Co-operation takes spotlight

West Hants candidates weigh in on municipal reform

Municipal reform took the spotlight at the Valley Journal- Advertiser’s West Hants Candidate Forum on Sept. 29.

Every seat on West Hants municipal council is being contested this election, with nine of the 10 incumbent councillors reoffering. Twenty- two of the 25 candidates running attended the forum at the West Hants Middle School.

In light of the Nova Scotia Utilities and Review Board ruling that allows studies to be prepared on the topic of amalgamation between Windsor and West Hants, the newspaper asked the following question: What is your stance on amalgamation or some form of municipal reform?

Below are the condensed responses from the candidates, appearing in the order answered.

District 10 District 9 Abraham Zebian

“We are over- governed, we are over represented. We can find efficiencies. We can lower our taxes if we just start getting along. I don’t think the amalgamation way is the 100 per cent answer.”

Greg Miller

“The current stance of the West Hants council is ‘ not at this time,’ which implies they’re for it in the future. I think this is the perfect time. We have these studies coming up and what better administration in Nova Scotia would there be to direct these studies than an administration and council that had just been through dissolution?”

District 8 Craig Ruggles

“My previous experience in amalgamation, any benefit that there appears to be in amalgamation is factitious. There are some jurisdictions elsewhere that are trying to de- amalgamate, finding their parts of less costly and easier to run than as a whole.”

District 7

doesn’t really matter as long as we get there together. We have to stop fighting, we have to stop bickering with each other.”

Richard Dauphinee

“I felt very bad to hear what the UARB came out with today, that we pay 50/ 50, we pay it. The provincial government puts nothing in so you as taxpayers are going to pay. They’re rounding it off at $ 500,000, so $ 250,000 apiece. We didn’t budget that and I’m sure the Town of Windsor didn’t, so thank you, I’m for dissolution.”

District 5 Kim Frank

“We can’t compare ourselves to other areas that have gone through this because we’re not them, and until we get those studies and that information back, we can’t stand up here and say ‘ this is going to happen definitely or definitively.’ We need to have the information in order to make an informed decision.”

Debbie Francis

“I am not a supporter of amalgamation at this time. I think there needs to be a better working relationship between the Town of Windsor and from the municipality. We have to listen to our residents.”

District 4 Tanya Leopold

“I will do what the people want. Who pays, what’s right and should we share? The UARB already made that decision. It’s 50- 50, and you know what? If we can’t co- operate and negotiate, then we’re just going to continually open the door for the board to make these decisions for us.”

Alex Hanes

“I’m for amalgamation as everybody knows, but the studies have to be done first. We don’t know if taxes will go up, or down, or what, so we have to keep an open mind. We are one community and we should be governed as such.”

Grover Crowe

“I could be persuaded to support amalgamation or dissolution if the conditions were right and it’s for the right reasons. However, the current atmosphere surrounding West Hants and Windsor council is not great for a merger at this time.”

District 3 Josh Noiles

“I will withhold my comment on amalgamation until the facts, unbiased and correct, are properly presented to everyone and an effective collection of the information has happened.”

Randy Matheson

“I am very much against amalgamation, and this is nothing against the good people of Windsor. I wish them well and hope they prosper also. But in amalgamation, there’s a tendency for everything to gravitate towards the middle at the expense of the outlying areas.”

David Keith

“I’m for communication and co- operation. We’ve got to get along together; not amalgamation at this time. We have to work together.”

District 2 Shirley Pineo

“I believe that amalgamation is premature at this time... I think West Hants has co- operated with the Town of Windsor in many respects and we need to get along and I think we do.”

Kathy Monroe

“It’s great to stand here and say we all need to co- operate and we all need to communicate but it’s pretty evident that this hasn’t happened... We’re tired of the dysfunctional management of these municipal governing units... These studies are happening now. This is a wonderful opportunity for us, we should embrace it.”

District 1 Domenic Padula

“Let’s do the study, let’s speak to the people and then let’s put a vote to the people. Let the people decide. Let’s have a referendum on it. This is how democracy works.”

Rupert Jannasch

“Until I see a mechanism where we can maintain an effective, rural voice in the merging of a rural and a somewhat urban population, I will remain opposed to amalgamation.”

Reed Allen

“Right now, I can honestly say, why fix something where it’s not broken? Everything is running great.”