Region of Queens Mayor Scott Christian. (Rick Conrad)

Region of Queens mayor and councillors are holding seven town hall meetings around Queens County this month to get public feedback on various issues.

Mayor Scott Christian says it’s important to hear from as many people as possible.

“We’re looking to kill two birds with one stone in that we think it’s important to be accessible and engaging with our residents writ large, but it’s also timely because we have been working behind the scenes on identifying some five-year strategic priorities and a vision and a mission for the organization and we want to make sure that it’s aligned to what residents are seeing and feeling and experiencing in the community.”

Christian says the region will also have a survey available for people who can’t make it to one of the October sessions.

Council’s strategic plan has been mentioned regularly at council meetings since the new slate of councillors was sworn in in 2024. But it hasn’t been made public yet. 

Christian told QCCR that the town hall meetings will be a chance for people to get a look at some of the details of that plan.

“My expectation is that we provide folks with an opportunity to take a look at what we have thus far, provide their feedback on that, give everybody an opportunity to contribute in a way that they’re comfortable (with), but then also just open up the floor for more kind of question-and-answer to engage their councillors and myself as the mayor on particular issues or items of importance to them.”

Christian said that staff and councillors will incorporate what they hear at the town halls into the region’s five-year plan, which will also influence budget deliberations.

He said the region plans to start early budget talks and capital planning by December, with work on the budget set to begin in the new year. 

Municipalities are expected to finalize their fiscal plans by March 31. This year, the Region of Queens passed its budget in mid-May.

“We were quite last minute last go-around so we’re going to start to look at the five-year capital improvement plan and updates to that … in December, so my expectation is that we’ll have those kind of those strategic priorities nailed down by that time.”

The seven town hall meetings are scheduled to run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Christian, councillors and some staff will likely be at the meetings. Here is where they’ll be held:

• Thurs., Oct. 16 – Liverpool Fire Hall
• Fri., Oct. 17 – Milton Memorial Hall
• Mon., Oct. 20 – Mersey Point Hall
• Tues., Oct. 21 – West Queens Recreation Centre
• Thurs., Oct. 23 – Greenfield Fire Hall
• Fri., Oct. 24 – Port Medway Fire Hall
• Mon., Oct. 27 – North Queens Fire Hall

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Construction has begun on the $8-million outdoor pool at Queens Place Emera Centre in Liverpool. (Rick Conrad)

Region of Queens councillors want to test the waters on the idea of switching lanes and building an indoor pool after all.

Construction on the $8.08-million heated outdoor pool next to Queens Place Emera Centre has already begun. But councillors said Tuesday they heard from many residents during the recent election campaign who want an indoor facility.

Coun. Courtney Wentzell said many of his constituents prefer an indoor pool, while some were against a new pool altogether.

“So when we’re voting on this and we’re thinking about this, we need to think about our constituents and what we heard in each district,” he told council. “And I will say from my experience and my constituents, they definitely prefer an indoor pool.”

Coun. Jack Fancy said he also heard from many people on both ends of the pool debate. He added that council’s initial pool discussions were always geared toward building an indoor pool.

Council voted in June 2023 to go with the less expensive outdoor option — a heated, 25-metre, six-lane pool. But many residents have long advocated for an indoor pool that can be used year-round.

“As Coun. Wentzell has said, it was a hot topic. Every house asked me,” Fancy said. “I think most people didn’t even realize that we were getting donations or monies from the government.”

Fancy said voters were also concerned about how spending more money on a pool would affect the region’s tax rate.

The region secured $3 million from an anonymous private donor and $2.2 million from the province. The region is picking up the rest of the tab.

Councillors on Tuesday asked the region’s CAO to prepare a report on how feasible it would be to change the current project so that Queens has a year-round pool.

Mayor Scott Christian campaigned in favour of an indoor pool. He said regardless of what councillors find out, it won’t stop the current project.

“This motion wouldn’t in any way impact currently what’s taking place with the preparation of the site,” Christian said.

“It also would not reverse course in terms of no pool at all. That’s not what’s on the table. It’s very much about providing the assembled council with all of the information required to understand what would be required and what the foreseeable impacts would be of entertaining and exploring and shifting the construction project to an indoor pool.”

