Mahone Bay Purchases Watershed Lands

Mahone Bay is taking steps to better protect its water supply.

Town council has purchased two parcels of land bordering Oakland Lake.

Mayor Joe Feeny says the ten acres was acquired as part of an ongoing attempt to protect the town's watershed.

It was six months ago when the town first bid on the property.

Chief Administrative Officer, James Wentzell, says purchasing the land through a tax sale led to processing delays, but removed large leans on the property from the previous owner.

The town now owns six lake-side properties.

Drug Sentencing

Production and trafficking marijuana has netted a Queens County man a year and a-half on house arrest. Thirty-six year old Craig Allan Whynot of Brooklyn received a conditional sentence which includes house arrest to be followed by a year on probation.Whynot was also charged with careless use of a firearm. Police discovered a large quantity of freshly harvested marihuana drying in an outbuilding in Milton, and a large quantity of marihuana at Whynot's property in Brooklyn. Whynot was also fined 31 hundred dollars after pleading guilty to possession of illegal cigarettes. His spouse, 35 year old Jennifer Lynn Westhaver was sentenced to 12 months probation and fined 15 hundred dollars on a charge of possession of marijuana.

School Gray Zones Meetings

The South Shore Regional School Board will be hosting public meetings to discuss current gray zones in specific catchment areas. The Board is reviewing areas from which students are attending more than one school. Options will
be discussed at the meeting where the public will have an opportunity to ask questions and share ideas. The first meeting was held last night and other sessions are set for September 27th, 28th and 29th.
MEETING DETAILS:
Location: Forest Heights Community School
DATE: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH 2010
Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Schools involved: Chester District Elementary School and Gold River Western Shore Elementary School
Current Option Area: Route 12 from cr. Hwy 3 in Chester Basin to and including the Lacey Mines Road.
o These students currently have the option of going to either Chester District Elementary School or Gold River Western Shore

DATE: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH
Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Place: Bridgewater Junior/Senior High School
Schools involved: Bridgewater Elementary School, Pentz Elementary School and Hebbville Academy
Option Area: Gravel section of Hillside Drive, Meadowbrook Subdivision.
o These students currently have the option of going to Bridgewater Elementary, Pentz Elementary or Hebbville Academy

Location: West Northfield Elementary School
DATE: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH
Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Schools involved: New Germany Rural High School and Park
Option Areas:
o From Bridgewater Town Limits, to and including, the Bruhm Road along Highway 10
o Junction of Hwy 10 and Pine Grove Road to the Dauphinee Road (across from cemetery on Pine Grove Road)
o From Bridgewater Town Limits to and including the Bruhm Bridge along the Lower Branch Germany Rural High and
Park View Education Centre.

Break,Enter & Theft Charges

A Bridgewater man is facing charges in connection with the theft of laptops from a Wileville residence. The 19 year old male has been charged with break enter and theft in relation to an incident on July 22nd. The teen is also facing charges of assault, threats and breach of undertaking on unrelated matters. He has been released on conditions and will appear for pleas in Bridgewater Provincial Court on October 6th.

Queens Place Open House

The public is invited to an open house and information session regarding Queens Place Recreation and Community Facility. Staff and architects will be available to discuss all aspects of Queens Place including design and construction, operations and programs, budgets and fundraising and opportunities for development. The open house is slated for next Wednesday, September 22nd from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Best Western.

International Student Orientation

International Students who will be attending South Shore schools will undergo two days of orientation at White Point Beach Resort beginning today. Trish Smith, Communications Director for the South Shore Regional School Board says on the first day students will relax, get to know one another, and take part in recreational activities and have opportunities to practice English and share cultures. Day two will cover cultural information and Canadian law, among other things. Smith says this is a time for students to meet other International Students as well as staff and host parents involved in the program.

Sewer Service for Shore Road Residents

Shore Road residents say they no longer want to be responsibility for dumping raw sewage in Lunenburg harbour. The properties in the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg border approximately 500 meters of Lunenburg harbour shoreline in an area almost at the centre of the eastern side of the harbour. Municipal Council has accepted the residents' petitions and authorized staff to explore the feasibility of extending the services to the properties. Mayor Don Downe says until a study is done to determine the actual cost and have acceptance from the Town to work on the issue, it will still be a few months in the process.

Facilitator for Oakland Area Advisory Committee

The Municipality of Lunenburg is providing a facilitator to work with the Oakland Advisory Committee in hopes of healing a division within the group. The community has been at odds since a proposed development of a subdivision a number of years ago. Mayor Don Downe says Council is trying to show leadership and attempt to bridge the views of the groups members. The Municipality has approved a thousand dollars to hire a facilitator to conduct at least one meeting with the Advisory Area Committee.

MAHONE BAY TO MAKE THEIR OWN WAY

Mahone Bay will have to fund the paving of two roads without the help of the Province.

Council submitted cost-sharing proposals to both the Department of Highways and Transportation and the Department of Municipal Services for the paving of Edgewater and Main Street.

Both departments declined to provide financing.

Mayor Joseph Feeny says that means plans for repairs to the town wharf will have to wait until next year.

He says council has seen a steep decline in provincial support.

"We've always argued because our main street is part of the provincial government highway system it's not fair we get treated (this way). We one time used to get assistance from the Department to help with ditching and snow plowing and maintenance... well that's now since gone by the by, " says Feeny.

The paving of both roads will cost approximately 250 thousand dollars.

PURCHASE OF LAKESIDE PROPERTY CONFIRMED

Mahone Bay is expanding its real estate horizons.

Town council has purchased two parcels of land bordering Oakland Lake.

Mayor Joseph Feeny says the ten acres was acquired as part of an ongoing attempt to protect the town's watershed.

