HomeMy Public PortalAbout2020-09_MunicipalInsight-compressedIn the Municipality of the District of Chester this fall...
Comm-UNITY Silver Bells... Drinks are on us!
A little understanding Congratulations on your Water distribution has
goes a long way. 25th Anniversary, AHT! started for those with
(Page 3). See Page 4. no or low water (Page 6).
FOUR FOR FORE
Foursome raises money for
deserving charities
Four charities known for helping others in
need got a taste of their own medicine
when a group of friends decided to return the
favour.
In what began as an annual act of kindness,
turned out to be a successful fundraising effort,
generating thousands of dollars in donations.
First, a little background. For the last seven
years, Robert Stevens and his partner, Grace
Smith, accompanied by their dog Maizy, have
been collecting and delivering donations to
SHAID Tree Animal Shelter at Christmas time.
Robert, Grace and Maizy always brought "Mai-
zy's Christmas Wish for SHAID" during SHAID's
Christmas Open House on the first Saturday in
December. Deliveries were invariably an occa-
sion thanks to Maizy's friendly nature and "gift"
for cuddling.
Years passed and donations steadily grew from
the trio's initial contribution of their Jeep half
full of pet supplies. Last year, Robert, Grace and
Maizy delivered not only a Jeep, but also a 3/4
tonne truck filled with 123 bags of litter, cleaning
supplies, pet food, litter pans, etc. - enough to fill
an entire meeting room at SHAID!
To raise money to purchase supplies, one of the
things Robert did was sell cans of pop for $1 each.
He bought 91 cases of pop out of his own pocket.
Staff at SHAID fondly recall Maizy's visits and
remember how friendly she was when she min-
gled with everyone during the annual event. Last
year was Maizy's last Christmas delivery. She
didn't get to attend the Open House, but visited
the next day to get her share of snuggles from
staff and to drop off her goodies. Shortly after
that Maizy passed.
Robert and Grace decided to continue sup-
porting SHAID in Maizy's memory. Reflecting on
their commitment, they also decided that the
giving wasn't going to stop at SHAID either. From
there, they enlisted the help of their friends and
hatched a plan.
Robert Stevens, Joe Green, Gary Russell, and
Tony Cohoon set a lofty goal of raising $12,000
to be divided between four charities: SHAID
Tree Animal Shelter, Christmas Daddies, Light-
house Food Bank, and prostate cancer research.
So how do four people go about raising
$12,000? Why, they play golf, that's how!
The foursome collected donations to play a gi-
ant round of golf: 100 holes in one day. Leading
up to the event, Grace and Dean Durnford got
the giving ball rolling by hosting an online auction
that raised almost a quarter of the $12,000 goal.
Twenty-one items, including donated green fees
and Subway gift cards, were auctioned off.
The group also rounded up an impressive 59
hole sponsors for the day of the event and cor-
porate donations, including one for $1,000! At
the $11,500 mark, a new member of the Ches-
ter Golf Club kindly donated an amazing $500 to
bring them to their goal.
July 6, day of the mammoth golf game, was a
long one for the four men, starting at 5:10 a.m.
and ending at 6:40 p.m. They were a little damp
(it rained for a good part of the day) and tired,
but happy about their achievement. And, lunch
graciously provided by Subway likely didn't hurt.
Altogether, the group raised a total of $12,095,
exceeding their original goal, which meant that
each charity received $3,023.75. Representa-
tives for the groups joined the fundraisers at
Chester Golf Course (above) to receive the
cheques. Thank you Robert, Grace, Gary, Dean,
Joe, Tony, Chester Golf Club, Subway, donors and
sponsors, and everyone else who was involved!
municipal insightmunicipal insight
“ “Keeping you informed about September/October 2020Keeping you informed about September/October 2020
your municipal government” your municipal government”
Left to right: Rev. Joe Green, Tony Cohoon, Gary Russell, Joyce Hiltz (Lighthouse Food Bank), Robert Stevens, Grace Smith, and Kelly Inglis (SHAID Animal Shelter) at Chester Golf Course
COUNCIL & GOVERNANCE
Wash your hands please and thank you
Message from
the Warden
Member of my community, and the
Municipality as a whole, this will be my
last message to you before the October 17th
Municipal Election.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank
you for your support over the years. It is a
pleasure to represent my District, and to have
had the opportunity to serve as your Warden.
I can only speak for myself in this regard, but
would like to say that with the many challenges
we face day-to-day, it is not always possible to
satisfy every concern and each of the diverse
opinions and priorities within our communities.
