why?

I am informed that some Mayors in our region Are Not Reoffering in the next election as well as some councilors. Why is that?

There are several reasons why some mayors and council members choose not to seek another term. In many cases, the role proves far more complex than anticipated. Municipal leaders must navigate legal frameworks, financial oversight, and administrative responsibilities that require considerable knowledge and experience.The position also comes with significant challenges and limitations. Candidates and elected officials must deal with scrutiny over their qualifications, heavy responsibility, constant criticism, limited authority at the municipal level, and strict rules governing what they can say or do.

Qualifications

Anyone who runs for office should expect their qualifications to be questioned. Rightly so! Voters, the media, andparticularly political opponents should closely examine a candidate’s background, education, and experience. Inevitably, the question arises: what makes one candidate preferable to another? What qualifies you to represent us?

Even individuals with strong community involvement or professional backgrounds in business, law, or accounting may still face criticism that they lack the necessary expertise for municipal governance. Observations from bodies such as the New Brunswick Local Governance Commission have noted gaps in knowledge among some elected officials regarding municipal governance and responsibilities.This level of scrutiny can understandably discourage people from running in the first place.

Significant Responsibility

Once elected, the responsibility placed on public officials is substantial. Municipal leaders make decisions involving millions of dollars in budgets, public services, bylaws, infrastructure, and local policies that affect the daily lives and economic well-being of residents.These decisions often involve competing priorities and limited resources, and it is impossible to satisfy everyone. The pressure associated with these responsibilities can be considerable.

Constant Public Criticism

Public officials operate under constant scrutiny. Their statements, votes, and decisions are frequently criticized by residents, the press, advocacy groups, and especially political opponents. In many cases, criticism is immediate and highly visible, particularly through social media.Even routine decisions can become controversial, and disagreements can quickly become personal.

Limited Authority at the Municipal Level

Another major challenge at the municipal level is the limited authority local governments actually possess. In Canada, municipalities exist under provincial legislation and only have the powers granted to them by the province.In New Brunswick, for example, municipalities operate under legislation such as the Local Governance Act. Elected members must be familiar with this legal framework and comply with all relevant provincial and federal legislation.As a result, municipal councils are often expected to solve problems that are ultimately beyond their expertise and shaped by provincial policies or funding decisions. This gap between public expectations and actual authority can create frustration both for residents and for the elected officials expected to respond to those concerns

.Codes of Conduct and Restrictions

Municipal elected officials are also bound by formal codes of conduct that regulate their behaviour and communication. These rules are intended to promote professionalism and accountability within councils.However, they can also limit how members express disagreement or criticism. In some circumstances, these provisions may be used to challenge or suppress dissent within council. Alleged violations can lead to formal investigations and, in some cases, significant financial penalties.This environment can make elected officials cautious about speaking openly on contentious issues. There is a risk in speaking out.

Conclusion

Serving in public office involves far more than simply representing the community. It requires operating under intense scrutiny, carrying significant responsibility, navigating complex legislation, working within limited authority, and complying with strict conduct rules.Given these realities, it is not surprising that many elected officials, after experiencing the role firsthand, choose not to seek another term.

Start Now

New council for Fundy Rural District

When the Fundy Rural District was formed on January 1 2023, an advisory council was supposed to be in place following November elections. No one ran for the 2 seats in Ward 2 so the government asked residents of the ward to apply for the two vacant positions on the council.. Applications were submitted before the deadline of Dec 20th 2022 and several qualified applicants stepped forward. In mid February, the government appointed the final representative. As a result, we now have 4 members with the addition of Rob Jeffery and Gina Sweet. Ray Riddell was elected chair and sits on the Regional Service commission. Decisions have already been made by the minister on budgets without any input from residents. These decisions will result in huge increases in property tax. The minister stated he wanted to bring democracy to the Rural Districts. He has now replaced 20 elected members with 2 elected and two government appointments.

Budget items you Need to Know

What is a Rural district?

Mark your calendar

Election results November 28th

From 6,421 residents only three residents stepped up. Ray Riddell was acclaimed in what remains of LSD Westfield West and East, Bruce Dryer was elected in ward 1 ( former LSDs of Greenwich and Petersville) and no one stepped up for two seats in Ward 2 . So the minister appointed two residents to sit on the new advisory council along with Ray and Bruce. Rob Jeffery and Gina Sweet were selected by the minister to fill these seats on the council.

Facts on Fundy Rural District

The Fundy Rural District was created on January 1 2023.

The population of the Fundy Rural District is 6,412 ( compare to Grand Bay-Westfield of 5,866).

