Pictou County amalgamation meeting draws big crowd in Stellarton

An overflow crowd delayed Monday afternoon's opening of regulatory hearings into the amalgamation of four municipalities in Pictou County.

"We thought we had enough room," said Roland Deveau, a member of the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board, as he chaired the hearing.

The towns of New Glasgow, Pictou and Stellarton and the Municipality of Pictou County are proposing to amalgamate.

• Nova Scotia gives $27M to potential Pictou County amalgamation
• Pictou County files conditional amalgamation application

More space was needed to accommodate the crowd attending the first hearing held by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board in a Stellarton hotel.

"We have to do something," says warden Ron Baillie, speaking on behalf of the municipalities.

"All of our units are in negative assessment. We need a new form of governance."

Plebiscite to be held in May

Two towns in Pictou County —  Westville and Trenton — have decided not to participate.

Baillie said the proposal will save $1.1 million a year between the municipalities. Sixteen positions — half of them unionized — will be eliminated.

The Nova Scotia government has pledged $27 million over five years in transition funding, which Baillie says is critical to achieving amalgamation.

"We can't continue working in isolation to find solutions to problems and making decisions as single municipal units, rather than collaborating with neighbour municipalities," Baillie said in an opening statement to regulators.

The four municipalities have filed the application.

A plebiscite will be held in May.

On Monday night, 26 people are scheduled to speak during a public session. The scheduled speakers include former premier John Hamm and long time former MP Elmer MacKay.

Resistance to amalgamation

Brian Atkinson, a Stellarton resident who is also scheduled to speak Monday night, was one of about 100 who showed up to the meeting. He is opposed to amalgamation.

"I am concerned about losing our independence and higher taxes," he said during a break.

Atkinson predicts residents of Stellarton will reject amalgamation in the upcoming plebiscite vote.

"I don't know too many people who are in favour of it," he said, adding he expects Stellarton council to withdraw from amalgamation if residents reject the idea.

The possibility that one or more municipalities could withdraw was raised by Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board lawyer Richard Melanson.

Project manager Scott Conrod said the withdrawal of a municipality could still be accommodated in time for elections in a newly amalgamated municipality.