I go to the office every day with one intention: to
do what I believe is in the best interest of those
I represent, to make the Municipality strong and
economically sound, and to provide the services
we require to have a high quality of life. You, as
members of the community, have always done
your part by engaging with us to achieve our
shared goals, and I thank you for that.
There is a lot going on, as usual, and I'll just
touch on a few not already covered in the
newsletter.
The municipal water survey is complete, and
staff are preparing a report on the results and
possible action items for Council.
We ahve been informed by the Department
You can contact the Warden
by calling the Municipal
Office at (902) 275-3554,
calling his home at
(902) 275-2536, or emailing
awebber@chester.ca
Holiday Hours: Municipal Offices are closed
on Monday, September 7, 2020 for Labour
Day.
Kaizer Meadow Landfill is also closed and
waste collection is cancelled. If your collec-
tion day falls on the holiday, please put your
waste out on Saturday, September 5 instead.
Municipal Offices are also closed on Monday,
October 12, 2020 for Thanksgiving.
Kaizer Meadow is open on Thanksgiving and
waste collection will happen as usual.
Welcome back! Erin Lowe, our Economic
Development Officer, has returned from pa-
rental leave! The interim ED Officer, Heather
Hennigar, will stay on for a few weeks to bring
Erin up to speed on all of the initiatives hap-
pening!
Sewer line cleaning: We will begin cleaning
sewer lines in Chester and Western Shore this
fall. We will deliver information to those af-
fected. We advise checking to see if a back-
flow preventer is installed on your system.
Red Cross Wharf: We are happy to provide
the Red Cross Wharf for use during the boat-
ing season, however, we ask that boaters
respect our berthage policy of docking up
to 2 hours at the front and 24 hours on the
side. Also, use can sometimes hinder boats
from accessing our pump-out equipment. If
possible, consider tying up further down the
wharf, away from the pump house.
IN BRIEF...
2
of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal
that the repaving of Highway #3 will continue
this spring, beginning at the Petro-Can in
Chester Basin and continue on to Vaughn Road
in Western Shore. This project will include
widening of the paved shoulders for pedestrian
use as well as the possibility of some intersection
improvements at the Petro-Can and Croft Road.
Council has been in discussions with Bell
Aliant and TNC to improve internet service in
under-serviced areas of our Municipality, and
we are anticipating positive news and results in
the near future.
On September 13, Chester Basin will honour
the contributions made to our community by
Richard Eldridge over his lifetime by renaming
Basin Recreation Park. It will be a great day to
celebrate Richard and all he contributed to the
community and the people who call it home.
All the best to you. I know that the past six
months have been a challege for many, but we
are strong and resilient.
Respectfully
Many might be curious about the status of
Sustane's facility located at Kaizer Mead-
ow Environmental Centre.
Pioneering takes time.
Despite an almost three-month COVID lock-
down and subsequent Public Health require-
ments, Sustane put together two teams - one
to successfully address some remaining opera-
tional issues, and a second to complete commis-
sioning of the plastic-to-diesel (pyrolysis) plant.
The pyrolysis plant is the first of its kind in Can-
ada. It produces synthetic diesel using low-grade
plastics found in municipal solid waste that can-
not be recycled, such as dirty cellophane, plastic
labels, or styrofoam.
The diesel that Sustane manufactures not
only powers their facility, but can be produced
in enough volume to be marketed commercially.
Before the lockdown, Sustane had achieved its
first 24-hour run on the municipal solid waste
side (biomass pellets).
While Sustane's ramp up period was put on
hold because of the pandemic, all employees
SUSTANE CHESTER INC. UPDATE
Facility continues to meet future head on with final touches
are now back to work and back on track. Peter
Vinall, CEO, reports that all of the systems on the
municipal solid waste side have been operated
successfully and will soon be up to capacity.
The biomass pellets are produced using an
innovative steam and sorting process, and are
equivalent to wood pellets in energy value.
Altogether, under full production, Sustane
Chester expects to divert almost 90% of the
waste going into Kaizer Meadow Landfill. The
plant can process up to 70,000 metric tonnes of
solid waste per year, which is equal to 41,256
cars taken off the road!
There is one fly in the ointment: heavy metal.
Workers (and the main shredder) have found
a sizeable volume of large metal items coming
in through the waste stream. Large items, like
brake parts and steel gears cause significant
damage to the equipment. Sustane plans to in-
stall a pre-shredder and additional magnets to
try and mitigate the risk of damage - a solution
that will cost approximately $750,000.
