Taking over

Detheridge new president of UNSM

Claire Detheridge is taking over the presidency of the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities at a challenging time for municipal units across the province.

Strained resources and difficulty in providing services is leading some municipalities to explore voluntary mergers with their neighbours. In recent years they’ve seen their numbers reduced from 54 across Nova Scotia to 51, with additional unions likely on the way.

“The province is broke and municipalities are broke, we can’t continue to do management the way we’re doing it because the money is not there,” Detheridge said in a phone interview from Halifax.

Detheridge was elected president of the union at its annual general meeting this week.

It comes after 33 years as a municipal councillor and about several years of being involved at the executive level of the province-wide body.

“I have always been interested in the UNSM itself, but really never had the time, with kids, but now that they’re all gone and on their own, it’s a perfect time,” Detheridge said.

She noted that she’s been offered the support of Mayor Cecil Clarke and other members of Cape Breton Regional council, and that the residents of district 4 won’t be neglected as a result of her new duties, noting she continues to return calls to constituents while travelling on UNSM business.

The UNSM represents three caucuses of units across Nova Scotia – rural, towns and regional municipalities.

“It’s really important to be speaking with one voice instead of 50 voices across the province,” Detheridge said.

While some of the concerns differ, she noted they have shared issues such as roads, other infrastructure and the ongoing fiscal review.

At the AGM, phasing out the capped assessment program was a hot topic for municipal leaders.

“It’s certainly not a popular issue – people who have the CAP love it, they fear it coming off, the fear of rising taxes and I guess it’s all about balance,” Detheridge said.

The program was put in place with good intentions, she said, but is unfair to others, such as new homeowners and those looking to downsize.

“It’s a major disincentive to those buying their homes for the first time, I’ve had seniors call me who live in two-storey houses with four bedrooms, five bedrooms and can’t afford to heat the houses, don’t want to stay in them, want to downsize to a smaller house … and end up paying at least one-anda-half times the taxes they were paying in the original home,” Detheridge said.

A tri-party committee of all levels of government needs to be set up to look at the issue, she said.

She noted she has met with Minister Zach Churchill and the UNSM has developed good working relationships with MLAs and ministers.

Detheridge’s one-year term as president will lead into the 2016 municipal elections. She has a history of involvement in the effort to get more women to run municipally, and she commended Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for following through on gender parity in his cabinet.

“This is great, 50 per cent federally females, and a lot of diverse personalities that are in that mixture,” Detheridge said.