub, but would be if you were moving such fi xtures or crea• ng a new bathroom. There is no minimum dollar value. PREPARE FOR HEATING SEASON. Remember to ser- vice your furnace, clean your wood stove and chimney, and check your smoke alarms for proper opera• on. Be safe! PROPERTY SERVICES 3Tenders are adver• sed at www.chester.ca as well as on the Provincial Procurement website (www.gov.ns.ca/tenders) The 2013 Waste Collec• on Calendar will be available start- ing in mid-December. Get your copy... • In your mailbox, • At the Municipal Offi ce, 151 King Street, Chester, or • Online at our website: www.chester.ca If you don’t receive your calendar, please call the Solid Waste Department at (902) 275-2330 or the Public Works Department at (902) 275-1312 and we’ll send one to you. MUNICIPAL CAPITAL PROJECTS UPDATE Mill Cove Water Decommissioning Two tenders were issued: one for the community to hookup to their own pri- vate wells and the other for Aspotogan Consolidated Elementary School’s con- nec• on. Mee• ngs were set up with property owners in August to provide a project update and inspect pump and reverse osmosis (RO) system loca• ons. Construc• on has not yet begun, but will move forward once the tender has been awarded. Duke Street Sidewalk Both Phases Two and Three are out for tender, which closes on October 5. Phase Two is a con• nua• on of the exis• ng sidewalk that will extend to the Le- gion. Phase Three will con• nue from the Legion to Sco• abank. New Ross Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrades The Nova Sco• a Department of Environment approved an extension of this project un• l November 30. The work is out for tender, which closes October 5. Gold River Sewer Extension This tender was awarded to Amber Construc• on, who will break ground later s are adver• sed at www.chester.ca as ws wellell as on the Provincial Procurement website (www.gov.ns.ca/tenders) IT’S IN THE MAIL Final tax bills have been mailed and, as always, you can call the Tax Department with your ques• ons or comments. Our number is (902) 275-3554. Some things you should know about your bill... • The due date is November 15, 2012. • Check your bill closely. If your mailing or civic address is incorrect, no• fy us immediately by calling (902) 275-3554, faxing (902) 275-4771 or emailing propertytax@chester.ca. • Please bring your municipal account numbers with you when paying in person at the tax of- fi ce. It speeds up the process. These numbers are clearly indicated on the remi$ ance por• on of your tax bill. • Please ensure that you use all eight digits of your municipal account number (including any zeroes at the front) when paying your account online with your fi nancial ins• tu• on. • Ques• ons regarding your property tax assess- ment should be directed to Property Valua• on Services Corpora• on (PVSC), 1-800-380-7775. • Ques• ons regarding deeds should be directed to the Registry of Deeds at (902)527-5379. IF YOU OWN PROPERTY IN THE MUNICIPALITY AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED A FINAL TAX BILL, PLEASE CONTACT THE TAX DEPARTMENT IMMEDIATELY AT (902) 275-3554. PR vic che YO forforforforforfor A P wou new New Boating Regulations Did you know...As of May 2012, a new regula• on was put in place prohibit- ing the overboard discharge of effl uent from toilets or portapo& es on a vessel. The vessel must be either capable of be- ing pumped out or the toilet disassem- bled and the contents disposed of in an appropriate manner. For more informa• on on this regula- • on please see the following link: h$ p:// laws.jus• ce.gc.ca/eng/regula• ons/SOR- 2012-69/page-27.html#h-35 The Municipality is pleased to be able to provide a boat pump out service to the public free of charge. This service is avail- able Monday through Friday between 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. You can schedule a • me to have your boat pumped out at the Chester Back Harbour Wharf; or more commonly known as the Red Cross Wharf. Handy • ps when ge& ng your boat pumped out: • Make sure the boat is secured at the wharf. • When tying up to the wharf, make sure your boat bumpers are up against the wharf. • It is easier to do a pump out when the • de is high. • If your sailboat has an extra long keel, you should • e up at the end of the wharf during high • de. Call the Public Works Department at 275-1312 to schedule your pump out. MUNICIPAL