Coun. Vicki Amirault said it’s important for councillors to understand the conditions under which the region secured funding for the indoor pool and how a change might affect that.

CAO Cody Joudry said he hopes to report back to council at their next meeting on Nov. 25. He said that report may not be made available to the public, if it includes information about contracts or negotiations.

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Region of Queens Coun. David Brown says he’s not seeking re-election in October partly because he’s frustrated by some of the abusive comments he’s received in the past four years. This photo was taken when he launched his first election campaign in 2020. (David Brown councillor Facebook page)

When David Brown ran for Region of Queens council for the first time in 2020, he wanted to try to make things better for the people in his district.

Brown represents District 6, the areas around Port Medway, Mill Village, Greenfield and Labelle.

He was ready to work hard and bring his constituents’ issues to the council table. What he wasn’t prepared for, though, were some of the abusive comments he would receive after he was elected. 

“It’s online, it’s in person, it’s all the way across the spectrum in dealings with people,” Brown told QCCR.

“It just seems like after Covid, everybody was angry and they found people that thought the same way as them online and it became an echo chamber, that they feel they can say whatever they want because you’re a public figure. And really, that’s not the way to treat your friends, your family, your neighbours, people in your community that have just put their name out and step up and try to do the best for people.”

Brown has had enough and has decided not to reoffer in October’s municipal election. Some other council members have said privately that they’re also frustrated by some of the online abuse.

“I think people have legitimate concerns and they should absolutely voice those concerns. But when people start voicing those concerns is that politicans are corrupt because they didn’t decide the way they wanted to or they’re lining their pockets or we’re criminals and we should be thrown in jail. That’s not voicing your opinion, that’s anger and those are attacks. If somebody disagrees, I’m wholeheartedly in favour of people voicing their disagreements. It’s the tone of the disagreements and the way they voice them now, I’m just not interested in putting up with for another four years.”

It’s a familiar story for politicians around the province and at all levels of government. Amanda McDougall-Merrill, the mayor of Cape Breton Regional Municipality, has said that she won’t seek re-election partly because of threats she received as mayor.

And RCMP announced this week charges against two Alberta men for posting threats on YouTube and X or Twitter about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh.

Brown says he hasn’t been threatened. But he’s still frustrated by the tone of some of the disparaging feedback he’s received.

“Maybe others don’t find the same thing but I found that it seems the harder you try to work, it seems like you’re upsetting people. As councillors we have to try to do the most good for the most people. But that means that some people are going to be unhappy but those people are very vocal and will attack now just because they didn’t get their way. And that’s really just not the way it should be.”

Robert Huish, an associate professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax, has studied civic and political engagement.

He says abusive and threatening comments rose exponentially after Donald Trump was elected U.S. president in 2016. And because the U.S. has such an influence on political and popular culture, Huish says that flavour of political vitriol has bled to other countries.

But he says toxicity has been a fixture in political discourse dating back to the 19th century.

“It’s something that is like a crescendo that we’re seeing right now,” Huish says.

“It’s coming to this big climax of political culture that seems to be producing and reproducing hatred through discourse and engagement rather than try to find something about a rules-based order and listening and those compromises that are so important in governance.

“The more that we’ve normalized the ability to describe and caricature people through derogatory or offensive names and stereotypes and the more that becomes common, the more it’s ultimately reproduced.”

He said social media is a great tool for politicians to engage with voters. But it’s also made it easier for people to attack politicians personally.

“Any sort of politics, especially municipal, it’s about engagement. And engagement is fostered on the ability to listen, respond, debate, discuss. And if we’re seeing the only feedback that’s getting the attention of politicians at the municipal level is this really heated vitriol then it really puts any politician in a position to not respond effectively to the issue at hand but try to deflect from whatever character attack is coming in.

“And now it begins to unfold into what can be called a democracy deficit, because it’s as if those who are holding the seeds o governance are just going to be attacked for being there, rather being pressured for change or to hear community concerns.”

Huish said putting pressure on politicians is a good thing. But personal attacks actually work against making our politics better. And he says they may be losing their effectiveness as people get tired of the lashing out.

“You can’t make people do something, but you can certainly put certain behaviour out of fashion quickly. And this might be getting to be too tired because it’s ineffective to try to have political engagement along these terms.”