Yes, it has taken longer than expected, but the
end result will be worth the anticipation. The
rest of the world is paying close attention with
municipalities across Canada and organizations
around the world interested in Sustane's tech-
nology. You got this!
references: Peter Vinall, CEO, Sustane
Technologies Inc., and www.sustanetech.com
Municipal Districts and Councillors
#1 East Chester, East River to Northwest Cove
Marshal Hector 902-277-2982
#2 Simms Settlement, Hubbards to The Lodge
Floyd Shatford 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 Martins River
Abdella Assaff 902-277-2765
#6 New Ross
Tina Connors 902-277-1095
#7 Middle River to Haddon Hill
Windsor Road to Sherwood
Sharon Church 902-277-1301
A special "Election Edition" of the Municipal Insight
will be going out in mailboxes mid-September.
Find out who the candidates are, how and when to
vote, and important contact information.
Or, visit www.chester.ca/election.
Find COVID resources at https://chester.ca/covid-19 3
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
There is no doubt that COVID has had a tremendous impact
on our summer tourism season. We quickly reimagined
our program to focus on our own residents and neighbours in-
side the beloved Atlantic Bubble.
The Economic Development and Tourism Team at MOC pre-
sented a strategy to Council in June, which included several new
initiatives to help support our local businesses.
Given our close proximity to Halifax, we decided to capitalize
on a Daycation Program. With an abundance of stellar tourism
assets in MOC, we have a unique opportunity to claim "Day-
cation" in MOC as the best kept secret in Nova Scotia; a place
where folks can take a day trip and enjoy all that we have to
offer – from our beaches and restaurants to shopping, dining,
golf, spas and more!
Another initiative is our Staycation Program. We are proud of
our assets that entice folks to book overnight stays and explore.
Our marketing and social media strategy is strong, and we
continue to collaborate with our partners at NS Tourism and
South Shore Tourism Cooperative.
We also launched an exciting contest called Take 5. A feature
page was launched on tourismchester.ca, detailing 20 Must
Do's for Summer 2020. Contestants take photos of themselves
doing five of the must do’s, submit the photos by email and are
entered into the draw for a chance to win $500 in Municipal
Dollars, which they can spend at participating MOC businesses.
Our message is clear – MOC tourism is open for business!
HAVE SUITCASE, WILL TRAVEL Tourism efforts refocused on stay-
and daycation options
The Economic Development Team at MOC
has been working on some significant proj-
ects over the past several months.
First of all, the Best of Chester Municipality
Business Awards were announced recently, and
we are in the process of having awards designed
and ready for distribution.
Our local businesses have been dramatically
impacted by COVID-19 and, in response, we
launched a Support Local, Shop Local awareness
campaign. We distributed stickers for business-
es to display on their doors and windows, and
the response has been very positive!
Council also launched a Thank A Frontline
Worker Program, recognizing essential workers
for the incredible job they are doing during the
pandemic. Names of nominees were included in
a weekly draw that awarded a $50 gift certifi-
cate to each of two winners.
The Physician Recruitment and Retention web-
site and program is currently being developed
in collaboration with our partner, Our Health
Centre. The new program is supported through
a grant MOC was awarded by Communities, Cul-
ture and Heritage Nova Scotia. Attracting physi-
cians to MOC is an important component of our
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOING STRONG
Navigating business support throughout the pandemic
overall Economic Development Strategy. The of-
ficial launch of the program will happen in No-
vember.
Lastly, a significant amount of work is being
put into our Sector Strategy. The Strategy is the
foundation and roadmap to attracting new busi-
ness investment to our region in our six key tar-
get sectors: Green Tech, Construction, Business
Services, Value-Added Manufacturing, Arts,
Culture and Recreation and Industrial Develop-
ment. We will provide more details on the Strat-
egy in coming issues as they become available.
To discuss these initiatives or topics related to
economic development in the Municipality of
Chester, please write to ecodev@chester.ca
PERSPECTIVE
Over the past couple of months, we have
experienced a sharp learning curve with
regard to complacency.
Several events, both directly and indirectly
involving us, have sparked a realization that,
sometimes, just addressing issues that come to
us isn't enough. Sometimes, as government, we
need to go to the issues.
Each one of us is an individual human being,
doing our own thing with our own experiences,
perspectives and opinions. And, we are all living
together in one community - a community that
we collectively love.
As members of that community, the Munici-
pality has committed to unity, understanding,
and appreciation. We celebrate individuality
PERSPECTIVE
and applaud how we work together to create
the wonderful lifestyle we all enjoy. As a com-
munity, we have built parks, playgrounds, and
places to gather. Let's also come together to en-
joy them and each other.
We may not have everything worked out yet,
but MOC has begun steps in gaining the perspec-
tive and knowledge we need to play an active
role in encouraging a safe, diverse and inclusive
area in which to live, work and play.
