Campaign contribution disclosure forms are missing from the Region of Queens website for some candidates in October’s municipal election. (Rick Conrad)

Mayor Scott Christian got the most campaign contributions of any candidate in October’s municipal election in Queens County.

He received just under $10,000 ($9976.44) from 49 declared donors, some of whom are local small business owners and landlords.

The biggest donation to Christian’s campaign was $1,000 from Chad Clothier, who co-owns Rumclo Developments. They’re behind the already approved housing development The Point on the Mersey. They plan to build up to 146 detached houses and townhouses, as well as 82 rental apartments just outside Liverpool.

• CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS: Use this link to view breakdown by candidate

Christian told QCCR he believes his campaign raised just over $10,000 in total, including small donations that don’t have to be declared.

“I’m really proud of the amount of money that my team was able to fundraise and it did come from a pretty diverse swath of people. There were a lot of dribs and drabs contributions as well. I think my biggest contribution was $1,000 and my smallest contribution I think was a toonie.”

Christian said Clothier is a friend. He said he and his team began fundraising early, seeking donations first from the people they know, including personal and business connections.

“It shouldn’t come as a suprise to anyone who knows me that a lot of my social network includes a lot of people who are members of the business community. … I didn’t shy away from the notion that I was a ‘grow Queens’ candidate.”

Former Queens MLA Kerry Morash and former Region of Queens mayor Chris Clarke also contributed to Christian’s run.

Clarke gave $250 to Christian and to his opponent Terry Doucette.

Doucette declared $2,550 in donations from seven donors. The largest were $1,000 each from J. M. Reynolds Pharmacy, the company that owns Reynolds Pharmasave in Liverpool, and Mitchell Nauss of construction and consulting company MC Nauss Holdings.

Under Nova Scotia’s Municipal Elections Act, candidates had 60 days after the Oct. 19 election to file their contribution disclosure statements, even if they accepted no donations.

Everybody who runs must declare any donations over $50, or check a box confirming that they received no contributions.

Failure to do that can result in a fine of up to $2,500 or six months in jail.

Also, if candidates don’t submit a disclosure form, they forfeit their $200 deposit.

Disclosure statements from only 11 of the 19 candidates are posted on the Region of Queens website. Christian and Doucette were among the candidates who filed their disclosures on time. All other councillors except Jack Fancy met the deadline.

When QCCR recently asked Fancy about it, his disclosure form was posted the next week. He had no contributions over $50 to declare.

The region says all forms that were submitted have been posted. 

QCCR reached out to the candidates whose forms are missing. Those who could be contacted said they had no contributions to declare, but said they filed the necessary paperwork with returning officer Ian Kent.

Kent is an employee with Elections Nova Scotia, who was seconded to the municipality for the election. He could not be reached for comment.

Paul Deveau, who ran against Fancy in October’s election, said he filed the necessary paperwork and got his deposit back. But his disclosure form is not on the site.

“That’s kind of weird because I found it very professional and I found that Ian took his job quite seriously,” Deveau said.

“We had an exit meeting. And with the exit meeting, we had to return the voter list … and sign a declaration that we were going to remove all of our signs and we had to fill out that contribution sheet.”

Most candidates contacted said they were told they had to submit a campaign contribution disclosure form.

But some said they either couldn’t remember what forms they signed after the election or they didn’t submit a form because they had no donations to declare.

Candidate Gil Johnson said he got his deposit back, so he thought he did everything that was required.

“The reason I didn’t file was because I didn’t receive any contributions and didn’t know I needed to check the box.”

Coun. Stewart Jenkins, who was acclaimed in his district, said returning officer Kent had a checklist of the things he was required to submit.

“I was told to file a form, which I did, even though I didn’t have any contributions to claim,” Jenkins said.

A spokesman for the Department of Municipal Affairs said in an email that it’s up to the municipality to make sure candidates comply.

“It is the municipality’s responsibility to address situations where an elected municipal official is not in compliance with requirements surrounding disclosure statements, and the province expects candidates to comply.”

Under the Municipal Elections Act, the municipal clerk is supposed to keep track of all documents related to the election.

Mayor Scott Christian told QCCR he asked about the missing documentation and was told by now former municipal clerk Pam Lovelace that everything that was submitted to the region has been posted to their website.

He said he was unsure why not all forms are posted, though he added that the region’s deputy returning officer has been on leave for some time. 

