Monday 20 July 2015

August 1 Fundraiser at My Home Raised $1821

 “Colour Us Green” Backgrounder

The Project

This community-based, action-oriented project has been several months in the making and is currently underway. It aims to create positive environmental change in the small, tight knit community of Meadowview and beyond. Meadoview is nestled between a regional hospital, the Cornwallis River and a closed landfill site.
For decades Meadowview hosted the “dump” that served both town and county residents. This resilient community of just under 100 homes was so often littered with garbage falling from trucks or retrieved by residents for scrap that it was the subject of ridicule and slurs. The dump was closed in the 90s. Subsequently, contaminated water created the need for the installation of public water system and household wells were abandoned. The community has steadily rebuilt.
Now, twenty years on the community has launching its Colour Us Green initiative. The goals include: finding ways to economically green the area's homes; its community centre; as well as studying the feasibility of transforming the 20-acre brownfield site created by the landfill closure into a green energy generator.

The Partnerships

This work has been launched by the Meadowview Community Development Association and in partnership with:
  1. The Clean Foundation;
  2. The Nova Scotia Community College; and
  3. The staff of the Municipality of the County of Kings

The Expected/Potential Results

  1. A rewarding and very relevant work term placement for a student in the Nova Scotia Community College's Energy Sustainability Engineering Technology (ESET) program.
  2. Recommendations to the Board of Directors of the Meadowview Community Development Association regarding how best to green its 100-year old building that operates as a busy community centre.
  3. A feasibility study that will determine the economics and steps required to use a 20-plus acre landfill as a site for a solar energy farm. Biogas will also be examined although it is unlikely that the site produces enough methane to be viable as a green energy source.
  4. Creating the possibility of a large economic development opportunity for the community and county through the transformation of a brownfield site. While this large acreage's life as a dump is long gone, and surrounding properties have greatly improved, some stigma lingers. Economic development in the community of any scale would be welcome; however, establishing a green energy site would have the advantage of introducing an initiative of significant scope that could launch the first large green economy initiative for Kings County.

The People and what they say about “Colour Us Green”

Joe Benjamin, President of the Meadowview Development Association:
This project will focus positive attention on our community and could result in a large economic project in the years ahead. Our goal is to bring much needed jobs to our corner of the county. It's a huge bonus that these jobs could put us on the green economy map for Nova Scotia or even the Maritimes. That would be a big step up for us because after all these years we are still often identified with the many negatives of being neighbours to the landfill site.”
Ryan Ferdinand, NSCC ESET Student, is a recent graduate of Environmental Science, Mount Allison University:
I enrolled in the ESET program at NSCC to gain skills I needed to become part of the green energy workforce. A central interest for me is how local communities can generate and use renewable energy locally, so this opportunity to have a job placement within a community development project of this scope is awesome.”
Dr. Wayne Groszko, NSCC Faculty in the Energy Sustainability Engineering Technology (ESET) program, key advisor for his student's work placement has been advising the community on its energy goals since the fall of 2014:
At a first glance, we estimate that solar energy on the top of the closed landfill could supply the equivalent electricity needs of about 250 homes. This study will fill in the details of how much and how it could work.”
Pauline Raven, Municipal Councillor for District 3, is hosting of the August 1, Noon to Midnight, fundraising event. Rain date is August 2. This event addresses a funding gap for the project with any excess helping with green retrofits to the Meadowview Community Centre. She and her partner are looking forward to a steady turnout on August 1 at their 1494 Pereaux Road cottage in Delhaven. Raven introduced Dr. Groszko to the board members of the Meadowview Community Development Association after a discussion indicating an interest in exploring ways to “green” the community.
The Colour us Green project is a bold example of what the Ivany Report calls upon Nova Scotians to do---“Move the economic ball wherever they can.”

Playing it Forward

The project includes public presentations and discussions of the project and its results. The association plans to share its work on greening the community hall with other Kings County Hall Associations. Bullfrog Energy has expressed interest in helping the Development Association fund green energy upgrades.
The Meadowview Development Association is also supporting a Property Assessed Clean Energy initiative to make residential energy retrofits more accessible to lower-income households. This project was referred to the Municipality of the County of Kings Budget and Finance Committee. The association is waiting for recommendations to come to council chambers.

Friday 10 July 2015

Clarification regarding potential suspension

Motions related to the suspension of myself and two other councillors from committees is in the media at the moment. I want to clarify, particularly for constituents of District 3, that should these motions pass they will not impact my community-based work.

My attendance at community and government meetings and committees related to key projects I work on with you were never "council committees" and never were eligible for travel reimbursement. These projects are where I mostly connect with residents. I truly appreciate and enjoy this work and it will continue as needed regardless of whatever attempts the majority block at council take to curb my connections with community. Some of this work includes:
  • The new wharf at Halls Harbour;
  • Speed limits in Centerville;
  • Centreville Playground;
  • Centreville Days;
  • A new crosswalk and crossguard program for Aldershot Elementary;
  • The feasability study for a solar farm at the Meadowview Landfill site (and other clean energy initiatives);
  • Choices for Youth
  • Retrofitting of social housing;
  • Strengthening protection for agricultural land;
  • Etc.

