By Yvette d'Entremont - The Weekly News
A handful of residents from various parts of HRM brought forward their questions and concerns to a governance and district boundary review meeting in Lower Sackville last week.
The Feb. 25 meeting was one of seven taking place throughout the municipality in accordance with the Municipal Government Act. The act requires HRM to undertake a full district boundary review every eight years.
After showing a brief Power Point presentation which included current and future estimated population statistics and possible boundary changes, the floor was opened to residents to express concerns and ask questions.
They were asked if they thought the population/representation for municipal districts should include more or fewer people; if community councils were important and if they should have the same, less or more power; and if they have more powers, in what areas?
In addition, residents are being asked if regional council should be the same size, larger, or smaller, and why.
Pockwock Road resident Ross Evans echoed the sentiments of a few speakers when he said he wanted council to remain the same size.
"If we revert to half the councillors, they'd be so busy they'd have to hire assistants and where would the savings go?" he asked.
Wayne Desmond from North Preston expressed concerns for visible-minority groups and their ability to have effective representation if the number of councillors was reduced. He pointed to shrinking numbers in HRM's black communities, outward migration, and a lack of resources.
"Allowances have to be made in terms of looking at diversity in all of its aspects," Desmond said. "If we're not growing, if we don't have the resources, if we're not being effectively represented, to go from 23 to 15 (councillors), it's not going to help us.
I hope you understand the position of the minority in this case. I don't believe a reduced council is going to help us."
Valerie Gillis from Middle Sackville described regional council as very parochial, calling the current system "totally dysfunctional." She agreed with Upper Sackville resident Ann Merritt, who asked if it would be possible to continue having local representation via community councils, with one of those councillors being responsible to attend regional council on behalf of their region.
Lower Sackville resident Wayne MacPhee said HRM was "glaringly over governed." He insisted council should be reduced to 12 councillors plus one mayor and pointed to Calgary's ability to function with 14 councillors while Edmonton has 12 councillors.
The Governance & Boundary Review Committee of Council is chaired by Mayor Peter Kelly. HRM councillors Tim Outhit, Barry Dalrymple, Jerry Blumenthal, Gloria McCluskey, Linda Mosher and Reg Rankin make up the remainder of the committee.
Public input is being sought from now through to the end of March. By this spring, council will decide on a governance model that includes council's size.
The next phase slated for this summer involves the readjustment or redrawing of electoral district boundaries. Public meetings on district boundaries will then be scheduled for the fall, and will include public input.
By late fall 2010, council will recommend the adoption of new boundaries, and its submission will be made to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board in December.
Residents can learn more, and are encouraged to participate in a citizen survey online, at www.halifax.ca/boundaryreview.
ydentremont@hfxnews.ca