For now, though, it’s pushing people like David Brown out of politics.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Region of Queens councillors have approved an extra $33,272 in work at Hillsview Acres to prepare for elevator upgrades at the facility. (Facebook)

UPDATED 3:55 p.m. Friday

It’s going to cost a little more to upgrade the elevator at a nursing home in north Queens.

Region of Queens councillors held a special meeting on Wednesday to approve an extra $33,272 for electrical and alarm panel work at Hillsview Acres in Greenfield.

The region owns and operates the 29-bed long-term care home.

Joanne Veinotte, the region’s director of corporate services, told councillors that in 2022, the contractor responsible for maintaining and inspecting the elevator told staff “that it was nearing its end of life. Should something happen to the elevator we would not be able to replace it in a timely manner.”

Council had already approved $86,250 in their 2023/24 capital budget for the work on the facility’s elevator.

But when the elevator contractor, TK Elevator, visited Hillsview in the spring, workers found that the existing alarm panel and supporting electrical components needed to be upgraded to accommodate the work on the electrical components of the elevator.

The extra costs break down as follows:

• Alarm panel upgrade – $21,913
• Basement changes to accommodate new access – $2,077
• Electrical work to install new panel $7,914.50

Veinotte told councillors that the elevator contractor is due to be at the facility in the second week of August to do the work.

“All of the panel work has to be done before they come which is why we had this sense of urgency to come and ask for council’s approval for this unbudgeted expense.”

Councillors voted unanimously to approve the extra cost and to fund it from the Hillsview Acres reserve fund, which sits at more than $800,000.

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Region of Queens administration building. Photo Ed Halverson

The Region of Queens is expecting a budget surplus of $650,000 for the 2023/24 fiscal year, largely attributed to unfilled jobs, higher property assessments and a higher than expected take from the deed transfer tax.

Mayor Darlene Norman says the surplus isn’t all good news.

“Everyone’s a bit unhappy over that large surplus from last year, because that means we have staffing vacancies which is putting great pressures, especially on our Planning and our Public Works departments,” Norman said in an interview Wednesday.

“They are the two departments that have the greatest effect on people. Public Works we have projects that we were not able to do last year, such as the Liverpool bridge rail. The Old Burial Ground wall is in drastic need of a repair. The staffing vacancy is highly alarming. We hear as elected people from people who are waiting for the building permits, who are waiting for their inspections, who are having subdivision waits. That causes difficulty for our residents when they’re building and planning, be they commercial or residential.”

Queens councillors began their 2024/25 budget deliberations on Tuesday. Staff sent them details of the draft budget a few weeks ago. Councillors had a chance on Tuesday to ask questions about the proposed budget.

The budget process was delayed this year. All municipalities are supposed to have their budgets approved by March 31.

Norman said other municipalities in Nova Scotia have missed the March 31 deadline as well. Now that the region has filled the CAO position, she said she expects a more timely approach next year.

The proposed budget is just under $30 million, with an $8.5-million capital plan. There are no proposed tax rate increases at this time. But councillors are just beginning the process.

Councillors are set to offer additions or deletions to the budget at a meeting on Thursday at 6 p.m. 

Next Tuesday (April 16) at 9 a.m., Norman said the region’s fire services are scheduled to make a presentation to council where they’re expected to ask for a boost in funding.

The vote on the final budget is scheduled for April 23 at 6 p.m. All meetings are open to the public and are held at council chambers on White Point Road. And they will also be livestreamed on the region’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.

The region’s assessment roll increased by about 14 per cent or $148 million. That led to an estimated tax revenue increase of $1.6 million. But that meant that the amount the region pays the province for education services also went up by $500,000, for a net gain to the region of $1.1 million.

The higher-than-expected deed transfer tax revenue was about $340,000. 

Staff are also budgeting a $440,000 vacancy allowance to try to account for the difficulty in filling positions. 

“The thought is we are not going to be able to staff all those positions right away and there may be up to $440,000 of money that we have budgeted for this year that does not get spent on staffing,” Norman said.

“So we’re actually planning to be able to put that money into revenue rather than see it as an end-of-the-year surplus. It’s a tricky thing to do, because if there’s a miracle and we suddenly fill those vacant positions, then we’re going to be short that money on our revenue line on the budget. However, the last several years have not been conducive to filling some of those staff positions.”

