ANTIGONISH: After a return to a somewhat normal summer, the warden of the Municipality of the County of Antigonish says senior staff have a lot on the go as the municipality enters the fall.
Following the county’s regular monthly council meeting on Sept. 14, Owen McCarron told reporters council passed a motion to officially give their stamp of approval to explore the potential consolidation with the Town of Antigonish, to form a single regional government.
“I had one phone call today, congratulating us on taking the step, and felt it was a very proactive step, and just building on the relationship formed over the last number of years,” McCarron said. “That resident felt it was good to see we at least explore the possibilities.”
He suggested they would be participating in a conversation with the Department of Municipal Affairs, the following day, to determine and look at what the next steps of the process are, to steer a direction.
“Certainly, I’m looking forward to those discussions and starting to build a process that will bring us to whatever point that we get at the end of discussions,” McCarron said. “The key I think is for our residence to be confident that we’re going to engage them every step along the way, because it’s a big discussion to be had.”
The warden said for him, the biggest thing will be to keep the residents informed every step along the process.
McCarron indicated the municipality is going to have a busy fall, beyond the exploration of the next phase between the town and county in consolidation, they’ll continue their regular work in getting prepared as they move towards December, and will start looking at potential capital and infrastructure projects for next year.
“It’s (going) to be a busy fall for sure and a busy spring,” he added. “But we look forward to the challenge, and it’s certainly something that’ going to create lots of excitement around our council table and within the municipality.”