2015 May-June Edition Municipal Insight

municipal insight
“Keeping informed about
your municipal government”
In the Municipality of the District of Chester this spring(?)...
Location, location, location! Mmmmmmmmmmm...
New access from a new
municipal green space! See where on Page 3.
June 2015
What's this guy screaming about?
I don't know about you,
but all of a sudden I'm craving donuts! (Page 4-5)
Hopefully you won't be
screaming once you find
out why on Page 7!
IT NEVER RAINS ON A GOLF COURSE
Chester Golf Course prepares for another full season!
The Municipality themselves has partnered
with the Golf Club while fundraising for PRO
Kids and offering programs such as yoga for golfers, indoor golf, and golf lessons. We have also
been the recipient of numerous sponsorships by
the Club for our summer programs.
Even those with an "I'd-rather-watch-grassgrow" opinion of golf, cannot deny the stunning
scenery. Whether you love the game, hate the
game or love to hate the game, lunch in the sunshine on the deck of the Club House is worth it.
Visit chestergolfclub.ca to book a tee time,
look at more photos, or check their live webcam. For general inquiries, call 902-275-2434.
For the Junior Program, call 902-299-0025. For
PRO Kids, call our Recreation & Parks Department at 902-275-3490 or visit www.chester.ca.
Photo courtesy of Chester Golf Course
I
nitially a private course, it's easy to understand why this property was selected as the
site for the first Chester Golf Club. So beautiful
and serene, you just might not care that you
shot four over par on hole #12.
Just after the turn of the 20th century, two
Scottish brothers (Alexander and Col. John Miller) saw the property's potential, and the concept of golfing locally was realized.
After two World Wars and a brief closure, the
course was reopened in 1955 as a public club,
and so it remains. Mr. Joseph Pew, and his wife
Alberta, resurrected the course by purchasing
the land in 1953 and selecting a team to prepare
for opening.
the Municipality offers funding to some through
our PRO Kids program!
Operationally, the Golf Club is one of the largest non-profit employers in the Municipality
with between 40 and 50 on staff in part-time,
seasonal, and student positions in maintenance,
the Pro Shop, and Club House. Two full-time
staff, including the General Manager Dave MacMillan, make sure things run smoothly during
the off season.
Dave MacMillan has been with the Club for
eleven years, and the last eight of those as General Manager. Dave brings plenty of experience,
knowledge and energy. He comes by it honestly since his whole family is immersed in golf,
Their vision was to make the course affordable whether they play or manage their own courses.
to all and to encourage local membership. They So when Dave says that Chester has the most
felt that structuring membership to favour resi- beautiful, inviting, and unique course he's seen,
dents local to the area would keep the unique we believe him.
course more accessible to the people who love
During his years as GM, there have been imit the most.
provements to cart pathways, infrastructure,
Today, Chester Golf Club remains a non-prof- and drainage (allowing for an earlier season).
it organization with the same vision. Although Opting for biological controls and organic-based
the membership boundary is from Middle River products, the Club has also significantly reduced
to East River, the course is open to everyone their use of chemicals on the greens.
through green fees.
If you've never played, club rental is available
as is a driving range to practice your killer drive.
And, if your slice or hook threatens to take down
the golfer on the next green, the Club's Golf Pro
offers lessons.
The Golf Club has a Junior program with on average 120 kids per season. The program is open
to all youth in the Municipality, and is touted as
one of the best around. PS...don't forget that
Since the Club receives so much local support, they pay it forward by purchasing supplies
and products from area businesses and helping
community groups when they can.
Their involvement in the community extends
to donations to some local charities, being a
venue for many corporate and community fundraisers, and giving long-standing support to Special Olympics, PRO Kids, Bonny Lea Farm, Minor
Hockey, and Shoreham Village.
Things you may or may not have
known about Chester Golf Club.
• Sheep were used to "mow" the grass
on the fairway when it was a private
club.
• The Golf Course sits on Prescott
Point, named after Captain Jonathan
Prescott from Massachusetts, and
early settler in Chester. In fact, he is
credited for surveying and planning
the Village.
• Before renovations, the existing Club
House was a farmhouse built around
1900. It was the family home of William Harris and Ann Sophia Smith
and their 18 children. After renting
his farmland to the Miller brothers,
he continued to live there as the
course's groundskeeper.
Woopsies...
Speaking of the Chester Golf Club, in
the last issue of Municipal Insight, we
mistakenly indicated that a 12-month
membership was included in the QEII
Home Lottery's Oceanview Cottage
Grand Prize package. It isn't a membership, but one year of unlimited golf at
the Chester Golf Club. By the way, winners are Sharon & Larry Maloney!
ALSO in the last issue...In the "Future
Operations of Kaizer Meadow Landfill"
piece, we are NOT negotiating an agreement with Waste Management (a private
hauler in HRM). We were negotiating an
agreement with a hauler, but not Waste
Management.