ELECTION 2012 4Email communica• ons@chester.ca to submit comments or ques• ons related to the newsle• er Andre Veino• e currently lives in East Chester. He is the founding part- ner of ABLE Engineering and Land Surveying Inc., which is headquartered in Chester and employs 22 people. When not working or spending ! me with his children, Andre volun- teers with the Chester Municipal Chamber of Commerce, New Ross Credit Union and Junior Achievers, to name a few. 277-1409 andrev@ableinc.ca There are many reasons to vote. For one, it’s your fundamental, democra! c right as a Cana- dian. For another, you might feel that a diff erent candidate can be# er represent you. Or, maybe you like the way things are going and want to keep them the same. Whatever the reason, it’s never been easier in the Municipality of the District of Chester to exercise that right. We have electronic vo! ng, candidates come to your door to discuss issues, and in some cases they even off er to drive you to the polling sta! on on Elec! on Day! Truth is, municipal elec! ons are exci! ng to October 20, 2012 is Municipal and School Board Elec! on Day. Here is a snapshot of each candidate running in the Municipal Elec! on as well as your op! ons for School Board representa! ve. Also listed are representa! ves who are acclaimed. DISTRICT 1 - Aspotogan, Bayswater, Northwest Cove, Blandford, Upper Blandford, Deep Cove, Schnare’s Cove, East River Point, East River, O# er Point, Squid Cove, Goat Lake, Scotch Cove, and part of East Ches- ter (to the Chester Village Planning Boundary). Marshal Hector, Bayswa- ter resident, is heavily in- volved in his community. He has been a member of the Blandford Fire Depart- ment for 40 years, 15 of those years were as the Chief, and s! ll remains ac! ve. Marshal was also involved with Aspotogan Recrea! on Associa! on, Cubs/Beavers, the Bland- ford Community Centre Building Commi# ee, and a small business owner un! l he re! red last year. 228-2881 mh.hector@hotmail.ca INCUMBENT DISTRICT 3 - Village of Chester, Chester Commons, and part of East Chester (to the end of the Chester Village Planning Boundary). Ben Wiper, Middle River resident, is ac! vely in- volved professionally, so- cially and as a volunteer in the Chester Area. Ben has served the past four years as president of Chamber of Commerce as well as three years as a board member of Nova Sco! a Chambers of Commerce and ACSBE. Ben owns and operates two suc- cessful businesses in the community, Nerds On Site and The Galley Restaurant & Lounge. 980-0989 bwiper@gmail.com Brad Armstrong has lived in Chester his whole life, worked at Interhabs Lim- ited since 1980, and is a long-! me conserva! onist. Brad formed Kaizer Mead- ow Brook Preserva! on Group, was Director for Friends of Nature Conser- va! on Society, and works with the Chester Munici- pal Heritage Society. He also worked towards pre- serving the natural wet- land at Lordly Park as well as historical landmarks. 275-3121 INCUMBENT DISTRICT 4 - Chester Basin, Chester Grant, Borgel’s Point, Middle River (West Side), and Lower Grant Road. Allen Webber, lifelong Chester Basin resident, has been ac! ve in his com- munity his whole life. He was involved in forming the local fi re department and served as Commis- sioner, served as Chaplain and Trustee in the Legion, helped formalize the Gray Grant Society and remains an ac! ve supporter, and helped form Basin Recre- a! onal Park. Allen works with all community orga- niza! ons to help achieve their goals. 275-2536 INCUMBENT Stephen Bond is a resi- dent of the Chester Basin area and currently lives in Chester Grant with his wife. Stephen is a member of the Royal Canadian Le- gion, Branch #88 in Ches- ter Basin, and the Chester Basin Volunteer Fire De- partment. He is a local small farm operator and a veteran s! ll serving as a member of the Canadian Forces Army Reserve. 277-0262 alyssabond@me.com ACCLAIMED COUNCILLORS - There are three Districts where the exis! ng Councillors were not contested: Districts #2, #5, and #7. DISTRICT #2 Floyd Sha" ord Floyd con! nues to repre- sent Fox Point, Mill Cove, Simms Se# lement, Dau- phinee Mill Lake, part of Hubbards, Birchy Head, and The Lodge. 857-9817 fsha* ord@chester.ca DISTRICT #5 Robert Myra Robert con! nues to rep- resent East Side Mar- ! ns River, Mar! ns Point, Western Shore, Gold Riv- er, and Beech Hill. 627-2470 rmyra@chester.ca DISTRICT #7 Sharon Church-Cornelius Sharon con! nues to rep- resent Middle River Road, Marrio# s Cove, part of Haddon Hill, Robinsons Corner, Windsor Road, Canaan, and Sherwood. 