HomeMy Public PortalAbout2013-08_MunicipalInsight_pdf-compressedBEACH BLISS
Warm water, hot sand, cool breeze...
municipal insight
“Keeping informed about August 2013
your municipal government”
In the Municipality of the District of Chester this summer...
Avast, matey! Fun for Lubbers! RUBBISH! Gaining ground
Now that GRWSES is We no longer have waste What Municipal Staff are
ours, what is the plan? stations at the Hwy. 103 doing to stay on track with
See Page 5 for an update. exits. Page 4 tells you why. our Strategic Plan (Pg. 3)
Top: Laura and Harley Shellnutt cool off in the surf before heading to Halifax.
Bottom: The new walkway at Fox Point Beach (left); Fox Point Beach (centre); and the picnic area (right)
If you have ever walked along the warm, fine
sand of Fox Point Beach, you have experienced
the calming sound of the surf and inhaled the fresh
smell of the ocean. And, up until a few years ago,
you probably risked a broken ankle to get there.
It wasn’t until the spring of 2003 before the first
ramp was installed, making the beach more acces-
sible. Thanks to a small group of local residents who
have taken Fox Point Beach into their care.
Simply called the Beach Committee, these resi-
dents have maintained three area beaches since
April 1999 when it was formed by our own Deputy
Warden, Floyd Shatford. Along with Fox Point Beach,
the Committee also cares for Mill Cove Beach and
the Cannery Beach, also located in Fox Point.
Since the treacherous days of scuttling over the
large boulders and picking your way over loose
stones, the Beach Committee has done some won-
derful work.
To protect Fox Point Beach from erosion, rocks
were brought in 2002; benches and tables are at
both Fox Point and Mill Cove beaches; waste sorting
stations are maintained regularly with the waste col-
lected by the Municipality; and because of meager
funding over the last year, Floyd himself mows the
grass and keeps the landscape immaculate.
The second ramp at Fox Point Beach, installed re-
cently at a cost of $9,600, plus new picnic tables at
both Fox Point and Mill Cove beaches, the Commit-
tee has spent over $10,000 this year alone. Approxi-
mately $500.00 is still needed to pay the bills.
So how do they pay for improvements you ask?
Most of the funding has come from the Municipality
of Chester, the Aspotogan Heritage Trust and Girls
Night Out. Girls Night Out is a group of “ladies only”
that fundraise for various community groups in the
area. On average, they raise a substantial six to ten
thousand dollars!
Those who use any of the beaches will tell you how
wonderful they are. The setting is peaceful, beauti-
ful and best of all, accessible. Beach-goers love the
tables and benches as much as the sun and sand.
Today, the Beach Committee consists of Elaine
Shatford, Kim Perrier and Pat Routhier. This small
but mighty group of volunteers will gladly take on
more members (or donations), but are equally as
happy to have an extra pair of hands at the annual
spring beach clean up usually held in May. Anyone
can contact the Committee by emailing Elaine at ef-
shatford@eastlink.ca
Thank you, Beach Committee!
Call 275–3490 for weather updates3490 for weather updates. Parents of U-16 must sign a waiver16 must sign a waiver on-site.
The Fox Point/Mill Cove Beach Committee
received $4,000 in grant funding from the
Municipality of the District of Chester last
year to install the new ramp.
Turn to Page 7 for a listing of community
groups who received funding so far this
year under the Municipal Grant Fund.
Grants are available all year around until
the grants budget is depleted. To apply for
potential funding, visit www.chester.ca and
look for Grant Application Forms in our Doc-
ument Library.
In this issue:
• How are we doing
with our Strategic
Plan? (Page 3)
• Worried about
Dutch Elm
Disease? (Page 5)
• Meet our By-Law
Enforcement
Officer on Page 7.
MUNICIPAL COUNCIL
Message from
the Warden
Sign up for Council meeting agendas under Municipal Alerts at www.chester.ca
“Welcome back” to our summer
residents and cottage owners. You bring
vibrancy and your own unique perspective
to our communities, and I thank you for
choosing to share it with us.
This edition of Municipal Insights is
full of information as usual, and I will try
to add my perpsective on some of the
highlights.
First, the wind energy project at the
Kaizer Meadow Environmental Manage-
ment Centre is proceeding as planned,
and we have awarded the contract for
road construction and the tower founda-
tion. We have also ordered the turbine
and tower from Enercon and expect to
be putting power into the grid by year’s
end.
The private sector South Canoe Wind
Project is experiencing delays beyond our
control; however, I met with developers
last week and have been assured that
You can contact the Warden by calling the Municipal
Office at (902) 275-3554, calling his home at
(902) 275-2536, or emailing him awebber@chester.ca
they remain committed - and confident-
that the project will proceed with an
adjusted time frame. The benefit of the
delay is that it provides more time to
work with the local business community
to insure we maximize the local content
in the project.
