Corner Brook Mayor Charles Pender said Wednesday that there are communities in this province that are unwilling or refusing outright to talk about regionalization and amalgamation.
Deer Lake Mayor Dean Ball said both amalgamation and regionalization has got to happen and happen, and soon.
It’s his opinion the province needs “to step up to the plate” and assist the communities that want to work together.
“It’s time for the province to start looking at the big picture and instead of waiting, and waiting and waiting for municipal leaders to make it happen, the province should be there giving the communities a helping hand to do it.”
Ball was involved in the amalgamation of Deer Lake, Nicholsville and Spillway and said it was the best thing the town ever did.
“It works. It works.”
Pasadena Mayor Otto Goulding said his town is already participating in regionalization when it comes to fire and emergency services. The town provides fire service to neighbouring local service districts and members of the volunteer Pasadena Fire and Rescue provide medical services and respond to accidents on the Trans-Canada Highway.
Those responses take them “above and beyond the boundaries of Pasadena,” and it costs the town in terms of training and equipment.
“There are regionalization (agreements) occurring in areas where it does have cost savings and from the Town of Pasadena’s perspective we deem it good for everyone.”
McIvers Mayor Warren Blanchard agrees with the concept of amalgamation and regionalization in areas where it can work. But he doesn’t think amalgamation would work for the communities on the north shore of the Bay of Islands.
And in some cases regionalization doesn’t either.
“We had a meeting with Fire and Emergency Services concerning sharing our fire service with Cox’s Cove and because of the response time we’re unable to do that.”
Massey Drive Mayor Gord Davis supports the idea of regionalization as long as it’s a win-win for everyone.
But if Corner Brook gets all the money from government and Massey Drive doesn’t get the proper services for what regionalization had planned for then it’s not worth it.
As for amalgamation, Davis said it doesn’t make sense for Massey Drive, saying snowclearing could suffer because of it.
“It would be devastating for our residents.”
Twitter: WS_DianeCrocker