275-2281 scornelius@chester.ca ACCLAIMED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS - There are two members who will repre- sent the Municipality on two fronts: the seat of Conseil scolaire acadien provincial and the African Nova Sco! an seat. HANK MIDDLETON Conseil Scolaire Acadian Provin- cial (CSAP) Hank is an Aca- dian, originally from L’Ardoise on Cape Breton Island. He worked for the South Shore School Board as a teacher and adminis- trator for 33 years, re! ring in 2006. This is his second term as the CSAP rep. He is ac! ve in both the Acadian commu- nity and in the community at large as a volunteer and event organizer. You can reach him by calling 543-2349 or 521-5177. You can also email him at Hank.Middleton@csap.ednet.ns.ca VERNON SIMMS - African Nova Sco- ! an School Board Member Vernon has lived in Pinehurst (Lunen- burg County) for 32 years. He recently re! red from Michelin, has coached sports teams at New Germany schools and Park View Educa! on Centre, is ac- ! vely involved in his community, and was awarded the “Nova Sco! a Human Rights Commission Order of Merit”. Vernon also facilitates training on the subject of diversity and inclusion and its impact on the community, work- place and individuals. No photo available most people. Ten chances to one, you person- ally know the candidates in your district; or if you don’t, you know someone who does know them personally. It’s a chance to discuss local poli! cs with friends and make predic! ons. Elec- ! on night is spent si+ ng around the table wait- ing for the fi nal numbers a< er the polls close; either celebra! ng victory or graciously accept- ing defeat. Above all of that though is an opportunity. An opportunity to iden! fy your needs and shape your community. Do some research. Find out what the candi- dates in your district stand for. Do your views align? If yes, fi nd out how they intend to pro- ceed with their pla* orms. How will they make the Municipality be# er? Contact candidates. If you don’t get a visit from them, call or email. One month isn’t enough ! me for a candidate to visit everyone, and they are interested in what you have to say. Let them know what you believe your community needs. ELECTION FEVER It’s going around and it’s contagious! Above all else, vote. We have more access this year with electronic vo! ng: take advantage and cast your ballot. If you have access to a phone, a computer, or a drive to the Polling Sta! on, you can vote. If you have ques! ons about the Municipal and School Board Elec! on, please contact the Elec- ! ons Offi cer at (902) 275-3631. You can also fax to (902) 275-4771, email elec! on@chester. ca, visit us at 151 King Street in Chester, or send mail to P O Box 369, Chester NS B0J 1J0. Max Rafuse is seeking elec• on to the School Board where he previ- ously served in 2008. He and his wife have lived in Chester for the last 30 years, and he recently be- came a grandfather. Max taught in Lunenburg County for over 30 years, including as the Teaching Principal of Big Tancook Island School. A• er a long career, Max fi nally re• red in 2008. 275-3011 maxrafuse@eastlink.ca Theresa Griffi n lives in Chester with husband Pe- ter Straubel, Chester area teacher of 27 years. She has an extensive back- ground in educa• on: as senior researcher track- ing the development of integrated programs for children and families in elementary schools, 15 years senior manage- ment in 2 school systems, and 9 years as Supervi- sor of Special Educa• on and Student Services for Lunenburg County. 275-2343 tmgriffi n@eastlink.ca 5For elec• on informa• on, check www.chester.ca MUNICIPAL ELECTION 2012 DISTRICT 6 - Seff ernsville, New Ross, Leville, New Russell, Mill Road, Aldersville, Harriston, Glengarry, Lake Ramsay, For• es, Fraxville, and part of Leminster. Cheryl Sco" , New Ross resident for the last 24 years, has fi ve children and nine grandchildren. She is a Charter Member of the New Ross Regional Development Society, Past President of the New Ross Legion, Branch #79, and enjoys volunteering at many events and for various other organiza- • ons in her community, including the New Ross Fair as well as the Annual Christmas Fes• val. 670-2057 cherylsco$ dist6@gmail.com