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HomeMy Public PortalAbout2017-03_MunicipalInsight_pdf_archive-compressedmunicipal insight “Keeping informed about March/April 2017 your municipal government” In the Municipality of the District of Chester this spring... Cut...and...RUN! SOMEone is having a birthday... Yeah...sti ll not loving the liners. Don't miss your chance Help Canada celebrate "Plasti c" is out and paper for a free t-shirt by 150 years. Learn how on is in (Pg 7). registering early! (Pg 3). Pg 4. Don't miss your chance Help Canada celebrate for a free t-shirt by 150 years. Learn how on is in (Pg 7). registering early! (Pg 3). Pg 4. AND THE AWARD GOES TO... Municipality says "THANK YOU" to volunteers X municipal insightmunicipal insight “ municipal insight “ municipal insight your municipal government” Volunteers are fabulous, and they deserve to be recognized for the positi ve impact they have on our communiti es. The Municipal- ity of Chester is taking ti me during Volunteer Week (April 23-29) to celebrate the tremen- dous eff orts of our local volunteers. Every day volunteers give of their ti me and energy to the community and it is these volunteer eff orts that make our communiti es strong and vibrant. As a way to say “Thank You”, we will host a Vol- unteer Awards Ceremony and Recepti on at For- est Heights Community School on Wednesday, April 26 starti ng 7:00 pm. Everyone is invited to join us as we recognize the following volunteers: • Brenda Garland, Chester • Sheena Isenor, New Ross • Aaron Johnson, Western Shore • Matt hew Kaizer, Chester (Youth) • Sylvia Lucas, Blandford • Karen MacKenzie-Stepner, Chester municipal insightmunicipal insightmunicipal insightmunicipal insight Keeping informed about March/April 2017 municipal insightmunicipal insight Keeping informed about March/April 2017 municipal insightmunicipal insight Keeping informed about March/April 2017 municipal insightmunicipal insightmunicipal insightmunicipal insightmunicipal insight Keeping informed about March/April 2017 municipal insightmunicipal insightmunicipal insightmunicipal insightmunicipal insightmunicipal insight Keeping informed about March/April 2017 municipal insightmunicipal insight Keeping informed about March/April 2017 municipal insightmunicipal insight Keeping informed about March/April 2017 municipal insightmunicipal insight Keeping informed about March/April 2017 municipal insightmunicipal insight Keeping informed about March/April 2017 municipal insight NEED A JOB THIS SUMMER? The Municipality of the District of Chester Recreati on & Parks Department is seeking applicati ons from students who would like to be part of our summer staff team. You will organize special events and plan summer recreati on programs. If you are creati ve, outgoing, energeti c and enjoy working with youth and the public, submit your resume to: Municipality of the District of Chester Recreati on & Parks Department ATTN: Mr. Jody Conrad 151 King Street P O Box 369 Chester NS B0J 1J0 email: jconrad@chester.ca phone: (902) 275-2712 fax: (902) 275-3630 Deadline to apply for high school positi ons is Friday, April 21, 2017. Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. Don't miss your chance Help Canada celebrate "Plasti c" is out and paper for a free t-shirt by 150 years. Learn how on is in (Pg 7). AND THE AWARD GOES TO... Municipality says "THANK YOU" to volunteers Don't miss your chance Help Canada celebrate for a free t-shirt by 150 years. Learn how on is in (Pg 7). Don't miss your chance Help Canada celebrate for a free t-shirt by 150 years. Learn how on is in (Pg 7).X for a free t-shirt by 150 years. Learn how on is in (Pg 7).X for a free t-shirt by 150 years. Learn how on is in (Pg 7).X for a free t-shirt by 150 years. Learn how on is in (Pg 7).X for a free t-shirt by 150 years. Learn how on is in (Pg 7).X for a free t-shirt by 150 years. Learn how on is in (Pg 7).X for a free t-shirt by 150 years. Learn how on is in (Pg 7).X for a free t-shirt by 150 years. Learn how on is in (Pg 7).X for a free t-shirt by 150 years. Learn how on is in (Pg 7).XX Don't miss your chance Help Canada celebrate for a free t-shirt by 150 years. Learn how on is in (Pg 7). Don't miss your chance Help Canada celebrate for a free t-shirt by 150 years. Learn how on is in (Pg 7). • Ashley Rafuse, Chester Basin • Don Weagle, Hubbards (Provincial Representati ve) • Kelly & David Moore, Chester (Family) • Marsha & Charlie Yeaton, New Ross (Family) • Blandford Fire & Rescue (Group) • Executi ve of the New Ross 200th Anniversary Committ ee • Harvey Dominey, Seana Langille, Bonny Young & Mary Snair (Group) Aft er the ceremony, everyone is invited to stay for some refreshments and congratulate the award recipients. This is a great opportunity to mingle and talk with the various volunteers from our Municipality. We ask that you please RSVP by Tuesday, April 18 by calling 902-275-3490. Congratulati ons to Don Weagle of Hubbards, who has been selected to receive the Provincial Volunteer Award. Don is a Basketball Coach who spends countless hours on the court with youth at all levels. Don will be representi ng the Municipality of Chester at the Provincial Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, April 18 in Halifax. Way to go Don, and ALL of our volunteers! Shown is Don Weagle, 2017 Provincial Volunteer of the Year for the Municipality of Chester. FLUSHED FAR, FAR AWAY Municipality batt les ongoing issues with sewer A ti mely arti cle, accompanied by a humor- ous video, was recently run by CBC de- scribing the havoc that "fl ushable" wipes wreak with sewer systems in HRM. Granted we are not the City of Halifax, or even a suburb, but we both seem to share the same issue of fi nding things in the sewer system that shouldn't be there. For example, fl ushable wipes. They are a lot stronger than you think. They don't dissolve like toilet paper does. Toilet paper is designed to break apart. Flushable wipes are not. Wipes are meant to hold up under pressure, to get the job done, to pull up their socks when the going gets tough. They aren't going to just fall apart at the fi rst sign of a litt le water. Great for pott y-training, not so great for forty- something-year-old sewer systems. Stuff fl ushed down a toilet doesn't go away. For that stuff , the journey has just begun. First, it has to make it through the twists and turns of your house's small sewer pipes. If it makes it through there without clogging, you'd think that it would be home free...not so. Sure, it empti es into a larger, central sewer pipe, but then from there, it joins other "stuff " from other houses. Everything travels along swimmingly unti l THE PUMP. Here is the most likely place to encounter a problem. At THE