Partnership could tackle another project

BY KIRK STARRATT

kstarratt@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

The chair of the Kings Partnership Steering Committee (KPSC) says she believes the spirit of cooperation that brought the organization together still exists and it’s time for them to tackle another project.

Kings County councillor Janet Newton, KPSC chair, said she believes a spirit of cooperation among the municipal partners is still alive and well. She said the partners are going to have disagreements on occasion, such as with the formula for provincial education funding, but everyone agrees they can’t allow it to destroy the partnership.

Newton said representatives of the towns of Hantsport, Wolfville, Kentville and Berwick and the County of Kings who serve on the steering committee tried to solve the disagreement, but it didn’t work so they’ll have to agree to disagree. However, she said that doesn’t mean the county is prepared to back down either.

If the funding agreement among the local municipalities and the province were to change to a formula based on uniform assessment, as it is in other areas of the province, there would be significant cost-savings for the county and the Town of Berwick.

However, the other municipalities would see significant cost increases. The formula for local municipalities is currently based on per-capita funding.

Newton said there was a little anger at first, but the partners have since reached a sense of mutual understanding of each other’s position.

‘What we have here is very unique’: Newton

She said Kings County Warden Fred Whalen has said that other wardens have told him they wish they could get along as well with neighbouring mayors as he does, and our recreation directors work very well together. That isn’t always the case in other areas of the province. She finds it hard to understand why they’re so territorial.

“What we have here is very unique,” Newton said.

She said she thinks the partnership could take on another project, but what it would be hasn’t been identified. A member council has to propose a project by way of a motion to the steering committee. If the motion is successful, the initiating municipality conducts the initial research. Newton said some members currently don’t have a subcommittee to work on.

She said she hopes to see the partnership do some work in the area of immigration. The Kings Community Economic Development Agency is doing some work in this field and Newton said she thinks we could use a few more people here. We enjoy a nice, comfortable, pleasant lifestyle and we have a lot to offer people, including a less expensive lifestyle than some other areas.

“I think we have a caring community here that would welcome immigrants,” she said.

Local councillors have attended a few workshops on the topic of immigration, but the issue hasn’t progressed. Whalen brought the idea forward as a proposal at one point following a conference he attended.

Newton said another potential project for the KPSC to undertake would be the siting of an industrial park.