INCUMBENT Phillip Broome, lifelong resident of New Ross, has degrees in Business Administra• on and Prop- erty Assessment, and has mostly worked in the Mu- nicipality of Chester for Municipal Aff airs. Phillip has helped plan, build, and run the For• es Com- munity Centre and was Chair for 22 years. He was past School Board mem- ber, President of the Le- gion, King Lion, and board member on many local organiza• ons. 689-2942 phillip_broome@hotmail.com Tina Connors has lived in New Ross her en• re life where she and Car- son manage a woodlot and tree farm. Tina has a Commerce degree and Economic Development cer• fi cate, and has spent her career in community economic development, working most recently with the Regional Devel- opment Agency. Tina has worked with Ross Farm Museum, Farmers’ Mar- ket, Christmas Fes• val and the Development Society. 679-4461 connorsbroome@gmail.com SCHOOL BOARD ELECTORAL DISTRICT 6 - Candidates running for the South Shore Regional School Board will represent the Municipality of the District of Chester as a whole. They will have one seat on the 8-seat board, which also includes a repre- senta• ve for Conseil Scolaire Acadian Provincial (CSAP) and Afro-Nova Sco• an seats. Warren Laws, from Ches- ter Basin, wants to repre- sent the Municipality of the District of Chester on the South Shore Regional School Board (District 6). Warren currently chairs the CAMS School Advi- sory Council and is the assistant Choir Director at St. Stephen’s Anglican Church. Along with his wife, he owns and oper- ates Invisible Fence of Nova Sco• a. 299-2141 warren.laws@gmail.com DISTRICTS CANDIDATES POLLING STATION LOCATIONS - FOR PAPER BALLOTS ONLY ORDINARY POLLING DAY - Saturday, October 20, 2012 from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. District #1 Vote for both your Council and School Board member Municipal: Marshal Hector Andre Veino$ e School Board: Theresa Griffi n Warren Laws Max Rafuse Divisions 3 & 4 - Bayswater, Aspotogan, Northwest Cove, Blandford, Upper Bland- ford, Deep Cove and Schnare’s Cove Vote at: the District 1 Community Centre, 30 Firehall Road, Blandford Divisions 5 & 6 - East River, East River Point, Scotch Cove, Goat Lake, Squid Cove, O$ er Point, part of East Chester and part of Chester Commons Vote at: the East Chester Community Hall, 3292 Highway #3, East Chester District #2 Vote for your School Board member only School Board: Theresa Griffi n Warren Laws Max Rafuse Divisions 1 & 2 - Fox Point, Simms Se$ lement, Dauphinee Mill Lake, Mill Cove, former CFS Mill Cove, Birchy Head, The Lodge, and part of Hubbards Vote at: Aspotogan Consolidated Elementary School, 105 Parkwood Drive, Mill Cove District #3 Vote for both your Council and School Board member Municipal: Brad Armstrong Ben Wiper School Board: Theresa Griffi n Warren Laws Max Rafuse Divisions 12 & 13 - All of Chester Village Vote at: Chester Area Middle School, 204 Duke Street, Chester Division 14 - Shoreham Village Vote at: Shoreham Village Senior Ci• zen’s Complex, 50 Shoreham Village Cres- cent, Chester District #4 Vote for both your Council and School Board member Municipal: Allen Webber Stephen Bond School Board: Theresa Griffi n Warren Laws Max Rafuse Divisions 16 & 17 - All of Chester Basin (District #4) Vote at: the Chester Basin Fire Hall, 5430 Highway #3, Chester Basin District #5 Vote for your School Board member only School Board: Theresa Griffi n Warren Laws Max Rafuse Divisions 11, 18, 19, 20 & 21 - Mar• ns Point, Mar• ns River, Beech Hill, Gold River, and all of Western Shore Vote at: the Western Shore & Area Improvement Associa• on (lower level), 6485 Highway #3, Western Shore. District #6 Vote for both your Council and School Board member Municipal: Cheryl Sco$ Phillip Broome Tina Connors School Board: Theresa Griffi n Warren Laws Max Rafuse Divisions 9 & 10 - New Ross East and West Vote at: Golden Age Club Room (Fairgrounds), 5024 Highway #12, New Ross Division 10 - For• es Vote at: the For• es Community Centre, 1787 For• es Road, For• es District #7 Vote for your School Board member only School Board: Theresa Griffi n Warren Laws Max Rafuse Division 7 - Windsor Road Vote at: Canaan Community Hall, 732 Canaan Road, Canaan Division 10 - Marrio$ s Cove Vote at: Chester Shore Mall, 4115 Highway #3, Chester BY-LAWS & POLICIES 6“Like” the Municipality’s page at www.facebook.com/ChesterMunicipality or follow us @chestermun or @ChesterRecParks Council is embarking on a new process; one that iden! fi es their expecta! ons of how the Municipality delivers service to the public. They have stated their commi# ment by de- veloping a dra$ Policy (Quality Policy P-76) and giving their “no! ce of inten! on to adopt” and moving ahead with the “fi rst no! ce”. Although the Policy itself is rela! vely brief, the subse- quent process is a substan! al undertaking. The Quality Policy (P-76) is two sentences: “The Municipality of the District of Chester is commi! eed to delivering reliable services in the most effi cient, eff ec$ ve, professional and fi nan- cially responsible manner to enhance the quality of life for our ci$ zens. The Municipality of the District of Ches- ter is commi! ed to working through the ISO 9001:2008 standard to con$ nually improve ser- vice delivery to the sa$ sfac$ on of ci$ zens, busi- nesses and key stakeholders.” If the Policy is adopted, the next step is to develop a system that staff will use to measure their performance and ensure that appropriate steps and procedures are used. The system will include documented stan- dards and processes to enable departments to work more cohesively and virtually eliminate redundancy. Time will be used more effi ciently, and prac! ces will be refi ned. To provide comments - either in wri! ng or orally - in ! me for the October 11, 2012 Council mee! ng, please contact the Municipal Clerk be- fore noon on Thursday, October 4, 2012 by call- ing (902) 275-3554 or email pmyra@chester.ca Quality Management The Municipality of the District of Chester is breaking ground with ISO 9001:2008 standardization NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Rogers would like to erect a telecommunica! ons tower in District #5. Its proposed loca! on is across Highway #103 in Mar! ns Point. Although the Municipality has no jurisdic! on in the project itself, in order for Council to issue a “le# er of concurrence” to Industry Canada, Rogers must fi rst go through a Municipal public consulta! on process. Therefore, a Public Hearing will be held during the October 11 Council mee! ng. Once Council has heard from the public, they will decide if they should send a “le# er of concurrence” to Industry Canada. STILL GOING STRONG Bookmobile in its 40th year Much has changed in our world since the Lunenburg Library opened its doors in September 1972. The fi rst Bookmobile followed in October 1972 with regular stops in the Towns of Bridgewater and Mahone Bay. The Munic- ipality of the Districts of Lunenburg and Chester, Queens PUBLIC INTEREST Bicycles for Humanity is a worldwide network that had its modest beginnings in Bri! sh Columbia. What started as a humanitarian eff ort to ship a container of used bicycles to people in Africa in 2006 quickly developed into an incredible mission. These bikes are used everyday by those needing water, medical help and educa! on. Kaizer Meadow Environmental Management Centre, in coopera! on with Colchester County, is collec! ng bicycles for this very cause. Please drop off your old bike at the Landfi ll and par! cipate in this tremendous eff ort. Call 275-2330 for informa! on. County and Liverpool fol- lowed between 1974 and 1981. "Service was origi- nally off ered through a contract with Halifax Coun- ty Regional Library," says Chief Librarian Troy My- ers. The South Shore Re- gional Library Board Incor- porated in 1978. "Today, South Shore Public Librar- ies (SSPL) is the primary source of Library and infor- ma! on resources in Nova Sco! a’s Lunenburg and Queens Coun! es." Public library service is off ered at town libraries in Bridgewa- ter, Greenfi eld, Liverpool and Lunenburg, via a mo- bile library that travels to 20 rural communi! es and online at southshorepubli- clibraries.ca. "Forty years ago, card catalogues, typewriters and en- cyclopedia sets were the norm in most libraries, and the South Shore was no excep! on. While these have been re- placed by computers, automated catalogues and research databases, the commitment to personal service library staff provide has grown stronger throughout the years," says Myers. Library staff has enjoyed pouring over old newspaper ar! cles, photographs and mementos this summer, in prepara! on for South Shore Public Libraries' 40th anni- versary celebra! ons this fall. "Si$ ing through the scrap- books has been fun," says