Local residents hosted a community meeting regarding the proposed consolidation of the Town
and County of Antigonish.
Anne McKeough, a Havre Boucher resident, said about 100 people attended, the majority of whom are town residents. She noted county councillor Harris McNamara said he considering having a similar meeting for county residents.
McKeough said discussion evolved from residents expressing concerns about the consolidation process used by the town and county so far, to others noting they feel they don`t have the necessary information to know what a consolidated municipality will look like should it come to pass. Therefore, she said residents feel there needs to be a plebiscite on the matter.
She said the feeling amongst some residents is that some councillors aren`t listening to residents and can`t explain certain aspects such as the financial and social considerations surrounding such a decision. While she noted it wasn`t expressed as strongly as the idea of a plebiscite, McKeough said there is a move to slow down the process and wait, potentially until after the next scheduled municipal election.