Newton returned as Annapolis County warden

By Geoffrey Agombar

Spectator

NovaNewsNow.com



Peter Newton has been re-elected warden of Annapolis County’s new municipal council. Reg Ritchie has also been returned to his position as deputy warden for another term.

Wardens are elected by council from within council. Although council is elected to serve a four-year term, in some municipalities wardens serve for two years at a time. The duration of Newton and Ritchie's current term was to be determined at the November 18 council meeting.

Warden Newton was interviewed by email last week to offer Spectator readers a brief overview of what can be expected from municipal council the coming term.

The Warden replied with the following responses on November 12:

SPECTATOR: Could you first explain the role of Warden, so that our readers can better understand the structure and functioning of council?

WARDEN NEWTON: The Warden chairs council and committee of the whole sessions, is appointed to be council's representative on various committees and is ex-officio* on all other committees of council. The Warden is the chief executive office of the municipality and is the official spokesperson of the council and primary contact for the media.

SPECTATOR: What are council's top priorities for, say, the next 12 months? And for the next four years?

WARDEN NEWTON: Council elections were in October as you know. [...] We have not met to review and/or discuss any county business as a council as yet. We are planning to have a two-day Strategic Planning Session early in March, 2009. This will set council’s priorities for the next few years.

SPECTATOR: What have been the key successes/achievements of the past four years, and how will council build on these during the present term?

WARDEN NEWTON: The following are a few of council's successes/achievements over the past four years: In partnership with the three towns, we purchased two new buses to provide better service on Kings Transit routes within Annapolis County. Again in partnership with the towns of Annapolis Royal, Bridgetown and Middleton in 2005 we began Club 400, Active Living Strategy with the official launch in April 2006. The Active Living Strategy encourages everyone to become more active on a daily basis; at their own pace. This program has been recognized provincially as having the potential to improve people's health and productivity. Council became owners of and completed construction of the Lifeplex facility at Cornwallis Park. Lifeplex opened in May 2007 with an official opening later in August, 2007. Upgrades to the Margaretsville as well as Cornwallis water utilities were completed to meet the new Canadian potable water standards. We have substantially increased operational and capital funding to volunteer fire departments that provide fire protection to Annapolis County property owners. After strategy sessions which included the business community and municipal units within our region (Digby and Annapolis County including the towns), operations of a new Regional Development Agency (Annapolis Digby Economic Development Agency) began in February 2007 with a business plan developed from the strategy sessions.

SPECTATOR: If you haven't already, could you comment on how council will encourage development in some/all of the following domains: economic growth, trade and entrepreneurship; cultural programming; health and social services; tourism; recreation and active living; Digby Ferry and transportation.

WARDEN NEWTON: Council supports economic growth, trade and entrepreneurship mainly through the Annapolis Digby Economic Development Agency, by [our] funding support as well as municipal and citizen membership on the board of directors. Tourism and transportation, in particular the Digby Ferry, are priorities of the development agency. Council has supported and contributed to all efforts to find a secure, long-term ferry service between Digby and Saint John, NB. Cultural programming, recreation and active living are supported and promoted through our recreation staff. We publish a Festivals and Community Events calendar each year. Health and social services are provincial responsibilities; Council's involvement in these areas would be in support of local community initiatives.

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For more information about the Municipalty of the County of Annapolis or council, visit www.annapoliscounty.ns.ca

*An ex-officio member is a member of a body (a board, committee, council, etc.) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. Depending on the particular body, such a member may or may not have the power to vote in the body's decisions. (Source: www.wikipedia.org)