Communica! ons Coordinator Teresa Workman, on staff for almost 25 years. "I've been looking for ! dbits that might interest our borrowers, and I've found many, but what strikes me the most is the per- sonal element involved in the service. Many of our staff and borrowers have been here for many years. We've watched children grow up, and raise families of their own." Staff is one of the Library's most valuable resourc- es, with many employed for over fi $ een years. "As the youngest library region in the province, it is as if we've turned a corner and matured as a service," says Myers. "A$ er forty years, we now see the grandchildren of our original borrowers who visit the library to read, dis- cover, learn and share." Myers is the Library's fi $ h Chief Librarian, joining the ranks of former Chiefs Aileen Barker, Gloria Hardy, Janet Clark and Cheryl Stenström. The Municipality of the District of Chester came on board in April 1978. Warden Earle G. Webber was on hand for the opening ceremonies; 257 people registered for Library cards in the fi rst three days at stops in New Ross, Chester and Western Shore areas. Now known as the Mobile Library, the service con! nues to be appreci- ated and well used – over 1,700 people have Library cards and use the Mobile Library as their main Branch; last year they borrowed 65,042 books, magazines, dvds and oth- er materials. Councillor Bob Myra is the current Library Board member appointed by Chester Municipality. In 2011-12, the annual budget for the Library was ap- proximately $1.5 million. The Provincial Department of Communi! es, Culture and Heritage provides approxi- mately 70% of public library funding in Nova Sco! a. A fur- ther 24% is provided by the municipali! es -- this por! on is divided among the six par! cipa! ng municipal units on the South Shore based on popula! on and is roughly $5.18 per capita. The Municipality of the District of Chester’s con- tribu! on is $67,128.00. The South Shore Regional Library Board fundraises for the remaining 6% of its budget. - Contributed by South Shore Public Library Denise Peterson-Rafuse, MLA for Chester-St. Margaret’s, along with former Councillor Gail Smith, un- veiled a plaque on September 14 that offi cially recognizes the Old Stone Bridge in Chester as a Pro- vincial Heritage site. The bridge, constructed in 1882, is located on Victoria Street in Ches- ter and is the fi rst ac! ve bridge in Nova Sco! a with Provincial Heri- tage designa! on. Check our website for informa! on and to view photos of the event. PUBLIC INTEREST 7Our Emergency Services website has plenty of resources. Visit www.chesterfi re.ca today. Every Saturday un! l October 27 Farmers’ Market #57 Highway #3, Hubbards, 8 am-12 noon. Call 277-1697. Saturday, October 6 Country Farmers’ Market Lions Club Park, New Ross, 9 am-12 noon. Call 689-2020. Country Breakfast Chester Basin Fire Hall, 7:30-10:30 am. Pancake Breakfast Hubbards Area Lions Club, 9:00-11:30 am. Call 857-9845. Dinner Theatre “An Evening at the Chicken Ranch” Li" le Red School, Canaan, 6:30 pm. Doors open at 5:30 pm. Call 275-3496, 275-3667, or 275-3645. Monday, October 8 Oktoberfest Harvest Sale For! es Community Centre, New Ross, 9 am-4 pm. Call 689-2612 or 689-2000. Thanksgiving Dinner and Supper For! es Community Centre, New Ross, 11:30 am-1:30 pm and 2:30-4:30 pm. Call 689-2612. Club Mee! ng Hubbards Area Lions Club, 7 pm. Call 857-9845 if interested in joining. Wednesday, October 10 Seniors’ Social Hubbards Area Lions Club, 12 noon. Call 857-9845. Saturday, October 13 Breakfast District #1 Community Centre, Bland- ford, 9:00-11:00 am. Al-Nunn Memorial Golf Scramble Chester Golf Club, 10 am. Registra! on is at 8:30 am. In support of Chester Minor Hockey. Prizes and steak! Call 531-2207. Family Mountain Bike Ride Forest Heights Community School, 11am-1pm. Free. 28th Annual Cra" Fair New Ross Consolidated School, 10 am-3 pm. Wednesday, October 17 to Fri- day, October 19 Free Intro to Curling Chester Curling Club, 7-9 pm each night. Call 273-2106 or 275-4793 or email info@chestercurlingclub.ca Saturday, October 20 Salt Cod Supper District #1 Community Centre, Bland- ford from 4:30-6:00 pm. Icebreaker Curling Social Chester Curling Club. Call 273-2106 or 275-4793 or email info@chestercurling- club.ca Harvest Fest Lordly Park, Chester, 3-9 pm. Rain date is October 21. Call 275-3826. Halloween Dance New Ross Fire