YARMOUTH, N.S. — Should there should be an exploration and discussion of potential consolidation of the three municipal units in Yarmouth County?
It’s something the three units in Yarmouth County – the Town of Yarmouth, the Municipality of Yarmouth and the Municipality of Argyle – are discussing at their respective council tables.
YARMOUTH TOWN COUNCIL DISCUSSION JAN. 9
This issue is an agenda item coming up for discussion and decision at the Town of Yarmouth’s Thursday, Jan. 9 council meeting.
A report coming to council, prepared by the town’s CAO, includes a recommendation that reads: “That town council submit, in concert with the Municipality of the District of Argyle and the Municipality of the District of Yarmouth, a formal request to the minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing for the Province of Nova Scotia to coordinate a facilitated session between the said councils, to discuss the potential consolidation of the three municipal units.”
Said Yarmouth Mayor Pam Mood about the agenda item, "The request for decision is simply to see if there is sufficient interest among council members to proceed with a facilitated discussion on consolidation.
“Agreeing to ask the province to support a facilitated discussion will provide us with additional information and allow all parties to make a better-informed decision on whether consolidation is something we wish to pursue,” she said. “Agreeing to participate in a facilitated discussion does not commit council to anything further."
The report, which can be viewed on the town’s website as an attachment to council’s Jan. 9 agenda, notes a discussion about the structure of municipal government is not new to Yarmouth County.
“In 1993 the three municipalities were discussing amalgamation, and ultimately decided on focusing on increasing our shared services, while maintaining our municipal independence,” the report reads. Over 25 years later, the town says the three units “have more intermunicipal agreements than perhaps any other county” in the province. But as time goes on new agreements are needed and establishing renewed partnerships is complex and resource consuming work, the report states, estimating the three CAO’s spend up to 40 per cent of their time dealing with matters related directly to intermunicipal agreements and negotiations.
The report also notes that with a recent consolidation initiative in Windsor/West Hants that will lead to the creation of a single municipal unit there as of April 1, 2020, it may be time to take another look at whether combining the municipalities into one in Yarmouth County could bring about benefits worth pursuing.
“The idea of a facilitated discussion is to come together as three councils, with the assistance of an independent facilitator, to learn about municipal structural change experiences in other Nova Scotia municipalities, understand the consolidation process, discuss our motivations, questions, and expectations, and ultimately determine the interest and will to consider moving forward,” reads the report.
The options before Yarmouth town council on Jan. 9 concerning this issue and the report are approval, rejection, or referring the matter back to staff with direction for more information.
The recommendation contained in the report calls for a timeframe of a facilitated session to be held “within 45 days” of a request going to the province.
MUNCIPALITY OF YARMOUTH OPEN TO SESSION INVOLVING UNITS
The Municipality of Yarmouth is onside with participating in a session with the Town of Yarmouth and Municipality of Argyle in the near future to discuss potential consolidation.
Councillors approved a motion to adopt a resolution for the non-binding facilitated session, to be coordinated by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing for the Province of Nova Scotia, was approved unanimously at a special council meeting on Jan. 8, following a committee of the whole meeting.
The warden and councillors had positive things to say about an information session.
“In order to make a conscious decision, we have to have information,” said Councillor Loren Cushing. “There will be questions about it and we have to have answers.”
Councillor Patti Durkee said she is looking forward to the fact-finding mission.
“Because essentially that’s all it is, we’re getting facts. Therefore, in future we can make a decision as to whether or not we think this is best for our community,” she said.
Deputy Warden John Cunningham spoke at length on the topic.
“Believe it or not, I’m in support of this motion. There are many reasons why I’m supporting it. I never realized how much time and effort has gone into a lot of these municipal government cooperation agreements.
“It’s tiring to sit down at a table to sit down with three partners that own one piece of infrastructure and trying to get the funding partners to agree on stuff.”
He added there was a time he was dead-set against even considering consolidation but over the past three-and-a-half years his eyes have been opened.
“We waste a lot of time working on these inter-municipal agreements,” he said.
Warden Leland Anthony has a 25-year history in municipal politics and said consolidation has been raised several times during that time.
“It’s never moved forward. But in these 25 years I’ve come to realize technology changes. I realize that we have to step up and I won’t say accept change but help move change forward,” he said. “I hope this change is for the residents of the municipality and I’m 99 per cent sure it would be, but I don’t want to rush in any way, shape or form.”
MUNICIPALITY OF ARGYLE PLANNING DISCUSSION OF ISSUE
The Municipality of Argyle only has its first council meeting of the new year scheduled for Jan. 14.
Asked about the motion for decision coming up at Yarmouth town council’s meeting on Jan. 9, the Argyle CAO Alain Muise said, “We are aware of the recommendation. The province of Nova Scotia has prepared information for all three councils of Yarmouth County, so that they can contemplate consolidation in this region. They are willing to facilitate a conversation on this topic, but only if the councils wish to learn more about it.”
“The purpose of the recommendation is to trigger the conversation,” he said. “The information and a similar recommendation will be brought to our council as well. The Town was very transparent in their intentions to discuss it at their table.”
RELATED: Read stories about the consolation process underway in Windsor-West Hants:
IN THE REGION:
There are 11 municipal units in the Tri-County region, which takes in Yarmouth, Digby and Shelburne counties.
YARMOUTH COUNTY: Town of Yarmouth, Municipality of Yarmouth, Municipality of Argyle
DIGBY COUNTY: Town of Digby, Municipality of Digby, Municipality of Clare
SHELBURNE COUNTY: Municipality of Barrington, Town of Shelburne, Municipality of Shelburne, Town of Clark's Harbour, Town of Lockeport
