NEW GLASGOW – "For Pete's sake, let's get this study done."
That's the message New Glasgow Mayor Barrie MacMillan sent to the other municipalities in Pictou County on Friday during a press conference held to outline the town's position on funding a governance study.
The province has agreed to fund roughly half of the estimated $300,000 study, leaving the six Pictou County municipalities to come up with the remaining $150,000. In the fall, it appeared the study might be dead in the water after two of the municipal units, Westville and Stellarton, voted against a proposed plan to evenly divide the costs among all the units.
Now, New Glasgow is falling in line with a proposal made earlier this month by Pictou Mayor Joe Hawes, who suggested each of the six municipal units entrust their respective mayor or warden to negotiate a new funding formula.
"We continue to believe the study is crucial to move the interests of the whole region forward. New Glasgow is steadfast in our commitment to do whatever we can to make sure the study takes place. This is our time and our opportunity to do this significant project that will be important to Pictou County for generations," said MacMillan.
On Friday, he called on the towns of Westville and Stellarton to "come forward and join" the other municipalities in "supporting the governance and organizational study and for all to review the funding formula."
"We believe the study is achievable and encourage residents of every unit to communicate support for the study to their respective councils," MacMillan said.
MacMillan added that he is also calling upon the three MLAs of Pictou County to ask for their assistance in "bringing Stellarton and Westville to the table to make sure the study goes ahead."
Alternative funding formulas would likely mean looking at something like uniform assessment, resulting in New Glasgow's share going up, while Stellarton council has suggested their share would drop down to about $11,000. Stellarton Mayor Joe Gennoe had previously said he believed his council would have a change of heart if uniform assessment was the funding method chosen.
Initially, said MacMillan, New Glasgow council didn't think the uniform assessment model was fair – and they still don't, he added – but said Friday that "New Glasgow would commit additional funds, in addition to the $25,000, if it means getting this study done."
The mayors and warden are meeting Feb. 6 and MacMillan said the governance study would be on the agenda at that session.
