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Council preview: procedure changes, skipping summer meetings, loitering bylaw on the agenda

Tantramar Council is taking a step closer to following its own procedural bylaw.

Council meets tonight, with a closed session starting at 6:30pm to discuss two matters. After that, the public meeting begins, with an agenda that looks different than past meetings of council.

Tuesday’s meeting agenda includes a section entitled, “Mayor and Councillor Statements and Inquiries”. It’s the first time the section has been included in a meeting since the amalgamation of Tantramar 18 months ago, despite the fact that it is included in the Tantramar procedural bylaw, one of the first four founding bylaws of the newly amalgamated municipality.

On May 14, Councillor Debbie Wiggins-Colwell asked to make an observation before the regular meeting of council adjourned, but was told she could not by CAO Jennifer Borne, Clerk Donna Beal, and Mayor Andrew Black, who told her she could not speak because her item was not on the meeting’s approved agenda.

Tantramar Ward 1 councillor Debbie Wiggins-Colwell at Committee of the Whole on February 27, 2023. Image: Youtube screencap

Local reporter Bruce Wark later pointed out in a story on warktimes.com, that a section for council statements is actually included in the town’s own bylaw, despite it never being included on a meeting agenda.

Now that the section for Mayor and Councillor Statements and Inquiries is listed, it’s still not clear how the Mayor and senior staff will treat the section during the meeting, whether councillors would be required to request to speak in advance, or if they will simply be given an opportunity for statements and enquiries, as is the practice in the city of Moncton.… Continue

Tantramar to allow for councillor statements starting tonight

On today’s show, we take a look at the agenda for tonight’s Tantramar council, including some changes to the agenda style, one of which will allow for “Mayor and Councillor Statements and Inquiries”. The agenda also includes a proposal to skip two council meetings this summer, to approve a new loitering and soliciting bylaw, and to consider a request from Beale and Inch to rezone their York Street property to industrial zoning.

Plus in briefs, Tyler Murphy made a brief appearance in court on Monday and will be back in three weeks, and the Anglophone East District Education Council says it will appeal a decision on its legal challenge of Policy 713.… Continue

Another adjournment in Sackville manslaughter case

Tyler Murphy made a brief appearance in Moncton provincial court on Monday morning, and will be back in just under three weeks’ time.

22-year-old Murphy is charged with manslaughter in the death of Shawn Mitton on March 16, 2024. Mitton was found on the side of the road with stab wounds and later died in hospital. Murphy was arrested shortly thereafter.

Murphy’s defense lawyer Pierrette Allain told the judge she had received disclosure from the crown and now needed time to seek permission from Legal Aid to make an election, or choose the mode of trial for the manslaughter charge.

This was the third adjournment of the case since Murphy’s original charge of second degree murder was withdrawn and the charge of manslaughter was laid, on March 27, 2024.

Allain said she had met with Murphy Monday morning before court, to go over his options for a trial.

Family members of both Murphy and the victim Shawn Mitton were in the courtroom to witness the brief proceeding.

Murphy is now due back in court on July 26 at 9:30am, to choose the mode of trial and set a date for a preliminary hearing. He will remain in custody until then.… Continue

Hogan files for dissolution of Anglophone East District Education Council

Updated July 5, 2024, 10pm to include confirmation of filing from Department of Education spokesperson, Erika Jutras.

School may be out for the summer, but the Anglophone East District Education Council was back in action on Thursday, responding to news of an order in council approved by the provincial cabinet on May 9, 2024, authorizing Minister Bill Hogan to go to court to dissolve the District Education council for Anglophone East. By end of day Friday, the minister would make use of that authorization.

Hogan had previously threatened the council with dissolution, but the order in council shows that he has support of the PC government cabinet to pursue the dissolution.

In a statement Thursday, the DEC says they have not received “any formal notice indicating that the minister has filed the required application to dissolve the DEC with the court.”

But a spokesperson for the Education department told CHMA that could be coming soon. “The intention is to file shortly with the court to dissolve the District Education Council for Anglophone-East,” wrote communications officer Judy Winter in response to a CHMA enquiry Thursday.

It’s not clear if the court would be able to deal with the matter before the New Brunswick provincial election, due to happen in less than four months’ time, by October 21, 2024.

The DEC statement says it is prepared to “defend its integrity through all available channels”, if and when the minister “chooses to act on the May 9th authorization.”… Continue

Blind Forest Books gears up to make a move to Main Street before spring eviction

Blind Forest Books co-owner Miriam Lapp in the stacks at her York Street shop. Photo: Erica Butler

Operating Blind Forest Books on York Street in Sackville has been a dream come true for Miriam Lapp. The young tarot reader and bookseller bought the used book shop with her partner Stephen in 2017, years after having discovered its former incarnation, Rags of Time, as a “spiritual refuge” in her childhood.

But this fall, after twenty years on York Street, the shelves and stacks of books will be lugged down to a new, bigger location at 69 Main Street.