PUMP, everything is re-rout- ed aggressively to the fi nal desti nati on: a sewer treatment plant. During the transiti on, things that haven't dissolved have a very real chance of ge� ng wrapped around the impellor that is try- ing to push everything towards the treatment plant. Toilet paper is no match for an impellor. As we previously established, wipes are tough and they just might give an impellor a run for its money. If that happens, a wipe can wrap itself around impellor blades and render it completely helpless. Then the pump is down for the count and everything comes to a complete standsti ll. So we have a malfuncti oning sewer system and looking at extra costs for pump parts, labour, and maybe even outside help depending on the situati on. Thank you, fl ushable wipe. Obviously this doesn't happen with every, single fl ushable wipe that someone puts down a toilet. Wipes that make it through the pump end up at the treatment plant and can cause the same types of problems with the equipment there. There are all sorts of nooks and crannies and fi lters in a central sewer system where un- dissolved stuff can cause problems. And, fl ushable wipes can't take all of the blame either. We have found facecloths, un- derwear, toys, rags, sanitary napkins and other hygeine products, garbage, and a whole assort- ment of items that are defi nitely not dissolvable in water. We get that someti mes these things are gross, but so is spending taxpayer money we don't have to. Throw this stuff in the garbage where it belongs. Once every two weeks, we'll pick it up and put it in the safely lined Landfi ll and be done with it! Questi ons? Call Public Works at 275-1312 or send us an email at publicworks@chester.ca MUNICIPAL COUNCIL Message from the Warden Well, I think we have turned the corner and signs of spring are fi nally in the air. On that note, I have an update on the progress of Sustane Technologies. They have awarded the contract for site preparati on to Dexter Constructi on and the contract to build their new facility at Kaizer Meadow to Lindsay Constructi on with a start date of this spring! Council has recently completed a review and update of our strategic prioriti es with alternati ve revenue/energy projects, economic development, Municipal Plan Review, and a public water system in the Village on the "now" list and items, such as service capacity, policy review, shared services, and wastewater strategy (among many others) next on the list. We have completed negoti ati ons with the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg on public access to Sherbrooke Lake and have a signed memorandum of understanding in place. I would like to thank MODL Council for working with us to resolve this matt er and the public for their input, guidance and support throughout the process. You can contact the Warden by calling the Municipal Offi ce at (902) 275-3554, calling his home at (902) 275-2536, or emailing awebber@chester.ca Do you know who your Councillor is? Visit www.chester.ca for bio and contact informati on.2 COUNCIL REPRESENTATIONON COMMITTEES & BOARDS Council relies on Committ ees to provide them with informati on based on investi gati on of cur- rent facts and practi ces, discussion with the public, and well thought out recommenda- ti ons. They use that informati on when making decisions that aff ect our whole Municipality. As such, Council has put a number of "Committ ees of Council" in place as well as require Council- lors to represent the Municipality on several outside organizati ons. Most of the Committ ees of Council have a mix of Councillors and mem- bers of the public who represent their commu- niti es, plus municipal staff as support. Below is a list of Committ ees and representati ves as well as Council Appointments to other committ ees. Commi� ee Representati ve Audit & Budget All Councillors Building Code & Unsightly Premises Councillor Andre Veinott e Deputy Warden Floyd Sha� ord Committ ee of the Whole (COW)All Councillors Landfi ll Citi zens Monitoring Councillor Danielle Barkhouse Councillor Sharon Church Bernice Levy Jack Shaw Douglas Sharpham Cynthia Lohnes-Ferrolino Landfi ll Consultati on Warden Allen Webber Citi zens Planning Advisory (CPAC) Warden Allen Webber Carol Nauss (VAAC Chair) Mary Ellen Clancey (MAAC Chair) John Carroll Heather Brooker Nancy Green Trevor Hume Mathew Nighti ngale Debbie Reeves Arthur Backman Mark Narsansky Municipal Area Advisory (MAAC) Councillor Andre Veinott e Councillor Abdella Assaff Councillor Sharon Church Leslie Taylor Mary Ellen Clancey Carol Nauss Larry Ryan Roy Conrad Larry Keddy Herb Fraser Joint Fire Services Robert Manuel Angela Jessome Debra Bond RCMP Advisory Board *has vacancy for public member Warden Allen Webber Deputy Warden Floyd Sha� ord Councillor Tina Connors Hans Stokkeskog Blair Armstrong Recreati on & Parks *has vacancy for public member from District 4 Councillor Sharon Church (alternate is Councillor Danielle Barkhouse) Lesley Taylor Suzanne Brown Kevin Marczak Adam Kaizer Susan Larder Christi ne Rafuse Spectacle Lake Watershed Advisory *vacant unti l Committ ee is required Councillors representi ng Districts 1, 3 & 7 Two public members Village Commission rep Village Area Advisory (VAAC) *has vacancy for public member Councillor Danielle Barkhouse Councillor Sharon Church Carol Nauss Ray Cambria Kerry Keddy Dave Foley (Village Commission) Water Quality Monitoring (Mill Cove) *has vacancy for technical consultant Deputy Warden Floyd Sha� ord Kathy Gamache (Aspotogan Heritage Trust) John McNeil (Fox Point Lake Owners Assocs.) Blake McDonald (Technical) Mary Ellen Clancey COUNCIL REPS TO OTHER BODIES Bluenose Coastal Acti on Foundati on Councillor Andre Veinott e Church Memorial Park Trustees Councillor Sharon Church Community Use of Schools (ACES) Warden Allen Webber Deputy Warden Floyd Sha� ord Councillor Tina Connors Community Use of Schools (FHCS) Warden Allen Webber Councillor Abdella Assaff Councillor Tina Connors Fire Advisory Deputy Warden Floyd Sha� ord Councillor Andre Veinott e Highway 103 Committ ee Councillor Abdella Assaff Louisiana Pacifi c Community Liaison Councillor Andre Veinott e Mersey Woodlands Advisory Committ ee Councillor Tina Connors Region 6 Inter-Municipal Committ ee Councillor Andre Veinott e REMO Warden Allen Webber Deputy Warden Floyd Sha� ord (alternate is Councillor Andre Veinott e) South Canoe Community Liaison Committ ee Councillor Tina Connors Councillor Sharon Church South Shore Housing Acti on Coaliti on Councillor Danielle Barkhouse South Shore Regional Library Board Councillor Tina Connors Southwest Regional Community Advisory Board Councillor Abdella Assaff Victorian Order of Nurses Councillor Tina Connors Western Regional Housing Authority