Share the Warmth

It's only Fall but the cold weather will be on us before you know it. Atlantic Fabric's in Oakhill is presenting its ninth annual "Share the Warmth" next Monday and Tuesday, September 27th and 28th from 9am till 9pm at the Bridgewater Fire Hall. Atlantic Fabrics is donating quilt batting, thread and backing for quilts and customers are being asked to donate their scrap fabrics for the quilt tops. People are also being asked to volunteer some time to make up the quilts which will be distributed to the areas shelters for bedding.
In the past six years, volunteers have collectively made over 28 hundred quilts which are now being enjoyed at over 14 shelters and organizations across the province.

Solar Energy for Town Hall

It came down to quality. Bridgewater Town Council has approved a tender for the supply and installation of of a solar thermal energy system at Town Hall. Scotian Renewables was awarded the contract for 102 thousand 721 dollars, over budget by 22 thousand dollars. Mayor Carroll Publicover says despite the overrun, it was the best way to go. The company achieved a better all-round design with higher quality components, a stronger offering of customer service, and better and more qualified corporate experience. Funding for the project is coming from the Federal Gas Tax. The Town can expect to achieve a simple payback of its solar costs in about 6 to 8 years.

Business Excellence Awards

Eighteen businesses in Lunenburg and Queens have been selected as finalists from more than 100 nominations received for the Lunenburg Queens Business Excellence Awards.The category winners will be announced at the gala Awards Dinner being held this year at Atlantica Hotel & Marina Oak Island on October 4th, 2010. As well as the honour of being deemed leader in their category, the finalists will be vying for a beautiful plaque crafted by Amos Pewter of Mahone Bay. The Nominations are:

ENTREPRENEURIAL AWARD:
Helping Nature Heal, TecBox, and The Nodding Group
EXPORT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD:
MacIntyre-Purcell Publishing Ltd., HEKA Electronics Inc., and LP East River (Canexel)
HOSPITALITY AWARD:
Fleur de Sel Restaurant, Bridgewater Comfort Inn, and White Point
LARGE BUSINESS AWARD:
High Liner Foods Inc., J.M. Reynolds Pharmacy, and Julien’s Pastry Shop Ltd.
NEW BUSINESS AWARD:
School House Gluten-Free Gourmet, Able Engineering Services Inc., and Apple Berry Farm Market
SMALL BUSINESS AWARD:
Windhorse Farm, Meisner & Zwicker Construction Ltd., and Safe Home Security

The guest speaker at this years awards ceremony is Aileen Reid, Founder and CEO, A.P. Reid Insurance Stores Limited.

BIDDING FOR MUSIC

The Region of Queens Municipality is funding a bidding war.

Council awarded ten thousand dollars to a group trying to bring Nova Scotia Music to the Region of Queens in 2011.

Mayor John Leefe says there is no guarantee, but hopes their contribution will land them the winning bid.

"We anticipate that this will be a good investment at a low tourism time of the year, to encourage people to come and stay in Queens and enjoy all the wonderful things that are here, including wonderful music, " says Leefe.

The municipality will find out if they won the bidding war during this year's Music Week which gets underway in Yarmouth on November 4th.

CAP SYSTEM 'UNFAIR', MAYOR LEEFE

The Region of Queens Municipality Mayor says the Provincial CAP system is hurting the people its supposed to protect.

John Leefe says many of his constituents don't realize how harmful the taxation system is to the value of their homes and their savings in the bank.

"The people who capping was supposed to assist most is people on low incomes, which almost always is people who live in modest housing. Modest housing does not increase in value as much as rapidly as more upscale housing, yet it's upscale housing that tends to be capped," says Leefe.

Leefe says homeowners who want to maintain a cap on their homes are also reluctant to sell, and that's stunting the real estate market.

The municipality is recommending the CAP system be phased out and replaced with a series of low income exemptions and deferral programs.

The province says the system was introduced in 1995 to protect Nova Scotians from dramatic increases in market values.

OPERATION IMPACT

Lunenburg County RCMP will be undertaking a traffic initiative from October 8th to the 11th. Called OPERATION IMPACT, the enforcement-driven initiative is designed to increase public compliance with safe driving measures and ultimately, to save lives. Part of the activities will involve targeted enforcement in the areas of impaired driving. The other part is an education campaign to address the importance of safe driver behaviour. The Mounties also want to raise the public's awareness of Road Safety Vision 2012- to make Canada's roads the safest in the world.

Supporting the Arts

The province is seeking advice and opinions from the arts and culture sector on government's role in supporting and fostering artistic and cultural activity. Public meeting are scheduled for a number of communities including the Town of Liverpool on Wednesday Ocober 6th from 7 to 9:30pm at the Lions Hall on Gorham Street. Percy Paris, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage says with the consultation, government is taking the first step toward keeping its commitment to address governance and funding for the arts and culture sector. A summary report will be made public after the consultation process.
Information regarding the online, mail and fax surveys is available at www.gov.ns.ca/tch/culture-consultation.asp .

