The News has hired Corporate Research Associated to survey residents in an effort to find out if people support the idea of a governance study, amalgamation, sharing services or keeping the status quo when it comes to running the municipal units.
While the issues do get complicated, here are some simple notes about each item.
Governance study: This has been initiated by municipal councils, supported by municipal councils, defeated by municipal councils for various reasons but mostly they all focus on the cost and how much each council and the province should pay.
In simple terms, the study is a look at the county to determine if there are better options for managing it. It is considered a necessary first step to determine costs and implications of sharing services or amalgamating compared to the status quo.
Sharing services: This has happened in several forms and to various degrees in the past and is continuing to function to some extent. It is a banding together of services to cut costs and offer either the same or improved services. In other words, does the county need six administrative offices to serve the populations or could it save money and offer similar or better services with one administrative team?
Shared services has been used between Westville and New Glasgow for policing, public works and administrative services. The deal saw Westville’s own public works, policing and administrative services combined with New Glasgow. It met with opposition in Westville for some who felt they were getting underserved by the deal while others said the deal was saving the cash-strapped town money.
Amalgamation: This is perhaps the closest to a four-letter word in this debate. Supporters say the entire county of Pictou should be governed by one council with one administrative department, public works, etc. A new Pictou Regional Municipality would be created much like the result of Halifax Region with the merger of Dartmouth, Halifax, Bedford and surrounding areas. Opponents believe that this will lead to less services and higher taxes especially in the rural parts of the county while those living in the more urban areas might see their taxes decrease or remain the same.
Status quo: This seems to be the one consistent state in Pictou County. Amalgamation, followed by shared services, has been bantered about for many, many years. But with each discussion and possible move for change, the county seems to fall back to its five towns and one rural municipality set up. Supporters say the status quo has worked up until now and there is no reason to make the change. Opponents cite the need for change and use examples that cash-strapped towns like Trenton and Westville cannot survive in the current climate. They also argue that the county has more councillors in municipal government per resident than areas much larger and are duplicating services that a single unit could provide at less cost.
While this is a simplified explanation, and the issues are much more detailed, the overall facts and questions the survey poses remain the same. Do residents of Pictou County want the keep the governance model they now have or do they want to see it changed? The province has already stated it will not force this type of change to the county. It is leaving it up the councils and the residents to decide.
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Quelle/Source: The News, 24.02.2012
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