East Hants Seasonal Municipal Newsletter

SPRING INTO
EAST HANTS
FROM THE WARDEN’S DESK
Dear East Hants,
2016 is going to be a busy and exciting year for East Hants.
The Municipality is investing in youth recreation with the
construction of skateparks in Lantz and Mount Uniacke,
and a multi-purpose sports pad in Hants North.
A new Aquatic Centre is currently being designed and will provide residents
and visitors with a new, modern facility for the whole family.
Preparations are underway for the upcoming municipal and school board
election in October. Enumerators will be going door-to-door to register voters. District boundaries have changed, so please visit the East Hants website
to learn more about the electoral boundary changes.
We welcome your comments and concerns to [email protected] or call staff
at 902-883-2299 / toll free 1-866-758-2299.
Warden James D. Smith
NEW MUNICIPAL WEBSITE
The Municipality of East Hants has a newly designed website to serve you
better! New features of the website include mobile friendly display, event calendars, easy to navigate menus, contact forms to submit your questions, and
beautiful photos. Visit the new website to learn more about East Hants!
www.easthants.ca
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ELECTION 2016
The next municipal and school board elections will take place on October 15,
2016.
Voters - The Municipality of East Hants will reduce the number of Councillors
and polling districts from 13 to 11 in October 2016. Electoral boundaries and
district numbers have changed. As a result, your voting location may have
changed. The Municipality will notify voters of their voting locations.
Enumeration - Enumerators will be going door-to-door in East Hants during
the months of April and May to register voters. Voting locations may change
for the upcoming election. Please watch for information from Municipality
notifying voters of their voting division.
Municipal Candidates - Deadline for candidate nominations is September 13,
2016. For information on the criteria for becoming a candidate, please visit
our website at www.easthants.ca/election
School Board Elections - Elections are conducted for members of regional
school boards, African Nova Scotian member of regional school boards and
members of the Conseil Scolaire Acadien Provincial (CSAP). Voters can vote for
only one of these school board offices, or the Regional School Board, even if
they meet the qualifications to vote for more than one office.
Contact - Mark Jamieson, Assistant Returning Officer
Email: [email protected] or visit the Municipal website,
www.easthants.ca/election
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ACTIVE EAST HANTS
SUMMER PROGRAMS
Summer is just around the corner! Check out all the great programming
Active East Hants has planned for you!
May
o Mother’s Day Swim (Moms swim free)
o May 16 School In-service Day Camp, East Hants Swimming Pool
o Summer Day Camp Registrations
June
o June is Recreation Month!
o Bike Week, June 4-12, 2016
o Canoe to the Sea, June 19, 2016
o Father’s Day Swim (Dads swim free)
o Summer Swimming Lesson Registration
July & August
o East Hants Tidal Mud Run, July 9th, 2016 at Burntcoat Head Park
Registration Open!
o Summer Swimming Lessons
(Milford, Kennetcook & Mt. Uniacke)
o Active East Hants Day Camps
o Youth Leadership Camps
o Jr. Lifeguard Training Camp
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For more information on these events, programs and activities or for details on how to register, visit www.easthants.ca
FUNDING FOR SPORTS & RECREATION
Children and Youth Program Funding Deadlines:
Canadian Tire Jumpstart: Funding Program Fees up to $300 per
session per child (youth 4-18 years old), a max of $600 per year.
Next Deadline: June 1st, 2016
Kidsport: Funding Program Fees & Equipment up to $300 per year
per child (18 and under). Next deadlines: May 1st & July 1st, 2016
For more information, please contact [email protected]
SEASON OPENINGS IN MAY
The Fundy Tidal Interpretive Centre and Burntcoat Head Park season opening is anticipated on the Victoria Day long weekend in
May.
EAST HANTS AQUATIC CENTRE
Thank you to everyone who filled out an Aquatic Centre survey there were close to 1000 submitted in person and online. Staff are
compiling the results and will report to Council at a future meeting.