Anterless Deer Stamps Available

Hunters are getting another shot at for antlerless deer stamps. The Department of Natural Resources has announced that 688 antlerless deer stamps are still available for deer management zone 103, which includes Lunenburg County,Halifax and parts of Hants, Queens, Kings and Annapolis counties.
The remaining stamps will be available on a first-come,
first-serve basis starting at 7 a.m.,today Wednesday, September 22nd. Applicants are reminded that antlerless deer stamps are not transferrable or refundable and you may apply only once.
To apply for one of the zone 103 stamps applicants must:
-- be a resident of Nova Scotia
-- be eligible to hold a 2010 deer hunting licence
-- be 16 years of age or over
-- hold a Nova Scotia Wildlife Resources Card
-- not already hold a 2010 antlerless deer stamp in any deer management zone
-- not have suspended hunting privileges

Applications will be accepted by phone at 1-900-565-3337 or at www.gov.ns.ca/natr/draws/deerdraw/ for $7.25 plus HST. Calls cannot be made from cellphones.

ROCKY ROAD FOR THE REGION OF QUEENS

The Mayor of the Region of Queens says the municipality should not be paving the way for the province.

John Leefe says the municipality should not have to pay the Department of Transportation for maintenance of J-class roads in the region.

"They're are not municipally owned roads, yet the province is requiring the municipality to take property taxes for maintenance and service. Really, we shouldn't have to pay anything towards them...but we are required and we have no choice, " says Leefe.

Leefe says the the municipality is being discriminated-against.

He says they pay more than 250 thousand dollars in annual maintenance when regions, like Clare, pay nothing.

Leefe says the same bureaucrats who created the payment mandate in 1995 are still in power today.

PURCHASES APPROVED, REGION OF QUEENS MUNICIPALITY

Region of Queens Municipal council has approved a 14 thousand dollar budget for new computers and a server system for their offices.

Mayor John Leefe says the current system is seven years old and is long overdue for the garbage heap.

The purchase will be funded from the Computer Equipment Reserve.

Meanwhile, council has also approved the purchase of a 2010 Chevrolet Canyon four-wheel drive truck.

The extended cab pickup truck will replace the Bylaw Enforcement Department truck that was recently damaged in an accident.

STAND-OFF ON ITALY CROSS ROAD

A Lunenburg County man is facing charges after an armed standoff with police.

Lunenburg County RCMP responded to a complaint last night of a combative, intoxicated man at an address on Italy Cross Road.

Police say they were immediately engaged in standoff with a male suspect who was brandishing a knife.

After a few minutes, the subject was subdued and taken into custody.

He will appear in Bridgewater Court later today to face charges of 'Breach of Probation' and 'Possession of a Weapon Dangerous to the Public Peace'.

Anyone with more information on this incident is asked to contact Lunenburg County RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

HIDE-AND-GO THIEF

Many children slip under the bed to hide from ghosts and goblins but one local robber decided to use the same ploy to hide from police.

Shelburne RCMP responded to a call of a break and enter on Woodlawn Drive on Saturday night.

While at the scene, police received a second report of a break and enter down the road.

Police say they eventually found the seventeen-year-old hiding under the bed.

The accused Shelburne resident appeared in Yarmouth Provincial Court on Monday to face two charges of break and enter and one charge of breaching probation.

Hydrant Fees

The Municipality of Luneburg has accepted a cost-sharing proposal from the Northfield Fire Department regarding funding of the hydrant fee. The fire department was asked to cost-share the maintenance fees for hydrants along MacCulloch (Ma-CULL-ah) Road and within the Exit 12/Osprey Village Development. The department has agreed to pay two thousand dollars in 2010 and 11. The hydrant fees will increase to three thousand dollars for 2012 and 13 and five thousand dollars for 2014. Fire Chief John McKay says the fire department will re-evaluate its support at the end of 2014 unless expenses increase to the point the department cannot afford the payments. Should that happen, the department will hold discussions with council to either alter or stop the payments.

Bridgewater Bails on Bus System

Bridgewater is backing out of being part of a joint-transit system proposal for the next two years. Along with Bridgewater,the towns of Mahone Bay and Lunenburg, and the Municipality of Lunenburg were exploring the implementation of a a hybrid Lunenburg County model, integrating fixed route services with on-demand services . Studies show start-up costs for a municipally owned and operated service could total more than 555 thousand dollars to be cost-shared between the partner units. Allocated TRIPP funding for an analysis and action plan will be put into a reserve fund.

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.