Norman said that a couple of big capital expenses are not in the 2024/25 capital budget. The region is still working on funding for the proposed $8-million outdoor pool at Queens Place. And it is still doing studies and investigating funding for the requested $21-million extension of water and sewer services to the Mount Pleasant area.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

David White is president of the Queens County ATV Association. (Rick Conrad)

ATV riders in Queens County are hoping to connect off-road trails with public roads and streets in the municipality so that operators can more easily use local services and support local businesses.

David White, president of the Queens County ATV Association, and vice-president Greg Wigglesworth made a presentation to regional council this week outlining various options to make that happen. 

“In this case, we’re asking the Region of Queens for assistance with some connection within the township,” he said in an interview after the meeting.

“The whole goal here is to make a trail that connects across Queens County as well as providing economic advantage by bringing off-highway vehicle users to be able to access things like gas and accommodation and restaurants and that sort of thing.” 

This isn’t the first time White has proposed a connected network through Queens County for users of off-highway vehicles.

The association spoke to council last July about the idea, shortly after the Nova Scotia government passed the Road Trails Act. That would allow OHVs on provincial and municipal roads, with certain conditions.

Both levels of government must first grant ATV access to those roads. In the Region of Queens, that would require a new bylaw. 

White and Wigglesworth presented councillors with various options to create a road trail near Queens Place Emera Centre, the Best Western and businesses around the intersection of Milton Road and Route 3 that would connect with the Trestle Trail. They also outlined options for a road trail to connect the Trestle Trail to White Point Road and from the trail to the lower parking lot downtown.

It’s part of the group’s vision to create a destination riding area in Queens for ATV users. White told councillors it would attract more business to the area from riders in the municipality and beyond.

“Our ultimate goal is to create the connectivity, to be able to go from the Lunenburg-Queens County line to the Queens-Shelburne line. Other ATV groups in other areas are working to make those connections as well.

“We’re looking to do it in a way that has minimal impact on residents. Our ultimate goal is to improve the connectivity, to enhance the trails for everybody, so it’s better quality trail for off-highway vehicles, walkers, cyclists and other users, as well as to make sure we have that economic impact, and to make sure we’re maintaining a safe environment for everyobdy.”

White said the group has been canvassing property owners and businesses. So far, he says, the response has been positive. He said Yarmouth has already allowed access to off-highway vehicles on Water Street in their downtown core.

“It’s very well travelled and they’ve been having a lot of success with that.”

Councillors appeared supportive of the idea. District 2 Coun. Ralph Gidney said he’s excited by the proposal.

“I think this is a very good idea, and what it’s going to do for our community is fantastic.”

District 3 Coun. Maddie Charlton said she’s happy to see the group provided so many different options.

“I look forward to everyone coming together and finding a way forward with this.”

Councillors asked for a staff report on allowing the vehicles to use municipal roads. 

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Region of Queens Municipality administration building. (Rick Conrad photo)

The Region of Queens hasn’t approved its budget yet, so councillors had to vote this week to approve interim spending limits so that the municipality’s bills will still get paid.

Council is supposed to have a budget approved by April 1 of each year.

That didn’t happen this year, so director of corporate services Joanne Veinotte asked councillors at Tuesday’s regular meeting to approve an amount of $7.59 million to provide “spending authority and business continuity” as the fiscal year begins April 1.

Veinotte said other municipalities follow a similar process.

These are operational funds and don’t apply to capital projects.

No reason was given by staff or councillors for why the budget hasn’t been presented or approved yet. Mayor Darlene Norman was not available for an interview Thursday. 

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, CAO Cody Joudry presented a tentative schedule for the region’s budget deliberations.

Under that timeline, councillors were supposed to receive a draft budget after their meeting on Tuesday, with April 2 as the deadline for councillors to submit budget questions.

The draft budget will be available publicly by April 5 at 4 p.m. in the council agenda. It will be presented at council’s regular meeting on April 9. Two special meetings to discuss the draft budget will be held April 11 and 16, with the final draft budget presented at council’s April 23 meeting for a vote.

Under Joudry’s proposed schedule, councillors would vote on the final budget at their April 23 meeting. 

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CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story had the incorrect date for the Region of Queens final draft budget to be presented and voted on by councillors. The story has been updated with the correct date.