Citizens of New-Wes-Valley

Hello Readers, I'd like to touch base with you as there is a gap in posts lately.  I have been unable to go to the past few town council meetings, and no one else has sent in any posts for publication.  I have not heard from any concerned citizens for some time- I'm hoping that's because everyone is happily enjoying their summer holidays or busy making hay while the sun shines. I would like to remind you of the reasons this blog was first set up, and encourage you to send in information to share with all citizens of New-Wes-Valley.   This site is meant as a tool to reach out to all stakeholders in our town, including the many people who do not wish to use Facebook.  Here's how you can take part: comment on posts email your thoughts to newwesvalleycitizens.haveyoursay@blogger.com for publication share this webpage with other citizens of New-Wes-Valley attend municipal meetings- see the calendar for when the meetings are happening share information about your busi...

This blog post was sent to us via newwesvalleycitizens.haveyoursay@blogger.com from the NWV Concerned Citizens group: We want to make it absolutely clear that Concerned Citizens are not against the use of chlorine. Chlorine plays an essential role in disinfecting drinking water, ensuring it is safe from harmful bacteria and pathogens. It is a vital part of public health. What we are raising concern about is the high level of chlorination by-products specifically Trihalomethanes (THMs) and Haloacetic Acids (HAAs) currently present in our water supply.  This is not a scare tactic, it is the reality of our situation. In the very link shared (with Facebook users only- this has not been posted on the town's website for public viewing) by the town, it clearly states (in yellow on photo): "𝙎𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙨𝙤 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜-𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙢 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙞𝙜𝙝 𝙡𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙘𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙗𝙮-𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪...

Ireland had a court case because some of their towns had THM levels in drinking water above 100 µg/L — the legal limit set by the EU, the same limit as Health Canada. These Irish towns have water treatment plants currently in place as well.  People there are suing their government because those levels are a serious health risk linked to cancer and other long-term health issues. Here's the kicker: New-Wes-Valley has had THM levels well above that same limit for years….Not just slightly over far beyond what sparked a court case in Ireland. ⚠️So why hasn't anyone been held accountable here in Newfoundland? ⚠️Why are we still being told this is "acceptable"? ⚠️Why is nothing changing? We have been dealing with water at dangerously high THMs while our health and safety are being ignored. If Ireland is taking this to court, we need to ask ourselves…why aren't we? This is not okay. It's time to speak up. https://ireland.representation.ec.europa.eu/news-and-events/new...

Councillor Howell has been unjustly suspended from her position as Councillor with the Town Council of New-Wes-Valley, Newfoundland and Labrador. Her removal was the result of a misunderstanding regarding Council rules. Despite this lack of clear communication, she has received one of the most severe punishments - a 2 month suspension when other options for punishment were brought forward to Council by the investigator. (See the full story HERE ) Councillor Howell has always been a dedicated and hardworking representative for our community. She has shown unwavering commitment to addressing community issues, supporting local initiatives, and improving the quality of life for all residents. Her suspension not only undermines her efforts but deprives New-Wes-Valley of a valuable and passionate public servant. We believe that the decision to suspend her from council was both hasty and unjust. It is imperative that she be reinstated, allowing her to continue her vital work for our community...

The above message has been copied from Brenda Howell's personal Facebook page and shared with us through the 'have your say' posting directions found at the top of this blog. The Town of New-Wes-Valley has posted a message from Mayor Tiller (see link HERE ), as well as the findings by the third party investigation of this matter (see link HERE ). Concerned Citizens would like to hear your thoughts on this matter, and would like to start the conversation by asking: How often do Councillors get investigated by a third party on conflict-of-interest complaints? We have seen many instances of other Councillors voting on topics of personal interest in the past without any mention nor investigation- what have you noticed? Do you think that all Councillors are being treated equally and fairly with regard to conflict-of-interest inquiries? What is the cost to tax payers for the fees paid to third party investigators?  Is it worth the cost?  Or could this be solved without added ...

We kindly request your support for Concerned Citizens representatives to present the following proposal to the council on behalf of all New-Wes-Valley residents. A resident at the recent council meeting expressed concerns regarding water quality.  Although funding for a treatment plant has been approved, its completion will take several years, leaving residents without immediate assistance or compensation. The concerned citizens group proposes the following interim measures: Establish free local filter and fill stations providing filtered water. Reassess water fees by exempting/reducing rates due to undisclosed toxins and health risks. Regularly post publicly the test results showing fluctuating levels of THMs and HAAs in our tap water. A majority “Yes” vote indicates we will proceed with this request. A majority “No” vote indicates we will not proceed with this request. Your opinion is important! Please share your thoughts. Anonymous votes will not be counted, as we cannot tell if...

What would trigger council to make an amendment to meeting minutes that had been reviewed, approved, and adopted by them 7 months ago? According to the Jan 21, 2025 meeting minutes: June 4th, 2024 Minutes Amendment: CAO noted that there was a discrepancy in June 4th minutes,  motion # 2024/162-A was not reflected in the minutes.  Motion was put to the table, as per scribe. Motion was brought by Councillor Smith, seconded by Deputy Mayor Stagg and voted by ALL. Councillor Hoyles declared conflict and exited chambers. RESOLUTION 25/37 - DAWN STAGG/ANDY BEST Be it resolved to amend June 4th Council meeting minutes to include motion number 24/162-A, as presented at June 4th meeting. In Favour 6: Mayor Tiller, Deputy Mayor Stagg, Councillors: P. Vincent, C. Smith, A. Best, B. Tucker Opposed 0: Abstaining 0:  RESOLUTION CARRIED The June 4, 2024, meeting minutes show as amended and include the following motion as outlined above. ...

As a concerned citizen of NWV I have questions around th e qualifications of the current CAO, as seen below in a post from the town of NWV   in   May of 2024 it is stated that she is a project manager. According to the Gardner Centre "Fundamentals of Project Management" is a 2 day course and is only one small part of becoming a "Project Manager" with many more requirements to get your Project Management Professional (PMP) designation and be considered a Project Manager. Next is the statement that she is "currently completing her MSc in leadership for Sustainable Rural Development through MUN". I decided to reach out to MUN for some clarification-  this is a copy of the response.     This raises a couple of questions for me. •   Are these the qualifications that were used to promote from the inte rim   CAO position to the full time CAO position? •   Is this individual the one we want representing our town as we are goin...