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Inquest into waiting room death of Darrell Mesheau important to ‘make sure it never happens again’, says son

Editor’s Note: This story was originally published by the Telegraph-Journal on April 10, 2024, under Creative Commons license as part of the Local Journalism Initiative. CHMA is republishing the story for our readers because of Darrell Mesheau’s close connections to the Sackville community. Mesheau is the elder brother of former Sackville Mayor Shawn Mesheau, and former MLA and cabinet minister Peter Mesheau.

By: Andrew Bates, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Telegraph-Journal

The night Donald Darrell Mesheau’s heart failed seven hours into his wait to see a Fredericton ER doctor, all the tasks in triage fell to one nurse, plus anyone who could be spared to help.

The Horizon Health Network manager responsible that night said these are “battles” fought daily in New Brunswick’s health-care system, beset with a nursing shortage and delays in finding long-term care for patients.

His son says “every medical professional” failed his father, and he’d be alive if he’d been seen before his heart had already stopped.

Ryan Mesheau, son of Darrell Mesheau, said a coroner’s inquest may help prevent further deaths like his father’s. Photo: Andrew Bates, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Over two days this week, a coroner’s inquest heard that Mesheau, 78, was taken to Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton just after 9:30 p.m. on July 11, 2022, and was found found unresponsive in the waiting room just before 4:30 a.m. the next morning. The five-person jury declared he died of natural causes, with the cause of death listed as heart failure.… Continue

Province allocates $766k for Tantramar clinic, and Mitton announces next health care meeting for April 25

On today’s show, we hear about a provincial funding commitment to a new Tantramar primary care clinic which opened in September. MLA Megan Mitton talks about what she heard from Health Minister Bruce Fitch at a legislative committee hearing last week, and the public meeting she has planned for April 25 in Sackville, which will feature representatives from Horizon and Medavie, the operators of 11 NB Health Link clinics in the province.

Plus in briefs, the Enterprise Foundry is being demolished, and Sackville visual artist Thaddeus Holownia is on the shortlist for a prestigious prize in lens-based arts. … Continue

‘Coffee with a Cop’ comes to Sackville, local RCMP says crime not on the rise locally

People gathered for free coffee and conversations with RCMP officers at the Sackville Tim Hortons on April 5, 2024. Photo: Erica Butler

Officers from the Southeast District RCMP hosted an open house event at the Tim Horton’s on Main Street in Sackville on Friday. About 30 people dropped in to meet with the officers during the two hour event Friday morning. Among them were Tantramar councillor Mike Tower, Mayor Andrew Black, Dorchester fire chief Greg Partridge, and Ambulance NB operations manager Mark Hicks.

Sergeant Martin Janson is a supervisor for the Southeast District, and organized the event as part of a series of ‘Coffee with a Cop’ events throughout the region, in turn part of a larger trend of similar events happening across North America.

Janson was joined by Sackville’s community police officer Melanie Belliveau, as well as Sackville detachment Sergeant Eric Hanson, who took a moment near the end of the session to speak with CHMA.

Hanson said the event was “a great opportunity for us to connect with members of the community in a friendly setting where people can ask us questions, interact with us.” Hanson said the officers heard questions about the job, and also heard concerns about “traffic and behaviour and things that are going on in their community.”

“One lady came up to report that she needed our help this afternoon,” said Hanson, “so we’re going to go help her out disposing of some ammunition at her house.”… Continue

Tantramar council expands rink subsidy to high school hockey; and approves seasonal ice cream and cafe leases

On today’s show, we look at some of the decisions made at Tuesday’s Tantramar council meeting, including the expansion of a rink fee subsidy program that will see roughly $11,000 in discounted fees extended to Tantramar Regional High School’s two hockey teams. Council also approved two lease agreements for local businesses. The Ice Cream Coop will locate in the Bill Johnstone Memorial Park for the summer season, and market cafe operators Alice Cotton and Peter Stephenson will open up a seasonal cafe in the Tantramar Visitor Information Centre.

Plus in briefs, a Sackville man is coordinating the collection of eclipse glasses for re-use, with a drop off location at Tidewater Books this week. And an inquest into the death of Darrell Mesheau has concluded with a jury recommending changes to emergency department resources and operations. … Continue

Foundation aims for $225k for Sackville day surgeries, while ER remains ‘on the agenda’ for Horizon

Director of Moncton and Sackville hospitals, Christa Wheeler-Thorne, and Sackville Memorial Hospital Foundation chair, Bill Evans, in the hospital atrium on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Photo: Erica Butler

Board members, staff and supporters of the Sackville Memorial Hospital Foundation gathered last week for the launch of a new capital campaign in support of equipment for the hospital’s day surgery programs, with an ambitious goal of raising $225,000, well above last year’s goal of $150,000.

Foundation chair Bill Evans says the reason for the steep increase in fundraising goal is three new, very large, advance donations which put the foundation more than a third of the way to their goal. “This is from people who hadn’t given to us before,” says Evans. “So we decided to have a goal that was bigger.”

Evans says the three new donors have asked to remain either anonymous or uncelebrated, and were referred to the Foundation by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Mike Forsythe.

