Guysborough‘s warden says municipal councillors want to know they’re getting bang for their buck if they’re going to remain part of the Eastern Strait Regional Enterprise Network.
Councillors heard a presentation by Maria Ludlow, one of the REN’s economic development officers, during January’s regular municipal council meeting Wednesday afternoon.
After the meeting, Vernon Pitts, the warden of the municipality, said they want a high level of service.
“If we’re making an investment, we expect to see a return on it- we don’t go into something just for the point of repeating it,” he said. “It should be one-stop shopping, whether you’re going through the REN, or economic development, or whoever, it should be one-stop shopping- if we’re paying for a service, we expect the service.”
Pitts said they’ll discuss their status in the REN during their strategic planning sessions and budget deliberations.
He said it has to make financial sense.
“Council will weigh out if we’re getting bang for our buck, number one- number two is, can we afford it?” he said. “We’re in a time of restraint- we have a falling tax revenue (and) resources, and we have to govern ourselves accordingly.”
Officials with all five municipal units in the REN- the Town of Antigonish, Antigonish Co., the Town of Port Hawkesbury, the Municipality of the District of Guysborough and the Municipality of the District of St. Mary’s- submitted notice of intent to withdraw in March.
Since then, municipal, provincial and REN officials have been working to address the concerns of municipal officials- specifically, provincial funding, the REN’s governance model, and a required three-year commitment.
