John Simmonds, chairman of the Astor Theatre Society, addresses a members’ meeting on Thursday at the Liverpool theatre. (Rick Conrad)

The board of the Astor Theatre Society on Thursday clarified who can vote and who can be nominated to its board at its upcoming general meeting.

Some members who signed up in the past two months were concerned that the Astor would not allow them to vote. 

About 50 people turned out for the members meeting on Thursday evening at the theatre. Board chairman John Simmonds explained that all members in good standing will be able to vote at its upcoming annual general meeting.

“There’s been controversy over conflicting bylaws and conflicting interpretations and we’ve tried to remain as quiet as we could on those issues. But it was necessary to do a lot of research to make sure we were on good ground in what we were proposing. Every member who is in good standing who is over 18 years of age and a resident of Nova Scotia can vote at the AGM.”

The meeting was held in response to a request from the ad hoc group Queens County Community Theatre Advocates. That group was formed after the resignation of associate artistic director Ashley-Rose Goodwin in March.

The group said it was concerned about recent decisions made by executive director Jerri Southcott and the Astor Board. The group said that as Astor members they wanted  to hold the board accountable.

In an April 25 update to the group’s members, one of the founding members of the group Kevin Colwell wrote that the Astor appeared to be taking a “restrictive” approach to voting at the upcoming AGM. He said that in discussions with the Astor, it appeared they were planning to prevent anyone who became a member after Dec. 31, 2023 from voting.

He called on group members to attend the May 2 members meeting and the May 9 AGM.  

About 50 people were at the Astor Theatre in Liverpool on Thursday evening for a meeting on voting at the upcoming annual general meeting. (Rick Conrad)

The issue over voting arose because of confusion about which set of bylaws was valid.

Simmonds said Thursday that until the board did a “deep dive” into their archives, even they were unsure of the proper voting procedures. So they hired Marjorie Hickey, a lawyer with McInnes Cooper in Halifax, to look into it and give an opinion.

“It outlines in great detail exactly what all the steps were, how the three sets of bylaws compare and contrast, where we stand legally now. And she has confirmed through case law and others that we are in good position now using the 2017 bylaws.”

As a result of that legal advice, the Astor has also changed the date of the May 9 AGM to June 24.

According to its most recent bylaws, the Astor will appoint people to replace three directors who resigned in the past couple of months.

There will be four open spots on the board of directors at the June AGM. Any member can be nominated to sit on the board.

“So hopefully this will set the record straight on where we stand and where we propose going with all of this,” Simmonds said. “It will be a true democratic process at the AGM in terms of nominations. We look forward to having many of you putting your name forward.”

Some members of the Queens County Community Theatre Advocates were at the meeting. But they didn’t want to comment until they could read the lawyer’s report to the Astor.

Simmonds said after the meeting that he believes it addressed many concerns from community members. He said the board believes it’s on solid legal ground.

“We’re very comfortable that we’re in good shape now with our current bylaws. And that allows us to move forward and alleviates a lot of the issues and controversy brought to us by the community,” he said in an interview. 

“It clarified things that we didn’t know ourselves. So it was new to us. So once we digested it all ourselves and came up with a final conclusion verified by the lawyer, … all the rest of what went on in the past is not really relevant now.”

Simmonds said the Astor will announce the new appointed members of the board in the next week. He said it will also send notice about the June 24 annual general meeting to all members and advertise it in local newspapers and online.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Queens County voters may get an electronic voting option in October. (Elections Nova Scotia Facebook)

Queens County voters are getting closer to having the option to vote online or by phone in this October’s municipal election.

Councillors asked CAO Cody Joudry in January to prepare a report on the feasibility and costs of introducing electronic voting to Queens, while keeping the traditional paper ballot.

Twenty of 49 Nova Scotia municipalities offered an electronic voting option in 2020. Elections Nova Scotia used electronic ballots in the July byelection in Preston. And it plans to allow e-voting in the 2025 provincial election.

Joudry says in a report to council this week that more than 40 municipalities are expected to offer electronic voting as an option this year.