Over the course of the summer, I
have met with the co-presidents of
Student Council from Forest Heights
Community School, Stephen Stepnar and
Matt Hughes. The intent is to establish
a process by which the Municipality
and Student Council can engage in a
mutually beneficial dialogue on a broad
range of issues affecting youth and the
community in general. I would like to
thank them both for giving up a piece of
their summer, for their enthusiasm, and
for their commitment to this project.
The issue of community planning and
the need for a higher level of control
continues to be an unresolved matter
in much of the Municipality. Although
it is Council’s current policy not to
implement restrictive controls unless
specifically asked for by a community, we
are frequently being asked to respond
to what many view as “undesirable
development”. This usually happens after
the fact with limited or no real ability
to act. We need to find a better, more
effective way and ask you to consider
how you feel we should approach this
issue. We welcome your input.
In closing, you may have noticed
that it’s a bit of a construction zone
around the Office. We apologize for the
inconvenience it may have caused you.
Thanks for your patience, and enjoy the
rest of your summer!
VOTE NOW!
For six months, Council met once per
month in the evening. Now they want to
know if the public still wants them to.
Do you think evening Council meetings are
a good idea? A bad idea? Don’t care one
way or another? Give us your opinion!
Take our online poll at www.chester.ca or
call the Municipal Office at (902) 275-3554.
2
On average, we photocopy 500 sheets of paper per
Council meeting. That’s 12,000 sheets of paper per
year...not including any other committee meetings.
Well, that’s just crazy. So, we stopped.
Instead, we are posting the whole Council agenda
online. Before, only the agenda was on there. Now,
all of the correspondence, requests, reports, every-
thing is included. You can find the agenda by clicking
the “Agendas & Minutes” button at the bottom of the
front page of our website. Councillors get their pack-
ages through email. You can too by signing up for the
Agenda Alert on our website at www.chester.ca
Don’t have internet or still want a paper copy? Call us
at (902) 275-3554 to request one.
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STRATEGIC PLAN
3We may not be available 24/7, but our website is. Visit us at www.chester.ca
THECAO
REPORT
Once a month, our Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) reports our progress on various
projects to Council. Since Council adopted a Strategic Plan, many of our actions are
now focused on achieving those goals. Below are a few of the highlights from Erin’s
last report, and some of what we’re doing as a Municipality.
Strengthen and support environmental,
cultural and social resources
• Our summer lineup of programs and
events have been successful so far!
• Over ten bookings for the Summer Games
Team have been made! This group of
Recreation summer staff provides fun ac-
tivities (like face painting, balloon animals
and games) during community events.
• The next draft of our Climate Change
Action Plan is expected this month or
early September. Incorporated will be
recommendations from Service Nova
Scotia & Municipal Relations and feedback
from our Planning Advisory Committees.
Ensure sufficient infrastructure is available
to best serve our residents and businesses
• Work to the trail washout in East Chester
is scheduled for August.
• We will continue with trail resurfacing lat-
er this summer.
• We are performing sewer treatment plant
reviews. So far, Chester, Western Shore
and Mill Cove are complete. The deadline
for Chester Basin is August 31.
• The Municipality will repair thirty man-
holes as well as clean and video five kilo-
metres of sewer main.
Continually improve public satisfaction
with municipal services
• Staff are working on an action plan stem-
ming from the recent Ombudsman report
and the planning policy/process review
from our engineering firm.
• The Municipality is tracking compliments
and complaints. We are publishing the
submission as well as how we are dealing
with them (see “Boss or Bust” +below).
Promote conditions conducive to fostering
economic prosperity
• Council will attend a special workshop
to discuss our Economic Development
Strategy, which forms the last goal in our
Strategic Plan.
• We hope to amend the existing funding
agreement for WhyHere.ca to include
Shelburne County. WhyHere.ca promotes
bringing prosperity to the South Shore
and is a collaborative project between
many municipal units and regional organi-
zations like ACOA.
Maintain a high level of fiscal responsibility
• Our year-end audit is almost complete.
The Municipality is required to use an in-
dependent auditor to review our accounts
before closing them. Grant Thornton per-
forms the audit and will then provide us
with a report, including recommenda-
tions.
REGISTER A COMPLIMENT OR COMPLAINT
You can pay us a compliment or register a
complaint about our services in several ways.
FIRST, call us. Our general inquiries phone
number is (902) 275-3554. Leaving your
name is optional.
SECOND, email us. Send your email to the
Municipal Clerk (pmyra@chester.ca). She will
reply and contact the right person for you.
THIRD, fill in our online form. Visit our web-
site at www.chester.ca. Click the “Register
a Compliment or Complaint” button on the
right, fill in the form and submit!
FOURTH, come in and see us. We are at 151
King Street in Chester and open from 8:30
a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Think we’re doing great? Or, not so much...
If you’re unhappy with our services, we want to know about it so we can work on fixing it. By the
same token, if we do something that you like, please let us know so we keep doing it.