MOUNT UNIACKE & LANTZ SKATEPARKS
Detailed design work is proceeding through the month of April
with the target to head into skatepark construction in June 2016.
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SMART COMMUNITY - “SMART EAST HANTS”
One of the key recommendations in the 2015-2020 East Hants Economic
Development Plan is to look for ways to improve rural broadband to better
serve the needs of the community. This work would also set the community
up to attract new people, new industries and the jobs that come with them.
Over the past few months, municipal staff have met with other municipalities, groups and private businesses in Hants and Kings Counties to talk
about shared broadband challenges and determine what could be done to
make significant changes for residents and businesses here. They too are
looking at best ways forward.
That brought us to explore a new trend in community and economic development, a concept that goes beyond just thinking about the physical
infrastructure that might help improve our access. It is the idea of building
a ‘smart or intelligent community”. Community leaders using “smart principles” have the potential to boost their region’s sustainability, resiliency and
citizen satisfaction, and expand their economic opportunities.
A “Smart East Hants” Project is Born - Working with Our Neighbours
To create a Smart Region in Hants, Kings and Annapolis counties, and in
Nova Scotia, a new not for profit was created called i-Valley. In February,
I-Valley, East Hants and Kings County, organized a Smart Community event
at Acadia University in Wolfville.
David Sandel, Smart Community leader and founder of the Gigabit City
Summit, was invited to lead discussions over three meetings. One session
focused on the i-Valley project, an evening public information meeting was
held and one session focused solely on East Hants. East Hants business
leaders, and local and regional technology providers met with municipal
staff and other partners to learn about opportunities, barriers, potential
solutions, and what a Smart East Hants could offer.
Partners in this project to date include the Municipality of East Hants; i-Valley; the Valley Regional Enterprise Network (REN); Acadia University; and the
Annapolis Valley Chamber of Commerce.
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WHAT’S NEXT FOR SMART EAST HANTS?
Collaboration and good planning are key for our future. East Hants is
collaborating with municipal partners. We are working to better understand smart projects across North America. Some projects are led by small
community groups and others are led by municipalities.
There is much to consider, including how a Smart East Hants will be built,
how it fits into other smart projects such as the “Smart Annapolis Valley”
project, our local infrastructure needs, smart technologies and local assets
available in our own backyard, new kinds of partnerships, high speed fiber,
mobility, analytics and big data capabilities.
We will be seeking your ideas to ensure we have a community-directed
effort. If you have a great idea that would help the future planning or
have a question, please contact our economic and business development
office at 902-883-4355. Stay tuned for further updates on next steps by
checking our website: www.easthants.ca/business
START A BUSINESS IN EAST HANTS
East Hants Business Development Officers are available to help you
start your business. Contact [email protected] or call 902-883-4355.
www.easthants.ca/business
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PLAN EAST HANTS
Plan East Hants, a rewrite of the Official Community Plan,
is near completion. The Plan is the vision for what
East Hants will look like in the future, which includes
rules and policy to achieve that vision.
Plan East Hants is expected to be complete in late spring/early summer
2016. After extensive public consultation, the final product of Plan East
Hants will be new goals, new priorities and new rules to guide growth
and development. The Municipality has completed a draft Official Community Plan which includes new policies, regulations and zoning. Your
input is needed on the proposed policies, regulations and zoning. Three
Open House events and a Public Information Meeting are scheduled for
the Spring and we invite you to come along and give us your feedback:
Spring Open Houses
• 3pm-8pm, April 11, Mount Uniacke Legion, 18 Veterans Lane
• 3pm-8pm, April 13, Kennetcook Fire Hall, 6205 Highway 354
• 1pm-6:30pm, April 14, Lloyd E Matheson Centre,
15 Commerce Court, Elmsdale
A Public Information Meeting will take place at 7pm on April 14, at the
Lloyd E. Matheson Centre, 15 Commerce Court, Elmsdale.
