More than 30 people gathered on the upper level of the Hantsport Fire Hall on Monday, March 23 at 2 PM to observe the UARB hearings. The UARB will determine the dissolution of the Town of Hantsport. The members of the public were seen but not heard - at least officially. Seated in the upper tier, I observed numerous heads nodding, heads shaking, eyes rolling, and note taking.
The lower floor contained several tables, chairs, men and women in suits, and dozens of water bottles. Here representatives including West Hants, the Department of Municipal Affairs, Think Hantsport, the UARB, and the town of Hantsport sat.
The afternoon began with official presentations by Panel 1. Mayor Rob Zwicker and West Hants Warden Richard Dauphinee read a prepared statement. The warden stated that West Hants Council unanimously voted in favour of Hantsport joining the municipality. It is opposed to village status as being regressive, divisive, and regressive. In his opinion, any amalgamation must be voluntary. This a reference to Kings County rejecting Hantsport based on the Grant Thornton report.
Throughout the afternoon Chairperson Roland Deveau and his assistants Roberta Clarke and Murray Doehler continuously wrote notes and posed pointed and insightful questions. Neither Mayor Zwicker nor the Warden needed to refer to notes.
In spite of a survey in which the majority of town residents supported village status in Kings County, Hantsport Council never directed a study to consider village status. According to the mayor, "It was passé."
During the questions by the chairperson and his assistants, residents learned that West Hants never voted officially on village status. Public consultation in town during the fall and winter included Coffee Chats, information from the town in the town newsletter, and perhaps a public meeting. After a break, Panel 2 made their official presentations. It was scheduled to end at 5:30 PM.
As a result of attending the meeting, I believe that the UARB will make the best decision for Hantsport - whatever that may be.
In spite of a survey in which the majority of town residents supported village status in Kings County, Hantsport Council never directed a study to consider village status. According to the mayor, "It was passé."
During the questions by the chairperson and his assistants, residents learned that West Hants never voted officially on village status. Public consultation in town during the fall and winter included Coffee Chats, information from the town in the town newsletter, and perhaps a public meeting. After a break, Panel 2 made their official presentations. It was scheduled to end at 5:30 PM.
As a result of attending the meeting, I believe that the UARB will make the best decision for Hantsport - whatever that may be.
The meeting will start again on Tuesday at 9:30 AM and go throughout the day. At 7 PM, members of the public who wrote to the UARB will speak.
-Heather Davidson
-Heather Davidson
I too attended this riveting & enthralling afternoon meeting but after 3 painful hours sitting in those hard plastic chairs my back was playing up I left, plus I wanted to get home to watch the much more enjoyable "Dr. Phil' on the TV.
ReplyDeleteMy only passing thought was to reflect on just how many all those folks sitting on the lower level padded chairs were there being so highly paid by me & all the other poor NS taxpayers. Dr.Phil could have sorted this dissolution problem out in one of his hourly shows.