Eric Hagen Zoe Valle Library Trustees Councillor Danielle Barkhouse It has been a challenge to have an eff ecti ve working relati onship with Student Government at Forest Heights since the beginning of the school year due to the contract negoti ati ons between the teachers and the Province. I hope that it is behind us now. Council will be holding its Annual Meeti ng at Forest Heights in April, and I will be meeti ng with student reps and parents later this month to see how the Municipality can assist in ge� ng some of their events, such as prom and other acti viti es back on track. Council has completed its review of our Capital Budget and will shortly begin Operati ng Budget discussions. This process has been a challenge since our Director of Finance resigned, leaving this task up to other management staff and some help from our recently reti red Director of Finance, Steve Graham, who agreed to come back for two weeks to help out. We hope to have a new Director of Finance in place over the next month or so. This year marks Canada's 150th birthday and Council is discussing ways in which we can help our communiti es celebrate with projects and events. There are a number of community organizati ons having discussions about this now, and we look forward to working with them to mark the occasion. This year also marks the 100th Anniversary of the Explosion of the schooner Ella D at the Oxner Wharf in Chester Basin, not quite the magnitude of the Halifax Explosion, but a big day in that community nevertheless. I am currently having conversati ons in the community on how best to mark the occasion, and hope to share more about the Ella D as well as the community's plans as they take shape. This year's representati ve Volunteer of the Year has been chosen. He's a remarkable individual: Don Weagle from Hubbards, and I would like to thank him and all those nominated for making our communiti es the wonderful places we can all take pride in. In closing, thank you for your conti nued sup- port and input. Respec� ully, Warden Allen Webber Explore Life...meet mailbox.mailbox...meet Explore Life. Why don't the two of you get acquainted on April 4? MUNICIPAL COUNCIL We may not be available 24/7, but our website is. Visit us at www.chester.ca 3 BOSS or BUST Since the last report, we received two compliments. • Kudos to the Solid Waste Department who developed a website alert for waste collection notices. Although, they can't take all of the credit because the idea was suggested by a resident who thanked us for our "excellent service". The alert, which you can sign up for on our website, will notify subscribers of cancellations, special dates, and any other important information about collection. • Our second compliment was received by a group of residents happy with the over and above service given by our Public Works staff who installed a sign on their road. Awwww! You're welcome! Director of Finance Position: Welcome to Malcolm Pittman, whose first day as Director of Finance for the Municipality of Chester is April 3! Our previous Director had to resign. Malcolm is the former Director of Finance for the Town of Bridgewater from 1996 to 2006. From there, he went to the South Shore Regional Health Board, and more recently, the Health Authority. He brings a tremendous amount of skill and experience to the position, and we look forward to working with him! Visitor Information Centre: Deadline for submissions from non-profit and private sector organizations closed on March 3. We received three submissions. Council will review them on March 23 and arrive at a decision shortly! Keep your eyes peeled for updates. Sustane Technologies Update: Sustane anticipates a spring start to construction of their recycling facility, located at the Kaizer Meadow Eco-Industrial Park. New Ross Time Capsule: In a final celebration of their 200th anniversay, residents of New Ross packed a time capsule to open on their 250th. The time capsule has taken up residence in the Municipal Office's vault for safe keeping. Strategic Priorities: Council approved their priorities for 2017-18. The list is extensive and forms the basis of staff's work plan as well as the foundation for the upcoming Capital and Operational Budget. Winter Maintenance of Municipal Roads: Next year, the Municipality is looking at having the Dept. of Transportation remove snow on all municipal roads (except for Parkwood and Foxwood Drives in Mill Cove) at a possible cost savings of $5,200 per year depending on snowfall of course! IN BRIEF... CHESTER WATER STUDY UPDATE Municipality proceeds with Request for Proposals to kick off project Chester Cut n Run 5/10K Walk/Run This year marks the seventh for the Chester Cut N Run, which is a 5K walk and 5K/10K run. It all happens at the Chester Area Middle School on Sunday, June 4 at 9:00 a.m. If you register by Wednesday, May 10, you will get a free t-shirt! Registration is $20 ($25 after May 10) for adults and $10 for 18 years and under. Proceeds are for Municipality of Chester PRO Kids! Call 902-275-3490 or visit our website at www.chester.ca for info. Sherbrooke Lake Update Early in March, Council agreed to a final draft of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Mu- nicipality of Chester (MODC) and Municipality of Lunen- burg (MODL). The purpose of the MOU is to ensure that MODC has sufficient input on future development of a public park that would allow access to Sherbrooke Lake. MODL pur- chased the property in the Municipality of Chester with the intent to provide public access to the Lake using the property. The MOU is fairly simple in concept and the key prin- ciples are • MODC will be consulted and informed throughout the design process; • MODL will make decisions around the features and function of the park; • A Park Advisory Committee with reps from MODC and MODL will define the key design elements, consult with neighbours of the property and the broader public, oversee the design, and provide advice to MODL on operation once developed; • The access shall have an environmental focus, and the idea is for it to be safe, clean and secure as The Municipality of Chester is working with the Vil- lage of Chester Commission to determine if having a central water system in Chester is needed by enough properties to warrant installation. After much discussion around the table over the years amongst themselves and the public, Council for the Mu- nicipality resolved to invest in a “Needs Assessment and Options Analysis”, which will be carried out, in part, by CBCL Ltd. The Commission agreed to match the cost of the analysis up to $30,000. Anything over the combined $60,000 will be the Municipality's responsibility. After the study is complete, it should determine once