"We, over the past three to five years, have been gradually, when the opportunity arose, purchasing pieces of property as they became available on the market," says Feeny.

It was six months ago when the town first bid on the properties.

Chief Administrative Officer, James Wentzell, says purchasing the land through a tax sale led to processing delays, but removed large leans on the property from the previous owner.

The town now owns six lake-side properties.

PLEASANTFIELD THEFT

Queens County RCMP are investigating a theft.

Police say thieves entered a property on Highway 8 in Pleasantfield.

Two large batteries were removed from a truck and a quantity of electrical wire was taken from a sawmill located on the property.

Anyone with information on this crime is asked to contact Queens County RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

MAHONE BAY AT LOW RISK OF WASTE-WATER OVERFLOWS AND SPILLS

Mahone Bay has been designated as a low risk region for wastewater overflow and spillage.

That rating means council won't need to upgrade the system for thirty years.

The designation is part of a Canada-wide strategy by the Public Works Department to determine the sewage treatment needs of each region based on their size, industrial activity and proximity to coastal regions.

The evaluations were conducted by the "Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment" for the" Management of Municipal Wastewater Effluent".

MAHONE BAY TO GET NEW LIGHTING AND A TRUCK

Mahone Bay town council has decided to light up Main Street with some new LED lighting.

Forty dark-sky friendly lights will be installed by "LED Roadway Lighting" of Amherst.

The tender was awarded at Tuesday night's council meeting at a cost of more than 33- thousand dollars.

Fifty percent of that cost will be subsidized by an Eco grant from the Nova Scotia Department of Environment.

Mayor Joseph Feeny says eventually the lights will be installed throughout the whole town.

Council also approved the purchase of a new 4WD 1-ton Dodge truck, complete with a plow and Combination Dump-Box Spreader, at a cost $64,800.00

SEARCH ENDS FOR MISSING SCALLOP DRAGGER AND ITS CREW

The search for four crewmen from a scallop dragger that failed to return to port from a fishing trip on the Bay of Fundy has ended in heartache.

The search for the dragger R-L-J was called off last night after officials conceded no one could have survived whatever happened to the vessel.

The 13-metre boat from Digby went out last week and was supposed to return home Sunday.

Riverfront Renaissance Celebration

There's a party planned for downtown Bridgewater on next month. The cause for celebration is the completion of improvements to the downtown waterfront including King Street Court. The park is one of the phases of a multi-year
Riverfront Renaissance project and includes the fountain in the LaHave River between the two bridges. Town Council has approved up to 15 hundred dollars for the community celebration and to cover any shortfall. Other improvements include a look-off point and the installation of interpretive panels. The community celebration is set for Saturday October 2nd from 9:30 a.m till 2 p.m.

Traffic Disruptions

It's a nuisance, but a necessary evil. Traffic in downtown Bridgewater will be disrupted for the next couple of weeks as infrastructure upgrades continue. Town Engineer Harland Wyand says crews are replacing storm sewer and sanitary sewer systems and water mains that in some cases are more than 50 years old. Crews are currently working at the King and Dufferin Street intersection and on Dufferin Street to Alexandra Avenue. Work is expected to take about 6 weeks to approximately November 1st, and is carried out from 7am to 7pm daily. Motorists are advised to use alternate routes.

State Your Name

Be prepared to give your name if you file a dangerous and unsightly premises complaint in the Municipality of Lunenburg. A ratepayer or resident can no longer remain anonymous. Councillor Basil Oickle says he's opposed because people will be reluctant to identify themselves fearing repercussions. Municipal Council approved a motion that each complaint must be accompanied by a name and the matter will be followed up within 14 days. A person's name could eventually be revealed through a request under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIPOP) Act.

Be Quiet

Noise complaints associated with an automotive event at the Exhibition grounds is prompting Bridgewater Town Council to consider implementing a Noise By-law. Councillor Greg Ritcey says he fielded 14 calls regarding the South Shore in Motion Festival. He says he fully supports the festival but perhaps the organizers could look at rescheduling the events or change its hours to end earlier in the evening, even extending the event over a longer period such as a week. Bridgewater Town Council is looking at possibly implementing a Noise By-law. Mayor Carroll Publicover says the challenge is to encompass all the types of noise violations . Noise issues are currently covered under several Town By-laws and Provincial Legislation

AIR & SEA SEARCH FOR MISSING NOVA SCOTIA FISHING VESSEL & ITS CREW OF FOUR

Aircraft and ships are continuing a search for a fishing boat with four people on board that's missing in the Bay of Fundy.

So far, the search has turned up some debris, but it's not known whether it's from the scallop dragger "R-L-J" out of Digby.

A life-jacket and a picnic cooler have been found.

The 13-metre vessel went out fishing last week and was due back in port Sunday but failed to show up.

The vessel's last known position was east of Saint John.

The names of those on board have not been released.

Developer Seeks Amendments

The developer of a major multi-phased housing project is now seeking changes to the proposal. Jo-Lo Developments received approval from Bridgewater Town Council in June 2007 to construct a project consisting of 224 condo units, including semis, townhouses and multi unit residential buildings off Glen Allen Drive. The developer now wants an amendment to reduce the rear yard setbacks 4 units in Phases 1, 3, 5 and 7 due to rock issues and the wider public street right-of-way requirements.
Town Planner Eric Shaw says the changes are substantive and there are a number of outstanding issues that have to be resolved. A number of Hollingsworth Drive residents have also expressed concern over the construction timeline. Council endorsed the planners recommendation that the applicant submit all outstanding requirements for review before the matter can be scheduled for a public participation meeting.