Since the last newsletter, we’ve received two compliments and seven complaints. We like to
publish everything submitted in case others are experiencing the same situation.
Both of our compliments were related to great customer service. One for Solid Waste Depart-
ment staff and the other for Tax Office staff. Nice job, staff!
Seven complaints were registered:
• Two for unsightly premises: the By-Law Enforcement Officer is monitoring both locations;
• One regarding a mobile vendor, which is allowed under the Municipality’s Trade & Licens-
ing By-Law. The complaint was closed;
• Staff is gathering information about additional organics collections in the summer. Then,
they will report their findings to Council for consideration;
• Two complaints about noisy construction, but both were closed because the excessive
noise took place within the hours permitted by our Noise By-Law; and finally,
• One complaint about the hours kept by a privately-owned dog pound. This is out of our
jurisdiction so we closed the complaint.
Boss or Bust?
South Canoe Wind Project - Nova Scotia
Utility and Review Board has delayed their
decision as to whether the Municipality
can enter into an agreement with develop-
ers of the South Canoe Wind Project. They
were scheduled to release the outcome
on August 5. Decisions are posted online
at http://nsuarb.novascotia.ca
Economic Development - A couple of
months ago, the Municipality contracted
a consultant to identify areas of growth
in our area. The company has submitted
a draft report and Council will dedicate
a day for its review. From there, Council
will decide on our strategy for approach-
ing development in the Municipality.
IN BRIEF...
Accessibility to Municipal Information -
In an effort to make municipal documents
and decisions more publicly available, we
will post minutes of Committee meetings
online as well as agenda packages for
upcoming meetings. You can find this
information in our Document Library
under “Council and Committee Meetings”.
Tracy and Earl Jessiman pay
tribute to volunteer firefighters
at the Chester Fire Department
after their home was destroyed
by fire over a month ago.
Their touching message
appeared on site along with a
painting by Mrs. Jessiman, and
is seen as a small, but powerful
gesture by many.
The Jessimans were moved
by the thoughtfulness and
selflessness of the Chief
and firefighters during the
devastating loss.
The Jessimans continue to
express their gratitude to the
Fire Department in the media
as well as in person, honouring
them with a night of recognition
at the Chester Yacht Club as well
as showing their support to keep
the fire siren.
COMMUNITY INTEREST
4Look for “Explore Life” on our website and discover the recreation possibilities! Or, call 275-3490.
Saturday, Aug. 10 Breakfast Chester Legion, 7:30-10:30am.
Family Fun Day Aenon Baptist Church, 11am-2pm.
Sunday, Aug. 11
Blueberry Supper Forties Community Centre, New Ross,
4-6pm. 689-2612 or 689-2000.
Concert String Fever will play at the Chester
Bandstand, 7pm. 634-4435.
Monday, Aug. 12 -
Friday, Aug. 16
Kingdom Rock:
Where Kids Stand
Strong for God
Aenon United Baptist Church, Chester
Basin, 9:00-11:30am daily. 275-3024
or 275-4321.
Tuesday, Aug. 13 Seniors’ Old-Fash-
ioned Picnic
Hubbards Barn, 11am-2pm. Call 275-
8503, 857-1133, or the Recreation
Department at 275-3490.
Wednesday, Aug. 14 Garrett Mason St. Luke’s Anglican Church, Hubbards,
7:30pm (doors open at 7pm).
Sunday, Aug. 18
Chester Brass Band
Concert Chester Bandstand, 7pm. 634-4435.
Lunch by Hubbards
Cove BBQ in Bishop’s Park, 12-2pm.
Tuesday, Aug. 20
Picnic in the Park
with the Parsons
Brothers & Friends
Lordly Park, Chester, 6-8pm. Cancella-
tions posted at www.chester.ca
Saturday, Aug. 24
Newfie Breakfast Chester Basin Legion, 7:30-10:30am
Annual House & Har-
bour Tour Starts at Chester Train Station, 10am.
Your family is invited ...
bring your picnic and your dancing shoes ...
Live music from 6 to 8 pm
in Lordly Park, Chester
Free admission...
Donations for the band gratefully accepted
presented by
Chester Municipal Recreation & Parks
Chester Municipal Heritage Society
and community volunteers
Like us on Facebook – Picnic in the Park Chester
Rain date Tuesday, August 27 – Jamie & friends
check www.chester.ca for cancellation notice
Picnic
in the Park (and dancing)
Tue. July 9 . . . . . . .Jamie Junger & friends
sponsored by the Fo’c’sle Pub
Tue. July 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Makeshift
sponsored by Premiere Self Storage
Tue. Aug 6 . . .Darren Arsenault & friends
sponsored by GN Plastics
Tue. Aug. 20 . .Parsons Brothers & friends
sponsored by Chester Pharmasave
Postponed to
Tue. Aug. 27
THANKS, ILLEGAL DUMPERS!A slightly sarcastic message about the loss of our carpool parking lot waste stations
Some of you may have noticed that the
concrete waste containers located at the car
pool parking lots on Highway #103 are gone.