MUNICIPAL COUNCIL
Message from
the Warden
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
The Municipality currently provides service
or partners with other municipalities in our
region on animal control, planning services,
building inspection, regional economic development, and waste management. In addition,
we have been, and are, developing partnerships across the Province in information technology, waste managment, and renewable-toThe Municipality, when establishing a bud- retail energy projects.
Our approach has been, and continues to be,
get, must be mindful not only of the amount
needed for expenses, but we must also look that these initiatives build capacity, provide
forward and insure that we will have the re- economies of scale, and where possible, genquired infrastructure and capacity five or ten erate revenue for the Municipality of Chester.
years out and that we can accomplish those
We are in the process of preparing a submisgoals without unduly impacting our residents' sion to the Federation of Canadian Municipaliability to pay.
ties in anticipation that we will be recognized
The 2015-16 Operating and Capital Budget has been approved. Although it contains
an aggressive capital spending program and
moves our Strategic Plan forward in all key areas, the residential and commerical tax rates
remain unchanged, and we are able to lower
some area rates - specifically street lighting
and waste disposal.
I believe this Budget accomplishes that by for our leadership at the Sustainable Commubuilding our reserves, developing new rev- nities Awards.
enues sources, and effectively building our caOn a more local front, the Municipality is in
pacity to deliver services to our residents.
the process of acquiring two significant pieces
The Minister of Municipal Affairs, Mark of property that will enhance your opportuniFurey, recently announced changes to the ties to ocean and river access.
Municipal Government Act (MGA) which will
The first piece will provide river/ocean
remove some of the long standing uncertainty frontage at the mouth of Gold River as well as
surrounding the composition of the Munici- having an historical connection to the forest
pality of Chester.
industry having been owned by Minas Basin
These changes allow the Village of Chester Pulp and Power since the early 1930s. The
to remain a village and remove the concern second piece has great river frontage as well
that a town will be created within the bound- as in excess of 100 acres of mature forest.
aries of our Municipality.
Student government has developed a plan
We are grateful for the leadership dem- for the campgrounds at the Kaizer Meadow
onstrated by the Minister and believe that Wind Turbine site, and construction has bewe can now plan our future more effectively gun. They look forward to showcasing the
and build on initiatives and partnerships that fruits of their labour to the public later this
summer.
strengthen the region as a whole.
Change to Municipal Government
Act Affects Municipality of Chester
You may have read in the newspaper that
the Provincial Government amended the Municipal Government Act (MGA). The MGA a
piece of legislation enacted by the Province
that outlines what municipalities are responsible for, the authority they have, and their organizational structure.
The change to the MGA was to prevent the
creation of new towns or villages, and it is
seen as a step towards an efficient and sustainable province that Nova Scotians have envisioned for themselves according to the One
Nova Scotia Now or Never Report.
In a press release announcing the change,
Mark Furey, Minister of Municipal Affairs, encourages “regional thinking” for a stronger
and more viable municipal governance. Given the amount of financial struggles existing
towns and villages face, building on current
government structure will create a more solid
foundation for the growth Nova Scotia needs.
means that all of our communities can continue to move in an economically sustainable
direction collectively.
This adjustment to the MGA directly supports the course many residents wished to follow when asked their vision of a future Nova
Scotia during an extensive public outreach
by One Nova Scotia teams. It also coincides
with a list of recommendations presented by
a committee that was formed to review fiscal
relations between municipalities and the provincial government. One of the Committee’s
recommendations called for the dissolution
of villages, eliminating the added level of local
government.
Since that time, Minister Furey has assured
Nova Scotians that this recommendation is off
the table – no villages will be dissolved. This is
also a positive outcome for the Municipality
of Chester as some residents were concerned
when faced with the possibility of Chester losOur Municipality’s position is supportive of ing their village status.
the latest change in legislation and we feel
For information on the One Nova Scotia
that it is a positive stride towards fulfilling the Now or Never report, please visit www.onens.
progressive goals of the OneNS report. For us, ca. For information on the Municipal/Provinremoving the option for creating new towns cial Fiscal Review, visit www.unsm.ca.
This edition of the Insight will provide detail
on some of the things I have touched on as
well as what's going on in general. I hope you
have a great summer and, as always, on behalf
of Council, thank you for your support.
Gold River Municipal
Office Update
Since the South Shore Regional
School Board announced the closure
of the Western Shore/Gold River
School, the Municipality has been coordinating the transition of some staff
to occupy our "new" old space. The
building reverted to municipal property once the School Board vacated
the premises.
Renovations met a minor setback
last year when the tender we issued
for a roof replacement didn't provide
us with the results we wanted.
Despite the setback, this spring staff
started some of the demolition work
and asbestos abatement began. We
also reissued the roof tender and finally awarded it to Gaudet Building
Contractors for $169,142.00 plus HST.