All are invited to listen to the formal presentation and provide feedback
on the proposed new policies, regulations and zoning.
If the zoning on your property is proposed to be changed, you will receive
a letter from the Municipality detailing the proposed changes.
There are other ways to stay in touch with the Plan East Hants project:
• Website: www.easthants.ca/plan-east-hants
Leave a comment on our website.
• Send a note: [email protected]
• Attend a Citizen Panel meeting to learn more. Meeting dates are posted on the website, www.easthants.ca
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SOURCE WATER PROTECTION
Source Water refers to the lakes and groundwater where our drinking
water comes from. The goal of source water protection is to maintain
or improve the quality of drinking water before it reaches the water
treatment plant and eventually our taps.
Every ocean, lake, river, and stream is connected to a watershed. We all
live, work and play in a watershed; from big city streets to small town
backyards and from forests to farms. A watershed is an area of land
where all water drains into a common water body such as a lake, ocean
or underground recharge (well area).
The Municipality currently has three source water areas which provide
public drinking water to residents in East Hants and also to residents in
HRM. The Grand Lake Watershed provides drinking water to residents
in Enfield, Elmsdale and Lantz; the Shubenacadie Aquifer provides residents in Shubenacadie with drinking water; and the Pockwock Watershed in Mount Uniacke provides drinking water to residents in HRM.
Ways you can help protect water:
• Create a riparian buffer zone by introducing new or allowing existing
native plant species to establish near the water’s edge;
• Use fertilizers with low to no phosphorus;
• Properly dispose of all yard waste and clippings according to your
local municipal program;
• Create retention areas such as gardens and ponds to retain water on
site instead of allowing storm water to escape from your property;
• Undertake routine inspections and pump-outs (every 3-5 years) of onsite septic systems, to prevent malfunction;
• Report illegal dumping or suspicious activity in protected watershed areas;
• Manage animal waste on farms; and,
• Manage livestock grazing.
Keeping clean water clean is the most effective way to sustain
our drinking water resources for future generations.
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VISITING THE EAST HANTS
WASTE MANAGEMENT CENTRE (WMC)
Think Safety First! Children under 12 must stay in vehicle.
Location: 1306 Georgefield Road, Upper Kennetcook
Hours: Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Closed Sundays & Holidays
Vehicles must stop at the scale house when entering and exiting to be
weighed by the Scale Operator. Loads must be secured and covered to
reduce litter on the trip to the WMC.
Large trucks, excavators, loaders etc. may be operating at the WMC. Care
should be taken when driving and backing into areas at the WMC site.
All material must be properly sorted and separated.
Always follow the Scale Operators’ instructions to ensure safety and
placement of items at the WMC. The Scale Operator will direct you to the
proper area.
There are separate drop off areas for: metals, tires, paint, electronics,
garbage, recyclables, clean wood, construction waste, and household
hazardous waste.
Microwaves and small appliances go in the metal pile, they are not electronic waste.
Mirrors, window glass, dishes, pool liners, mattresses and couches are all
garbage.
Construction & Demolition Debris (C&D) Material is not garbage and
must be seperated before disposal at the WMC. Example - carpet or
insulation is C&D material. Clean wood should be separated from items
like wall board and insulation and placed in the wood pile.
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SIGN UP FOR EPOST
The Municipality of East Hants has teamed up with epost™ – Canada
Post’s safe, secure, and free way to receive your East Hants tax and/or
water bill, along with other bills and statements like your assessment
notice, phone, cable and credit card bills and more – in one secure
place, online.
It’s easy to get started.
www.easthants.ca/epost
East Hants Spring Tax Bill - New this year!
If your financial institution pays your property taxes then you will no longer
receive a Spring (interim) bill by mail. You will continue to receive a mailed
copy of your final tax bill.
You can receive an electronic copy of your Spring bill by signing up at www.
epost.ca or visit www.easthants.ca for more information.
