I want to congratulate the Chamber of Commerce on their successful first meeting of the new Board of Directors held last night and am looking forward to working with you on future endeavours that benefit those who visit, work and play in Westport and Rideau Lakes.
Tag Archives: Mayor Robin Jones
Update on waste water treatment this winter
I have been asked by many people over the past couple of weeks what is happening with the Snowfluent system as they haven’t seen any evidence of snowmaking yet this year. Although yesterday and today are perfect snow making conditions, the plant has yet to process this year. Warm weather in December meant that the plant was not turned on. In order to operate the Snowfluent system, the temperature needs to be -5 C and wind at least 4 km/hr.
On December 31, when the system was being started up, a broken pipe in one of the effluent lines prevented its operation. The repairs to the pipe are expected to be made by the end of the day Tuesday. Adjustments were made to the plant today and I am hopeful that two towers will be operational tonight. The weather forecast indicates that the unseasonably warm weather returns on Wednesday.
The levels of the lagoons are monitored daily as well as the daily flows from the Village to the lagoons. The average flows in November were 220 m3, however alarmingly jumped to over 300 m3 in the latter part of December. Sump pumps that are connected to the waste water system are contributing to this increase. Please check to see where your sump pump dumps and ensure that it does not add to the lagoon levels. Council is introducing a water conservation programme this week in the Review Mirror by providing advice on how to reduce the amount of clean water flowing to the waste water system. Let’s work together to reduce the amount of unnecessary clean water being processed at the waste water plant by 10% this year.
Council met this afternoon to review the current situation. Our Councillors bring a wealth of experience to the discussions and each of them is committed to asking the right questions to ensure they get all of the information they need to make decisions. At the end of the meeting, Council is satisfied that monitoring the levels, flows and weather forecasts is sufficient at this point in time,. Just as a reminder, should it be necessary to haul effluent, there is a solid contingency plan that can be in place with 24 hours notice.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact a Councillor of your choice or me.
Update – Budget 2016
The Village of Westport Council had an initial review of the 2016 Budget on November 23 at a Special Committee of the Whole Meeting. A Public Meeting to discuss the budget was also held on November 23rd. No member of the public attended the public meeting, although there were several community members at the Committee of the Whole.
On Monday, December 14 at 2:00 p.m., Council will be reviewing the preliminary draft budget at a Special Committee of the Whole Meeting. Another opportunity for public input will occur at a Public Meeting from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. on December 14th. Copies of the preliminary draft budget will be available by 2:00 p.m. December 11th at Town Hall or on-line.
Obviously, no decisions have been made on the 2016 budget. The process of establishing a municipal budget is slow and methodical. For you to have a full understanding of what is being discussed, you are invited to listen to all Council discussions and debates during the Special or Regular meetings. Dates and times of meetings are on the Village web site.
Congratulations St. Edward Church Choir and St. Columbanus Church
St. Edward Church Choir and St. Columbanus Church (Elgin) have just released a new Christmas CD, O Come Let Us Adore Him. I am enjoying listening to the beautiful voices and wonderful harmonies sung to many treasured Christmas songs and some I haven’t heard in years. Well done to all involved and a shout out to Fr. Louis Di Rocco for his inspiration and love of music.
Christmas Magic Begins in Westport
Tonight’s “Hop and Shop” was a wonderful event. Despite the rain, the Village was “hopping” as people were “shopping”. Lots of stores stayed open and the business owners I spoke to said it was a positive event for them. It takes lots of people to make something like this happen, but a huge shout out to Cynthia Pringle and Martha Kudrinko. Great leadership, ladies.
The Judges from the Westport Arts Council were out tonight, spending time in front of 18 businesses that had entered the “Windows of Distinction” competition. Yes, there is a winner – but you will have to wait until tomorrow when the announcement is made during the parade.
The excitement for tomorrow’s Santa Claus Parade, hosted by the Westport Lions Club, continues to build. The weather looks sunny and it should be a perfect day to join in or watch the parade. Many volunteers have spent time getting floats ready, practicing with their music and getting their costumes made. Come and join in the fun. It all begins at 2:00 p.m.
When the parade is over, the choirs from the Westport churches will be moving throughout the downtown singing Christmas Carols. Please sing along. The day’s Christmas fun finishes at 5:00 p.m. at the Museum, with the lighting of the Christmas Tree. Town Hall Councillors will be serving hot apple cider across the street from the museum.
Let there be no doubt, the Christmas spirit is alive and well in our Village.
Robin, The Mayor 
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