Here is a list of the candidates whose campaign contribution disclosure forms aren’t posted yet to the Region of Queens website:

• Candice Weagle
• Douglas Bent
• Susan MacLeod
• Star Donovan
• Paul Deveau
• Alex Gallagher
• Tina Brown
• Gil Johnson

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Rumclo Developments Ltd proposed Birchwood Gardens and The Curve communities. Photo from Rumclo Developments Ltd, Region of Queens Agenda package

A new affordable housing development in Liverpool hinges on whether the municipality is ready to extend water and sewer services along Shore Rd.

Rumclo Development Ltd is proposing to build 92 units of affordable housing between Shore Rd and College St in a community they’re calling Birchwood Gardens.

The apartments will be a mix of 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms ranging from 650ft² to 1,000ft².

Rent is projected to range between $696 and $1,200/month, depending on construction costs.

During their presentation at the most recent Region of Queens Council meeting on June 13, Rumclo officials expressed frustration that they have yet to see a study that will determine if municipal water and sewer can be extended.

Rumclo has requested the service extension for another development they’re proposing further along Shore Rd called “The Point”.

The presentation also included a development called “The Curve” which would sit adjacent to Birchwood Gardens affordable housing project.

The Curve will see 22 two and three bedroom 1,500ft² townhouses built that would sell between $400,000 and $500,000 and rent at approximately $2,000/month.

They developers argue the new proposed developments can piggyback off the same lines that will service “The Point”.

Rumclo developer Chad Clothier says they’ve already lost this building season and are eager to learn if they will have the water and sewer extensions so they can plan to build in 2024.

“Ask the Region why the study isn’t coming back or what the hold up to the study is and it really makes it hard as a company to feel like we can get this project done if a simple study is taking this long to come back,” said Clothier. “So, we’d really like to get some insight on the study.”

Region of Queens Interim CAO Dan McDougall was sympathetic to the developer’s time pressures but explained determining if the municipality can extend those services is not a simple matter.

“It’s actually far more complex than just extensions,” said McDougall. “Extensions are one element of what we’ll likely receive back from the consultants. They’ll also provide insight on how the system needs to be improved in order to accept volumes, both water and wastewater.”

McDougall says the existing wastewater treatment plant has the capacity to handle the increased number of users but getting the flow to the plant will require significant upgrades to the underground infrastructure.

The CAO says the study is also looking at how providing municipal water to the developments will affect the existing system.

“You can get water to the lands that you’re proposing to develop but what are the implications on the rest of the system?” asked McDougall. “Will it result in negative water pressure in other areas of the municipality where improvements are required in order for the extensions to work for your project, but to work for the rest of the community as well.  So, it’s not a simple study.”

McDougall expects the final engineering report to come to staff and council for review in the next few weeks.

It will then be a month or two before it will be presented to council for a decision whether the project will go ahead.

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Entrance to Region of Queens council chambers. Photo Ed Halverson

The proponents of a Liverpool development called “The Point” were back before Region of Queens council with a plan to provide over a hundred units of affordable housing.

Rumclo Developments Ltd recently acquired seven acres across Shore Rd from their proposed “Point” development.

Rumclo laid out their plans to build 22 Townhouses in an area they are calling “The Curve” and 92 apartments made up of 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units in a community dubbed “Birchwood Gardens”.

The developers want the Region to commit to extending Municipal water and sewer to all their proposed developments in short order.

With Mayor Darlene Norman absent, Deputy Mayor Jack Fancy chaired the most recent meeting.

Fancy says staff are preparing a report outlining what is required to extend municipal services to the developments.

“We should be able to discuss it and have an understand of what the full implications will be for the cost,” said the Deputy Mayor.

The report is expected before council in the coming weeks.

Other highlights from the June 13 council meeting include a $2,475 grant to the Liverpool Ukulele Ceilidh Society from the Region’s Community Investment Fund.

The Region will borrow $780,000 to cover the costs of Liverpool’s Main Street Sewer/Water Project.

Council granted permission to Highway Pentecostal Church to hold church services every Sunday evening in the Liverpool Waterfront Parking lot over July and August.

Public works will receive new four new trucks.

Two ¾ ton heavy duty pickups will come from Mosher Motors at a cost of $152,350 +HST.

The department asked for a budget of up to $40,000 to buy a mid -size truck from David Hatt Auto Sales to be used by the building inspector.

A fourth truck was not included in the 2023-24 capital budget but is needed after a fleet vehicle reached its end of life sooner than expected and needs to be replaced.

