Temporary Traffic Lights for Haven Drive

Trying to get on North Street from Eisenhaur Place or Lahave Heights will get a little easier in the near future. Town Council has awarded the tenders for temporary traffic lights at Haven Drive. Solar Signals Inc. of Ontario has been awarded almost 19 thousand dollars for the supply of the majority of the components. The one exception, a separate tender for 22 hundred dollars to Tacel Ltd. of Ontario for the pedestrian push buttons. That company's push buttons are more rugged and vandal resistant than all the other manufacturers. The target date to have the lights operational is November 1st.

Cemetery Commission to be Dissolved

Bridgewater Town Council is in the process of undertaking the dissolution of the Brookside Cemetery Commission. Deputy-Mayor David Walker who also chairs the Cemetery Commission says it was discussed for a private operation to come in, however, the cemetery will be run and operated by Town staff. The Commission itself recommended to Council to begin the dissolution process conditional on the development of a mechanism to assure community input and involvement. The Commission manages the Brookside Cemetery which is owned and operated by the Town. The management function of the Commission allows its members to make "Binding" agreements for the perpetual care and maintenance in good order, or for any designated time of any lot, grave, tomb, monument or enclosure in the Cemetery. The Cemetery Commission for the Town of Bridgewater has managed Brookside Cemetery since 1930.

Bridgewater Listed by WCB

It's a list the Town of Bridgewater doesn't want to be on. The Worker's Compensation Board has named the town on its list of employers with bad safety records. The list is 16 percent longer this year. WCB reports that 92 employers will receive a surcharge in 2011, up from 79 this year. An employer’s claims costs must be at least three times their industry average for at least four consecutive years to be surcharged. Surcharges are cumulative and can add an additional 20 per cent to a firm’s base rate each year. Before they are surcharged, employers receive two warnings – one in each of the preceding two years.
Mayor Carroll Publicover says the CAO is looking into the matter and will report on the impact on the town in terms of dollars, and how to get off the list. Publicover says he doesn't have the specifics, but they're probably public works kind of accidents that made the list and the police force could even come into play.

LIFE RAFT AND WRECKAGE RE-IGNITE SEARCH

Search Boats are back out on the water today after a life raft capsule and life ring were found.

Both items, marked with "RLJ" were found yesterday evening by two fishing vessels headed to sea.

Police say the life raft capsule appeared to be intact and it is believed the raft is still inside.

The fishing vessel "RLJ" was last heard from on September 10th. At the time she was six nautical miles from St. Martins, New Brunswick.

RCMP from Digby Detachment and RCMP Patrol Vessel "Preventor" continue to search the waters of the Bay of Fundy today.

The initial search effort was called off on September 14th.

THIRD PARTY WILL CONDUCT CENSUS

The village of Chester is planning on distributing a census.

The voluntary questionnaire will be used to gather information regarding residents and business owners within the village limits.

Iris Tolliver with the Chester commission says council came up with the idea when planning for Lido pool.

"When they were going to do their renovations with the Lido pool. The question came up, 'how many people who use the pool live within the village boundaries?' The information was no where to be available and the idea gained momentum from that," says Tolliver.

Tolliver says both council members and Chester citizens questioned the merit, privacy and accountability of a commission-made report.

That's when council decided to bring in a third party.

Tolliver says the party has not been selected and the cost of the project is still undetermined.

PARK PLAN PROCESS SLOW, SAYS MAYOR

Mahone Bay Town Council is getting the cold shoulder.

Town council has seen a slow response to their proposal to turn the waterfront into a designated park.

Mayor Joseph Feeny says he has yet receive word from the three churches and the proprietor of the Teazer gift shop has said they're not interested.

Feeny says some people who use the area bring with them loud music, noisy cars, foul language and drinking. But not everyone uses the space the same way.

"The problem for the RCMP officer is, if he tells me to leave because I'm being noisy. He has to tell you to leave, regardless of whether your being noisy or not because that's the way it is. Everyone has to be treated the same," says Feeny.

Feeny says erecting signs with closure times for the area would help give police some control.

If plans for Edgewater Park are approved the area would be closed to the public from 11 pm to 5 am, every night.