Our tax base will be $603.092,900 ( the province controls property assessment and assessed an 11% increase in 2022).

There will be no mayor or council. Two residents were elected as one half of an advisory committee on November 28th. 2 others have been appointed by the government.

The advisory committee will have no power! One member will be able to participate in decisions of the Regional Service Commission and try to control expenditures due to new mandated services.

The budget for the Regional Service Commission has been dictated to the Regional Service Commission without representation from the residents of the affected communities. Massive increases in property tax are expected.

The minister has made all decisions on the new budget for the Fundy Rural District. RSC members had rejected this budget.

New member fees to be paid by the Fundy Rural District to the Fundy Regional service commission will be $781,529 ( compared to Grand Bay-Westfield of $292,721)
Last year's member fees for four LSDs in the community were $135.689 total

The minister has ordered the Fundy Rural district to pay to the Regional Service Commission $ 254,011 for land use planning ( bylaws, zoning etc.). The commission considers planning for this district a low priority and no plan will be in place this year nor maybe next year. A large part of funding we pay will not be spent on planning but will be allocated to salaries instead.

The LSD of Westfield West has already paid $120,872 for planning over the last five years with no plan ever produced. . That money was diverted to salaries of the Commission.

The minister has ordered the Fundy Rural District to pay $127,999 to a company called Envision for tourist promotion and economic development primarily in Saint John.

The minister's contract with Envision avoids the government paying $250,000 to Envision. That $250,000 cost is now passed on from the province to the Fundy Rural District and Fundy St. Martins.

The minister has dictated budgets to the Regional Service commission and to the Fundy Rural District and to the new entity Fundy St. Martins. No input from residents or members of the Regional Service commission. Huge property tax increases are the result. The Minister is hoping that residents will hold town councils and the Regional Service commissions to blame.

Budget Woes

Latest news

new committees formed

In order to manage new mandates the RSC has formed several new committees.

Community Development Committee 7 members NONE from Fundy Rural district

Regional Transportation Committee 8 members NONE from Fundy Rural District

Public Safety Committee 13 members Dave McCready fire chief from Fundy Rural District

Regional Facilities Committee 9 members NONE from Fundy Rural District

The New Brunswick government is pushing ahead with municipal amalgamations in spite of warnings from a chorus of experts that merging local governments leads to higher costs and often, to higher taxes.

“All of the [academic] work on municipal amalgamation has demonstrated that it does not save money,” says Jack Novack, professor of local government at Dalhousie University.

A 2015 report on the growing movement for de-amalgamation in Canada, commissioned by the right-wing Fraser Institute, sums up what it sees as the disadvantages of amalgamation:

Although nearly every province in Canada has pursued some form of local restructuring over the past 25 years, municipal amalgamation remains a controversial subject. A vast amount of research has found that consolidation fails to produce promised cost savings, rarely leads to more efficient service delivery, and reduces the ability of citizens to be involved in the life of their local governments. It is no surprise, then, that local restructuring proposals have often been met with stiff resistance from local residents. It also comes as no surprise that many residents argue that their communities were better off prior to amalgamation.

One of the Fraser report’s authors, Zachary Spicer of Brock University, also co-authored a commentary for the C.D. Howe Institute that cites numerous other academic studies:

Municipal amalgamation, in fact, produces few economies of scale, as many studies have shown (see, for example, Byrnes and Dollery 2002; Hirsch 1959; Bird and Slack 1993; Found 2012). Rather, costs generally increase after amalgamation, despite repeated assertions that larger units of local government will result in cost savings (Blom-Hansen 2010; Dahlberg 2010; Bird 1995; Flyvbjerg 2008; Vojnovic 1998). Aside from an increase in costs, research has also found that amalgamation has not led to municipal service efficiencies (Kushner and Siegel 2005; Found 2012; Moisio, Loikkanen and Oulasvirta 2010).

Budget Fiasco

This morning ( October 19th) , Ray Riddell, attended a meeting of the regional Service Commission on behalf of the LSD where the 9 directors were given a budget by the minister to approve. The budget contained many costs that would bind the Fundy Rural District which has not yet even been created. This budget will affect all of you.

Among the additional costs were:

$257,140 for planning,

$232,752 to pay maintenance and capital costs for 5 buildings in Saint John,

$93.,000 for economic development,

$32,000 for tourism development,

In total, the costs downloaded on to the new Fundy Rural district will be $731,590 (last year, the fees were $141,327 )

The residents of the LSDs in this region have been totally opposed to paying maintenance and capital costs to Saint John buildings.

All directors voted against the budget. Stay tuned.

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