East Hants Council Has Approved
2016/2017 Operating Budget
The 2016/2017 Municipality of East Hants operating budget is $29.1 million.
Municipal Council set the general residential tax rate at $0.8704 and the
general commercial tax rate at $2.71 per $100 of assessment.
For more details on area rates and Municipal spending by department,
please visit www.easthants.ca.
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EAST HANTS MUNICIPAL TAX ASSISTANCE
Is it for you?
The Municipality of East Hants has a Municipal Tax Assistance Program
(MTAP) designed to help families struggling to pay property taxes.
Recipients will see a credit on their tax account of $213 or 20% of the total
year’s taxes, whichever amount is higher. For example, if the 2016 tax bill is
$2,500 then 20% would be $500. The amount of $500 would be applied to
the tax account, reducing the taxes owing. Connecting this benefit directly
to the number of people in the home and to taxes billed, enables the Municipality to provide a more meaningful amount of assistance to individuals and
families in need.
The Municipal Tax Assistance Program is strictly confidential. If you need
help to determine if this program is for you, or if you need assistance to fill
out the application form, please call Margaret Ellis, Tax Administrator at
902-883-7098 ext. 227, or toll free 1-866-758-2299. For more information,
please visit our website, www.easthants.ca.
Provincial Senior Property Tax Rebate
Seniors can apply for the Provincial Property Tax Rebate Program, which
assists seniors to stay in their own homes as long as possible.
For more information, please call toll free 1-877-296-9338 or 902-424-5200.
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COMPOST QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Can I use biodegradable/compostable plastic bags to line my green cart
or kitchen container?
No. When biodegradable plastic bags break down they leave behind flecks of
plastic. This plastic is a contaminant and can compromise the quality of the
finished compost, as well as get wrapped around machinery causing breakdowns. The composting facility will not accept material in biodegradable/
compostable plastic bags for these reasons.
Should I line my kitchen and yard container?
No, you do not need to line your kitchen container or yard container. However, using a paper liner can keep your kitchen or yard container clean and
reduce odor and flies. If you choose to use a liner, you can use newspaper,
compostable paper bags, boxboard or soiled and dirty paper. Check out our
website at www.easthants.ca/solid-waste for a do it yourself organics origami to be used as a kitchen container liner.
What kind of food scraps are accepted in the green cart?
Check out the enclosed East Hants Waste Separation Guide for details.
Should I continue to use my backyard composter if I have a green cart?
Yes, home composting is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to
recycle fruits, vegetables and yard trimmings and to make your own compost. Use the green cart for “other” things like meat, bones, fish and bread.
What should I do if my cart is damaged, lost or stolen?
Please call the East Hants Solid Waste Hotline at 1-888-873-3332 to request a
replacement cart. If I move can I take the green cart with me?
No, the green cart stays with the property. If you move to another residence
in East Hants you will have a green cart at that location. If a cart is not at your
new property, call 1-888-873-3332 to request one.
For more information on composting in East Hants, visit our website:
www.easthants.ca/solid-waste
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EAST HANTS EMERGENCY ALERTS
Receive alerts about emergencies and other important community news
by signing up for the East Hants Emergency Alert Program. The system
permits the Municipality to send critical information quickly in a variety
of situations, such as severe weather, unexpected road closures, and
evacuations of buildings or neighborhoods.
You will receive time-sensitive messages wherever you specify - your
home, mobile or business phones, email, text messages, and more.
Subscribe today at www.easthants.ca
SOLID WASTE DIVISION STATS
The Municipality of East Hants disposed of 312kg/person for 2014/15.
Provincial average is 383kg/person.
Over 7,800 private residential loads of material have come into the Waste
Management Centre (WMC) between April 2015 - February 2016.
Staff oversee the clean-up of 25 to 35 illegal dumpsites annually.
275 residents dropped material off at our Household Hazardous Waste &
Paper Shredding events in September 2015.
WMC staff have removed CFC gases from almost 100 old refrigerators
between April 2015 - February 2016.
