April 28, 2021; Liverpool, NS:  Following several months of budget planning and deliberations, the annual Operating, Water Utility, and Capital Budgets for Region of Queens Municipality were unanimously approved at the April 27, 2021 Regular Council meeting.  This is the first budget of the newly elected Council. Operating Budget total is $21,968,378, including Hillsview Acres. The 2021-2022 Water Utility Budget totals $758,678, and the Capital Budget total is $22,459,135. 

“We’re moving towards a more accessible and inclusive community which will be attractive for present and future residents.  Internal and external requests for increased financial support has made this a challenging budget year which requires increased funding.  Our infrastructure needs upgrading and in some instances replacement,” said Mayor Darlene Norman.

Region of Queens Municipality’s tax rates are inclusive of services such as fire services, street lighting, solid waste collection, and paving, which are often collected as area rates in other Municipalities. This budget will see a tax rate increase of 4 cents in residential, resource and commercial rates.  Those on the Liverpool Water Utility will see a one cent decrease in hydrant rates, so their tax increase will be 3 cents per $100 assessment.

Tax bills will be mailed to property owners by the end of May, with taxes due upon receipt, however, if paid by June 30, 2021, no interest charges will be applied. 

The 2021-2022 Operating, Water Utility and Capital Budgets will be posted on-line on Wednesday, April 28, 2021:        https://www.regionofqueens.com/municipal-services/finance/financial-statement

Residents wishing to watch Council approve the budgets may watch the video on the Region of Queens Municipality’s YouTube channel, to be posted by end of day April 28, 2021: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK2q2i7QSvBDBqS38uCApvQ/videos

Fact Sheet

2021-2022 Budget, Region of Queens Municipality

• An increase in Residential, Resource and Commercial Tax of four cents per $100 assessment for all properties throughout Queens County.
• A one cent decrease in hydrant charges in District 13 and those in Districts 1, 3, 5, and 6 for those properties connected to, or have the ability to connect to Liverpool’s Water Utility.
• Residential and Resource Tax Rate for Districts 1 – 12 (all communities, excluding Liverpool) is now $1.10 per $100 assessment.
• Residential and Resource Tax Rate for District 13 (Liverpool) is now $1.96 per $100 assessment.
• Commercial Tax Rate Districts 1 – 12 is now $2.20 per $100 assessment.
• Commercial Tax Rate for District 13 is now $3.06 per $100 assessment.
• The Water Utility Budget is projecting a deficit of $40,253 with no rate increase.
• A number of cost increases are included in the budget, which fall outside the Municipality’s ability to control or influence. Those increase include:
  • Policing increase 3% increase, amounting to $91,803 more
  • Education increase 26% increase, amounting to $37,562 more
  • Housing/Corrections/Roads undetermined, anticipated increase of $8,749
  • Solid Waste contract 21% increase, amounting to $216,043 more
• 2 cents of the 4 cent increase will be provided to the five volunteer fire departments in Queens (Greenfield and District Volunteer Fire Department, Liverpool Fire Fighters Association, Mill Village and District Volunteer Fire Department, North Queens Fire Association, and Port Medway Fire Department). This will total $196,433 in additional funding for fire departments.
• Accessibility upgrades of $100,000 are budgeted at Town Hall Arts and Cultural Centre and Astor Theatre.
• Over the past several years, there have been droughts in late summer, and to help residents, Council approved a funding program to support agreements with community organizations to open showers for community use in times and locations as requested by the Municipality.
• As part of regular maintenance, the Sewage Treatment facility in South Queens will have dredging completed this year of Cells 2 & 3, at a cost of $150,000.
• Queens County Daycare will receive one-time funding of $30,000.
• Capital projects totaling $22,459,135 are budgeted for projects, pending grant approvals, including upgrades to water and sewer infrastructure on Court Street and Union Street, as well as re-routing water distribution lines from the water treatment facility.
• Funds have been allocated in the amount of $2,500,000 for an outdoor pool in South Queens, to replace the 54 year old Milton Centennial Pool.
• Funds have been budgeted to install a fuel system at South Shore Regional Airport, at a cost of $50,000.
• A Diversity and Inclusion grant program will be established to support and encourage not-for-profit groups develop and offer programs or services, create infrastructure, host events, or offer educational training that has a diversity and inclusion focus.