Hall, 9 pm-1 am. Call 689- 2018 or 689-2459. Sunday, October 21 “Fred Vaughan - re! red professor of poli! cal science, Uni- versity of Guelph” An essen! al primer to the coming US elec! on. Ocean Swells Community Cen- tre, Northwest Cove, at 2:30 pm. Visit www.athenaeumns.org for info. Sauerkraut Supper For! es Community Centre, New Ross, 4-6 pm. Call 689-2612 or 689-2000. Monday, October 22 Mee! ng Basin Gardeners Club at Forest Heights Community School, 7 pm. 273-2000. Wednesday, October 24 Seniors’ Social Hubbards Area Lions Club, 12 noon. Call 857-9845. Saturday, October 27 Newfi e Breakfast Chester Basin Legion, 7:30-10:30 am. Free Clothing Depot Aenon Bap! st Church, Chester Basin, 9-11 am. Kohl Canon Supper St. John’s Anglican Church, Chester Basin, 4:30-6:30 pm. Halloween Dance District #1 Community Centre, Blandford. Sunday, October 28 Pancake Breakfast New Ross Legion, 8:30-11:00 am. Oktoberfest Variety Show For! es Community Centre, New Ross, 1:30-4:30 pm. Call 689-2612. Fish Fry Hubbards Area Lions Club, 4-6 pm. Call 857-9875. Sundays, October 28 to December 16 Learn to Curl Chester Curling Club, 7:00-8:30 pm. $100 per person. Sunday, November 4 Holiday Cra" Fair District #1 Community Centre, Bland- ford, 10 am-4 pm. Prizes and canteen. Call 228-2606. Saturday, November 10 Breakfast District #1 Community Centre, Bland- ford, 9:00-11:00 am. Wednesday, November 14 Seniors’ Social Hubbards Area Lions Club, 12 noon. Call 857-9845. Saturday, November 17 Christmas Cra" Fair Hubbards Area Lions Club, 10 am-2 pm. Call 857-9845. Sunday, November 18 “Brian Rogers - Aquaculture Consultant” Presenta! on at Ocean Swells Communi- ty Centre, Northwest Cove, at 2:30 pm. Visit www.athenaeumns.org for info. Sunday, November 24 Christmas Cra" Fair Chester Basin Legion, 9 am-2 pm. $10/ table ($15 with power). 275-3948. Wednesday, November 28 Seniors’ Social Hubbards Area Lions Club, 12 noon. Call 857-9845. Wednesday, December 5 Seniors’ Christmas Party Chester Legion, 1:30-4:30 pm. Call Recrea! on Department at 275-3490 to register by Nov. 28. FREE. 55+ years. Saturday, December 15 Breakfast District #1 Community Centre, Bland- ford, 9:00-11:00 am. Monday, December 31 New Year’s Eve Dance District #1 Community Centre, Bland- ford, 9:30 pm-1:30 am. Band is “Usual Suspects”. Please send your event to recrea! on@chester.ca or call (902) 275-3490 to have it included in the Progress Bulle! n and this newsle$ er. FIRE PREVENTION WEEK OCTOBER 7-13, 2012 A HOME FIRE ESCAPE PLAN CAN PREVENT TRAGEDY HAVE TWO WAYS OUT© NFPA 2012 Most fi re vic! ms never see fl ames. Tragically, they die from smoke inhala! on. • Install smoke alarms on every level - outside the bedroom, near the kitchen and garage. • Check smoke alarms monthly. Replace ba" eries yearly and alarms every 10 years. • Draw a fl oor plan of all levels of your home with normal and emergency exits. Plan two ways out. • Designate a safe mee! ng place outside and someone to call 911 from a neighbour’s home. • Prac! ce the plan, including crawling out with eyes closed, staying close to the fl oor. Prac! ce using escape ladders. • Small children unable to escape can learn to open their windows and wave an ar! cle of clothing to a" ract a" en! on. Instruct them to wait at the window un! l someone comes. Tell them to never hide from the fi refi ghters. • Sleep with doors closed. Parents can close doors a* er the children fall asleep and use a room monitor to hear them. • If awakened by a smoke alarm or a fi re, instruct family members to feel the door for heat and check air at the bo" om. If you don't smell smoke and the air is cool, kneel and open the door slowly. If smoke is present or the door is hot, use another exit. **This informa! on was generously provided by NFPA and Fire Preven! on Canada This Fire Preven! on message is provided by the Municipality of the District of Chester and your local fi re departments in Blandford, Chester, Chester Basin, Hubbards, New Ross, Mar! ns River and Western Shore. Please visit our Emergency Services website at www.chesterfi re.ca for important fi re preven! on and safety informa! on. Firefi gh! ng and medical fi rst response can be one of the most fulfi lling volunteer decisions you can make. There are volunteer posi! ons currently available for fi refi gh! ng personnel, medical responders and other support posi! ons. It takes a team! Contact the Municipal