and for all 1) if the need for a central water system exists and the extent of that need, 2) if the majority of residents and business in the Village want a system, and 3) the op- tions available to address any need identified, or possible recommendations other than a central water system. The analysis begins with a survey that will be mailed to every property owner within the Village Boundary in March. Once released, the survey will be available online at www.chester.ca/centralwater and in paper form at sev- eral key locations. The Municipality is looking for as many returned surveys as possible to get a clear picture of the need and desire for a central water system. Surveys can be returned via mail, in person, email, fax, telephone or completed online. Out of the surveys received, CBCL Ltd. will contact a minimum of 80 property owners to conduct water sam- pling tests. Results are completely confidential, and will only be used for the purpose of this project. Once results of both the survey and water testing are complete, a final report will indicate if a central water system is suitable for the Village and identify locations. Because of the extent of work taken in the study, the es- timated cost of a system should reflect truer costs than previous studies have provided. For info, call the Munici- pality at 275-1312 or visit our website at www.chester.ca. REGISTER A COMPLIMENT OR COMPLAINT BY: Calling 902-275-3554. Leaving your name is optional. Emailing the Municipal Clerk at pmyra@ chester.ca Filling in our online form at www.chester. ca under "I Want To..." Coming in to see us at 151 King Street in Chester. well as accessible for the general public; and • The intention is for the development to have mini- mal impact and could take several years for imple- mentation. Although the Committee has not made any design recommendations, Phase One of the development could include access for facilities such as, • a swimming area • a dock/slip for canoes and kayaks • a picnic area • a hiking trail • a change room • a natural playground Design is set to start in 2017-18 with development po- tentially beginning in 2018-19. In addition, a Stewardship Committee will be formed to establish a water quality monitoring program. They will gather baseline data in the 2017-18 fiscal year. Both MODC and MODL will share in any costs of water testing. The Agreement resulted in amendments to the Mu- nicipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law being dis- continued as it applies to land owned by MODL. NEW DATE FOR PUBLIC HEARING The Public Hearing that was cancelled because of weather in February has been rescheduled for Thursday, March 30 at 8:45am in Council Chambers. Proposed amendments are listed below. Multiple amendments the Highway 3 Site Plan Approval Area in the Chester Village Secondary Planning Strategy and Land use By-Law: 1. To enforce architectural controls in the Highway 3 Site Plan Approval Area directly through development permit, instead of site plan approval; 2. To rename the Highway 3 Site Plan Area as the Highway 3 Development Area; 3. To clarify how site design guidelines for the Highway 3 Site Plan Area are applied to new construction and additions to buildings. The amendments include rearranging the Schedules that contain the Highway 3 site design guidelines and removing the architectural control guidelines from the site plan process and placing them into a separate schedule H; 4. To exempt signs, small additions, small accessory structures and changes of use from the site design guide- lines and site plan approval process for the Highway 3 Site Plan Area; and 5. To enforce architectural controls for mobile homes through development permits instead of site plan ap- proval. An amendment to the Rural Zone (RU) in the Chester Village Land Use By-Law: 1. To amend the RU Zone to list dog kennels as a permitted use. Amendment includes setbacks for accessory structures which are used as part of a kennel operation, but exempts the main dwelling from the set back. An amendment to the Chester Municipal Land Use By-Law: 1. Houskeeping amendment to renumber the General Zoning Map from A-9 to A-10 and a star added to de- note the location of Kaizer Meadow Zoning. For information about this Public Hearing, please contact the Municipal Clerk, Pam Myra, at pmyra@chester.ca or call 902-275-3554. The By-Laws can be viewed at chester.ca under Engage. COMMUNITY INTEREST If you accidentally recycle your municipal newslett er, you can access it (and most of our publicati ons) online at www.chester.ca 4 THE GOOD OLD HOCKEY GAME Hockey game benefi ts two organizati ons A benefi t hockey game for PRO Kids wound up helping not just one worthy organizati on, but two. The hockey game was held at the Chester Rink on Saturday, February 18 and raised a total of $2,896 for the Municipality of Chester PRO Kids Program and unexpectedly resulted in $500 for the Light- house Foodbank. An anonymous supporter purchased $100 in raffl e ti ckets being sold by PRO Kids for a $250 grocery voucher to Spidle's Independent Grocer in Chester. He/she put all of the ti ckets in the Foodbank’s name, and lucky for the Foodbank, their ti cket was drawn! Because a representati ve of the Foodbank was at the game when the ti cket was drawn, the prize doubled to a $500 grocery voucher. Wendy Sheppard of the Lighthouse Foodbank (far left ) is shown in the photo below being presented with the $500 voucher by Cosett e Howlett , PRO Kids Coordinator. Also shown is Debbie Harnish, Recre- ati on & Parks Department (top right), and Glenda Collicutt , Scoti abank representati ve. To make this scenario even more heartwarming, the anonymous supporter purchased the ti ckets in memory of a dear friend, Jimmy Mayo, who passed away last Fall. When Jimmy passed away, memo- rial donati ons went to PRO Kids and this anonymous supporter did not get chance to off er a donati on at that ti me so they felt it just made sense to purchase these ti ckets in Jimmy’s memory. As a result, this $100 turned into $200 for PRO Kids (thanks to the matching funds from Scoti abank) and the Foodbank won the $500 worth of groceries – needless to say the anonymous supporter was thrilled to hear that both organizati ons benefi tt ed from their contribu- ti on, and we all know that Jimmy would be happy with this result as well. Special thanks to the Head of the Bay Girls (high school age) and the Walking and Wounded Oldti m- ers (of older age) who entertained the audience with their various skill levels. The girls won the game 10- 2, and even though the Oldti mers didn’t win, they were pleased with the outcome and the fun they had. Talk has already started to make it bigger and bett er next year. Special thanks also goes