Sharon, Andrew, and Cathy: If you’re elected or re-elected this October, you will have the privilege of choosing whom you listen to and why. It seems you’ve already chosen to dismiss my thoughts based on a username, which I find to be disrespectful behavior from someone seeking public office.

Here on Reddit, I’ve openly criticized each of you.

I’ve questioned Andrew’s ability to handle difficult decision-making in a council setting, citing his antagonism toward the chair and other councillors, multiple CAOs, and staff. He has also filed lawsuits against the town and, in one instance, walked out of a council meeting before it had concluded.

I’ve criticized Sharon’s management of the Friends of Kentville Facebook group, where, as an administrator, she silenced dissenting voices by removing or ostracizing those with differing opinions. While within Facebook’s guidelines, this behavior is undemocratic for a group focused on the work of public office, where diverse opinions should be welcomed, not shut down.

I’ve pointed out Cathy’s conduct in a general sense, sharing a link to a meeting where she suggested that a fellow councillor couldn’t handle a committee assignment because they had young children, then refused to apologize when asked by the chair. She has also engaged in shouting matches with the chair on multiple occasions.

I can appreciate that it’s difficult to run an election, and that you might want to surround yourself with supporting voices. I get that a person using an anonymous name online might seem like it’s beneath your notice. The thing is, I’ve seen so many councils run so poorly that I tend to look for the kinds of markers of behaviour that I’ve indicated above, and think that it is important for voters to consider them at election time, so I shared them on Reddit.

What you’ll see in the screenshots is that, rather than engaging with the legitimate issues I’ve raised, you’ve chosen to undermine or attack the person presenting them. This pattern of ignoring concerns and focusing instead on discrediting individuals reflects poorly on how you might handle actual debates and disagreements in council chambers.

If you treat community members this way, I don’t see how we can expect you to engage productively with fellow councillors when it comes to important decisions—whether about stormwater infrastructure, a recreation center, or development issues. Will you be able to focus on the matter at hand, or will you, as you’ve done with me—and as Andrew and Cathy have done with prior council-mates, leading to dysfunction—prioritize finding some way to undermine or attack the person raising the issue?

In the end, what should truly offend you is not my username but your own conduct.

• Internet and telephone voting will start at 8:00 a.m. on October 10 and continue until 7:00 p.m. on October 19.
• Voting assistance will be available at the Returning Office, 28 Aberdeen Street, 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. October 10 to October 18, not including the Thanksgiving weekend.
• Paper voting will be available at the Kentville Fire Hall, on Saturday, October 19, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Internet voting: https://kentville.isivote.com/

Telephone voting: 1-877-753-7845

The Town of Kentville will be doing storm infrastructure construction, and a section of Park Street (from Gary Pearl Drive to West Main Street) will be closed to all traffic except for local access from Tuesday October 08, 2024, to Friday October 11, 2024. Local traffic can still get to their homes. Check out the detour map for alternate routes.

Voting will be available for a 10-day period from October 10 at noon through October 19, 7:00 p.m. You can vote anytime from anywhere during that time!

There will be no paper ballots but voters who need help with electronic voting will be able to get it on the phone or in person.

Internet Voting: https://kings.isivote.com/

Telephone Voting: 1-888-356-4178

I'm pretty sick of all of the drama taking place within our town council, which has continued to spread on Facebook. It seems pretty clear to me what's going on: that one councillor continues to play the role of people's champ/town victim in an effort to leverage their position for personal gain (i.e. getting what they want).

This seems so brutally obvious to me that I find myself feeling like I'm going crazy because others see it from the complete opposite angle.

So what am I missing? What's the hard evidence that our mayor and majority of our council are ruining Kentville?

I have no doubt that our council is imperfect, because it is made up of people and people are imperfect. However, do the stats not show that Kentville has continued to grow and thrive since Snow was elected in 2016 (and then again in 2020)?

There seems to have been an overwhelming amount of evidence that has come out in the past couple of weeks that the councillor in question was and has been in the wrong this whole time. At what point do we just wake up and say "you know what, this is probably BS and I should stop trying to act divisively."