Meanwhile, we also asked the public to submit expressions of interest
for use of the Annex Building. With
the Community Development Department moving to the Gold River Office,
this building (save the Food Bank) will
be vacant.
At closing, we received one submission for a proposed use of the Annex
Building (from the Food Bank). Unfortunately, accepting the lone submission meant paying to operate the
entire building with cost recovery for
only a small portion.
After much deliberation, Council
determined that the Annex is surplus
to our needs and has given the Food
Bank 12 months notice to vacate.
There is recognition that some hardship may be caused to the Food Bank,
and Council will provide them with a
$20,000 grant to assist them in relocating.
The plan at this point is to demolish
the building, unless another option
arises between now and the start of
next fiscal year (April 2016).
2
STRATEGIC PLAN
THE
• Work has begun on the year-end financial audit, and the
auditors are scheduled to meet with with Committee of
the Whole around mid-June.
• We have implemented an electronic invoice processing
system. Staff were trained and things are going well!
• Directors have met and reviewed expectations for a
"one counter customer" approach. A report to Council
is pending. This means that customers can get a certain
level of service at every municipal office open to the
public.
• The second phase of testing is underway for the vermicomposting prototype. A presentation is upcoming!
• Work has begun on asbestos abatement at the Municipal
Office in Gold River. Municipal staff are on-site doing
some demolition work as well.
• Sewer asset collection and mapping has been set up. This
means that the public sewer will mapped electronically.
• An internal communications tool has been implemented
for the Municipality of Chester. It has evolved to include
other municipal units and will be a great tool for crossboundary projects and interests. Having more units on
board has also reduced our cost.
• We are awaiting flag design approval before implementing a Crosswalk Flag Program in Hubbards and New Ross.
• Phase 1 of the community engagement piece for the
Municipal Plan Review is finished. Look for Phase 2 to
begin this summer/fall. This Phase will delve into more
specific definitions and sharpen ideas already brought
forth by the community.
CAO
REPORT
Once a month, our Chief Administrative
Officer (CAO) reports our progress on
various projects to Council. The projects
relate to goals set within our Strategic
Plan, and the CAO Report focuses on
how we are doing at achieving these
goals. Here are a few of the highlights
from Tammy's last report, and some of
what we’re doing as a Municipality. A
full copy of the CAO's Report to Council
can be found at www.chester.ca under
this year's folder for minutes and
agendas.
WINDward
of assessment)
resulting
in
the
property
tax. Wind turbine
facilities
How the South Canoe Wind Farm is "taxed"
have something
called
"total
In the 2015/16 Operating Budget, we reported that the South Canoe Wind Farm will nameplate capacity", which is the intended
generate $250,000 in new tax revenue for the power output they are capable of. Wind turMunicipality, but how is this “tax revenue” de- bines with a total nameplate capacity of more
than 100 kilowatts - such as those at South Catermined?
noe Wind Farm - are taxed based on their capacWind turbines are not taxed in the same manity. The current rate is $6,311 per megawatt.
ner as property. Property is assessed and a tax
Some residents have questioned why area
rate is applied to the assessment ($0.685/$100
rates are not applied to this value. Area rates,
such as fire tax, are applied to properties with
taxable assessments. Turbines are not considered taxable assessments, as their value is determined by their nameplate capacity and not
by the Provincial Valuation Services Corporation
like houses. As such, the tax rate, including area
rates, are not applied to the $6,311 per megawatt.
The only part of a wind turbine development
that has a taxable assessment is the land and
any other structures on the site. The rate applied is usually for resource or forest land, which
is lower than residential or commercial.
IN BRIEF...
Holiday Hours and Waste Collection - Municipal Offices at 151 King Street
and 186 Central Street, Chester, are closed on Canada Day (Wednesday,
July 1). Waste collection scheduled for Canada Day is RESCHEDULED to
Saturday, July 4 because the Landfill site is CLOSED.
New Staff - Welcome aboard to two new staff people at the Municipal
Office! Christa Rafuse, P.Eng., has officially taken the Assistant Municipal
Engineer position in the Engineering & Public Works Department. She
started April 7.
The Municipality very recently acquired this piece of property on the Gold River.
We look forward to offering it as a means of river and ocean access to the public.
BOSS or BUST
Sandra Challis joined the Community Development Department in early
January as the Administrative Assistant. It's like she's been here for years
already! Happy to have you, Sandra!
Nice Going! - Danielle Millett, from New Ross, received a $200 sponsorship
from Council to compete in the National Wrestling Championships in
Since the last report, we received one complaint.
Fredericton. Also, Jacob Myra received $750 towards his competition
• A complaint was submitted by a resident who had difficulty finding the costs in the Montreal Meltdown, which happened from May 15-17.
staff directory on our website. Our new website is very different from our
old one in that it's organization is service-based, not department-based.
