December municipal update - Victoria-by-the-Sea
Happy festive season to you all! Stay cozy!
Spotted in the Victoria Villagers Facebook Group: “Join us this Saturday evening at 7:30pm at the Victoria Schoolhouse when our amazing theatre students will perform a reading of "A Christmas Carol" .
Free admission. Donations gratefully accepted at the door. Hope to see you there! 🎄❄️✨”
In this edition:
1 - From the Mayor’s Desk
2 - 🎄❄️✨ Holiday Decorating Contest! 🎄❄️✨
3 - Upcoming Council & Committee meetings
4 - Update on Capital projects
1 - From the Mayor’s Desk
As we approach the end of 2023, I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy Holiday Season. May the true meaning of the holiday season, filled with love, compassion, and generosity, guide us in our interactions with one another. Let us extend a helping hand to those in need and make a positive impact on the lives of those around us.
Looking back, 2023 was a very challenging year for my wife and me. When I had to take leave from the Mayor’s chair for the first part of the year, I was very grateful for how Shelley Trainor and the other members of council were able to step up and effectively conduct the business of the Municipality. I am also very grateful for the professionalism and hard work of our Municipal staff, Chief Administrative Officer Anna Keenan, and Financial Administrative Assistant Marsha Empson. As well, we saw our seasonal staff, contractors and others step up and do great work to keep our village beautiful and safe.
During the year, we saw numerous volunteers serving our community raising money to operate the provincial park, providing fire protection services and several other related community activities. There have been so many positive changes in the operations of the Municipality due to the hard work by everyone involved. One of the most notable changes in the last year has been the improvements made to the communications with residents through this newsletter and a more comprehensive website.
We ended our year finding out that our CAO will be leaving us in the new year. Just as we started 2023 without knowing who will lead our municipal administration, 2024 will start the same way. A CAO search committee has started work to hire a new CAO. The members of council and Anna are dedicated to doing everything possible to ensure key priorities are completed or in a good position to hand off to our new CAO. This includes finding ways to address the significant sustainability issues still facing our Municipality as I’ve discussed previously.
Looking ahead, the municipality will be engaging the public on the draft Official Plan and Planning Bylaw early in the new year. I hope that everyone takes the opportunity to look at the products of the hard work by the Planning Board and participates in the process of their finalization. The plan and bylaw are the foundation for how we see our community developing over the next five years.
Finally, I would like to thank all those who took the time this year to write, call me or drop by and talk about the work of the municipality and by providing their ideas to make our community a better place to live.
Quoting Henry Ford, “if everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.”
Happy Holidays!
— Martin Ruben, Mayor
2 - 🎄❄️✨ Holiday Decorating Contest! 🎄❄️✨
From the organizers -
“Again this year, there will be a Holiday Decorating Contest. There will be prizes for the three top contenders. The judges will take a tour on December 23, with congratulations of the winners the same night, announced in the Victoria Villagers Facebook Group. Let’s light up our beautiful village!”
3 - Upcoming Council and Committee Meetings
Council - Monday December 11, 6:30pm.
Planning Board - Last week, the Planning Board reviewed an updated draft of the Official Plan and Development Bylaw, and approved that it be presented for public comment at a formal Pubilc Meeting, scheduled for 6pm on Tuesday January 16, after a few additional updates and adjustments to the draft are complete. This marks a major milestone!
Public notice of at least a week will be given in advance of that public meeting, with the updated drafts for public review and comment.
Following the Public Meeting, the planning board will meet once again on Tuesday January 23, to (hopefully) incorporate any final adjustments to the plan, before submitting to Council for approval and adoption! If there are no major changes required, this puts the municipality on track to have a new Official Plan approved as early as March 2024.Water & Sewer Corporation Board - No meeting currently scheduled.
As per our Procedural Bylaw, Agendas and packages for meetings will be published on the website 2 days in advance, at www.rmvictoria.com/agendas-and-minutes
4 - Capital Projects Update
Replacement of water line across the Causeway Bridge: The pipe delivery has finally been received from Ontario/Quebec, and Island Coastal is on site and completing the installation work during these weeks!
Installation of Generators to provide backup power to the water pumphouse, the schoolhouse, and the wastewater treatment facility: Concrete foundations have been set, and now we are waiting for the generators and propane tanks to arrive and be connected. Expected by February.
Replacement of the sewage lift-station on the Wharf: Last month, a bid from Island Coastal was accepted by Council, and bridge financing secured. Island Coastal’s procurement of equipment is proceeding, and permits have been applied for. The work must be functionally complete before the end of April. However, some work (asphalt restoration) will need to be done as late as June, due to the need for suitable weather.
Heatpump installation at the Community Hall (Victoria Playhouse) and Fire Hall: The heatpump has been installed at the Fire Hall. Success! At the Community Hall, the required electrical upgrades are proving to be complicated, so while there is no heat supply, water has been shut off to the building, to prevent pipes from freezing over the winter.
That’s all for this month! See past issues at www.RMVictoria.com/newsletters
Questions? Feedback? Info for a future newsletter? Photos you’re willing to share?
Contact Anna & Marsha at victoriamunicipalitypei@gmail.com
Regular office hours: Mon-Thurs, 9:30am-12noon & 1-3:30pm.
Rural Municipality of Victoria, 730 Victoria Road, Victoria, PE, C0A 2G0, Canada