"Perspective" is a new section of our newslet-
ter designed to share positive points of view to
educate, enlighten, and hopefully adhere our
communities. In the next edition, learn how
your perspective can be included in upcoming
newsletters.
An event to celebrate the life and con-
tributions of Richard Eldridge, commu-
nity leader and role model, will be held
on September 13 at Basin Recreation
Park in Chester Basin (end of Lower
Grant Road).
Residents are grateful to Ken and Su-
san Mosher of Oceanview Garden Cen-
tre & Landscaping for donating time
and heavy equipment to fixing the
baseball diamond's backstop and in-
field in preparation for the event.
Join Richard's friends and family for a
church service with Pastor Joe Green,
rededication, and story telling.
MOC will share details through their
Facebook account at ChesterMunici-
pality.
Don't touch your face 4
EMERGENCY MEASURES
The February 1994 announcement that CFS Mill Cove
was closing came as a shock to many. At its peak,
there were 151 military personnel plus 33 civilians em-
ployed there. The closure represented a loss to the region
of an industry with a $7 million dollar annual payroll and
10% of the area's population all within 24 months.
To manage this loss in a strategic way, the community
pulled together, working with various government agen-
cies and by October 1994, Mill Cove Park Development
Agency (later renamed Aspotogan Heritage Trust) was
formed. The mission was clear. It was created to diversify
and strengthen the economy in the area affected by the
closure, by providing support and coordination for com-
munity economic development throughout the region.
The organization was to: serve as the management
group for community development initiatives; coordinate
and promote regional efforts such as regional tourism and
marketing; and coordinate, support and inform commu-
nity groups on projects and events.
Entering year 25, the Aspotogan Heritage Trust remains
as engaged and committed to the development of the re-
gion as it was in the beginning. Over the years, the work
Did you know that the 2020 Atlantic hurricane
season is listed as “extremely active”? Last year,
Hurricane Dorian was named on August 24 and this year,
the D-named storm, Hurricane Dolly, was named on June
20. It is predicted there will be 19-25 named storms, 7-11
hurricanes, and 3-6 major hurricanes.
Like any hazard, knowing the risks helps you plan to
make your family and pets safer. Some hazards that can
be expected during a hurricane include winds, rain, power
outages, storm surge, coastal and/or inland flooding, road
closures, evacuations, supply shortages, or downed trees.
• Hurricanes are often predicted one or two days in
advance so stay informed on social media, radio,
and television.
• Plan to “Shelter in Place” as you may be without
power for at least 72 hours.
• Stock up and have supplies in advance. The day be-
The national public alert system is called Alert Ready
and is designed to deliver critical and potentially
life-saving alerts to Canadians through television, radio,
and compatible wireless devices. The alerts are initiated
by the lead agency of an emerging situation and are is-
sued by Nova Scotia Emergency Management Office.
There are two different types of alerts. First, “Broad-
cast Immediately” is the highest level of severity and will
make a loud noise on the device to get your attention.
The second type of alert appears without a noise, similar
to weather notices. For a “Broadcast Immediately” alert
to sound, it must be a specific alert that is considered as
a threat to life.
Alerts can be sent to the whole province or a targeted
fore Hurricane Dorian made landfall in Nova Sco-
tia, stores were flooded with people stocking up.
If a hurricane hits this year, due to COVID, stores
may have limited stock and lineups will be longer
as store capacity is reduced. Plan ahead.
• Trees may have fallen during the storm. Never ap-
proach or touch a tree that is near a downed power
line. Stay back at least 10 meters or a school bus
distance away from wires or anything in contact
with them. Just because there is no power to your
house, does not mean that the lines do not have
energy running through them.
• If there is damage to the power mast attached to
your home, it must be fixed before power can be
restored. Visit www.nspower.ca/outages to see
what is your responsibility.
• If you use a generator, do not use it inside a build-
ing. It needs proper ventilation.
• Never drive or walk through flooded roadways.
Only six inches of fast-moving water can knock an
adult down, and about 12 inches of moving water
can sweep away most vehicles. There may also be
holes or lines under the water that cannot be seen.
• Don’t go down to the water to watch the storm. A
rogue wave or surf can sweep you away, and it may
be unsafe for first responders to get to you.
• Officials may ask you to leave or evacuate. If you
choose to stay it may be too unsafe for first re-
sponders to reach you.
• Text and emails use less bandwidth than calling or
streaming social media. To reduce network con-
gestion immediately after an emergency, avoid
streaming videos, downloading entertainment, or
playing video games.