We know it will take some getting used to, especially for those who just
got used to navigating the old website (staff included!). We are taking all
suggestions for improvement, so if you have a comment, please submit it
to communications@chester.ca or use our website feedback form found
on the front page of our website (www.chester.ca) in the "Contact the
Municipality" box.
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.
We may not be available 24/7, but our website is. Visit us at www.chester.ca
Campsite Update - FHCS Student Council is progressing with their project
of developing the Kaizer Meadow wind tower site into an eco-tourism
site. They have been meeting regularly and at last "check-in", the O2
program was constructing picnic tables and benches.
After the site is constructed, campers can use the site but only through
a reservation with the Municipality. We won't start taking reservations
until the last picnic table is in place, so don't call just yet! Stay tuned for
information about an Open House.
Outdoor Learning Space - Speaking of Forest Heights Community
School, Council showed their support for their Courtyard Rejuvenation
Project with a $10,000 grant from the Wind Energy Revenue Fund. The
space will be used as an alternate learning space that students will help
develop, create and maintain.
3
Revenue
BUDGET 2015
Property Tax
Area Rates
"
$11,147,516
$4,317,722
$
Property Tax revenue is
our primary source of
revenue. They are calculated by dividing total assessment (determined by
Property Valuation Services Corporation) by 100 and
then multiplying by the tax
rate. This year, the tax rate
stayed the same as it was
last year...68.5₵. The commercial rate also stayed
the same as last year at
$1.53/$100. This year, the
Province gets 62.58% of
our Property Tax Revenue
in mandatory contributions (see breakdown below under Expenses).
Area rates are applied to
properties that use a specific service. For example,
if your home is connected
to the public sewer system, the charge to use the
system will show up on
the tax bill. If your home is
not in the service area, no
charge is applied.
Residential
$9,429,272
Commercial
1,384,864
Forest/Resource 333,380
Area rates are also used by
fire/village commissions.
We collect the rate on their
behalf and then forward
the money to them. All of
the fire rates haven't been
set yet, so the amount below is tentative.
Fire
$1,815,384
Roads
251,069
Sewer
830,513
Waste collection 1,375,879
Mill Cove/ACES
44,877
"In
en
pro
the
da
em
Ins
to
nu
an
for
An
ar
ne
the
Oft
ser
wh
an
Bu
Gra
So
De
MUNICIPAL BUDG
Property Services
Administration/
Governance
Mandatory
Contributions
Municipal Roads
Community
Living
$4,692,562
$2,332,861
$6,976,593
$640,844
$1,340,920
Property Services are costs
related to residental and
commercial services to
land, excluding waste collection (separate graph on
the right). Costs include
staffing and administration, maintenance of public properties, community
development (building/
fire inspection/planning),
public sewer, and heritage
property.
Administration and governance are expenses related to operations, such as
Councils and committees,
departmental
supplies,
training, software and
hardware,
communications, quality and records
management, legal services, safety.
Mandatory contributions
are, by far, the largest expenditure we have. This
is a financial obligation to
the provincial government
for specific services to
Nova Scotians. Every municipality in the province
contributes a percentage
of their tax-based revenue
towards these services.
These are costs associated
with the maintenance of
municipally-owned roads.
On top of that, homeowners associations may elect
to have the Municipality
collect private road maintenance fees on their behalf through property tax
bills. That money is collected and then forwarded
on to the associations.
"Community Living" costs
relate to expenses that
directly improve communities on recreational
and charitable levels.
Public property $595,450
Community Dev. 1,095,110
Public sewer
2,408,103
Heritage property
500
Tax administration 280,829
Public works
312,570
Also included is the the
operational and debt costs
for the wind tower project
at Kaizer Meadow.
Wind tower
$490,120
Council/Committee 251,349
Administrative
1,060,734
Finance services
530,658
3
Protective
Services
1
$2,155,687
Protective services are:
By-laws
$46,490
Animal Control
70,480
Emergency
Measures
40,707
*Fire Services 1,998,010
*This includes revenue collected on behalf of fire/village commissions.
Education
$4,447,088
RCMP
1,682,931
Corrections
236,441
Assessment
341,463
Roads
179,614
Library
69,056
Housing Authority 20,000
2
Municipal roads
Private roads
Sidewalks
Streetlights
Signs
$317,974
78,210
87,000
145,450
12,210
Recreation $1,052,420
Grants
288,500
Reserves
$1,603,623
This is how much we are
putting away in our "savings account". Reserves
are usually for future capital projects.
Kaizer Meadow Landfill
$4,496,666
This graph indicates expenses associated with waste collection and disposal.
In terms of landfill operations, Kaizer
Meadow Environmental Management
Centre partners with Valley Waste, who
pays around 87% of costs on average.
1. Waste collection $ 1,304,013
2. Landfill operations 3,140,697
3. Recycling
51,956
4
5
1
3
Eco
$4
E
fo
E
1
2
3
4
5
2
4
BUDGET 2015
"In lieu" Tax
Fees
Grants
BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS
$1,329,573
$4,465,948
$2,330,101
n lieu" tax means revnue received in place of
operty tax. For example,
e Governments of Canaa and Nova Scotia are exmpt from property taxes.
stead, they give grants
replace the lost reveue; some can be used for
nything and others are
r specific uses.
