Pam Mood new VP of Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities
Yarmouth mayor assumed vice-president’s role by acclamation at federation’s fall conference
Yarmouth Mayor Pam Mood says she’s honoured to be vicepresident of the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities, a position she assumed last week at the federation’s fall conference in Halifax.
Mood has held various positions with the organization (formerly known as the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities), including chairwoman of the towns caucus, but this is her first time serving as vice-president.
“It’s basically our mission to enable effective local government for Nova Scotia communities and what we do is facilitate strategic advocacy, education, collaboration,” Mood said. “What I’ll be doing in my role is working with the president and the board and staff to basically build partnerships with the province on a number of issues.”
Issues discussed during this year’s fall conference included cannabis, the capped assessment program (CAP), extended producer responsibility (EPR) for printed paper and packaging, municipal funding and municipal modernization. Also on the list were municipal responsibilities, policing costs, roads, surplus schools and sustainability and infrastructure funding support.
Mood assumed the VP’s role by acclamation. She was nominated for the position and no one ran against her for it.
The different types of municipal units – towns, regional municipalities, rural units – take turns filling the roles of the federation’s president and vice-president. This year it was the towns’ turn to fill the vice-president’s position.
“It really is an honour,” Mood said. “It’s always a tremendous honour to serve, especially at the local government level. That’s where the people are. Certainly, anything I can do to make things better and easier to get us, keep us, on the right track, then I’m more than glad to do that.”
Mood was asked if she draws inspiration from her late grandfather, Fred Emin, who served five terms as mayor of Yarmouth.
He is “always sort of on my shoulder and in my thoughts,” she said. “He was a man of integrity. He loved people. He just wanted to serve and make things better and that’s exactly where I find myself.”