Joudry recommends that councillors vote to keep the traditional paper ballot, while also introducing online and telephone voting. Joudry estimates that adding an e-ballot option would cost an extra $20,000, for a total of $70,000.

Joudry also recommended that Ian Kent be appointed the new returning officer for the municipal election. Kent was recently hired by Elections Nova Scotia to replace Ted Bulley as the provincial returning officer for Queens, after Bulley’s retirement. The province’s returning officer has traditionally performed the same role in municipal elections.

Darlene Norman, mayor of Region of Queens. Photo Credit: Darlene Norman

By Rick Conrad

Voters in the Region of Queens may be able to cast a ballot online in October’s municipal election.

Mayor Darlene Norman says she’s confident the region will be able to introduce electronic voting as an option this year.

Councillors asked CAO Cody Joudry at their first meeting of 2024 to prepare a report on the feasibility and costs of introducing electronic voting to Queens, while keeping the traditional paper ballot.

“I expect the cost to come back much more than pure paper voting, but it may not,” Norman said in an interview after the meeting. 

“But a combination (of voting options) would be good. … Younger people say that it’s the thing that we need, but it would be interesting to do it.” 

Twenty of 49 Nova Scotia municipalities offered an electronic voting option in 2020. Elections Nova Scotia used electronic ballots in the July byelection in Preston. And it plans to allow e-voting in the 2025 provincial election.

District 3 Coun. Maddie Charlton said it’s time that Queens offers an electronic option in addition to the traditional ballot, to make it easier for people to make their choice.

“I think it’s important for us to move forward with this.”

District 6 Coun. David Brown said it would also help encourage people in more rural areas of the municipality to vote.

“With our widespread rural areas, it’s hard for people to get out to the polling station. Having the electronic option will get more people involved.”

The Kiwanis Club of Liverpool is closer to taking over the canteen at Queens Place Emera Centre.

The region would lease the facility to the club for one year rent-free. The club would be responsible for ensuring food safety and insurance compliance. Kiwanis volunteers would operate it along with members of the Queens County Blades and the Queens County Minor Hockey Association.

The three organizations would share proceeds from concessions sales.

Because of the Christmas holidays, staff couldn’t have a final agreement ready for councillors to review at their Tuesday meeting. They voted to wait until they see the contract before giving their final approval.

David Schofield, president of the Kiwanis Club of Liverpool, said Tuesday that his group is excited about running the canteen.

“I think it’s a good opportunity not just for the Kiwanis Club but also for the figure skating club and Queens County minor hockey who we’ve asked for their support as well, because we don’t have enough volunteers in our organization to do it. … A lot of people have made comments about not having a canteen available (at Queens Place), so I think it’s win-win-win-win.”

Steve Burns, manager of events, promotions and sponsorships, told councillors that it would likely take a couple of weeks after the contract is signed to get all the necessary permits in place for the Kiwanis club to take over.

In other news from Tuesday’s meeting:

Councillors want to try to address garbage pileups in Queens County cottage country.

District 6 Coun. David Brown asked staff for recommendations to address the problem.

He said the 40 so-called “grey box” sites on private roads throughout the county consume half of the region’s garbage collection budget.

“These are places that have large tax revenues for us that we don’t provide a lot of services for,” Brown said. “And nobody wants to see a mountain of garbage every time they drive into beautiful, pristine wilderness.”

Mayor Darlene Norman says it is a “huge problem”.

“And people in the Labelle and Molega area, some people are paying $10,000 property tax out there for no services. It is an issue that has to be dealt with.” 

Councillors asked staff to prepare an inventory on burnt out streetlights in the region, and press Nova Scotia Power to fix them more quickly.

District 1 Coun. Kevin Muise said many residents have complained that several streetlights haven’t been working in some areas for up to three months. He’s concerned about safety for motorists and pedestrians.

There are six streetlights out on Shore Road in Mersey Point alone, council heard. Many are out for longer than the 60-day service guarantee.

Nova Scotia Power is supposed to maintain the lights, but the region pays for them, even when they don’t work, Norman said.

“We are paying for a tremendous amount of street lights which are burnt out.”

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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