Don’t wait until the arrival of a hurricane to prepare for
your family and pets. Make or get an emergency kit that
will support your family and pets for at least 72 hours. For
information, please email emo@modl.ca.
HURRICANE SEASON - 2020 STYLE
An active hurricane season is predicted for this year
Community Events
Every Friday until October 2
The Chester Farmers & Artisan Modified Market, 9:00
am to 12:00 noon at the Chester Rink Ball Field (190 Pig
Loop Road, Chester). COVID rules:
• Hand sanitizer will be available.
• The market is for shopping only.
• Customers are encouraged to wear face masks
and send only one person per household.
• No dogs.
• Customers need to maintain physical distancing.
• Vendor areas spaced for physical distancing.
• Vendors will wear face masks.
• Vendors are still accepting cash.
Every Saturday until October 31
Hubbards Barn Farmers Market from 8:00 am to 12:00
noon. The following rules are being actively followed:
• One-way traffic flows to access vendors, both
inside the Barn and outside in the meadow.
• Limit of 40 customers inside.
• The market is for shopping only.
• No loitering during Market hours.
• Public washrooms limited to one person at a
time with sanitizing.
• No pets.
• Customer must always keep children with them.
• Sandpit is closed for season.
• No admission before 8:00 am.
• Customers should wear protective face masks.
• Plan to attend alone, or with one family member
if assistance is needed.
Saturday, September 19 (raindate - Sept 20)
7th Annual OHC Yard Sale at our Health Centre (3769
Hwy 3, Chester) from 9am to 1pm (postponed from
May due to COVID-19). Volunteers and donations need-
ed! If you are Spring (i.e. COVID) cleaning and can`t
store your items till September, contact Lisa Aiken 902-
483-1666 email: lisamarieaiken@gmail.com or Janice
Moreside 902-275-8184 email: moresidejanice@live.
com. Call to volunteer or to make arrangements for
early collection.
COMMUNITY INTEREST
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF AHT
Aspotogan Heritage Trust is looking forward! Giving back!
has expanded to include supporting both economic and
social development. Regional marketing and communica-
tion continues to be a focus, showcasing what the area
has to offer. The grants program alone has provided $1.25
million dollars in funding to support a wide variety of
community projects.
As the next phase in the Trust’s life-cycle begins, the
board continues to look for ways to diversify and strength-
en the financial holdings in order to secure its position
well into the future. This includes investigating the option
of obtaining charitable status and formalizing its position
as a community foundation. While the initial $2 million
dollar investment in 1994 has gone a long way to making
the community what it is today, there is still a lot of work
to do. As we look forward to the next 25 years, the Trust
invites you join us in ensuring the positive growth of the
region.
We are disappointed that due to the restrictive proto-
cols of Covid 19, it is unlikely that we will have our tradi-
tional Open House in October. We had big plans for our
25th anniversary celebration and are trying to come up
with an alternative. Stay tuned for details.
area, which rely on cell towers for those in the area. Na-
tional alerts are recognized by Canadian Radio-television
and Telecommunications (CRTC), and you do not have to
sign-up to receive them nor can you opt out of receiving
them. The CRTC requires wireless service providers to
distribute alerts on all compatible wireless devices con-
nected to an LTE network in the target area. Check if your
device is compatible, visit www.alertready.ca.
To receive an alert on your wireless device, the follow-
ing three conditions must be met:
1. Must be capable of connecting to an LTE network
(commonly referred to as “4G LTE”); and
2. Equipped with the latest version of its operating
software; and
3. Connected to an LTE cellular network at the time
the emergency alert is issued or joins the network
while the alert is still active.
If your device meets the three conditions and you did
not receive the alert, you should contact your service pro-
vider.
Generally, only one alert will be generated for the same
event. Only if the situation changes significantly would an
additional alert be sent. You can follow the lead agency’s
website or social media for updates after the alert has
been sent.
Upon receiving an alert it is important to take action
safely. This could include, but is not restricted to limiting
travel, evacuating the area, sheltering-in-place, etc., and
the action to take will be outlined in the alert.
You may get the alert more than one time even though
it was only issued once, and this could be because you are
driving through the specified geographic area or your LTE
connection reconnected after losing signal.
You will not be charged for receiving an emergency
alert as the alert is not sent by text and does not require
a phone number as it is sent to a specific geographic area.
There are two tests per year of the national emergency
alert system and the next scheduled test is Wednesday,
November 25, 2020 at 1:55 PM AST.
For more information, please visit www.alertready.ca.