The Municipality receives
money for fees charged
for permits, Landfill tip
fees, recreation programs,
and selling services to
other municipal units.
We provides services like
some planning and building, fire inspection, animal
control and waste disposal
to neighbouring municipalities who don't need
full-time services.
These are grants from other levels of government
(mostly federal or provincial). Some are for specific
things, like infrastructure,
and others are non-specific.
Council was able to hold the Residential/Resource tax rates
this year at $0.685/$100 as well as the Commercial tax rate at
$1.53/$100. The Municipality of Chester' tax rates are among
the lowest in Nova Scotia! All rates and fees remain the same
as last year as well except where the landfill tipping fee lowered to $68.54/tonne for users within the Municipality and the
streetlights area rates decreased across the board. The only
other difference is that waste collection area rates are now the
same for all residents at $0.093/$100 which is a marginal decrease for some and a marginal increase for others.
We also receive income
from Nova Scotia Power
for our wind tower and
Eco-Park lease fees.
$1,334,279
nother "in lieu" tax is when
rate is applied to a busiess' revenue rather than
eir property assessment.
ften, these businesses are
rvice-based, like Aliant
ho pays for poles, wires
nd small buildings.
usiness Revenue
rants in lieu
outh Canoe
eed Transfer
$122,237
157,336
250,000
800,000
Wind Tower
$719,650
Landfill disposal 2,687,807
(to others)
Services to others 168,133
Permits/programs 326,107
Tipping fees
564,251
GET
Conditional
Unconditional
Transfers
Transfers come from our
reserves, which is like a
savings account. Some
transfers are from projects
previously budgeted for
and the money is carried
over, and others are for
new projects.
FISCAL
YEAR
2015-16
Fiscal Responsibility:
• Budget was delivered one month early;
• Improved internal controls using a purchase order module;
• Implementation of electronic invoice processing, which
will save many hours of staff time; and
• Increased reserves.
Improving Municipal Services:
• Option for electronic delivery of property tax bills;
• "One counter" service delivery where residents can receive
a certain level of service at ALL municipal locations;
• ISO 9001:2008 interim compliance audit;
• Records management; and
• Addition of municipal services in Gold River.
Availability of Sufficient Infrastructure:
• Improved delivery of public sewer including By-Law
review, upgrades to Chester and Western Shore systems, decreased sewer infiltration, and potentially
increased capacity in New Ross and Chester Basin;
Economic Development still is a high priority for Council. This year,
ocus is around branding, tourism, business retention (BRE), the
Eco-Park, local business, and a marketing strategy for the area.
1. Operations
$ 221,015
2. Capital projects
120,000
3. Tourism
43,000
4. Regional Economic Network 45,794
5. Eco-Industrial Park
33,653
To correspond with our Strategic Plan, these projects and
programs are front and centre this year.
• Preparing the former school in Gold River for municipal
and community use;
• Repairing Chester Basin Wharf;
• Improving both pedestrian and motorized routes, such as
extending Duke Street sidewalk, improving road crossing at
Duke Street and Valley Road, trail maintenance and rehabilitating municipal roads in Mill Cove;
• Exploring options for organics and landfill processes;
• Upgradeing streetlights to LED in Chester Basin; and
• Repairing the roof at Zoe Valle Library.
Expenses
onomic Development
463,462
$2,317,721
12,380
Support for Environmental, Social and Cultural Resources:
• Municipal Plan Review continuation;
• Engaging in Age Friendly housing and Seniors Safety initiatives;
• PRO Kids support;
• Providing property tax rebates for low income earners;
• Increased funding through the Wind Energy Revenue Policy
(available on website); and
• Providing tax exemptions/reductions for non-profits.
Public Engagement and Communications:
• Further improvements to website;
• Providing engagement opportunities through the Municipal Plan Review;
• Developing a communications strategy; and
• Continuing with this newsletter.
Economic Prosperity (in addition to projects listed on the left):
• Develop local business excellence awards;
• An investment readiness profile;
• "Renewable to Retail" options in the Municipality's Energy
Strategy;
• Make funds available for acquisition of land for a potential
Business/Industrial Park; and
• Procurement practices workshop with local businesses.
5
COMMUNITY INTEREST
Sat., June 6
Sun., June 7
Sat., June 13
Pancake Breakfast
Hubbards Area Lions Club, 9:0011:30am. Call 902-858-2082.
Annual Breakfast &
Plant Sale
Bonny Lea Farm, 8-10am.
Penny Auction &
Dinner
Chester Legion. Auction, 12:00pm and
dinner 4:00-6:30pm.
Roast Beef Supper
District #1 Community Centre, 4:306pm. St. Barnabas Ladies Guild event.