to NAPA Auto Parts and Spidle's Independent Grocer who partnered to pro- vide the grand prize - the $500 grocery voucher. Special credit goes to Scoti abank and Glenda Col- licutt who worked at the event with us, which also meant they matched the funds we raised – turning our $1,448 to $2,896. Thank you Scoti abank – Ches- ter Branch. And fi nally, thanks to all who supported this unique fundraiser by donati ng prizes, purchasing ti ckets and being in att endance to share in the hockey fun. A great ti me was had by all. ***************************** Pictured below in the fi rst photograph as previously menti oned is Cosett e Howlett , Debbie Harnish, Wendy Sheppard, and Glenda Collicutt . Next, Head of the Bay Girls and Walking and Wounded Oldti mers are all smiles and relaxed aft er the fun game. INPUT NEEDED The Nova Scoti a Department of Transportati on and Infrastructure Renewal (NSTIR) host- ed a public meeti ng at Atlanti ca Oak Island to discuss twinning/ tolling Highway #103. It was a large turnout, but if you didn’t get a chance to att end, the Province would sti ll like your feedback. You can provide feedback at • www.novascoti a.ca/twinning • tweet @NS_TIR and using the hashtag #NSHighways, or • send a lett er to: Feedback-Highway Twinning, NSTIR P O Box 186, Halifax NS B3J 2N2 Canada 150 celebrati ons are taking place in communiti es across the country, including right here in the Municipality of Chester! Community groups are invited to send a representati ve(s) to a meeti ng to share your plans or to get ideas about what you could do to celebrate Canada 150. This is more than just July 1st acti viti es; celebrati on events can take place all year. Canada 150 Community Meeti ng Wednesday, March 29, 2017 6:30pm Forest Heights Community School Come fi nd out what others are doing locally and how the Municipality can help support your community events. We are building a list of Canada 150 events and we want to include you. We hope to see you on March 29th! Friday, March 17 Karaoke Chester Legion. 275-3315. Members and guests 19 years and over. Saturday, March 18 Sock Hop New Ross Legion (upstairs), 7-9pm. For ages 14 years and under. Sunday, March 19 Crib Tournament Chester Legion, 1pm. Corned Beef & Cabbage Supper Forti es Community Centre, 4:30- 6:00pm. 689-2000 or 689-2612. Monday, March 20 "Bee Accommodati ng" Sue Westby speaks on bee houses and species in NS. St. Stephen's Parish Community Centre, 7pm. Sponsored by Chester Garden Club. Saturday, March 25 Amanda Riley Chester Legion. 275-3315. Members and guests 19 years and over. Monday, March 27 Blood Donor Clinic Chester Legion, 4:30-8:30pm. Call 1-888-236-6283. Wed., March 29 Canada 150 Community Meeti ng Forest Heights Community School, 6:30pm. 902-275-3490. Friday, March 31 Karaoke Chester Legion. 275-3315. Members and guests 19 years and over. Events listed on our website have more details than those listed here. Visit us online!5 COMMUNITY INTERESTMunicipality and FHCS Working Together Tuesday, April 4 Luncheon for Seniors Chester Basin Legion, 11:30am. Hosted by Chester Basin/New Ross/Chester Lions Club and VON. Call 624-1897. Saturday, April 8 Breakfast Chester Legion, 7:30-10:30am. Friday, April 14 Benefi t Easter Egg Hunt for Sean Jollymore Storm date is Saturday, April 15. RSVP to 228-2790, 857-1272 or seansbatt le@gmail.com Sunday, April 16 Crib Tournament Chester Legion, 1pm. Saturday, April 29 Cover Up Playing at Chester Legion, 275-3315. Members and guests 19 years & over. Tuesday, May 2 Luncheon for Seniors Chester Basin Legion, 11:30am. Hosted by Chester Basin/New Ross/Chester Lions Club and VON. Call 624-1897. Saturday, May 6 and Sunday, May 7 Mayfest Yard sale and event weekend in the Municipality of Chester. Informati on on page 8 of this newslett er. Saturday, May 13 Breakfast Chester Legion, 7:30-10:30am. Forest Heights Community School off ers a Co-op- erati ve Educati on Program (Co-op) which is designed to provide an opportunity for students to explore a career choice through a community work placement. Students must complete a 25 hour in-school compo- nent that involves developing job readiness skills. Af- ter completi on of the in-class component, students will complete a 100-hour work placement. Students are awarded one full high school credit for each 100- hour placement completed. Co-operati ve educati on works best when it is a co-operati ve eff ort among the student, teacher, parent/guardian and employer. Stu- dents must be 16 years of age before beginning any work placement. Any student can be considered for a Co-op course but must go through an applicati on and interview process. The Municipality of Chester has partnered with FHCS to off er Adam Lenihan the opportunity to perform his required 100 community hours at our place of busi- ness. Adam is a Grade 11 student at FHCS and will be performing his 100 volunteer hours between now and the end of June. He is based out of the Recreati on De- partment but other Municipal Departments can access Adam’s services if they require assistance with special projects that will benefi t his experience with the Mu- nicipality. Adam started approximately one month ago and has already been involved in the planning stages and hands on with several events: Benefi t Hockey Game, May- fest and Cut n Run. We hope to provide Adam with a variety of work experiences ranging from various uses of computers and other offi ce equipment, planning involved with special events and special projects, and generally helping out in various capaciti es as required. Currently, Adam has a general interest in a potenti al fu- ture of engineering so we hope to expose him to vari- ous aspects of the Public Works Department while he completes his ti me with us. We welcome Adam to our offi ce and wish him well with his future endeavours! Another Partnership with FHCS The Municipality is holding the Annual Volunteer Recepti on at FHCS on Wednesday, April 26 (see front page). Several students are involved by playing mu- sic upon the arrival of the guests of honour. Various people will be recognized for their volunteer eff orts at this event, ranging from one youth, seven adults, two families and three groups. Also connected to FHCS is FHCS student Adam Lenihan (right) and Debbie Harnish, Administrati ve Assistant with Recreati on & Parks, review details of the upcoming Cut n Run. Best of...Best of... Chester MunicipalityAWARDS Visit www.chester.ca/BestOf to submit your favourite Visit www.chester.ca/BestOf to submit your favourite Chester Municipality businesses! Vote every day from April 1 to 23. Flyer coming soon! Everything's Coming up 2017 not only marks Canada's 150th birthday, but it's also the 15th year that the Community Garden has been up