The last Region of Queens council meeting in November started with a public hearing for a proposed 8-unit development in South Brookfield. Several people raised concerns about the possibility of species at risk in the area. During the council meeting, it was decided to table the motion to give the owners time to revise their plans to accommodate those species.
Also on the agenda:
The Pleasant River Community Hall Society will receive $2,305 from the municipality’s Community Investment Fund. The money will be used to cover half the cost of replacing a portion of the hall’s roof.
Council approved spending $120,000 + HST to make their case against an expansion of the salmon farms in Liverpool Bay. Region of Queens was granted intervenor status and will use the money to prepare their legal arguments before they appear before the Nova Scotia Aquaculture Review Board in March.
Region staff recommended council reject the lone tender to replace the UV treatment system at the municipal wastewater treatment plant. The project was budgeted for $215,000 plus HST but the only bid came in 40 percent higher at $302,228 + HST. Staff will rewrite the tender to narrow the scope of the work and potentially lower the cost.
The Region of Queens will now chip in on a project council had previously rejected, membership in a Bioeconomy Economic Development Zone. At the time council said the ask was too much and there wasn’t enough information. This time though, Nova Scotia Innovation Hub, the group behind the effort came loaded with a report highlighting the benefits and a modest request for $5,000 to include Queens in their promotional effort. The amount could be approved by staff but was brought to council as a courtesy as they had previously balked on the initiative.
During the discussion section of the meeting, staff presented an implementation update and a second quarter financial review. Revenue from deed transfer tax revenue continues to pour in. Staff originally forecast the municipality would see $720,000 in tax revenue in this financial year. However, with another six months to go, the Region has already taken in $693,000.
Council then began debating an updated Area Rate Policy. Staff will take the suggestions back and present it to council again before it can be adopted.
A report from engineering firm CBCL highlighted the need for the municipality to address aging water and wastewater infrastructure before they consider expanding the network to service several recently proposed housing developments in Liverpool. The cost of which could well exceed $10 million. The Region is looking into funding options from the provincial and federal governments before they go ahead.
The issue of where to build a new library once again appeared at council. Staff are proposing the Liverpool Business Development Center as the new home. With 13 months remaining on the existing lease, the pressure is on to resolve an issue that has dogged Council since they allocated money to replace the current Thomas H Raddall library in Spring of 2022.
The last major action of the meeting was the announcement that the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board approved the municipality’s request to apply a 70 percent rate reduction for municipal water customers on their latest bill. The Region is compensating customers for this summer’s extended boil-water advisory.
The next meeting will take place Tuesday Dec 12 at 9:00am in council chambers.
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