This year’s LEAF AND YARD WASTE roadside pick-up will be held during the weeks of May 3 to May 7, 2021 and May 10 to May 14, 2021 on your regular collection day.

The materials acceptable for pick-up shall include leaves, grass trimmings, and yard waste placed in clear or orange plastic bags. (No plastics, cigarette packages, cups, etc.)   Branches and limbs will be accepted if individual branches do not exceed 7 cm. (2.5 inches) in diameter.  These should be tied in bundles no longer than 1.2 m. (4 feet) and 20 m. (8 inches) in diameter.

Scott LeBlanc

Solid Waste Clerk/Safety Officer

902-354-3455

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Council of the Region of Queens Municipality intends to consider the following bylaw at its regular meeting of Council to be held on May 11, 2021 at the Council Chambers, 249 White Point Road, Liverpool, NS at 9:00 a.m.:

A BYLAW RESPECTING DEED TRANSFER TAX

Object:    To approve a new Deed Transfer Tax bylaw that will increase the rate of the deed transfer tax from 1.0% to 1.5%.

A copy of the proposed bylaw may be inspected or obtained at the Region Office on 249 White Point Road, Liverpool, Nova Scotia, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.

Chris McNeill

CAO

the Proposed bylaw is also available to download – click here to download.

Update:
April, 10, 2021; 8:30 am: Bell Aliant internet and telephone service has now been restored. If you are still having difficulties, please contact Bell Aliant.

Public Notice:
Areas of Queens County are experiencing telephone and internet outages on the Bell system. Bell is aware of the service outage amd is working to restore it.

911 is working as usual. We remind people to only call 911 for emergencies.
*** Please do not call 911 to test if it is working – it is.

Spring Clean-up

April 19 to April 23, 2021

and April 26 to April 30, 2021

This year’s SPRING CLEAN-UP COLLECTION will be held during the weeks of April 19 to April 23, 2021 and April 26 to April 30, 2021 on your regular collection day.

Generally, items acceptable for pick-up are over-sized items and items not regularly collected on your regular collection day. These items shall not exceed 150 lbs. in weight or 6 feet in length. Items that will NOT be collected are Leaf and Yard Waste, Household Hazardous Waste, Building Demolition Waste, Tires, Propane Tanks and Electronics (Computers and TVs, etc.).

It is essential that your regular household garbage (black bags), blue bags, cardboard and compost be kept separate from the spring clean-up items.

Scott LeBlanc
Solid Waste Clerk/Safety Officer
902-354-3455

March 24, 2021; Liverpool, NS: Fort Point Lighthouse, the third oldest standing lighthouse in Nova Scotia, will reopen this season under new management. At the March 23, 2021 Region of Queens Municipality’s Council meeting, a motion approved the proposal submitted by Queens County Museum for the seasonal operation of Fort Point Lighthouse in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, for a three year period, beginning in spring 2021. It has been a visitor attraction site for approximately 30 years. A popular local attraction steeped in history, it has stood at the mouth of the Mersey River since 1855, and was decommissioned in 1989. The Region of Queens Municipality opened it seasonally as an attraction, enabling the public to have the unique experience of being able to go inside a lighthouse, access the light, and turn the hand crank to sound the fog horn.

“It will be exciting to see the new direction that Queens County Museum takes Fort Point Lighthouse. Fort Point will be an excellent location for Queens County Museum to showcase the cultural and seafaring history of our Region,” said Darlene Norman, Mayor of the Region of Queens Municipality.

“On behalf of our Board and Staff, we can’t tell you how thrilled we are, the museum now having the privilege of running this iconic landmark, Fort Point Lighthouse. She will reopen this summer as an Interpretive Centre featuring the history of the lighthouse and the colonial history of the site plus a few other surprises. Stay tuned…..and again many thanks,” said Linda Rafuse, Director of Queens County Museum and Perkins House.

A Request for Proposals (RFP) for the operation of Fort Point Lighthouse was issued on January 27, 2021 for the seasonal operation of Fort Point Lighthouse as a visitor attraction site for a three year term to starting in spring of 2021.
Fort Point Lighthouse was operated by Lanes Privateer Inn for four seasons (June through mid-October, 2017 through 2020), drawing approximately 5,850 visitors per season, excluding the 2020 visitor season which was impacted by travel restrictions resulting from the pandemic.