NS ALERTSYSTEM
Maintain physical distancing of 6' and wear a mask 5
TOURISM
FIBRE FALL AT THE CHESTER ART CENTRERUG HOOKING Workshop
with SHEILA BARRETT
October 22 – 23
FIBRE FALL AT THE CHESTER ART CENTRESASHIKO EMBROIDERY Workshop
with KATE WARD
October 3 – 4
Dive Right In
Exhibition of
NEW ACRYLIC PAINTINGS
by CAROL HANSEN
September 24 – October 8
CHESTER ART CENTRE
ONLINE AT CHESTERARTCENTRE.CA
PROPERTY SERVICES
Take care of your physical and mental health. Visit https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/staying-healthy/ 6
Recyclable paper is like a nail.Clean plastic is like a tire.The two don't mix.
(hint: please put your clean paper in a separate recycling bag)
Water Distribution Program Starts
Residents with low or no potable well water can now register
Download theR6RECYCLES app and never miss another collection day.
Create a personalized collection calendar
Find out "What Goes Where"
Receive notifications by email, text or phone
Receive real time alerts on weather-related
service disruptions
Play our "What Goes Where" sorting game
No smart phone or tablet? No
problem! Visit https://chester.ca/
waste-recycling/r6recycles for the
same features.
Council has approved a district-wide water
distribution program in light of the ongo-
ing dry weather and the impact it is having on
the quantity and quality of residents’ well water.
The program started on August 24, 2020 and
will provide households experiencing a potable
water shortage with 4L of water per day per per-
son per household (up to four people/house-
hold). Similar to previous years, the program
will be coupon-based and available to MOC resi-
dents, who will be required to submit a dry well
report form and register their civic address. The
dry well report form can be completed in person
when picking up coupons, ahead of time by vis-
iting www.chester.ca/drywell, or by contacting
the main office at 902-275-3554.
Coupons are available at these locations and
times:
• The Municipal Office, 151 King Street in
Chester, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Mon-
day to Friday;
• District #1 Community Centre from 10:00
a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Mondays. Please call
Nadine Hackney at 902-275-8503 in ad-
vance for an appointment; and
• The New Ross Consolidated School from
9:00 to 11:00 a.m., Tuesdays. Please call
Nadine Hackney at 902-275-8503 in ad-
vance for an appointment.
If you have concerns around the spread of CO-
VID-19, or if these locations and times are not
convenient, please contact us to have coupons
mailed out or to make other arrangements. Res-
idents experiencing mobility issues can also give
their permission to have a neighbour or family
member collect their coupons on their behalf.
Coupons are good for a two-week period
(Monday to Sunday) but will expire on the sec-
ond Sunday for as long as the program is in
place. After expiration, new coupons will be is-
sued for the next program period. We will as-
sess the situation again on September 24 to de-
termine if the program will continue.
Coupons for one 4L jug of water (no substi-
tutes) can be exchanged at select retailers within
the Municipality. The Municipality is urging only
those residents who are in need to access this
program so as to reserve supplies for those with
little or no water. To ensure adequate supply for
all residents, coupon redemption will be limited
to the maximum of 28-4L bottles of water at any
one visit to the selected retailer. Selected retail-
ers are: Independent Grocers in Chester and
Hubbards (who will provide Presidents Choice
brand), Chester Foodland (who will provide Big
8 brand), Chester Basin Petro-Canada (who will
provide Big 8 brand), and Clover Farm in New
Ross (who will provide Big 8 brand). If you need
help taking your water from the store, please
bring someone with you who can help you carry
it as retail staff cannot always assist.
Dear Shabby,
Not sure if you've noticed, but there seems to
be a large number of rubber gloves just laying
around in odd places. Any words of wisdom?
~ signed Disturbed by Latex in
Windosr Road
Dear “Disturbed”:
If by "words of wisdom", you mean utter disdain,
then yes, I do. I have been eyeing an increasing
number of discarded rubber or latex gloves in
my travels. Sakes alive! I get that we are in the
Age of Sanitizing, but what makes you think any-
one wants to pick up your germ-infested gloves?
Throw them in the trash! As an aside, I'm happy
to say that the Municipality of Chester has very
few, so I'm hoping people take a hint!
Dear Shabby
Friendly waste disposal advice
Dear Shabby,
If I have 18 boxes of ammunition, 4 smoke can-
nisters, and 37 old flares, how many municipal
employees does it take to empty my trunk when
I get to the Landfill?
~ signed All Fire Powered Up in
Hubbards
Dear “Fire Powered”:
Try none. First of all, we don't accept any of that
stuff. You and your trunk should go directly to
the RCMP Detachment and let them know you
have it. They dispose of things like that safely.
Second, we don't empty trunks. You will have to
empty it yourself when you get to the Landfill.
