The village commission has recently increased sewer rates, raised taxes and taken steps to collect outstanding revenues and pay outstanding invoices. It has also interviewed a candidate to replace Hudson, who retired as chief administrative officer with Victoria County years ago and only agreed to help out during the transition, and will now make that person an offer, Hudson said. Assuming it is accepted, the candidate will have to give their current employer notice before the position can be filled. While that is going on, the village's accounting firm will be putting together a "compilation agreement" that will provide the village with a "best guess" of the finances for the two missing years, Hudson said.The accountants will also be finishing off financial statements for the last two years, Hudson said. With that done, the village will apply to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board for increased water rates to cover a mounting deficit in the water account.
Municipality of Victoria County residents facing water rate hikes
Residents serviced by the Municipality of Victoria County's water utility will likely see an increase in their water rates over the next two years following a decision by Nova Scotia's utility regulator. However, the amount that rates will jump is still uncertain, as the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board wants the municipality to submit a new rate study after the board took measures to insulate customers against significant rate hikes this year.
Cumberland wants to merge water utilities for Parrsboro, Pugwash and Springhill
Some people in the Municipality of Cumberland, N.S., could be paying 20 per cent more for water next year if a proposed merger goes ahead. The municipality wants to combine the water utilities of Parrsboro, Pugwash and Springhill into one utility, and applied for a rate increase for that one utility. Currently, the water services are all managed separately and keep accounting records separately. They file these records to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.
Bridgetown church loses appeal of water bill, but donations have been pouring in
The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board has denied an appeal from a Bridgetown church that received a hefty water bill from the Municipality of the County of Annapolis following a burst pipe that went undetected. St. James Anglican Church received a water bill of $5,485 this spring after a pipe burst while the church was shut down in the winter due to COVID-19.
Pictou residents face jump in water rates over next 3 years
In 2019, some metered customers using 5/8th-inch pipes will pay 31.1 per cent more in 2019. It will go up 10.5 and 9.5 per cent in the two years after. Other metered customers will see rate increases ranging from 32.9 to 43.8 per cent in 2019. They will range from 10.1 per cent to 17.2 per cent more the year after and 10.7 per cent to 16.5 per cent in the year after that.