Council agreed to fund the purchase of used truck up to $25,000.

Public Works will also be taking ownership of a 2023 Trackless MT7 tractor from Saunders Equipment Ltd, Fredericton NB at a price of $178, 820 + HST. The tractor will be used for snow removal.

In the final piece of business, the new pool came back around for discussion.

After much back-and-forth council decided to go ahead with plans for an outdoor, six-lane, 25-foot-long pool with a zero-entry point after it was determined building an indoor pool is too costly and not feasible at this time.

A wind-breaking fence and hot tank area are also included on the municipality’s wish list.

Council will now wait for the Project Manager and Engineer to come back with conceptual drawings so they can begin pricing out the build.

The next Region of Queens Council meeting will take place at the Greenfield Fire Hall on June 27 at 6pm.

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photo Ed Halverson

Region of Queens Council packed a lot into their final meeting of the year.

Following a public meeting that took most of the morning, council voted against selling the South Shore Regional Airport. Instead, they will continue to operate the facility and will look to sign the Nova Scotia Drag Racers Association and the South Shore Flying Club to new leases.

Rumclo Developments Ltd and Van Der Pas design made a presentation proposing to build 124 units on 23 acres of waterfrontage at 133 Shore Road if the Region agrees to pick up the $1.5 million tab to extend water service to the development.

Council will weigh the proposal and make the decision as part of the upcoming annual budget process.

Representatives of Hillsview Acres Long Term Care home provided a yearly update. While all regular positions are filled, the facility is searching for part-time staff.

Queens Manor has been providing some assistance to Hillsview Acres.

Both facilities will be merged and replaced when the new Long Term Care Home is built and ready in four years.

A couple of items that have been bouncing around the latest agendas have been resolved.

Council accepted terms of reference for the new pool committee, voted down spending up to $10,000 towards the cost of creating a Bioeconomic Development Zone and will prioritize clearing shrubs that obstructs traffic at Market and Henry Hensey Drive.

Councillors Maddie Charlton and David Brown will sit on a committee to update the Region’s communications strategy.

Council also considered a Development Agreement that would allow a 7-unit short term rental building in Hunts Point to be converted to multi-unit residential housing.

A public hearing on the matter will be held in council chambers January 10.

Council agreed to replace a 2010 work truck that is past its useable life with a new ¾ ton for $75,000 plus tax.

The Region will write off almost $10,000 in uncollectable debt owed to the municipality to get it off the books.

Council received a staff report detailing when council could request a traffic study.

They were informed they could make the request when making an amendment to the Land Use Bylaw or when adopting a Development Agreement but generally the decision to trigger a traffic study is left to the engineer or planner of the traffic authority.

And finally, Region Staff will now be calling for the tow truck if a vehicle is impeding snow clearing operations.

RCMP informed the municipality they don’t have the available personnel to police those parking violations, but it is within the regions authority to do so.

The next council meeting will be held in council chambers starting at 9:00 am on January 10.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

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The Point on the Mersey promotional photo from Region of Queens Council agenda

Region of Queens Council is again being asked to extend municipal services to a new housing development in Liverpool.

Rumclo Developments Ltd and Van Der Pas design are proposing to build 124 units on 23 acres of water-frontage at 133 Shore Road.

The Development called, “the Point” envisions the construction of 40 semi-detached, 72 multi-level and 12 single family homes in three phases at prices starting at $350,000.

After testing, the planners have determined there is not enough water on the site to support that many homes and are looking to the municipality to extend the former town’s water supply to their development.

This is the second time in a month a developer has come to council to ask for municipal services.

At the November 8 council meeting developer Larry Cochrane asked the Region to spend over $700,000 to extend municipal services to allow the construction of 87 housing units on the former Dauphinee Farm land.

Rumclo Developments Ltd and Van Der Pas Design hired Strum Consulting to look into the cost of extending services for their proposed site.

Their estimates peg the amount at $1.49 million.

Based on assumed water tax of $71,756 and Property tax of $462,240 on 124 units the designers suggest the Region of Queens will recoup the cost of the service extension in three years.

Mayor Darlene Norman says council will need to think about these request in the broader context of the Region’s budget plan.

‘They will receive the same response that the earlier developer presented and that is this all matter for council to consider as part of the 23/24 budget,” said Norman.

If council decides to extend water service, the developers estimate the first phase could be complete and ready to move in sometime in 2024.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
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