Cemetery Vandalism

RCMP in Queens County are investigating an incident of vandalism at the Catholic cemetery in Liverpool . Several headstones in the College Street cemetery were damaged sometime between Friday March 12th and Monday March 15th. Anyone having any information regarding the damage is asked to contact the Liverpool Office of the RCMP at 354-5721.

Top Mountie Moving On

Just about a year ago he took an unpaid leave to enter provincial politics, now Staff Sgt. Mark Furey is making another move. The RCMP Commander of the Lunenburg County detachment is taking a one year posting to Kosovo. He leaves the job he's held here since August 2008 at the end of this month. Staff Sgt. Furey will be working in the senior levels of the Kosovo Police Service. His replacement has not been named.
Furey ran for the Liberal party in Lunenburg West in the last provincial election. He finished in third place. The seat was won by NDP candidate Gary Ramey who ousted former Conservative cabinet Minster Carolyn Bolivar-Getson.

RCMP Reduction

Usually its a call for more police officers but the Region of Queens is asking the Justice Minster for a reduction of RCMP service levels by one member. Mayor John Leefe says about four years ago Council increased the budgeting for RCMP officers by two . The purpose was to get a handle on street crime. However, two years later the province introduced a program aimed at preventing street crime and fully funds the Integrated Street Crime Units across the province.. Leefe says
Queens and Lunenburg Counties work together with RCMP members from both detachments along with the Bridgewater Police Service.

Queens Place Operating Budget

A first year operating budget for the proposed Queens Place recreation centre show a deficit of almost 255 thousand dollars. Region of Queens Mayor John Leefe says the figures are for the first full year of operation which will be from April 1st, 2012 to March 31st, 2013. He says the numbers are based on the long term experience of the Queens Memorial Arena Association, the Queens Fitness group, and projections based on talks with operators of similar facilities.
Leefe says on the expenditure side the total operating deficit is projected to be 254 thousand 508 dollars, but he says offsets include an increase of one-half percent in the deed transfer tax which will be totally dedicated to defraying the operating cost. Also he says there will be ongoing revenue sources such as the landfill reserves to reduce the deficit to 177 thousand which will be supported by an increase of about two cents on the tax rate.

Agricultural Safety Week

Farmers are being encouraged to make the health and safety of their workers a priority during Canadian Agricultural Safety Week which runs until Saturday. Plan - Farm - Safety is the theme of a three-year campaign that focuses on farmers developing a farm safety plan for their business. This year, the campaign will promote the plan component of the theme with safety walkabouts and planning. Next year, the farm component will include implementing, documenting and training. The third year will emphasize the safety component, including assessing, improving and further developing of safety systems.

Protect the Bay

A group of residents from St Margaret's Bay have joined together to let the government know they aren't happy with plans for a connector road between the Bay and Highway 103. Resident, Sean Kirby says the $10 million dollars budgeted for the connector could be used for more important things such as education and health care. He added the proposed connector is a shameful waste of taxpayers' money at a time when the province faces so many challenges.

For more information visit www.protectthebay.ca

Roseway Manor CLOSED

An influenza outbreak has caused the Roseway Manor in Shelburne to close until further notice. If anyone has any questions, you can call the RN Supervisor at 875-4707, ext 224.