***********************************************
Dear Shabby,
So, I'm a little embarrassed, but I have to ask.
Is it wrong that I stalk the garbage truck? I just
love it when they show up at the end of my
driveway and load up my neatly sorted bags in
their proper compartments and then tip them
over the side!
~ signed Goosebumps in
Chester Basin
Dear "Goosebumps"
Of course it's not wrong! Who DOESN'T love
seeing responsible waste management? I applaud
you for your commitment to see it through!
Don't be afraid to wave and shout a friendly
"Good Day!" either.
Still flushing, eh? Pumps still getting obstructedThe list of items that should be flushed
down a toilet is small. So small, in fact,
that we can count them on one hand using only
three fingers.
The list is: human waste (we hope you know
what we mean by that), toilet paper, and water
that sometimes has bathroom cleaner in it.
Nowhere on that list can you find flushable
wipes, rags, or any other type of material that
doesn't easily disintegrate.
Speaking of material that doesn't disintegrate
easily, we are still finding a significant amount
"flushable" wipes in the central sewer systems.
Many of these wipes are labelled “biodegrad-
able” or “flushable”. However, they do not break
down and end up obstructing the central sewer
equipment causing unnecessary shutdowns to
the system. Depending on where the blockage
occurs, it could also put your home at risk of a
sewer backup.
Breakdowns in the sewer system are inconve-
nient to residents and expensive to taxpayers.
We ask all residents using a central system to
please throw these types of wipes (and anything
else that isn't on the three-finger list) in the gar-
bage, where they belong. Thank you!
STRATEGIC PLANNING
Atlantic Bubble - YEAH!7
What is Asset Management Exactly? Municipality receives funding towards infrastructure planningRecently, the Municipality successfully se-
cured two grants that will support ongoing
asset management work for our six wastewater
systems in Chester Basin, Otter Point, Mill Cove,
New Ross, Western Shore, and the Village of
Chester.
Now considered to be the best practice in
managing public infrastructure, asset manage-
ment draws on a comprehensive cross-func-
tional approach. Rather than simply a ‘broke-
fix’ approach to maintenance (which, of course,
will always be essential), asset management is
an ongoing strategic assessment of infrastruc-
ture priorities. It takes into account existing or
desired levels of service (which requires data
about economic development, demographics,
etc.), risk management, cost-effectiveness over
a longer financial planning cycle, and deeper
technical understanding of the lifecycles of as-
sets in terms of condition and performance.
In short, asset management is about striving
to make long-term plans based on a broad range
of data.
The Municipality has been developing asset
management practices over the last couple of
years. Several staff completed asset manage-
ment training in 2019, and, as part of that train-
ing, completed a draft Asset Management Plan
for our wastewater systems. As a result, staff
recognized the need for more data—and im-
proved systems for gathering data—to inform
our decision-making about wastewater treat-
ment and other public infrastructure. The good
news is that the Municipality has recently se-
cured funding to help us collect and better un-
derstand data about our wastewater systems.
A Municipal Asset Management Program
(MAMP) grant from the Federation of Canadi-
an Municipalities (FCM) will be used to analyze
data collected from ongoing inspections of our
wastewater systems. Several of the systems are
approximately 50 years old, and focused data
collection will confirm location, material, and
condition, and performance of system compo-
nents. This data will then be linked to our digital
mapping systems and be documented in such
way as to correlate with the province’s asset
management system.
While the FCM grant assists us with gaining
more detailed technical data, a grant from the
Provincial Capital Assistance Program (PCAP)
for a Wastewater Needs Assessment Study will
be devoted to collecting data that will help as-
sess levels of service. Assessment of Levels of
Service (both current needs and future growth
in service delivery) is a performance measure of
how residents receive the service and whether
value to residents is provided. Performance
measures include: Quality – how good is the
service? What is the condition or quality of the
Of course we miss you. We just want you to be safe, that's all. Please consider using online or drop-off options for municipal services.
www.chester.ca for payments, applications, tax rebate forms, and contact information.
In their 2020-21 Budget, the Municipality
earmarked money for capital projects. That
money came from a variety of sources (reserves,
grants, operating, etc). Below is an update on
some of the larger, more interesting, projects.
UV Treatment System
Chester Wastewater Treatment Plant will get
a UV Treatment System to remove chlorine. It
is scheduled for completion by Dec 31, which is
the deadline for our operation permit from NSE.
Aspotogan Wharf
A new wharf will be constructed later in the
Fall in Aspotogan. It will replace the existing
wharf.
Since the last report, we received these
compliments and complaints.