The money raised in this year’s campaign will go towards buying specialized equipment for the day surgery program, including instruments for hip, knee and shoulder arthroscopy, a warming cabinet, a surgical suction system, ear, nose and throat devices, and a training tool called iSimulate.

Horizon says the new equipment will increase the number of patients who could receive surgical care in Sackville, in turn freeing up space in the Moncton hospital for more complex operations.

Sackville resident Jaryd Morrisey, who coaches soccer and badminton at Mount Allison, told those gathered about a knee surgery that helped him heal a longstanding injury, giving him back his active lifestyle.… Continue

RCMP brings Coffee with a Cop to Sackville for first time

On today’s show, we speak with Sackville RCMP sergeant Eric Hanson at a Coffee with a Cop event at the Sackville Tim Horton’s on Friday.

Plus in briefs, we look at the agenda for tonight’s Tantramar council meeting, which starts with private session at 6:30pm, opening to the public at 7pm. Council will make decisions on lease agreements with local businesses, extending a rink fee subsidy to local high school hockey teams, and funding energy audits for municipal buildings.… Continue

A Once in a Lifetime Cosmic Wonder

There are no shortage of places to experience the total solar eclipse a short drive from Tantramar, like in Shediac or further afield in Woodstock, Heartland, Fredericton and Miramichi. People can watch the near total eclipse from anywhere outside, viewings are being set up at the Mount Allison Gemini Observatory and the city of Moncton is celebrating at Bore Park with live music, a photo booth and free safety viewing glasses (which a required in order to look at the eclipse safely).

Leading up to the cosmic wonder, Sackville residents remember eclipses gone by.

Magali Charron experinced a partial eclipse while in New York City.

“I went to the park to watch it with some special glasses, and I realized that it was much cooler to look on the ground where the tree shadows were happening. And every leaf was in the shape of half a moon, which was super bizarre. And also the birds stopped singing all together. And then when the sun came back, they started singing, which was really moving.”

Jerry Ropson remembers a solar eclipse that happened in 1986, on the same day as his Great-Grandfather’s funeral. “It was the first time I’d ever witnessed or experienced that death. And I was really confused. I thought that when someone you love died, the sun went dark. And then I was telling all my cousins that the sun was going dark because we were burying our great grandfather.”… Continue

Excitement builds over solar eclipse

On today’s Tantramar Report: People across the region are preparing to experience the total solar eclipse that is happening around 3:35 pm. School kids are being dismissed from class early. Everyone planning to look at the cosmic marvel is reminded to wear proper protective eyewear. Hear from residents about their memories and plans.

And in other stories, the village of Memramcook is planning a community clean up in celebration of Earth Day. And about 50 people attended the book launch for Colleen Coco Collins’ book of poetry, “Sorry about the Fire” on Friday, at the Owen’s art gallery.

… Continue

New website contract and new town hall sign up for approval Tuesday

How the new Tantramar brand might appear on a building, part of The Details Branding and Design presentation, November 28, 2023. Image: Youtube screencap

Tantramar staff are recommending hiring a Moncton company to design, build, and host a new website for the municipality.

Ten companies bid on the project, including three New Brunswick companies. Blaze Studios scored highest on two rounds of evaluation, and community and corporate services director Kieran Miller explained one reason why in response to a question from Councillor Allison Butcher at council’s March 25 committee meeting.

“They’re based in Moncton, which as we know, several years ago, had a really tragic shooting incident,” explained Miller. “And they have an emergency messaging option which they created based on that event, because of how difficult it was to share messaging that day. And they now provide it free of charge to any of their clients.”

“I get goosebumps when I think about it,” said Miller. “It was just really meaningful, the way they explained it in their proposal. And that’s just one example of where they had value added.”

Blaze beat out Porter O’Brien on the project, the company who worked on last year’s branding project for Tantramar, along with The Details Branding and Design.

The tender document for the project set July of this year as the desired launch date for the site. It also specifies a mobile-friendly, accessible and responsive website, with an easy to use content management system.… Continue

As climate change position ends, council asked to renew committee terms and fund energy audits

Members of the Climate Change Advisory Committee and then-mayor Shawn Mesheau cut the ribbon on the solar array installation at Bill Johnston Memorial Park in November, 2022. Photo: Erica Butler

As council is poised to consider renewing its Climate Change Advisory Committee (CCAC), Tantramar’s climate change coordinator position has ended, with no replacement in sight. Janie Brooks, the most recent part-time climate change coordinator for the town, wound up her work at the end of March.

A permanent and full time climate change coordinator was one recommendation from the CCAC back in 2022, when Tantramar’s first budget was being created by the province. And although Tantramar’s first budget did include funding for a full-time coordinator, the position was never created, because a part-time, temporary funding arrangement through EOS Eco Energy and the New Brunswick Environmental Trust Fund was already in place.

Tantramar CAO Jennifer Borne told CHMA by email that there is still salary allocated for an additional position in the Community and Corporate Services department where the climate change coordinator works, but that position is, “under review for the best resource to support the department.”

Borne went on to say that “in general terms, we have an internal process that we must strictly adhere to with respect to a union environment in order to add positions.”

CCAC chair Doug Bliss was before council in late March to present renewed terms of reference for the committee, as well as a climate priorities plan for the municipality.… Continue

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