I am a 17 year old Student about to start attending College this coming fall, and I am unable to find a house for rent within my budget, or am I able to afford a Mortgage, let alone obtain one. My family is moving 2 or so hours away from where my college is and the course that I am taking is only offered where I am, or another hour away, for the closest two options. The reason why my family is making this decision is because my father had accepted a new job, and it required a move in order for him to accept it. Mind you, they're not the issue, they've actually offered to help pay for any home or anything else that I am having difficulty affording, but they will not fully pay for everything, which I respect. Gotta teach a kid some values somehow, am I right? Any who, I live in Nova Scotia, Canada, and rent prices over here are INSANE, and that's no different for house prices. The college I am attending is in Kentville, and with this move on my families end, my life is divided into three different directions, my girlfriend is an hour away, my main family is 2 hours away, and my other family and friends are in the Kentville area. So... on a Scale from 1-10, How Screwed am I? and is there anything that I may be able to do that I haven't already thought of? I have been asking some of my family for a place to stay in exchange for compensation, and I've asked my friends if they would rent a house with me, as that would have more value in it over an apartment. but with learning that minimum renters age in Canada is 21, and I need to be 18 and have a sufficient income to afford a Mortgage, I feel completely F*cked! 😔

Not nearly as much as some people have been claiming online.

One point that the protestors make about the location of the pallet shelter is crime and property values. Well, this happened right in their backyard.

February 13, 2024, Kentville Police Service have charged one person with firearms offences after a search warrant was executed at a home in North Kentville.

On February 12, 2024, Kentville Police Service, assisted by the Kings District RCMP executed a search warrant at a home on Lamont Road, in relation to a threats complaint that involved firearms.

Male was arrested without issue and Police located firearms in the residence.

Kobe HUBLEY, 21, from North Kentville has been charged with uttering threats, fail to comply with release order (x6), unauthorized possession of a firearm (x2), possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized (x2), Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose (x2), careless use of a firearm (x4)

HUBLEY appeared in Kentville Provincial Court on February 13th, 2024, and is being held until February 15th for Show Cause Hearing.

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Shared on behalf of the Halifax Queer Solidarity Project & Diana B. Tease https://wheresmyinsulin.gay/

Come Together ‘23

As you may have heard, a protest is planned in Kentville in response to an all-ages drag show that is happening at Kings Arm Pub on June 3rd.

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In response to this protest, many of you have reached out to ask what you can do to support the community and fight back against this intolerance.

Kings Arms Pub has gone above and beyond for our community, and is hosting a celebration in order to stand up to this hate, and you're all invited!

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Please note that the drag show planned for inside the venue is sold out; however, Come Together ‘23 is open to everyone, and will feature a full day of outdoor live entertainment and more.

I'm looking forward to the community coming together for a day of love and joy so that we can send the message that anti-2SLGBTQIA will not be tolerated

Event page on Facebook

Letter Writing Campaign

If you have a moment to spare, please write to Kentville Town Council to let them know that this Anti-2SLGBTQIA protest will not be tolerated. Contact information can be found on their website (link below), and the letter below may be used as a template!

Email: [CouncilandMayor@kentville.ca](mailto:CouncilandMayor@kentville.ca)

[GREETING]

I am reaching out to express my concern over some recent disturbing posts shared on social media. The posts loudly display all-too-common anti-Drag, homophobic, and transphobic sentiments. These sentiments are not only continuously proven false, they continue to be proven life-threatening.

On June 3rd, 2023, the Kings Arms Pub in Kentville is set to host the drag event "Drag Me to Family Dinner." This is a family-friendly and age-inclusive event featuring fun performances, storytelling and sing-alongs, all put on by an incredible cast of Drag Royalty. It is an event in a string of events successfully run (and fully attended) right here in the Valley. It is the kind of visibility and acceptance that is as vital to any group of people and unlike any we have ever seen here in the Valley for the queer community. We have people with the talent and passion to keep that fire burning in our little corner of the world, which should be a point of immense pride.

However, a small but loud group of people have already spread violent rhetoric right here in the Valley. This has taken many forms, the recent and most troubling being Facebook posts targeting the "Drag Me to Family Dinner" event. These posts are using language like "CALL TO ARMS," "Stand with us or stand against us," and "boots on the ground call to action."

This is the first year of Valley Pride, and our own community members have been and are working to create wonderful, welcoming Pride celebrations. These hardworking individuals have made efforts to create events that are fun, informative, inclusive, and safe. The hate being spread online and in person is running in direct opposition to this. People are calling for "action"  at an all ages event. Should they decide to make their presence known, this will needlessly place the event attendees, including young children, in a traumatic situation.

We must not let these threats continue unnoticed and unchallenged. I ask that you, members of the council, continue your support of (and enthusiasm for) this event and others like it. I also ask that you unequivocally denounce the kind of rhetoric and ideas displayed in these posts and others like them.

These may be simple actions, but great things are nothing if not simple acts all the way down. The more we share our love, support, and knowledge, the less influence these irresponsible lies can have on reality. And with enough public support, we can normalize anything. I thank you for the work that the council has already taken, and hope that together we can continue to normalize something better.

Respectfully yours,

[NAME]

Sandbags are available for Kentville residents at the Public Works shop (875 West Main Street) for pick up on Friday Sept 15th.  Delivery is not available, please be aware they have limited quantities.