CHMA stopped in to Blind Forest Books on York Street to find out more about Lapp’s plans:

“It’s an awesome location, right next to the grocery store,” says Lapp, “even more central than we are now, if that was possible.” Lapp says the larger space behind Hedy’s Hair Care and Wild Carnivore Pet Supplies will mean higher costs, but will also allow her a dedicated space for tarot readings, and more rooms for bookshelves to peruse.

“We’re working hard to drum up the money,” says Lapp. “Could be that we’ll have to take out a loan, but I’m also finding other ways.” Lapp will offering Tarot and astrology courses, and she will be teaching yoga classes at Atlantic Yoga Therapy on Haworth Heights. https://www.atlanticyogatherapy.com

As excited as she is for the new space, Lapp is also sad to say goodbye to the York Street shop.… Continue

Blind Forest Books announces move to Main Street

On today’s show, we speak with Blind Forest Books co-owner Miriam Lapp about her history with the York Street book shop, and her plans to move to a larger space at 69 Main Street this September.

Plus in briefs, the boil water advisory is lifted for Sackville, the provincial Treasury Board is looking for Vogue owner Jeff Coates, and Education Minister Bill Hogan has cabinet permission to try to dissolve the Anglophone East District Education Council.… Continue

Mitton brings Horizon and Medavie officials to Port Elgin for another healthcare forum

Memramcook-Tantramar MLA Megan Mitton is hosting another public health care meeting, this time in the municipality of Strait Shores at the Port Elgin Regional School on July 10.

CHMA stopped by Mitton’s Sackville constituency office this week to find out more.

“We’ve focused a lot on the Sackville Memorial Hospital in these meetings, and access to care in Tantramar. But there are also issues in Strait Shores, and especially with the the changes in staffing at the Port Elgin and Region Health Center,” says Mitton. “The community felt that it was important to have a meeting there, and I completely agree.”

Officials from Horizon Health Network and Medavie Health Services (who run NB Health Link, the Extramural Program, and Ambulance NB) will be at the meeting to make presentations and answer questions from the public.

The recent staffing changes at the Port Elgin clinic are part of the reason for the meeting, but Mitton is also hoping to address community concerns about response times for ambulances.

“Port Elgin actually was recognized in an auditor general report, just a handful of years ago, as one of the places in New Brunswick with the worst response times for ambulances,” says Mitton. “And so I want to have that conversation as well. This is a problem across the province, but especially in rural areas, and especially in Strait Shores.”

… Continue

Boil water order LIFTED for Sackville

The boil water advisory for parts of Sackville has been lifted.

The municipality posted the news to its website and social media channels just before 3pm on Thursday.

The message advises that people affected by the boil water order run their cold water for 15 minutes to flush out their plumbing. It also advises that water dispensers and ice makers be cleaned out to ensure any possibility contaminated water is removed.

New Brunswick Public Health requires two consecutive sets of water samples to test clear of E. coli and total coliforms before lifting a boil water advisory. Tantramar Public Works sent in a second set of samples Wednesday afternoon, and published the lifted boil water advisory about 24 hours later. … Continue

Mitton brings health care officials to Port Elgin

On today’s show, we speak with Memramcook-Tantramar MLA Megan Mitton, who is hosting another public health care meeting on July 10. This time, the meeting will happen in Strait Shores, at the Port Elgin Regional School, and feature officials from Horizon and Ambulance NB.

Plus in briefs, a boil water advisory continues as officials wait on water test results from a stretch of Sackville’s water system along Main Street. And Tyler Murphy is due back in court on Monday to set a date for a preliminary enquiry on a charge of manslaughter. … Continue

Boil water advisory continues for areas affected by Tuesday water main break

A crew working on patching the hole after repairing a broken water main valve on Main Street in Sackville. Photo: Erica Butler

A boil water advisory is still in effect for a large number of households and businesses on and off Main Street in Sackville, between Mackol Avenue and St Paul’s Anglican Church.

Some water customers in the area are being asked to keep water at a rolling boil for one minute before using it for cooking, drinking, or brushing teeth. Tantramar staff delivered notices to each residence and business affected by the advisory on Tuesday.

The municipality updated the list of areas under the advisory on Wednesday morning to include 15 York Street.

Burman Street
Fawcett Lane
King Street (Main Street – Balser Place)
Main Street (Mackol Avenue – 123 Main Street)
Mallard Drive
Meadow Lane
Milton Lane
Moffatt Lane
Parkview Drive
Pringle Street
Samantha Court
Suncrest Drive
Waterfowl Lane
Wry Lane
15 York Street

A map published on sackville.com shows the area affected by Tuesday’s water main break.

The boil water advisory will remain in effect until two consecutive sets of clear water test results are returned and New Brunswick’s Public Health Office lifts the order.

The advisory is the result of a water main break at 165 Main Street on Tuesday, right in front of the Drew Nursing Home.

By late afternoon Tuesday the underground break was repaired, and crews were working to fill the hole on Main Street, while water utility crews were working on refilling and flushing the lines in the water system.… Continue

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