A few years ago, these waste stations were
put at the parking lots for commuters and
visitors to use, but were recently removed
because of considerable abuse.
The Municipality spent years cleaning up
large bags of household garbage, furniture,
carcasses, construction materials, and various
other items that are obviously not run-of-the-
mill litter that accumulates in one’s vehicle.
Then, with no improvement in sight, and
after losing support from the Department of
Transportation & Infrastructure Renewal, the
Municipality decided to take out the stations
in resignation.
Unfortunately, our good intentions were
quickly taken advantage of by residents (both
inside and outside of our Municipality) who
dump their garbage illegally. Sometimes we
can track them down, but most of them are
sneaky as well as irresponsible and ensure
that any shred of evidence is removed...
“The Gallant Antigua”
Generously donated by Malcolm Callaway, “The Gallant Antigua” will be
raffled to raise funds for PRO Kids in the Municipality of Chester. Tickets are
on sale now for $2 each or 3/$5 at the Recreation & Parks Department. The
draw date is October 24. This striking oil painting measures 48”x36”.
presumably burned with their tires.
Like any public waste receptacle, the
purpose of these containers is to SORT and
conveniently relieve yourself of waste that
you accumulate while you’re out for the day
(or night).
Their use is not for those forgetful residents
who don’t have the ability to get their waste
out to the curb for FREE PICK-UP. Nor are they
for those individuals who are scared that the
“garbage police” will catch them not sorting...I
mean we’ve only been officially recycling for
SEVENTEEN YEARS! Nor, is it for residents who
live just across our municipal boundary and
think they are being shrewd.
So, to those people lucky enough to vacation
in our area and to commuters who are trying
to rid themselves of their coffee cup, we
apologize. We apologize that we can no
longer offer you the convenience of a waste
receptacle. We apologize that illegal dumping
has, yet again, ruined a good thing.
If you see illegal dumping happening before
your very eyes, do not hesitate to report
it. Report it to us by calling (902) 275-2330;
report it to the RCMP by calling 911; or report
it to the Department of Natural Resources if
it’s on Crown Land at (902) 634-7555.
Sunday, Aug. 25
Concert Tuesday Night Show Band performs at
Chester Bandstand, 7pm. 634-4435.
Fundraiser Dinner Hubbards Barn, 4-8pm. Music, silent
auction. www.hubbardsbarn.org
Wednesday, Aug. 28 Amanda Riley St. Luke’s Anglican Church, Hubbards,
7:30pm. 857-1034.
Sunday, Sept. 1 Crib Tournament Forties Community Centre, 1pm.
Doors open at noon. 689-2147
Sunday, Sept. 8 Supper Forties Community Centre, 4-6pm.
689-2612.
Saturday, Sept. 21 3rd Annual Dinner
Theatre (Nick’s Place)
Featuring the “Accidental Actors” at
the Forties Community Centre in sup-
port of New Ross Fire Department. So-
cial 6:00pm, Show 6:30pm. 689-2018.
Saturday, Oct. 5 Al Nunn Memorial
Golf Tournament
Chester Golf Course in support of
Chester Minor Hockey. Shotgun start
at 10am. 531-2207.
Open daily Chester Train Station
Gallery
Chester Visitor Information Centre,
10am-4pm. Displays from local artists.
Every Friday until
mid-September
Artisan & Farmers
Market
Chester Train Station/Visitor Informa-
tion Centre, 10am-2pm. 275-4616.
Every Saturday Farmers Market Hubbards Barn, 8am-noon.
Every Saturday Country Market Lion’s Park (across from New Ross
School), 9am-noon. 689-2020.
Recreation and Parks summer student, Morgan
Keillor, makes balloon animals at the Annual
Teddy Bears Picnic held on July 12 at Lordly Park
in Chester. Below, summer staff play parachute
games with some of the kids and their parents.
5Submit photos to our Photo Gallery by emailing the Communications Officer at communications@chester.ca
COMMUNITY INTEREST
The South Shore Regional School Board of-
ficially turned the keys of the Gold River-
Western Shore Elementary School over to the
Municipality on Friday, July 19.
Before the Province was responsible for edu-
cation, it fell under the jurisdiction of munici-
palities. Therefore, municipalities generally own
all of the older schools and the properties they
sit on. Because of this, school properties revert
back to municipal ownership when they are
closed.
Exceptions to this are newer schools and com-
munity schools, which are usually constructed
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DUTCH ELM DISEASE
Bark with some bite...
Dutch Elm Disease. You hear about it, but then you think, “That will
never happen to me.” Well, don’t be too sure.
Last month, an arborist on his way to a job in the Village of
Chester made a worrying discovery: several elm trees were
infected with the fungus.
