- District #7 Newsletter
Warden Sherman Embree
Newsletter: District Seven Councillor: April 2010
Warden Embree would like to share coffee and tea with you on Saturday April 10 at 10AM at the Little Harbour Community Hall for an hour or two to discuss and hear your views on municipal government issues. Please join me.
We have had a very satisfying year in municipal government with the 2009/10 budget. We have kept within our budget while delivering the services the community needs and wants in my view. We have also initiated some necessary projects related to our municipal infrastructure and services such as a new sewage treatment plant, recruitment of medical doctors and reducing the costs of waste collection. The municipality has also been part of the lobbying to get Highway 103 bypass approved at Port Mouton / Robertson Lake, to stabilize the ownership of Shelburne Ship Repair and to do trimming and clearing near sections of power lines that were creating problems. There have also been a number of changes with staff retirements and position changes. Municipal staff have developed their skills and are very productive in delivering the recreation programs the community wants, in effectively seeking sources of financial support for projects, in reviewing municipal policies and bylaws and providing the services the community needs. All this is being done to assure our quality of life and set the best conditions we can for sustainable economic development and jobs in our area.
I relate all this because we are about to start our budget discussions for the next fiscal year 2010 / 2011. We want and need your input to this budget. Please contact me anytime with your comments on municipal services that you think should be reduced or increased, new services desired or any other budget ideas you may have. We will be focusing on the projects identified by your involvement in developing our Integrated Community Sustainability Plan which you can see on our website.
As you have read in the newspaper and heard on the news the MDS has chosen to do its own community and economic development services rather than have the South West Shore Development Authority provide those services. We are using our own staff to implement our Integrated Community Sustainability Plan. Also, in the near future, we will be discussing the development of a Shelburne County focused Regional Development Authority in cooperation with adjacent municipalities.
The municipalities in Shelburne County have also initiated exploratory and information gathering discussions regarding possible amalgamation of some municipalities. No options have been decided or eliminated as we are only now determining how to research the benefits, consequences or effects on the social and economic viability of our communities and our quality of life. We have had an introduction to the topic by Queens Regional Municipality Mayor John Leefe on their experience and a brief on the legal and public process involved by the provincial municipal advisor. I am interested on your views on this subject and the information you would wish to know before your Council pursued such an action.
During the winter several community meetings were held for the Little Harbour Volunteer Fire Department. The recommendation from those meetings, accepted by Council, was to continue the area fire rate of $0.10 per $100 of residential assessment for a maximum of three more years. It will be used to pay off loans already made to buy and refurbish the departments fire trucks.
Most of us continue to follow the development of the provincial Broadband wireless Internet service to our communities. There are four towers servicing District 7. Towers numbers 209 and 302 are already on air servicing some or all of the following communities: West Middle Sable, Sable River, East Sable River, Port L’Hébert and Little Port L’Hébert. Tower number 203 is due on air by the end of April servicing all or part of West Middle Sable, Rockland, Lydgate, Little Harbour, East Side Ragged Island and Canada Hill. Tower number 210 is to be on air by the end of May servicing all or part of West Middle Sable, Louis Head, Little Port L’Hébert, Little Harbour, East Sable River and East Side of Ragged Island. This is the expectation but we should be prepared for shadow areas where service is limited or other teething problems. Eastlink continues to develop this service that many will very much appreciate.
Our community is a better place because of Volunteers. Our fire departments, community halls, sports teams, many school activities, litter pick up programs, markets, recreational and social activities could not happen without volunteers. Our blessings are too numerous to count. You add to the quality of life we enjoy. Thank you very much.
Again, Councillor Embree would like to share coffee and tea with you on Saturday April 10 at 10AM at the Little Harbour Community Hall.
Call me with your comments on municipal issues. I’m at 656-2793 at home, 874-0160 on cell phone or at 875-3544 ext 221. I live at 1784 East Sable River Road if you wish to stop by. I’m also available at warden@municipalityofshelburne.ca. Lots of information is also on our website at www.municipalityofshelburne.ca
Yours respectfully,
Sherm Embree,
Councillor, District seven,
Warden, Municipality of the District of Shelburne
|
