Municipality of the District of Guysborough

January 4, 2012

2012 Municipal Elections Website

Dalhousie University’s College of Continuing Education has developed a website that is intended to encourage Nova Scotia citizens to become more formally active in their community through the 2012 Municipal Elections by:  running as a candidate (including some tips on helping them to decide if becoming a municipal councillor is right for them),   helping someone become elected, participating on a municipal committee, and exercising their right to vote. To view the site, please go to www.ns-municipal-elections.ca.

 

December 14, 2011

The Council and staff of the Municipality of the District of Guysborough wishes its residents a safe and healthy holiday season and a happy and prosperous New Year.

Holiday Hours at the Municipal Office

Please note that the municipal office located at 33 Pleasant Street will be closed on the following days:

Monday, December 26, 2011
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Monday, January 2, 2012

Holiday Hours at the Waste Management Facility

Please note that the Waste Management Facility will be closed to the public on the following days:

Saturday, December 24, 2011
Monday, December 26, 2011
Monday, January 2, 2012

Please note that waste will still be collected as usual on Monday, December 26, 2011 and Monday, January 2, 2012.

2011 LED Holiday Light Exchange

December 2, 2011 @ 7:00 P.M.
Rare Bird Court Yard

This season, NS Power and Efficiency Nova Scotia have partnered to promote the use of energy efficient LED lights and provide Nova Scotians with the opportunity to receive a free string of LED lights, in exchange for two strings of traditional glass holiday lights.
 
From November to December, the exchanges take place at community tree lighting ceremonies across the province. Bring in two sets of glass holiday lights for recycling and receive one set of LED holiday lights for free.

 
ENS0074 LED Poster with text field[1].pdf

Free Webinar Series: Municipal Campaign Training for Women

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) will host a series of free webinars aimed at women interested in running for municipal office. The webinars are part of FCM’s Getting to 30% program, which encourages and trains women to run in municipal elections. The series will provide valuable information for women who have not been able to attend FCM’s Getting to 30% workshops. The first webinar will focus on how to finance a campaign and will take place November 22 from 12 – 1:30 p.m. ET.

Session Summary
The United Nations defines 30 per cent as the minimum level of women's participation for government to reflect women's concerns. While women make up 52 per cent of the Canadian population, only 24 per cent are elected municipal politicians: 16 per cent of mayors and 25 per cent of councillors.

Based on current statistics, Canada would need more than 1400 more women elected to municipal office to reach the 30 per cent target. This represents an increase of approximately 100 women every year for the next 15 years.

This webinar will provide valuable information for women who have not been able to attend the campaign workshops FCM has been offering across the country for the last two years. It will focus on financing a campaign, and will include details on how to develop a budget, fund-raising, financial disclosure, campaign expenses, and more.

This webinar will be provided in English. Further sessions on campaign training for women, in French and English, are scheduled for 2011/2012. For more information on this seminar and to register, please visit the following page: http://fcm.ca/home/events/upcoming-events/webinar-campaign-financing-for-women---november-22-2011.htm

 

News from the September 22, 2011 Council Meeting

After a brief summer hiatus, Guysborough Municipal Council returned to its first regular council meeting on September 22, 2011. At this meeting, Council awarded two tenders. The tender for the demolition of the Melford Loop properties was awarded to Con & Con Construction Ltd., while the tender for the supply & installation of playground equipment at Boylston Atwater Park was awarded to Play Power.

Moreover, Council adopted a new Equity & Diversity Policy and two by-laws had their first reading at the September Council meeting.  A new Noise Control By-Law will go for its second reading at the October regular Council meeting while MODG’s old Travel Trailer By-Law will be officially repealed at the October Council meeting.

Finally, Seaforth Energy had submitted a proposal for the supply and installation of up to five small wind turbines (50 kW or less) in the Municipality of the District of Guysborough earlier this month and Council has now authorized staff to enter into negotiations with Seaforth.
 

MODG to Issue RFP for Supply of Wind Turbines

The Province of Nova Scotia has recently announced a Community Feed-in Tariff (ComFIT) to support small-scale locally owned renewable energy projects. Standards for the project were recently released by Nova Scotia's Department of Energy, providing more detail on small-wind project specifications and eligible biomass sources.

In the interests of diversifying local energy supply options and making strategic investments for the benefit of residents, the MODG has recently submitted an application to site five small wind (<50kWh) turbines on municipally owned land. Municipal governments are required to have 100% ownership of its projects and a total of five of these small turbines will be permitted in each County within Nova Scotia.

Through the release of a RFP the MODG will establish the terms for a design/build contract relationship to supply the appropriate equipment and ongoing support to build and operate up to five small wind turbines under the Nova Scotia ComFIT program.

MODG has also been identified as having some of the best wind regimes in the Province and has seen, and will continue to see, interest in this area for the siting of wind turbines and wind farms. 

 

MODG is excited to be launching its new website

After having successfully completed the first round in the creation of new MODG promotional materials, the Municipality of the District of Guysborough is proud to unveil its most recent promotional venture: a brand new website! Over the past few months, MODG has once again been working with Alidade Marketing Inc. to design a new website for the District, which we believe will prove to be an invaluable tool for residents, businesses, visitors, and potential investors.

Earlier this year, Alidade Marketing Inc. designed a number of other promotional tools for the Municipality; which included a tourism brochure and map, a portfolio for economic development promotion, stock ad templates, as well as a portable speaking podium and booth display. These have been very well received and continue to garner lots of positive feedback. With the inclusion of the new website, MODG hopes to strengthen its brand image as well as increase its profile.

Use of all these promotional tools is crucial in increasing awareness of MODG’s economic development opportunities, deepening the pride-of-place among current residents and increasing the District’s profile as an attractive tourism destination. We look forward to receiving your feedback on the new website over the coming months!