Out of the hundred or more elms in the Village, two or three
infected trees hardly seem like cause for panic, but you
might be surprised. The fungus can devastate hundreds of
elm trees in a relatively short period of time.
It is spread by “bark beetles”, who nest underneath the bark
of weakened trees where the fungus develops. By the time
spring arrives, the bark beetle - covered by fungal spores - migrates
to a healthy tree to feed, carrying the fungus with it.
If you have elm trees, you may want to have them checked by an arborist, or
at least do some research to determine if your trees are healthy or not. If you
discover your elms are afflicted with Dutch Elm Disease, treatment or removal is
of the greatest importance so to prevent the spread of the fungus to other, healthy trees.
A potential sign of Dutch Elm Disease is branches with wilted, curled up and dried out leaves that
turn yellowish or brownish. Later in the season, premature leaf drop usually follows the wilting. If
left untreated, the tree could die within a year, also infecting surrounding trees.
If you have an infected tree and decide to treat it yourself, please know that there are regulations
around transporting and even possessing the wood, branches, leaves, etc. of an elm tree affected
by Dutch Elm Disease. Please read the “Dutch Elm Disease Regulations” found on the provincial
government website at www.gov.ns.ca.
For more extensive information on Dutch Elm Disease, please visit the Natural Resources Canada
website at http://tidcf.nrcan.gc.ca/diseases/factsheet/10 or call an arbourist.
Image from Natural Resources Canada,
Canadian Forest Service
and paid for by the private sector.
Once the school in Gold River was turned over
to the Municipality, we inspected and evaluated
the building, grounds, and equipment to
assess a number of things: safety, damage, and
potential for public use. The extent of repairs is
as yet unknown.
A report on the results of the evaluation will
be given to Council to review some time over
the next month or two. At that point, Municipal
Council will be faced with a decision: restore a
deteriorating building at an expense to taxpay-
ers or sell it and lose a property with valuable
potential for public use.
Although the future use of the former Gold
River-Western Shore Elementary School is still
up in the air, the Municipality will maintain the
grounds and keep the playground open for pub-
lic use until a decision is made.
Stay tuned for developments and feel free to
visit our playground. If you would like to report
damage, please call the Recreation and Parks
Department at (902) 275-3490.
Gold River-Western Shore
Elementary School: What now?
If you want more information about the
municipal-provincial relationship concerning
school property, please contact the Municipal-
ity by calling (902) 275-3554 or emailing us at
administration@chester.ca.
Photo: Part of the “Pirate Playground” at former
Gold River-Western Shore Elementary School.
The Municipality of the District of Chester will
post one private road sign for each private road
in the Municipality. The materials needed to
post a road sign include an anchor post, a post,
a road sign and small accessories. This usually
costs between $200 and $250, which covers
materials and labour.
PROPERTY SERVICES
6The 2013 Waste Collection Calendar is available at www.chester.ca or drop in to the Municipal Office to pick one up
THE TRUCK STOPS HERE
Waste collection information you probably
want to know...
When waste collection is cancelled, it is usually rescheduled for the
following Saturday.
Tipping fees for garbage have increased to $75.80/tonne. Residents
can bring in 680 kg per visit for free. Mixed construction and demolition fees
have also increased to $60/tonne.
Collection times are subject to change so to be safe, put your waste
out for 8 a.m. on your collection day. If you’re too late, you might be missed and
the trucks will not come back.
Why did the Collector cross the road? There is no punchline because
they aren’t permitted to cross the road...it’s a hazard. So, collectors pick up one
side of the road and then switch to the other.
Keep recyclables separate from paper because paper and other recy-
clables go to a different location for processing. People working on the conveyor
belt in the recycling plant do not have time to re-sort or remove the paper.
Only one black bag per collection: the rest are clear. We will only
take one black garbage bag per collection. Anything over that will be rejected.
Please use clear bags for all garbage over the one black bag limit.
Know your limit...Per collection, each household can put out SIX bags of
garbage (one black, five clear), TEN bags of recyclables (each bundle of card-
board is equal to one bag), and ONE green cart.
Collector can’t collect aerosols even though they are still recyclable,
because of the potential hazard. Bring them with your other hazardous material
to the Household Hazardous Waste site at Kaizer Meadow though, and we’ll
recycle them for you.
THE BUCKGOES HERE
Tax collection information we want you to
know...
Is there anything worse than paying taxes? Yes, we assure you there is.
But, waiting in line twenty minutes to pay your taxes because someone
ahead of you didn’t bring their tax bill with them? Well, that’s different.
There are a few reasons why we ask that you bring your tax bill, spe-
cifically your tax account number, instead of just doing a “search” of
your name or property when you arrive:
• If you have multiple properties and forget one, you could end up
paying interest on the one not paid for (check the back of your
tax bill for more information on interest and arrears);
• Property Valuation Services (who supplies our tax roll of 11,000)
could have mispelled or abbreviated your name and it may not
show up in a search;
• If more than one name is listed on the account and yours isn’t
listed first, it won’t show up accurately when we search. We
could miss it altogether actually;
• Maybe one of the properties is a lot number instead of a civic
number, which is harder to search for;
• If you have the same name as someone else on our tax roll, it’s
easy to get accounts confused; and
• It slows the counter down for other customers.