Top 5 searched items between November 2015 - March 2015 on our What
Goes Where? tool:
styrofoam - batteries - aluminum foil (clean) - kitty litter - plastic bags
Call the Solid Waste Hotline to Find Out More
1-888-873-3332
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NEW MUNICIPAL GRANT FOR HERITAGE
PROPERTY OWNERS
On April 1, 2016 the Municipality of East Hants introduces a new Heritage
Property Incentive Program. This program enables owners of Municipally
Registered Heritage Properties and also properties located within the Maitland Heritage Conservation District to apply for a $2,000 grant. Buildings
which are used for commercial purposes are not eligible for the grant, unless
the building is owned by a registered non-profit society. The incentive shall
be 50% of the cost of repairs or renovations to the exterior of the building,
exclusive of HST, up to a maximum of $2,000 per property.
Funding availability is subject to the capacity of the budget for this program.
In addition to work on the exterior of the building, work that is necessary to
ensure the long term viability of a structure (for example, repairs to the foundation, repairs to beams or trusses, or repairs to address significant stormwater infiltration problems) may be considered. In these cases assistance may
be provided for work in the structure’s interior if necessary. Architectural,
engineering and other consulting fees are eligible for funding; consultants
may have to supply proof of professional qualifications to the Municipality.
For full details of the Heritage Incentive Program, including eligibility, criteria
for the grant and application requirements please contact Rachel Gilbert,
[email protected] or 902-883-7098 x 122.
Visit our website for more information, www.easthants.ca/heritage
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WHAT’S IN OUR WASTE?
2015 WASTE AUDIT RESULTS
With funding from RRFB Nova Scotia, East Hants hired a Waste Compliance
Officer in 2015. The role provides various services including illegal dumping
investigations and clean-up management, compliance promotion (waste
auditing and follow-up), and solid waste bylaw enforcement.
In 2015, the Waste Compliance Officer conducted extensive audits of curbside material of collection day. These details provide a benchmark for staff
to monitor how we are doing and areas to focus our efforts.
Interesting facts from the waste audits:
• 334 bags of garbage were audited
• The bags weighed 2,368 kg (or 5221 lbs.)
• 1,736 kg (73%) was properly sorted material
• 631 kg was material that didn’t belong in the garbage
Top contaminates in garbage:
• Organics
• Recyclables (containers)
• Recyclables (paper)
• Construction material
Read the full report at
www.easthants.ca/solid-waste
Thank you to RRFB Nova Scotia for the value-added funding for the role
of Waste Compliance Officer. In addition, funding of this publication was
supported by RRFB Nova Scotia.
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EAST HANTS COUNCIL 2012-2016
Mr. Cecil Dixon
District 1 - Enfield
902-883-9764
Mr. Greg Grant
District 8 - Gore
902-362-2896
Mr. Norval Mitchell
District 2 - Elmsdale
902-883-9167
Mr. Eldon Hebb
District 9 - Nine Mile River
902-883-2047
Mr. Willy Versteeg
District 3 - Milford
902-758-2456
Mr. James D. Smith, Warden
District 10 – Enfield/Horne Settlement
902-883-8503
Mr. Albert Flemming
District 4 - Shubenacadie
902-758-3919
Ms. Eleanor Roulston
District 11 - Rawdon
902-632-2573
Mr. Keith Rhyno
District 5 – Maitland
902-261-2533
Ms. Rosanne Bland
District 12 - Mount Uniacke/East Uniacke
902-452-0603
Mr. Wayne Greene
District 6 – Noel
902-369-2629
Mr. Cyril McDonald, Deputy Warden
District 13 - Mount Uniacke/Lakelands
902-866-3302
Mr. John A. MacDonald
District 7 - Lantz
902-483-7382
EAST HANTS POOL
The East Hants Swimming Pool
offers a variety of programs to help
you lead a healthy, active lifestyle.
Don’t miss out on all the excitement, register today!
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