No Parking-lot

Another school year with the same limited parking lot at Parkview Education Centre. Construction to separate school bus and private vehicle traffic has been delayed by the South Shore Regional School Board. The project will now be carried out next summer. Superintendent Nancy Pynch-Worthylake tells CKBW the late date in the current construction season and concerns for student safety drove the decision. Pynch-Worthylake says school and school board officials will work with students to address any safety concerns that may arise.

Chester Taxes

Tax rates are going up slightly in the Municipality of Chester. Warden Allan Webber says regrettably the trend of lowering the tax rate over the past four years could not be continued. Residential rates increase by 1.67 percent to 61 cents per 100 dollars of assessment. Commercial rates rise by 2.72 percent, to $1.51 up from $1.47. Council approved a 19.5 million dollar budget yesterday. Warden Webber says a number of factors came into play including the current global economic situation. One casualty of this budget is the proposed indoor swimming pool complex which has been cancelled. Webber says the project did not receive broad based public support for an expenditure of this magnitude.

Pavement vs Classrooms

A South Shore School Board member feels the province is putting asphalt ahead of student programming. Gary Mailman says the former government announced 2 million over 3 years for Parkview Education Centre and almost $250-thousand of that is to be used to construct a parking lot. Mailman says Parkview wasn't even identified as a Board priority, and he feels the money should be put into the Skills/Trades program. Mailman says New Germany Elementary and South Queens Junior High were overlooked by the province even though both schools were on the South Shore School Boards priority list.

Foley Lane Frustration

He's persistent, but it hasn't paid off. And Billy Rhodenizer says he won't be asking Town Council anymore about upgrades to Foley Lane. The street needs storm sewer, curbing and gutter work to bring it up to standards but has never been considered an operational imperative. Mayor Carroll Publicover says he knows there is a possible development planned for the area and feels the street will be upgraded down the road. The Foley Lane upgrade was scrapped from the 2008/09 budget when a tender for the project came in over budget by almost 200 thousand dollars.

Tax Rate Held

2009-06-03 06:08:51

Tax rates in Bridgewater are being held at the same level as last year.  Town council unanimously passed a budget last night keeping the residential rate at $1.628 and the commercial rate at $3.721 per one hundred dollars assessment.  Mayor Carroll Publicover says higher assessments and some department cost cutting helped them to achieve the status quo with rates.  Publicover says they are hoping to expand town services while keeping taxes in check.  The mayor says fortunately the province hasn't been as hard hit by the recession as other areas like Ontario.

Moved by Deputy Mayor Walker, seconded by Councillor Ritcey that Town Council for the Town of Bridgewater approve the 2009/2010 budget tabled as follows:                1.           the Capital Budget in the amount of $3,136,951, which is partially funded by borrowing $200,000 from the capital reserve fund to be repaid in equal annual payments over 10 years with interest paid annually at a rate of 6%;               2.           Operating expenditures in the amount of $16,347,022 which includes $404,948 Capital out of Revenue; $110,116 Transfer to Reserves; and $1,214,638 for Principal Repayment;               3.           the Operating Revenue of $16,347,022;               4.           Commercial Tax Rate including Business Occupancy Tax Rate to be set at $3.721 per $100 of the full assessed value of the property;               5.           Residential Tax to remain at $1.628 per $100 of the adjusted assessed value after cap;                6.           a special purpose parking tax for all commercial assessment in the parking services district as follows:                              i.             $0.0743 per $100 of the assessed value for all commercial property assessments except for those occupied by financial institutions; and                              ii.            $3.198 per $100 of the assessed value for commercial property assessments for those occupied by financial institutions; and               7.           the interest rate paid on reserves be set at 0%. And that the final tax bill will become due on Wednesday, September 30, 2009; and that the interest rate on overdue accounts be set at 12% per annum, charged at 1% per month.  Motion Carried.

Adult School Spared

2009-05-28 09:43:13

A reprieve for the Adult High School in Bridgewater.  The South Shore Regional School Board has been able to rework its budget and continue to fund the adult program Lunenburg campus.  Superintendent Nancy Pynch-Worthylake says the school was on the chopping block because there  were not enough funds in the Boards budget to continue its operation. The Board approved a draft balanced budget but has yet to receive its final revenue figures from the Department of Education.