Tax bills will be mailed early next month and the payment deadline is
November 15, 2013. Don’t forget to bring your bill for reference!
If you want to pay with your credit card online, we also have that
option. Click on the “Paymentus” button on the left of our website’s
front page or call 866-810-2882 toll free or 905-288-3371 outside North
America. We don’t accept credit cards at the front counter because the
fee to use it is 2-3% of the total purchase. So, if your tax bill is $800, the
charge is an extra $24!
Call us at (902) 275-3554 with any comments or questions!
This Old House
If you own a registered municipal heritage property, the Nova Scotia Department of
Communities, Culture & Heritage wants you to know that thousands of dollars in conservation
grants and improvement rebates may be available to you.
The Heritage Grant Program provides funding under two categories:
• The first is a Conservation Advice Grant, which supports fees associated with
professional reports prepared by licensed architects, engineers, etc. advising on the
exterior conservation or structural integrity of a registered building or monument/
grave marker. Maximum grant available is 50%, up to $3,000.
• The second is a Conservation Work Grant, which supports costs associated with
the exterior conservation of an eligible registered heritage property. Maximum
grant amounts available are 50%, up to $10,000 every two years for owners of a
registered provincial heritage property, and 50%, up to $7,500 every two years for
owners of a registered municipal heritage property.
Call the Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage at (902) 424-6396 or visit their
website at http://www.gov.ns.ca/cch/exploring/heritage-assistance/ for information.
You could be eligible for a Provincial Tax Rebate from Service Nova Scotia & Municipal
Relations. This rebate is in addition to conservation grants and offers a full rebate on Provincial
Tax paid for eligible materials used for repairs, improvements, or restoration of the exterior
of a heritage property. Contact them at 1-800-565-2336 or visit their website at http://www.
gov.ns.ca/snsmr/pdf/ans-taxcomm-salestax-info-heritage.pdf
CLAIM Your TURF!
Saturday, August 17Chester Skate ParkWarm up at NoonCompeti ti on starts at 2:00pm
Prizes and Music
All Ages Welcome
Funds raised support Municipality of Chester PRO Kids
Hosted by Homegrown Skateboards
It is the responsibility of property owners who
use this road to maintain and replace the road
sign if necessary. The Municipality can help out
by replacing the road sign if the property owners
prepay for the materials and labour. The cost
is calculated according to what materials are
needed.
It is important that road signs are displayed for
the Emergency 911 System. If you are in trouble,
they need to find you.
For information, please contact the Community
Development Office at (902) 275-2599 or drop
into our office at 186 Central Street in Chester.
HERE’S YOUR SIGN...
BY-LAWS & POLICIES
7Building and Fire Services are on summer hours: Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. until September.
Welcome Aboard,
Commissionaire!
The Municipality takes a new
approach to by-law enforcement
The Municipality of the District of Chester
welcomes Danielle MacDonald! Danielle
graduated from the Atlantic Police Academy in
May 2012 and then joined the Commissionaires
of Nova Scotia.
In the absence of a By-Law Enforcement
OBJECTIVE: To assemble all of the Municipality’s fee structures in one location as opposed to several. To update fees for a more accurate reflection
of the true cost, even though it still does not cover it.
DESCRIPTION: This policy is a collective list of all of our fees under one policy instead of three. It replaces the Building Permit Fee Policy, the Tipping
Fees Policy, and the Planning Department Fee Policy.
Fees Policy
PROPOSED CHANGES: Many of the Municipality’s fees remain the same, but there are a few changes proposed.
• The Administration Office will not provide a photocopy service, but the Community Development and Recreation Departments still do.
• Building Permit application fee increases range anywhere from $1.75 to $54.00, plus an extra 10₵ per $1,000 on new construction and
renovations over $100,001.
• Demolition Permits now cost $20.
• Planning Services have revamped pretty much their whole fee schedule. The cost for applications increased between $2 and $300, depending
on which application and amount of work requested by the applicant (eg. basic applications cost less than more elaborate applications for
large developments).
• New fees for Planning Services include: amendments to Development Permits, discharge of Development Permits, site plan approvals, vari-
ance applications, letter of concurrence applications (for communications towers), and subdivision approvals.
• Sewer Permit applications will cost $50 plus deposit instead of just the deposit. Also, the dewatering truck will now be available in emergencies
only, but for $400/hour....they recommend you call a septic company instead.
• There are NO CHANGES to fees charged in the Recreation & Parks Department.
• Tipping fees at Kaizer Meadow Landfill have remained unchanged for the most part except for: residential waste is still free for the first 680 kg
per trip, but after that (and for commercial municipal haulers) the price is $75.80 per tonne, which is an increase of $7.15 per tonne; and the
per tonne fee for mixed construction and demolition waste increased by $8.50 per tonne to $60.
