Quispamsis wants the province to extend the feedback deadline for the local governance reform process.
Municipalities have until May 31 to give their input on a green paper released by the province earlier this month.
During Tuesday’s town council meeting, Coun. Emil Olsen introduced a motion to ask the province to push back the deadline.
Olsen said given the current situation with COVID-19 and municipal elections, the current deadline is premature and unrealistic.
“Especially when you have this election going on at the same time and the dilemma that we’re facing with election results being held back in the Edmundston area affecting the whole province,” Olsen said.
Council voted unanimously to ask the province about extending the deadline, although no specific timeline was given.
Coun. Sean Luck said he agrees with the request but does not think the province will change its mind.
“I think the government has picked that because they have their timelines and dates set in stone so I really don’t feel that we will be able to move that date,” said Luck.
Council also raised concerns about how members were selected for the four working groups that will support the initiative.
The four associations representing the province’s municipalities were each asked to put four names forward, one for each of the working groups.
Luck said he found it “troubling” that town councils, in particular, that are going to be impacted by some of the green paper ideas did not have a say.
“By trying to push it through and then throwing a bunch of names together to represent the province and every one of us here in every community seems to be very backwards,” he said.
Coun. Kirk Miller also agreed that the process is “being too rushed” but, as with Luck, did not feel they were going to be able to change the process.
Miller said he would also like to see more information about what will happen once the feedback has been submitted.
“Are they going to have all of these meetings? Are they going to come back to us for feedback or are we going to learn about it in a budget in October of this year?” he said.
In releasing the green paper on April 6, the province said stakeholder and public feedback and analysis will be incorporated into a white paper, which will be released by the end of the year.