• The first complaint was about a local busi-
ness sign that was posted on the side of
our trail. The resident was concerned
that the trail was not the place for retail
signs and would like to see them prohib-
ited from being posted along the route.
We have a staff member looking into trail
signage guidelines and are working with
other trail groups for input.
• We also received many complaints about
not flying the Pride flag dur-
ing Pride season. We re-
sponded by flying the flag
until the end of July, meeting with rep-
resentatives of Lunenburg Pride and the
LGBT2+ community, and starting work on
a Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan for
the Municipality. This resulted in a number
of compliments. Thank you.
• A final complaint was received about a
homeowner's association. With no juris-
diction or authority in this matter, we rec-
ommended that the concerned resident
reach out to Service Nova Scotia or a law-
yer for advice.
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 "Contact" or https://webfiche.district.
chester.ns.ca/Forms/CCRegister
Coming in to see us at 151 King Street in
Chester.
BOSSBOSS oror BUSTBUST
Waste Collection starts at 7:00 a.m.
Didn't get a 2020 calendar?
Call 902-275-2330!
Stay informed about
• waste collection routes
• sorting waste
• program changes
• holiday schedules
• public drop-offs
service? Function – Is the service suitable for
its intended purpose? Capacity – is the service
over- or under-subscribed? Do we need more or
less of the assets that provide this service in any
given area? The Wastewater Needs Assessment
Study will delve deeper into such measures and
provide data to better inform our wastewater
asset management practices.
The work supported by these grants, along
with what we already know to be immediate
priorities, will inform our long-term Wastewater
Strategy. Data collection is an ongoing process,
as is a Wastewater Strategy that both responds
to and builds on the information we continue to
actively gather. Better the data, better the deci-
sion-making – and better the assurance we con-
tinue to meet our service objective to collect,
treat, and dispose of wastewater in an environ-
mentally sound, safe, and cost-effective manner.
CAPITAL PROJECTS UPDATE
Leachate Treatment Plant Upgrade - Phase I
Kaizer Meadow will also get an upgrade to
their leachate treatment plant. The upgrade will
allow a second portable dispersal tower to oper-
ate.
J-class Roads
An unprecendented number of J-class roads
were approved by NS Transportation and In-
frastructure Renewal for repaving under their
cost sharing agreement with MOC. A total of 16
roads (or portions of) will be repaved in the ar-
eas of Chester and Western Shore. The total es-
timated cost is $2,360,000, with MOC's portion
being $1,180,000.
Tweet of the Week
Our most popular post for July...
A rainy, but awesome day!
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 find all of the latest updates, minutes,
tender information, and more.
Twitter: Search for @chestermun or @ChesterRecParks in your Twitter
account. Follow us and get regular updates and notifications about
municipal issues, including live tweets from Council meetings.
Facebook: Visit www.facebook.com/ChesterMunicipality and learn
about events and stories happening in the area. If you have something
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!
YouTube: Subscribe to modcvideo for our latest videos. We have a
channel showcasing some of our outstanding attractions and businesses,
and we are hoping to add more!
Community Development & Recreation
Building Services 902-275-3080
Fire Inspection Services 902-275-3080
Planning Services 902-275-2599
Recreation & Parks 902-275-3490
Finance & Information Services
General Inquiries 902-275-3554
Taxation Services 902-275-3554
Tax Rebate Program 902-275-3554
FOIPOP Officer 902-275-3554
Infrastructure & Operations
Public Works 902-275-1312
Solid Waste/Landfill 902-275-2330
Water/Wastewater 902-275-1312
Corporate & Strategic Management
General Inquiries 902-275-4147
Communications 902-275-4107
Council Inquiries 902-275-3554
Economic Development 902-275-4138
CONTACT USCONTACT US
WALK-IN CLINIC
SCHEDULE
All appointments must be booked
by calling 1-902-273-2098.
Tuesday, Sept 1
9:00 am - 1:00 pm (12 ppl max)
Tuesday, Sept 8
3:00 - 7:00 pm (12 ppl max)
Wednesdays, Sept 2, 9, 23, 30
8:00 am - 4:30 pm (24 ppl max)
Thursdays, Sept 3, 10, 24
8:00 am - 4:30 pm (24 ppl max)
Saturdays, Sept 5, 12, 19, 26
9:00 am - 1:00 pm (12 ppl max)
You must wear a mask. Please
bring one with you. We will send
out updates as more walk-in clinic
shifts get confirmed.
Website: ourhealthcentre.ca
Facebook: ourhealthcentre
Instagram: ourhealthcentre
Twitter: @OurHealthCentre
Call: 902-273-2098 or
902-275-3847