and running. Since its humble beginnings as a 12'x 12' pilot project, the garden outside of the Mu- nicipal Building has been yielding a record amount of produce each year (except for one). In 2001, municipal staff started promoti ng a nati onal program called "Plant-a-row, Grow-a-row" that asked gardeners to dedicate a row of their vegetable garden to growing food for local food banks. Shortly thereaf- ter, we decided to have a garden of our own to show how frui� ul a litt le work could be. Staff gave up lunch hours to prepare, plant, and pick and gave the vegetables to the Lighthouse Food Bank under the Plant-a-row program, which provided all of the seeds. Over the years, staff came and went, but the garden conti nued to fl ourish. We experimented with diff erent vegetables, batt led obsti nate weeds, struggled with whose turn it was to water the garden, and happily picked our bounty every Tuesday. Two years ago, Council approved expansion and the small patch became a larger patch, about three ti mes the original size. Staff along with a few members of the community organized themselves as "Nourish Commu- nity Garden Cooperati ve" and re-christened the garden GREEN "Sharing Square Community Garden", which is open to all who have an interest in vegetable gardening, grow- ing their own food, or eati ng garden-fresh produce. We expanded to include a natural herb garden and a solitary fruit tree, which sadly met its demise last year aft er meeti ng the ride-on lawnmower for the fi rst ti me. As we conti nue growing (pun intended), we invite ev- eryone to celebrate our garden's birthday by visiti ng it when you have a few minutes...and maybe pick a few weeds. We're planning a number of events this season, including workshops, a harvest party or two, and intro- ducing a pollinator garden. Check Explore Life for the fi rst workshop series (in mailboxes April 4), and look in next month's newslett er for info on upcoming events. our Representati ve Volunteer of the Year – Don Weagle – who has spent many hours coaching youth in basket- ball at FHCS over the years. - contributed PROPERTY SERVICES 6Call the Solid Waste Department at 902-275-2330 if you haven't received your 2017 Waste Collecti on Calendar Help us to Prevent False Alarms False alarms can put the whole community at risk Winter Parking Ban Regulati ons are in eff ect from December 15 to March 31. Unti l the parking ban ends, you cannot park on municipal property or any street in Chester or Western Shore between 1:00 and 6:00 a.m. ALSO, you cannot park on the street an hour aft er a storm starts unti l two hours aft er it ends. Your vehicle can be towed (at your expense) if you obstruct winter maintenance (like plowing, salti ng, sand- ing, etc). Incidentally, if you plow driveways, it’s illegal to plow snow across a street or onto a sidewalk. Call the Department of Transportati on & Infrastructure Renewal to receive or report informati on on local roads. Their phone number is toll free: 1-888-432-3233. You can also access all of this informati on (plus more) on their website: htt p://novascoti a.ca/tran/winter SNOW PARKING If you own and/or drive a vehicle in Nova Scoti a, there are a few things you need to know this winter. Your fi rst line of defense against injury and death in the event of a fi re is a working smoke detec- tor or smoke/fi re alarm system. Properly placed and functi oning detectors provide occupants with the best chance to escape without injury should a fi re occur. The Municipality and our seven district volunteer fi re departments - namely, Blandford and Area Fire Rescue, Hubbards Fire Department, Chester Fire De- partment, Chester Basin Fire Department, Western Shore Fire Department, New Ross Fire Department and Marti ns River Fire Department - support the proper installati on and maintenance of these impor- tant safety systems. However, false alarms resulti ng from such systems are serious and, in the majority of cases, preventable. False Alarms can put the Whole Community at Risk • Fire fi ghters spend their ti me, funds and eff ort in responding to nonexistent fi re situati ons. • The lives of our volunteers and their families are disrupted due to unnecessary calls. • Emergency responders, other road users and the general public face unnecessary risks due to emergency vehicles being on our streets. • There can be potenti al delays in response to real emergencies where peoples’ lives are at stake. • Services and your business may be temporar- ily disrupted. • Local employers who release our volunteers to respond to emergencies may lose their good will and cooperati on. • Complacency may result from repeated false alarms, possibly resulti ng in deadly conse- quences. In 2016 our seven district fi re departments re- ported 60 false fi re alarms, representi ng nearly 10% of the Municipality's total emergency calls. In some areas, the rate of false fi re alarms was as high as 29% of the total fi re department call outs. Your Alarm System is your Responsibility Under By-Law #141, it is the responsibility of the occupant, owner and their alarm company to take all acti ons necessary to prevent any occurrence of false alarms. Violati ons of the By–Law may result in fi nes of a minimum of $100 to a maximum of $10,000. We want to recognize the correcti ve acti ons taken by the majority of alarm system owners. It is truly in everyone’s interest to have alarms used for their intended purpose and to be maintained at all ti mes in proper working conditi on. False Alarms can be Prevented Although weather and other occurrences out of your control can cause false alarms, most of the ti me they can be avoided. The major causes of false alarms include fumes from cooking, steam from showers, dust from building work, insects, poorly trained users, lack of maintenance, and incorrect or poorly designed and installed systems. There are several things you can do: • Make sure your alarm provider and monitor- ing company is reputable and qualifi ed. • Always ask for detailed informati on and a complete demonstrati on of the system. Dear Shabby, I'm wondering if you can settle a bet between my wife and me. Spring clean up is coming up from May 15 to 26 and we plan on landscaping the backyard. This involves cutting down several trees that are dying and threatening to fall on our house. I was going to put the trees down by the road. She says that if I don't cut them up in 2' lengths and bundle the limbs also in 2' lengths, the collector won't take it all. I say they will. What do you think? ~ Tree Man Martins River Dear “Tree Man”: Here's $300. I'm going with your wife. A number of reasons prevent the collector from taking anything and everything. First is safety, which is why they will not take