Health Dollars

2009-05-14 06:22:39

South Shore Health is still waiting for specifics on a government anouncement on projects at the hospitals in Bridgewater and Liverpool.   C-E-O Kevin McNamara says it's abnormal for them to be told they are getting financial help but not the amount or when they can expect it.  But he says it is positive to know what projects the funding has been approved for.  He says another challenge is that the district is still waiting for budget figures from the province. McNamara says they may end up in a situation where they would have to make cuts or adjustments to their budget but in a shorter time span. While campaigning with Peter Zwicker and Carolyn Bollivar Getson Wednesday, Premier Rodney MacDonald told CKBW News the funding for the projects at South Shore Regional amounted to 12-million dollars.

Election Budget

2009-05-05 06:15:18

What started out as a budget document is now a plank in the Conservative's election platform.    Premier Rodney MacDonald will pay a visit to the province's lieutenant-governor this morning.    That's when he is expected to ask Mayann Francis for an election on June 9th.    MacDonald's minority Conservative government was defeated last evening after losing a vote to amend the Provincial Finance Act.    Both opposition parties had repeatedly said they would not support the bill.    The defeat means this year's budget would have a 260-million dollar deficit.    Expect the political rhetoric to have both the Premier and the opposition blaming each other for forcing us to the polls this summer.

The ballots aren't quite set yet for the five ridings on the south shore. There are two more nomination meetings to come, and both of them involve the Progressive Conservatives.

Community Services minister at dissolution, Judy Streatch is running again in Chester St. Margaret's.  The Liberals will have JoAnn Grant and Denise Peterson-Rafuse is running for the NDP.
In Lunenburg, Rick Welsford is on the ballot for the Liberals and Pam Birdsall for the NDP.  The Conservatives will be chosing between Ron Allen and Peter Zwicker at their nomination meeting tomorrow in Mahone Bay.
Lunenburg West has Natural Resources minister Carolyn Bollivar Getson for the PC's running against Mark Furey for the Liberals and Gary Ramey for the NDP.
In Queens, incumbant New Democrat Vicki Conrad is on the ballot against Wayne Henley of the Liberals and a Conservative candidate who will be chosen next Monday.
And in Shelburne, Sterling Belliveau will be working to hold the seat for the NDP while running against Eddie Nickerson of the Conservatives and Darian Huskilson of the Liberals.

MODL Taxes

2009-05-01 06:52:29

The Municipality of the District of Lunenburg is holding the line on its tax rates at 79 cents per $100 of assessment for residential and a $1.92 per 100 for commercial.  Mayor Don Downe says Council approved a good budget responsible to the needs of the municipality but which enables the municipality to move forward with the provision of services to the residents.  Highlights include a "Compassionate Tax Policy " to provide relief to low income property owners, a grant support staff position, investment in infrastructure at Osprey Village, promotion of active living and enhanced recreational opportunities, meeting environmental obligations and sustainability initiatives.

Car Show Cash

2009-04-28 08:51:53

Bridgewater Town Council has decided not to back an antique auto show projected to draw 10,000 visitors creating a projected economic spinoff of more than $600,000.  The Great Atlantic Antique Automotive Show requested $3,000 from Town Council to help market the two day show July 17th to the 19th at the MARC in Dayspring.  Mayor Carroll Publicover says Council voted 4 to 3 against referring the request to budget deliberations, partly because they needed an immediate answer, and the request came in late. The group is also approaching the councils of Mahone Bay and town of Lunenburg for support, and has already received considerable support from the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg.

R-o-Queens Budget

2009-04-21 06:01:04

It's a status quo budget for the Region of Queens Municipality as far as tax rates.. Mayor John Leefe says Council was able to hold the line on residental rates at 88 cents per 100 dollars of assessemnt for Districts 1 to 12.  Tax rates for Liverpool also remain unchanged at $1.85 per $100 of assessment.  Commercial rates are going up in all districts by 8 cents due to the phase out of the Business Occupancy Assessment.  Leefe says the greatest challenge for the Region will come into play next year with the loss of 1.6 million in revenue from the Nova Scotia Power  Corporation grant.   Leefe says the implementation won't take effect till the next fiscal year, April 1st, 2010. A number of other municipal units will also be affected by the province wide re-evaluation of Nova Scotia Power properties.