Tantramar finally gets a look at its budget, but it lacks details
It was six days into the existence of the new town of Tantramar before staff received the first budget for the town, and the document remains “incomplete” according to mayor Andrew Black. “It’s just a bunch of numbers,” said Black after a first Tantramar council meeting on Tuesday. “There’s no separation of services. There are some services that we know are shared services within our community, there’s some services that are local. But with just a number, we have no idea where we’re at,” said Black.
Black says that five different tax rates are listed in the budget document, but there’s no specifications about which rate applies to where. He says the budget is devoid of comments or explanation.
“We have requested more information as rapidly as possible,” said Black, so that he and town staff can, ”figure out where we stand, where everybody stands.”
As with the initial bylaws governing Tantramar, the first year’s budget was created by amalgamation facilitator Chad Peters. Though provincial deadlines for budget date back to mid-December, Tantramar staff did not get their first peek at the budget until Friday, January 6.
“We’re working with the province to receive what we’re calling the working documents,” said CAO Jennifer Borne on Tuesday. “Right now it kind of just gives a high level overview, so we’ll be working to kind of dig into each cost centre and get more information on line items.”… Continue
Mystery elections flyer which broke rules likely came from department of local government
Elections NB didn’t send it, the town of Sackville didn’t send it… so the question is, who sent an elections flyer to addresses all over the new Tantramar municipality? While the Department of Local Government refuses to answer that question, a complaint to the New Brunswick RCMP by Elections NB may lead to an answer.
The mailer certainly appears to be a well-intentioned, if not by-the-book, correction for an earlier mistake by Elections NB. Early in October, residents in Tantramar received notices from the provincial elections agency telling them they would NOT be voting in municipal elections on November 28. That was, of course, an error, and a big one.
A mix up by a contractor handling the mail out of important election information for Elections NB meant that about 260,000 households got exactly the opposite message they should have received. The reality is, all residents of the former town of Sackville, village of Dorchester, and parts of the Dorchester, Sackville and Point de Bute local service districts, can go to the polls by November 28 to elect the first ever mayor and council for the newly amalgamated town of Tantramar.
Elections NB immediately acknowledged their mistake, but also said that a corrected mailer to the homes in question would not be forthcoming, in part due to supply chain issues.… Continue
New Tantramar CAO could be hired by end of month, says province
A committee has been struck to give a recommendation on the hiring of the new town of Tantramar’s Chief Administrative Officer. Sackville Deputy Mayor Andrew Black, Dorchester Deputy Mayor Robert Corkerton and local service district resident Chris Milner have been selected to sit on the committee.
The province has also hired HR consultant Jennifer Murray Consulting to oversee the hiring process and assess candidates across the province.
Based on feedback from Jennifer Murray Consulting and the hiring committee, amalgamation facilitator Chad Peters will submit a recommendation to the provincial department of local government. Department spokesperson Anne Mooers says the process is underway and should be completed by the end of the month.
Elected councils typically head up the hiring of a CAO, and the CAO then handles hiring of all other municipal staff. But there won’t be an elected council for the town of Tantramar until the municipal election on November 28, so the provincial department of local government will make the final decision on who will head up the town of Tantramar, along with all other amalgamated municipalities in the province.
Both Sackville and Dorchester have existing CAOs, with Jamie Burke in the top job for Sackville, and Jennifer Borne heading up the village of Dorchester.… Continue
Amalgamation process will not be public, but public will be consulted, says Mesheau
The meetings of advisory committees appointed by the province to help steer the amalgamation of Sackville, Dorchester and surrounding local service districts will not be open to the public.
Sackville mayor Shawn Mesheau says that two committees will be struck, one made up of staff, and one made up of elected and appointed representatives from each of the five areas being amalgamated. The department of local government says that the two mayors (Shawn Mesheau and Debbie Wiggins-Colwell from Dorchester) will sit on the committee, as well as Mary-Ellen Trueman from the Pointe de Bute local service district. Another two representatives, from the Sackville and Dorchester local service districts respectfully, could be appointed this week.
Mesheau says that based on a request from Sackville town council, the number of representatives on the committee will be expanded to two for each area, and Deputy Mayor Andrew Black has been selected to sit on the committee representing Sackville along with the mayor. But whether it is five or ten representatives, the meetings of the committee will be held behind closed doors.
“These aren’t public meetings,” says Mesheau. “They are meetings that are being held through the province, through the facilitator.”
The province recently appointed Chad Peters as a “facilitator” to oversee the formation of Entity 40, plus four other new entities in the southeast region, as well as the transition for Regional Service Commission 8.
Monday on TR: Mesheau talks amalgamation; surprise vaxx clinic today in Sackville; so much snow.
Monday on Tantramar Report:
As we heard last week from Sackville town councillor Bill Evans, the new facilitator appointed to head up the amalgamation of Sackville, Dorchester and surrounding areas had his first meeting with Sackville town council last week. Former PC provincial candidate Chad Peters met with council, and while many questions about the process still remain, some aspects of the process have been revealed: there will be two committees struck, one with local representatives and one with staff. The meetings of these advisory committees will not be open to the public, although there are intentions for information sharing and consultation.
On today’s show we feature a conversation with Sackville mayor Shawn Mesheau, to find out a bit more about the first meeting and the process going forward.
Plus more news and information briefs:
Vaxx clinic in Sackville today
Booster shots and kids vaccine shots are available at the Sackville Visitor Information Centre today, in a surprise clinic hosted by the regional health networks. As of Sunday night, there are appointments available all day, from 9am to 4pm, with kids appointment available from 2pm to 4pm.
About 185 people got their booster shots at a clinic on Saturday in Sackville. Corner Drug Store pharmacist Charles Beaver says the campus clinic was busy during the morning, but closed early due to the weather. Remaining patients will be able to get their shot at the Corner Drug Store this week.
As of Thursday last week, just over 39% of the New Brunswick population have received a booster or third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.… Continue