• The tipping fees to outside waste from municipal units (like Valley Waste and Town of Lunenburg) have also increased.
POTENTIAL CHANGES TO MUNICIPAL FEE POLICY
The Second (and Final) Reading for this policy is scheduled for August 29 at 8:45 a.m. If you wish to provide a submission with regard to the proposed
policy, contact the Municipal Clerk at (902) 275-3554. The deadline for submissions is August 22 by 4:30 p.m.
A draft of the Fees Policy can be found on our website in the Document Libray under Policies or by calling (902) 275-3554 for a paper copy.
You may have noticed...
We have been working on a few projects
throughout the Municipality lately, and you may
be wondering about them.
We have almost finished upgrades to the Annex
and Municipal Offices. Work includes replacing
either malfunctioning or non-existant drainage
around both buildings; replacing unsafe and
damaged walkways; installing additional walkways
for easier access; replacing aging air system in
Municipal Office, and painting the Annex.
In late June, we installed a third picnic area near
Freda’s Beach. This beach is very popular, and the
picnic area is used by hundreds of people every
season.
Connections to on-site wells in Mill Cove (to
replace the decommissioned water utility) were
completed last month as was the Aspotogan
Consolidated Elementary School’s connection.
Twenty-three community groups recently
received funding from Council as they
approved their first round of grants under the
Municipal Grant Fund.
In June, Council approved $240,000 in budget
money to distribute in grants to organizations. The
breakdown is:
• $72,000 for the Municipal Grant Fund;
• $20,000 for the Recreation Grant Fund;
• $8,000 for Youth Sponsorship and Leader
Development Grants;
• $10,000 for PRO Kids/Community Schools;
• $50,000 for Church Memorial Park; and
• $80,000 for local tourism development.
Council received $89,138.75 in requests
under the Municipal Grant Fund. They approved
$60,888.75 out of the $72,000 budgeted. The
remainder of the budget is reserved for future
grant requests.
Prior to making any decisions, Council made
a conscious choice to consider requests from
local groups before any regional and provincial
organizations. This year, 87.3% of the grants
budget went back into local communities; the rest
Officer (Dave Brettell took a position in Wolfville
in the Spring), the Municipality opted to contract
Commissionaire Danielle MacDonald instead of
hiring another full-time position.
She is in the office on Mondays, Wednesdays
and Fridays, and enforces all of our by-laws
except the Dog By-Law, which is enforced by our
Animal Control Officer, Brian Truelove.
All of our by-laws can be found on our website
at www.chester.ca. We also have a binder
available for viewing at the Municipal Office.
Hopefully, you will never have to talk to her in
went towards regional/provincial programs that
are of direct benefit to our residents.
The Recreation and Parks Department is
expected to review their grant applications after
the Friday, October 4 deadline. Then, Council will
approve the list shortly after that.
This year’s grant line-up:
Local:
Chester Branch of the Navy (Sea Cadets) 2,800.00
Chester Municipal Relay for Life 1,500.00
Chester Playhouse 3,000.00
Chester Trust (Zoe Valle Library) 10,000.00
Community Wheels 6,000.00
District 1 Community Centre 6,000.00
East Chester Recreation Association 8,000.00
Hubbards Area Recreation Association 1,700.00
Mayfest 20.00
New Ross Family Resource Centre 4,000.00
New Ross Farmers Association 5,000.00
New Ross Regional Development Society 468.75
Shoreham Village 650.00
Through the Years Community Daycare 4,000.00
Regional/Provincial:
South Shore Community Justice 400.00
Christmas Daddies 100.00
Christmas Tree Council of Nova Scotia 500.00
Lunenburg County Crime Prevention 500.00
Lunenburg County Seniors Advisory 250.00
Lunenburg/Queens Volunteer Partnership 2,000.00
South Shore cbdc (climate change) 1,500.00
United Way of Lunenburg County
(matches employee contribution) 1,000.00
Victorian Order of Nurses 1,500.00
GRANTREPORT
UPDATES
her capacity as By-Law Enforcement Officer, but
if so she will be happy to assist.
• To report a by-law infraction to Danielle,
contact her at (902) 277-1589 or email
bylaw@chester.ca
• To reach Brian, please call (902) 277-0017.
• If you are reporting an illegal dump site, you
can also call the Solid Waste Department
at (902) 275-2330.
By-laws do not replace Provincial legislation. If
you are reporting a provincial or federal offence,
like theft or vandalism, please call the RCMP.
QR Code: Download a QR Reader app on your mobile device (eg.
iPhone). Hold it over the code while your device scans it, and it will
open our website directly.
Twitter: Search for @chestermun or @ChesterRecParks in your Twit-
ter account. Follow us and get regular updates and notifications about
municipal issues.