hazardous waste or compressed gases. Second is what the truck will actually handle. The part that holds the waste might be too small to hold the kind of waste that Dear Shabby Friendly waste disposal advice you put out for collection, which is why we have size and quantity limits. Third is what the collec- tors themselves can handle. If you are struggling to manage the items you put out for collection, they quite likely will too. Plus, they don't have trailers or wheelbarrows to help them move the material around like we would at home. Regula- tions for Special Pick-up can be found at www. chester.ca or they are listed throughout the 2017 Waste Collection Calendar or call the Solid Waste Department at 902-275-2330. ******************************************************** Dear Shabby, What the heck is going on with green carts and compostable plastic liners? I read in the last mu- nicipal insight that we can't use them anymore? ~ signed Bin Bag Bewilderment New Ross Dear “Bin Bag”: They mess up the grinders at the compost facility AND, they don't decompose properly. So, the compost facility asked all of its customers to stop using them. If you prefer using liners, there are still options. For example, you can use paper lin- ers. They grind up just ne and they decompose perfectly. Another option is to just line the bot- tom of your cart with cardboard or boxboard. ******************************************************** Dear Shabby, What are the Land ll hours and can I bring blue bag material along with the rest of my stu ? ~ signed Land ll Bound in Aspotogan Dear “Bound”: Kaizer Meadow is open Monday to Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You can bring one black garbage bag and a whole truck load of clear bags if you like as long as the waste is sorted. Blue bags and recyclables are also accepted as is resi- dential household hazardous waste, yard waste, and constuction materials. Call them at 902-275- 2330 with any more questions you might have. If you want important waste collecti on informati on delivered right to your inbox, sign up for Waste Collecti on Noti ces on our website at www.chester.ca and click on "SUBSCRIBE" on the front page, or "Subscripti ons" under the Engage menu. • Fire alarms systems should be maintained an- nually by authorized service companies. • Parti culate matt er whether smoke, dust, or steam may acti vate a smoke detector. Avoid placing them in locati ons that will cause false alarms, for example, too close to kitchens, bathrooms, or fi replaces. • Always pay close att enti on to your surround- ings. What you are doing could impact on the alarm system. • During constructi on or renovati ons, cover de- tectors that may be aff ected by constructi on acti viti es. Always restore all detectors daily to proper functi onality aft er constructi on or ren- ovati on acti viti es. Aft er constructi on or reno- vati ons are completed your alarm company should be called to service your system. • Test your alarm system regularly. Advise the fi re department before and aft er an alarm test. • Should your system be acti vated it is essen- ti al that you do not reset your system unti l a thorough investi gati on determines the cause of the acti vati on. • Have phone numbers of local contacts avail- able to immediately cancel accidental alarms and meet with the fi re department at your lo- cati on. The Municipality of Chester reminds all citi zens of their responsibility to comply with the Alarm By– Law #141. Copies of this By-law are available at the Municipal Offi ces at 151 King Street Chester or on the municipal website at www.chester.ca We thank you for your conti nuing assistance and ask that you be even more diligent in using and maintaining your alarm systems in the proper oper- ati ng conditi ons. Have a solid waste questi on? Ask Dear Shabby at solidwaste@chester.ca Collecti on days that fall on holidays are either rescheduled to the Saturday BEFORE or the Saturday AFTER. Holiday Alternate day April 14 April 15 September 4 September 2 December 25 December 23 If a holiday isn't listed, we will collect as usual. Soli Wast Departmen 902-275-2330 PROPERTY SERVICES 7 As many of us learned last year, water is a very precious resource. During and aft er the extreme dry weather, the Department of Environment (NSE) has off ered great advice on water quality, well maintenance and supply protecti on. For example, if you visit their website, they have resources on drinking water, private wells, water quality and treatment, groundwater manage- ment, and contaminants. They especially empha- sized healthy water aft er many of the wells on the South Shore went dry and stayed dry last summer. NSE off ers ti ps like conserving water and pro- tecti ng supplies from contaminati on from house- hold hazardous waste. They also advise having your well water tested every six months to ensure it is bacteria-free and fi t to drink. A chemical test Protecting Your Water Supply Department of Environment Advises Well Owners Do you qualify for a property tax exempti on? You may if ALL of the following applies to you: • The total income from all assessed own- ers, including spouses and common law spouses, residing at the property, and total income from those persons who hold an interest in the property and contribute to the household income together is less than Questi ons? 902-275-2330 solidwaste@chester.ca should be done every two years. You can fi nd useful resources about fi xing bacterial quality, understanding chemical quality, tests and treatments, and more at htt p:// novascotia.ca/nse/water/privatewells.your. wellwater.asp To maintain your own private well, NSE suggests following these steps: • Locate your well uphill from pollutants; • Use an approved well cap for drilled wells and replace once damaged; • Ensure joints and connecti ons in your dug well are not leaking. Shield and screen vents; • Keep surface water away from collecti ng near your well; and • Have a certi fi ed person check any problems. Remember, just because your water looks good, smells good and tastes good, it could sti ll have bacteria in it. You won't know for sure unti l you take a sample and drop it off at a lab. Bott les for bacterial testi ng are available at the Municipal Offi ce along with the requisiti on form. Bacterial samples can be taken to either the South Shore Regional Hospital or the QEII. Also, if you live in or close to Chester, you can drop off samples at the blood clinics at Our Health Centre on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Chemical samples can only be taken to the QEII in Halifax. Public drinking water supplies are a bit diff erent because the owners are legally required to test the water at certain ti mes and ensure that