Fire Services Coordinator at (902) 275-2599 or your local Fire Department for more informa! on on how you can help your community. DO YOU KNOW YOUR CIVIC NUMBER? DO YOU KNOW YOUR CIVIC NUMBER? IS IT PROPERLY DISPLAYED? In an emergency, it is vital to get our fi rst responders, paramedics, fi refi ght- ers or police to where they are urgently needed, safely and as quickly as possible. We can’t help you if we can’t fi nd you. Our emergency responders rely on you, as a homeowner or business, to know your correct civic address and to properly post your civic number. Without clearly displayed civic numbers to guide them, precious minutes pass as emergency re- sponders have diffi culty in loca• ng the address of a 911 call. If you live on a pri- vate road, it is important for you to have a road name sign posted to ensure fast emergency response services. There have been several incidents where emergency responders have been dispatched to the wrong loca• on due to errors in the civic address supplied. It is important that everyone in your home or offi ce knows the correct civic address. Keep it posted by the phone. If you have a private security system, it is cri• cal that the monitoring company has the correct civic address on fi le. Your civic number, properly displayed, helps fi rst responders fi nd you quickly during emergencies, thereby saving lives. The failure to post a civic number may mean the diff erence between life and death in an emergency. HELP US - HELP YOU The Civic Address Coordinator issues civic numbers to all new buildings as part of the Building Permit process. Every dwelling, business and ins• tu• on in the Municipality should have a civic number assigned by the Municipality. Our Municipal By-law #139 states that all owners of such buildings must prop- erly post the assigned civic number for that building. Your civic number, with numerals placed horizontally, should be displayed on your house or at the end of your driveway on the same side of the road as your dwelling or business. The plate should be located so that the num- ber can be easily seen from the road from both direc• ons, during the day or night. Civic number plates must be made to the standards outlined in the Civic Ad- dressing By-Law #139. You can most cer- tainly make your own signage, however, Emergency Services are most familiar with, and prefer, the clearly visible blue and white refl ec• ve civic number signs. These civic number plates are available from the Municipality at a minimal cost of $10.00. To view the Civic Addressing By-Law #139, please visit the Fire and Emergency Services website www.chesterfi re.ca or the Municipal website at www.chester.ca To order your civic number plate or if you simply have any ques• ons, please contact the Civic Address Coordinator at the Community Development Depart- ment at (902) 275-2599. Sign up for safety: post your civic number. Civic Address Informa! on AND ROAD SIGNS in the Municipality of the District of Chester PRIVATE ROAD name signs consist of black le" ers on a white background. A private road sign is posted for a road that gives access to private homes and private property. These roads are NOT open to the public. The Municipality will post one sign per private road, but maintanence and replacement is the responsiblity of the property owners using the road. All private roads shall post a sign iden• fying the private road by name. PUBLIC ROAD name signs consists of white le" ers on a green background. The Department of Transporta• on and Infrasture Renewal (TIR) own these roads. All of the TIR roads have authority numbers and most are named. A public road sign is posted for a road that gives access to the general public. Please call 902-275-2599 and ask for the Civic Address Coordinator for more informa• on on Public and Private roads in the Municipality. PRIVATE RD PUBLIC RD Visit www.chester.ca to view the Fall Explore Life, your guide to recre- ation in the Municipality of the District of Chester. Or, call the Recreation & Parks Department at (902) 275-3490. Our fi rst Recreation Map & Guide is now available on our website or by calling the Recreation & Parks De- partment at (902) 275-3490. "Must-do's" and "must-see's" in the Municipality, including what each of our communities have to offer, list- ings and locations of facilities, out- door adventures, and great oppor- tunities for all ages.