Facebook: Visit www.facebook.com/ChesterMunicipality and learn
about events and stories happening in the Municipality. If you have
something to share, message us!
To contact us about this newsletter...
call: 902-275-3555 ext. 1202 email: communications@chester.ca
mail: Municipality of Chester
c/o municipal insight
151 King Street, PO Box 369, Chester NS B0J 1J0
If you have questions about…call this Department at...this number
Animal Control (Dogs)Animal Control Officer 277-0017
Bandstand/Gazebo rental (Wedding)Recreation & Parks Department 275-3490
Boat Launches Recreation & Parks Department 275-3490
Building Permits/Inspections Building/Fire Inspection 275-3080
By-Laws Community Development Dept 275-2599
Composting Public Works/Solid Waste Dept 275-1312/275-2330
Council Meetings Administration/Tax Department 275-3554
Fire Inspections Building/Fire Inspection 275-3080
Islands (use of)Recreation & Parks Department 275-3490
Kaizer Meadow Solid Waste Department 275-2330
Municipal Sewer Public Works Department 275-1312
After Hours Emergencies 1-888-664-6998
Parks/Trails Recreation & Parks Department 275-3490
Planning Areas Community Development Dept 275-2599
Public Works (Municipal)Public Works Department 275-1312
Recycling Public Works/Solid Waste Dept 275-2330/275-1312
Taxes Administration/Tax Dept 275-3554
Waste Collection Public Works/Solid Waste Dept 275-2330/275-1312
Wharves Public Works Department 275-1312
Zoning Community Development Dept 275-2599
fax mail email
902-275-4771 151 King Street administration@chester.ca publicworks@chester.ca
P O Box 369 building@chester.ca recreation@chester.ca
Chester NS B0J 1J0 planning@chester.ca info@KaizerMeadow.ca
Municipal Districts and Councillors
#1 East Chester, East River to Northwest Cove
Andre Veinotte 277-1409
#2 Simms Settlement, Hubbards to The Lodge
Floyd Shatford 857-9817
#3 Chester and part of East Chester
Brad Armstrong 275-3121
#4 Chester Basin and Chester Grant
Allen Webber 275-2536
#5 Gold River to Martins River
Robert Myra 627-2470
#6 New Ross and area
Tina Connors 679-4461
#7 Marriotts Cove, Windsor Road to Sherwood
Sharon Church-Cornelius 275-2281
For exact district boundaries, call the Municipal Office at (902) 275-3554
or click on the “Municipality” menu option on our website.
Provincial Contacts
Department of
Environment .........................................................543-4685
Labour ..................................................................543-0665
Natural Resources ................................................634-7555
Public Health ........................................................543-0850
Transportation (Bridgewater) ...............................543-8169
Transportation (Marriott’s Cove)..........................275-3221
Property Valuation Services (Assessments) ...........1-800-380-7775
MLA Denise Peterson-Rafuse ................................1-877-740-3378
...............................................................................857-3378
MP Gerald Keddy ...................................................1-888-816-4446
...............................................................................527-5655
Here for the summer? You might need these:
The 2013 Waste Collection Calendar Explore Life is your guide to a fun summer
is on our website at www.chester.ca or filled with activities, events, programs, and
drop by for a copy at 151 King Street. an all-round good time! Get one online or at
Inside: collection schedule, sorting the Municipal Office! There is still plenty of
guide, tips and a whole lot more. “summer fun” left to be had!
This is a special five-part article on Committees
of Council and how they impact Council’s
decision-making process. Over the course of the
next several issues, we will describe the public’s
role, membership, and special appointments.
Every year, councillors are nominated to sit
on Committees of Council. These committees
are much more informal than Council meetings
and most of the discussion around an issue
takes place at the committee level. After a
committee reaches a consensus, they make
a recommendation to Council on what to do.
Council always has the final say on policy decisions
discussed at a committee meeting. They can
either approve or deny the recommendation, or
sometimes they send it back to the committee
for further discussion and request an alternative
recommendation.
The intention is that the councillor(s) chosen
to sit on a Committee of Council is there to
represent the will of Council. Alternatively, they
also return to Council with progress reports.
Decisions from some committees have more
of an impact on the general public. In that case,
Council advertises for public representation
in addition to Council representation. Public
positions are important because they help
determine the path Council will take when
dealing with issues that have a higher impact on
residents and businesses.
If you can’t wait for the next two issues, you
can find a complete list of Standing and Special
Committees plus Council Appointments on our
website at www.chester.ca under “Committee
Membership” in our Document Library. Or, you
can get a paper copy by calling the Municipal
Clerk at (902) 275-3554 or dropping by the
Municipal Office at 151 King Street in Chester.
Minutes of most meetings are online as well
or can be requested at the Municipal Office.
FEATURE: Standing and Special
Committees of Council
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Chester Race Week is from August 14 to 17, 2013. Race
times, events, and more at www.chesterraceweek.com