Cheer for Dad Father's Day Live
Band Dance
Atlantica Oak Island, 9pm-1am. Funds
to Champion Cheer All-Stars Cheerleading Club. 902-627-2600.
Fri., June 19
10th Relay for Life
Chester Area Middle School, 6pm-midnight. 902-275-5720 or 902-275-5966.
We welcome survivors who would like
to attend to call 902-275-3817.
Sun., June 21
Father's Day Roast
Beef Supper
Forties Community Centre, 4:306:00pm.
Fish Fry
Hubbards Area Lions Club, 4-6pm. Call
902-858-2082.
Chester Brass Band
Plays at the Chester Bandstand, 7pm.
902-857-3943.
Sat., June 13
5th Annual Chester
Cut N Run 5K Walk,
5/10K Run
Starting at Chester Area Middle
School, 9am. Call 902-275-3490.
Sun., June 28
Lobster Dinner
Captain Kidd Rod & Gun Club, 11am6pm. Call 902-277-1980.
Wed., July 1
Western Shore & Area Improvement
Association Hall, 11am-2pm.
Crib Tournament
Forties Community Centre, 1pm. Call
902-689-2147.
19th Annual Chicken
Barbecue
Every Friday
Country Gospel
Music Night
Chester Farmers' &
Artisan Market
Chester Visitor Information Centre,
10am-2pm until October 9.
Aenon United Baptist Church, 6:45pm.
Hubbards Farmers'
Market
Hubbards Barn, 8am-12pm til the end
of October. www.hubbardsbarn.org
11th Annual Pig
Roast
New Ross Fire Hall. Entertainment,
2:00pm and meal, 4:30-6:00pm.
New Ross Country
Market
Lions Park, 9am-12pm til October 10.
Every Saturday
ATTENTION GARDENERS!!
Warmer weather signals a planting season we can hardly wait to start
Spring may have gotten off to a late start, but
what we've lost in time, garden lovers are making up for in enthusiasm. Here are a few items of
gardening interest...
your questions or stories.
There is also a plant sale hosted by the garden
club and cool product displays. For more info
on the Committee and the composting facility,
The 12th Open House for the composting fa- please visit www.CompostingLPEastRiver.ca
cility's East River Louisiana-Pacific Community
Environmental Liaison Committee will be held
In other news, a new community garden is
on June 13 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the taking shape in the Blandford area! Plans are
being developed for a series of raised beds for
Union Hall in East River (7216 Highway 329).
As usual, the event is well organized and individual or shared use as well as a greenhouse
teeming with information! The morning starts in the fall, all graciously accommodated at the
with tours of the Composting Facility at 9:00 Rectory (4821 Hwy. 329). Look for progress as
a.m. Tour reservations can be made by calling they enter the "construction phase!"
If you live in the area and are looking for garJennifer Frotten, Plant Environmental Manager
den
space (extra or otherwise), or just want to
at 902-275-2976. Guest speakers, including Jodi
help with the project, send an email along to
DeLong, start at 10:30 a.m.
marian.lucas.jeffries@gmail.com
The Municipality and Region 6 Solid Waste
The group may host an information evening
Management will be on hand with the ever- for those interested in finding out more. Meanpopular vermicomposting (worms) display and while, feel free to email for information!
compost tea demo. Stop by their booth with
And finally, Archie (our community garden
mascot above) has seen better days...We are
planning to revive him and the community garden at the Municipal Office again this year, so if
you've got a hankerin' for fresh veggies and no
place to plant them, contact us! We also will accept any kind of help you're offering!
By the time this newsletter is in your mailbox,
we'll have had our first meeting, but it's never
too late to help and give input! There is plenty
of space and we likely won't plant anything until
early June.
Send an email to communications@chester.ca
or call Jen at 902-275-3555 ext 1202.
Send events to recreation@chester.ca and they will be included in this newsletter, on our website, and in a weekly newspaper column!
6
A Toilet is NOT a
TRASH CAN!
While Municipal staff is responsible for the
operation of the public sewer systems, there are
lots of things that you, as a user of the system,
can do to ensure it remains in good working order. After all, if we save money in repairs costs,
you save money in repair costs.
The tips below provide advice on what you
can do to protect the sewer system from harsh
chemicals, and keep pumps and manholes from
becoming clogged or damaged by foreign objects. Because most sanitary sewer blockages
occur between a house and the sewer main,
following these simple Do's and Don'ts can also
help prevent a sewer line back-up in your home.
• DO scrape excess grease into a container
and dispose of it in the compost.
• DO place food scraps in compost containers for disposal and scrape off your dishes
prior to washing.
• DO place a wastebasket in the bathroom
to dispose of solid wastes. Disposable diapers, condoms and personal hygiene products do not belong in the sewer system.
• DO
use a strainer over the plughole in
your sink, tub and shower. Empty the collected material into the garbage.