the water is treated immediately if a problem is discovered. Please visit NSE's website for more ti ps and useful informati on at www.novascoti a.ca/nse $19,000.00 in the 2015 calendar year; and • Exempti ons are only for residenti al proper- ty tax on the principal residence. Although all owners do not have to live in the resi- dence, it must be a principal dwelling of one of the owners. Proof of income is required. Please bring your Noti ce of Assessment from Revenue Canada with you. Please see P-25 Tax Exempti on Policy for more details or call the Revenue Administrator at 902- 275-3554. PROPERTY TAXEXEMPTION Winter Collecti on Reminders In case of a storm, listen to CKBW or call Kaizer Meadow in the event that waste collecti on has been cancelled. If cancelled, collecti on will be held the following Saturday. Don't forget, waste must be curbside by 8:00am. Private roads must be salted/sanded and plowed before collecti on. If it is not plowed and passable, the truck may not collect. If waste is not collected, be sure to remove it from the curb before the plow gets it! Shovel/plow your collecti on box/area so it is accessible for the collector. If there are side roads that cannot be collected due to icy conditi ons, a list will be posted on the website as well as when they will be collected. Tips and Hints for Freezing Green Carts • Use paper bags during the winter. Loose items tend to freeze easier; Winter and Some Other Stuff ... • Line the bott om of your cart with card- board or boxboard; • Spray your cart with vegetable oil; • Alternate layers by placing sawdust or small amounts of brush over food that has high moisture content; and • Strain excess liquid before placing material in cart. General Reminders Subscribe to waste collecti on alerts on our web- site at htt p://www.chester.ca/engage/ subscripti ons/user/modify Paper and recyclables belong in separate bags. Please do not comingle or your recyclables will be rejected. Batt eries do not belong in the garbage – they create risk for fi res in the landfi ll. Please drop them off at one of our drop off locati ons: • Municipal Offi ce • Kaizer Meadow • Adam’s Bott le Exchange • Hubbards Hardware • New Ross Home Hardware Enviro Depot™ Informati on What will Adam’s Bott le Exchange accept? • Paint** (only certain kinds of paint; see page 18 of the 2017 Waste Collecti on Cal- endar. Don't have a copy? Find it online at www.chester.ca or call 902-275-2330) • Beverage containers • Electronic waste • Aerosol cans • CFL and fl uorescent bulbs • Household batt eries What is not accepted? • REFRIGERATORS, FREEZERS or any items containing Freon®. These items need to be taken directly to Kaizer Meadow. • Roof patch, pesti cides, oils, varsols, etc. These items need to be taken directly to Kaizer Meadow solidwaste@chester.ca solidwaste@chester.ca X X Tweet of the Week Our most popular post on Twi� er in Jan/Feb... Good ti mes.... 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. Here, you will fi nd all of the latest up- dates, minutes, tender informati on, and more. Twi� er: Search for @chestermun or @ChesterRecParks in your Twitt er account. Follow us and get regular updates and noti fi cati ons about municipal issues, including live tweets from Council meeti ngs. Facebook: Visit www.facebook.com/ChesterMunicipality and learn about events and stories happening in the area. If you have some- thing to share, message us! We will post your event or photos! Instagram: Follow us at chestermuni to see photos of municipal events and daily life in the Municipality! Tag us in your pics! If you have questi ons about…call this Department... at this number Animal Control (Dogs)Animal Control Offi cer 902-277-0017 Bandstand/Gazebo rental (Wedding) Recreati on & Parks Department 902-275-3490 Boat Launches Recreati on & Parks Department 902-275-3490 Building Permits/Inspecti ons Building/Fire Inspecti on 902-275-3080 By-Laws Community Development Dept 902-275-3080 Civic Numbering Informati on Services Dept 902-275-3554 Composti ng Solid Waste Dept/Public Works 902-275-2330/902-275-1312 Council Meeti ngs Administrati on/Tax Department 902-275-3554 Fire Inspecti ons Building/Fire Inspecti on 902-275-3080 Islands (use of)Recreati on & Parks Department 902-275-3490 Kaizer Meadow Solid Waste Department 902-275-2330 Municipal Sewer Public Works Department 902-275-1312 Aft er Hours Emergencies 1-888-664-6998 Parks/Trails Recreati on & Parks Department 902-275-3490 Planning Areas Community Development Dept 902-275-2599 Recycling Solid Waste Dept/Public Works 902-275-2330/902-275-1312 Sewer (central system)Public Works Department 902-275-1312 Taxes Administrati on/Tax Dept 902-275-3554 Waste Collecti on Solid Waste Dept/Public Works 902-275-2330/902-275-1312 Wharves Public Works Department 902-275-1312 Zoning Community Development Dept 902-275-2599 fax mail email 902-275-4771 151 King Street administrati on@chester.ca publicworks@chester.ca P O Box 369 building@chester.ca recreati on@chester.ca Chester NS B0J 1J0 planning@chester.ca solidwaste@chester.ca Municipal Districts and Councillors #1 East Chester, East River to Northwest Cove Andre Veinott e 902-277-1409 #2 Simms Sett lement, Hubbards to The Lodge Floyd Sha� ord 902-275-7868 #3 Chester and part of East Chester Danielle Barkhouse 902-277-1624 #4 Chester Basin and Chester Grant Allen Webber 902-275-8373 #5 Gold River to Marti ns River Abdella Assaff 902-277-2765 #6 New Ross and area Tina Connors 902-277-1095 #7 Middle River to Haddon Hill, Windsor Road to Sherwood Sharon Church 902-277-1301 For exact district boundaries, call the Municipal Offi ce at 902-275-3554 or click on the “Inform” menu opti on on our website. Provincial/Federal Contacts Nova Scoti a Department of Environment ..........................................................902-543-4685 Labour ...................................................................902-543-0665 Natural Resources .................................................902-634-7555 Public Health .........................................................902-543-0850 Transportati on (Bridgewater) ................................902-543-8169 Transportati on (Marriott ’s Cove)...........................902-275-3221 Property Valuati on Services (Assessments) ...........1-800-380-7775 Denise Peterson-Rafuse, MLA ...............................1-877-740-3378 ..................................................................................902-279-3378 Bernadett e Jordan, MP .............................................902-527-5655 ...............................................................................1-888-816-4446 Want to give us your feedback? Call, visit, mail, email, post a message or come to a Council meeti ng. We are all ears!