On the other hand, the council committees I serve on and could apparently be suspended from are: 

  • Kings Transit; 
  • Grandview Manor; and 
  • The Joint Fire Services Committee that works to coordinate the work of the Kentville Volunteer Fire Department on behalf of Kings County and Town of Kentville residents.

For those of you interested in the details of these disciplinary motions that were placed on all Councillors' desk (for us to discover upon arrival at the Council Meeting on Tuesday, July 7) read on.

There is also some background information below that was received from the CAO about 2-hours prior to council.

As the night progressed the motions weren't addressed. The Warden decided that in the interest of the shortness of time available on July 7 they would be dealt with at a subsequent meeting.

If the motions had come forward I would have raised a Point of Order asking Warden Brothers to declare the motions out of order. In effect regardless of whether in practice, procedure or law these motions have a solid footing, they are best understood as yet another bullying tactic to silence dissent within lead by those who, in my opinion, appear bent on having democracy run amuck!



The Motions

"Council suspends the appointment of Councillors Bishop, Councillor Winsor, and Councillor Raven from all committees for six months effective immediately."
"Council prohibits Councillor Bishop, Councillor Winsor and Councillor Raven from submitting travel claim expenses for any meetings or conferences that they attend except for attendance at Council meetings effective immediately."



CAO's Background Info

Council has passed the following motion: "To direct the CAO to bring back a plan by September to go forward to react to the issue of Councillor walk-out." Given the time challenges that we are facing this evening with the inclusion of a Public Hearing and a Public Engagement Session in addition to Council, I am providing this email as an update (which will be repeated at Council this evening). I have spoken with our former Municipal Advisor, now Executive Director I believe, and we discussed the matter.  He agreed that the options available for Council include removing councilors from committees and not permitting travel expenses for meetings and conferences (outside of council meetings). Given that Council appoints members to committees, Council has the authority to remove members from committees.  Likewise, as Council approves travel to expenses for attendance at meetings, conferences, etc, Council can not approve those expenses. Any plan going forward would involve a decision of Council and, if any action is to be taken, then it appears that the options are to: suspend committee appointments and prohibit reimbursement claims for travel.


The Walkout

The walkout occurred on June 16 and was aimed at delaying a decision to purchase land in Coldbrook.

Three of us excused ourselves from the in camera proceeding. That left only five councillors present and nixed the possibility of a vote.

This delay tactic was aimed at sober second thought on the pending decision. Our "antics" did not sit well with Warden Brother's apparent voting block of six on this particular matter. While Atwater, the sixth and crucial vote, was absent, he was available to return and vote two days later. That day became one of reckoning. Deputy Warden Hirtle, read a long, prepared vengeful speech and called for financial punishment of the councillors who had delayed the vote.

Why a decision on the potential purchase of the Coldbrook land from Loblaws could not wait two weeks until council's regular meeting is still puzzling to me. But what seems clear is the lack of room in this county's governance's style for transparency, public engagement, and evidence based decision making.

As always, do not hesitate to call if you have any questions or comments. I can be reached at 902.670.2949.






Saturday 4 July 2015

Potential Relocation of Civilian Airport to 14-Wing Greenwood Delayed

After 2-hours of in-camera discussions at the July 2, 2015, special council meeting the Warden would permit only one motion­:
“That Council direct the Warden, Deputy Warden and Chief Administrative Officer to meet with the representatives from Waterville Airport Cooperative Limited and the Freedom Aviation Society to discuss the temporary relocation of aircraft from the Waterville Airport to the Digby Annapolis Regional Airport and to report back to council as soon as possible.”
After this motion passed I sought permission to put another motion on the floor but this was blocked by the Warden. Given that the majority of councillors do not question the wishes of the Warden, it would have been unlikely that this motion would have succeeded but the motion I saw as necessary was:
“That, in the event that the date for the purchase of Waterville airport lands by Michelin be pushed further into the future, Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to bring a recommendation to council regarding an extension of the date of closure for the Waterville airport.”
Councillors, or at least this councillor, entered this in-camera session without any prior information about the several items and updates to be shared. Council was also without the benefit of legal counsel during the in-camera meeting.

Residents deserve a public discussion of the current status of the airport relocation project. This needs to include information regarding the status of the Michelin purchase, the delays and/or potential at 14-Wing Greenwood, and any other items those with first hand knowledge of our current municipal airport deem necessary. 

My opinion is the time to look at sites other than 14-Wing Greenwood for the relocation of a municipal airport is well overdue. Kings County is letting the economic development that other municipalities enjoy through the presence of civilian airports to pass it by. 

We seem to have completely lost sight of the fact that an independent study showed beyond a doubt that our municipal airport at Waterville was a significant generator of jobs, that it provided aviation training for youth and residents, that it was a draw to the area for new businesses, that it provided service to existing businesses. Overall, it had great value to the Kings County economy. 

While the relocation was tied to an expansion of Michelin we need to create a win-win by halting our neglection of the pressing need for a stellar civilian airport for the Kings County. Perhaps we should be talking to West Hants about a partnership as all indications point to the need for a site within a 1-hour or less drive from Halifax.