• DO use the manufacturer's recommend-
ed amount of detergent for washing up in
the kitchen or laundry. The average household uses three times more detergent
than manufacturers recommend for washing dishes and clothes. When these detergents enter the sewer system, they hold
large amounts of oil, grease and fats in
suspension making cleaning and treating
the waste water difficult and more costly.
By cutting down on the amount of detergent used, there'll also be less phosphate
in the environment to cause the growth of
algae in water. And, you'll save money on
detergents.
• DO NOT pour fats, oils and grease from
cooking down the sink drain. If your pots
and pans are only greasy, don't rinse them;
just wipe them out with a paper towel.
Note that home garbage disposals do not
keep grease out of the plumbing system.
These units only shred solid material into
smaller pieces and do not prevent grease
from going down the drain. Commercial
additives, including detergents, that claim
to dissolve grease may pass grease down
the line and cause problems in other areas
• DO NOT connect sump pump or founda-
tion drains to your service lateral. Treating
water that doesn’t need to be treated is
not only costly and uses up plant capacity, but as Section 14 (a) of the Municipal
PROPERTY SERVICES
Sewer By-Law states;
"No person shall discharge, cause to be
discharged, or continue to discharge or
cause to be discharged after the coming
into force of this By-law, any storm water,
surface water, ground water, roof runoff,
subsurface drainage, cooling water or any
unpolluted industrial process waters into
any sanitary sewer, except by motion of
Council to grant an exemption."
• DO NOT flush items such as disposable
diapers, disposable cleaning cloths, dental floss, sanitary napkins, plastic tampon
holders, convenience pads, surgical bandages, syringes, condoms, cotton-tipped
stems, hair, or flushable cat litter down
the toilet. It can create many problems in
the sewage treatment plant; they should
all be tossed into the wastebasket, not the
toilet.
• DO NOT
pour paint, engine oil, pesticides or chemicals down the sink. This
isn't only because of the threat of these
hazards getting into the environment;
but, also because these chemicals pose a
health threat to maintenance staff working in the sewers.
• DO NOT
plant any new landscaping
without keeping in mind the location of
your sewer line. Plant roots are a common
problem with pipe breaks that can easily
be prevented by thinking through installations and plantings thoroughly.
Always remember, if you see a red light flashing at one of our lift stations, please call the
Emergency Sewer Line at 1-888-664-6998. We
encourage you to call so that any issue can be
handled in a timely manner. Thank You
Need a 2015 Waste Collection Calendar?
Visit www.chester.ca or call 902-275-2330.
Dear Shabby
Coming to a curb near you...
Friendly waste disposal advice
Dear Shabby,
I've decided to simplify my life! Of
course, that means I've had to kick my
"collecting" habit. After all, if I haven't
used 18 broken chairs by now, I probably
won't...My question is, what do I do
with everything I don't want anymore?
~ signed Free At Last,
Chester
Dear “Free At Last”:
I, too, am guilty of hoarding the occasional (132) balls of used twine...Anyway,
large items can go to the curb for special
collection in October (none in July) and
smaller items can go in garbage bags during regular collection as long as you keep
within the limits of one black bag and five
clear bags for garbage, ten recyclable bags
and one compost cart. Or, pile the works
into your vehicle and take it all out to the
landfill! Clear bag rules apply there too,
but you can take up to 1,500 lbs per trip
for free! Who doesn't like free?!?
***********************************************
Dear Shabby,
My husband and I are planning to vacation in the Municipality this summer.
We're sailing from Rhode Island and
staying at a friends cottage for July and
August. We recycle, and wondering if
you recycle there too!
~ signed Travelin' Trish,
Newport, RI
it's back, and it
means business
Dear “Travelin' Trish”:
Looks like we have more in common than
the Atlantic! We separate our waste into
four streams: garbage (1 black + 5 clear),
compost, paper and recyclable materials
like plastic and metal (10 blue or clear
bags combined). Just bag it up and put
it out to the curb on garbage day. Your
cottage will be equipped with an organics
cart already...or at least access to one.
Even our boaters and other visitors recycle! We have public waste stations
throughout the Municipality, plus marinas have designated waste areas. So,
travel on, Trish! And don't be scared to
bring your trash!
***********************************************
Dear Reader,
If you are Wednesday Week B, don't plan
on putting your waste out on July 1. The
Municipality won't pick it up because
it's a HOLIDAY! They will pick it up
on July 4 instead. Oh, and the Landfill is
closed too until the next day.
Have a solid waste question? Ask Dear Shabby at solidwaste@chester.ca
!
RING!!
P
S
s
i
g th
Star tin
on cannot
ti
c
e
ll
o
c
l
ia
c
e
Even Fall sp
!!!
ORCEMENT
F
N
E
e
p
a
c
s
e
starring
INSPECTION · UNSORTED WASTE · REJECTION
read the 2015 waste for guidelines in
bag
and other
CALENDAR · SORTING · LIMITS · STUFF
Call 902-275-2330 or 902-275-1312 for a copy.
