Warden says co-operation is crucial
Connor MacEachern connormac@thecasket.ca


      Municipality of the County of Antigonish warden Herb Delorey said 2008 was a busy time for his municipality, and 2009 looks no different.
      “It all comes down to your day-to-day activities; everybody’s very busy.”
      A proposed Keppoch Beaver Mountain recreation facility garnered attention during 2008, with meetings held throughout the year to determine land-use policies.
      The municipality ordered People Assessing their Health (PATH) to survey residents on their reaction to the project.
      “We’ve done the health assessment portion of it,” Delorey said. “We also did a telephone survey.”
      “Those two have been completed and we’re in the process now of dissecting them,” he added.
      “We’re looking at making some big decisions early in the New Year.”
      The municipality ordered an energy audit on its facilities, which Delorey said will help save money in the long run.
      “That of itself was somewhere around $10,000, but in the life cycle you can save mega-bucks.”
      More work scheduled for early 2009 includes a $4.3-million water sewage treatment plant project in Havre Boucher, extensions on William’s Point and Cunningham Road and wind turbine projects, Delorey said.
      The environment has been a priority for the municipality, which enacted an in-house policy forbidding cars from being left idling.
      “The little things that we can do that don’t cost us a lot have quite an impact on our environment,” Delorey said.
      The municipality has also purchased a de-watering truck, which will dry lagoons around water treatment facilities. The truck is being designed now and will be in action in 2009, Delorey said.
      “We feel it’s a well-required truck that could do us good.”
      The municipality hired Tammy Feltmate as an active living co-ordinator this year to promote healthy living to schoolchildren.
      “She’s having some fine back-and-forth communication with the schools,” Delorey said.
      2008 was an election year for Nova Scotia municipalities. Delorey said the term has seen a new spirit of co-operation between Antigonish town and county.
      “I’m very proud to be able to say that we have been, since November, having numerous meetings and we’re well on our way to seeing some co-operation between both municipal units.”
      Priorities between the two municipalities include a new library and a skateboard park.
      “Hopefully in the New Year we’ll be able to make some announcements on that.”
      Municipal projects, regardless of the municipality, benefit everyone in the area, Delorey said.
      “What’s good for our neighbouring municipalities is good for the County of Antigonish, and what’s good for the County of Antigonish is good for the Town of Antigonish.”