7
If you have questions about…
call this Department...
at this number
Animal Control (Dogs)
Animal Control Officer
902-277-0017
Bandstand/Gazebo rental (Wedding)
Recreation & Parks Department
902-275-3490
Boat Launches
Recreation & Parks Department
902-275-3490
Building Permits/Inspections
Building/Fire Inspection
902-275-3080
By-Laws
Community Development Dept
902-275-3080
Civic Numbering
Community Development Dept
902-275-2599
Composting
Solid Waste Dept/Public Works
Council Meetings
Administration/Tax Department
Fire Inspections
Building/Fire Inspection
Islands (use of)
Municipal Districts and Councillors
#1
East Chester, East River to Northwest Cove
Andre Veinotte
902-277-1409
#2
Simms Settlement, Hubbards to The Lodge
Floyd Shatford
902-857-9817
#3
Chester and part of East Chester
Brad Armstrong
902-275-3121
#4
902-275-2330/902-275-1312 902-275-3554
#5
Chester Basin and Chester Grant
Allen Webber
902-275-2536
902-275-3080
Gold River to Martins River
Robert Myra
902-627-2470
Recreation & Parks Department
902-275-3490
Kaizer Meadow
Solid Waste Department
902-275-2330
#6
New Ross and area
Tina Connors
902-679-4461
Municipal Sewer
Public Works Department
902-275-1312
After Hours Emergencies
1-888-664-6998
#7
Marriotts Cove, Windsor Road to Sherwood
Sharon Church-Cornelius
902-275-2281
Parks/Trails
Recreation & Parks Department
902-275-3490
Planning Areas
Community Development Dept
902-275-2599
Recycling
Solid Waste Dept/Public Works
Sewer (central system)
Public Works Department
Taxes
Administration/Tax Dept
Waste Collection
Solid Waste Dept/Public Works
Wharves
Public Works Department
Zoning
Community Development Dept
902-275-2330/902-275-1312 Provincial Contacts
Department of
902-275-1312
Environment........................................................... 902-543-4685
902-275-3554
Labour.................................................................... 902-543-0665
902-275-2330/902-275-1312
Natural Resources.................................................. 902-634-7555
Public Health.......................................................... 902-543-0850
902-275-1312
Transportation (Bridgewater)................................. 902-543-8169
902-275-2599
Transportation (Marriott’s Cove)........................... 902-275-3221
fax
mail
902-275-4771 151 King Street
P O Box 369
Chester NS B0J 1J0
email
For exact district boundaries, call the Municipal Office at 902-275-3554
or click on the “Inform” menu option on our website.
Property Valuation Services (Assessments)............1-800-380-7775
administration@chester.ca
building@chester.ca
planning@chester.ca
publicworks@chester.ca MP Gerald Keddy....................................................1-888-816-4446
recreation@chester.ca ................................................................................... 902-527-5655
solidwaste@chester.ca MLA Denise Peterson-Rafuse.................................1-877-740-3378
................................................................................... 902-279-3378
Royal Nova Scotia
International Tattoo
Bus Trip
Saturday, July 4
(register by noon on June 15)
$75
Explore Life
(includes tickets and transportation
to Scotiabank Centre)
With us this Summer
Pick-up at the New Ross Credit Union
and carpool parking lots at
Exits 9, 8, 7 and 6 on Highway #103.
Check your mailbox on June 9 for
your Guide to Recreation
PROCUREMENT
POLICY
Council recently adopted amendments
to our Procurement Policy (P-04). The
change reflect a 5% preference for local
businesses.
This means that when local businesses
and contractors bid on our tenders in the
low value procurement range, they will
Call Recreation & Parks at 902-275-3490 to
register or visit www.chester.ca.
get a 5% bonus added to their evalua- pieces, not just financial, and will hopetions. Local means within the Municipal- fully encourage more local businesses to
ity of the District of Chester.
bid on our tenders.
Low value procurement includes,
• goods up to and including $25,000
• services up to and including $50,000
• facilities up to and including $50,000
• construction up to and including
$100,000
The bonus will apply to all evaluation
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 Municipality. If you have
something to share, message us! We will post your event information or photos!
To view a copy of the Procurement Policy, and all policies, please visit our website at www.chester.ca under the Engage
menu and click on Bylaws and Policies.
For a paper copy, call us at 902-275-3554,
email administration@chester.ca, or
drop by the Municipal Office at 151 King
Street, Chester.
The Municipality is offering a
patch of garden to people in
the community who are willing
to pitch in. Water your way to
garden-fresh peas or carrots!
Some of the harvest goes to
the Lighthouse Food Bank, and
the rest is for the gardeners
and their families.
To get in on the "ground floor",
call 902-275-3555 ext. 1202 or
drop us an email at:
communications@chester.ca