Ultimate in Cooperation?

If you click here you'll see the most recent example of amalgamation in NL. But if you've been watching the news lately you'll know that this is but one of a few possible amalgamations.

There was a time in the not so distant past when amalgamation was a very dirty word. Growing from a couple rounds of forced amalgamations was a bitter taste for forcing towns into a permanent situation, in some cases without appropriate consultations or discussions. Times have changed. The current provincial administration has promised no forced amalgamations but that isn't stopping towns from realizing that sometimes amalgamation is the best option. Many councillors who have gone through an amalgamation process fell that the end result is a more effective government with a more efficient service delivery model because sometimes amalgamation just makes sense.

Sometimes, however, amalgamation may not make sense. Because of the work of CCRC in providing assistance for cooperative efforts and promoting the benefits of cooperation some feel that we are simply promoting a hidden amalgamation agenda. The truth is that the goal for CCRC is to promote healthy sustainable communities with solid government structures and that sometimes that may mean amalgamation but the majority of times it does not. Simply on a physical level the geography of the province and the disbursement of communities would be a significant barrier to mass amalgamations.

From the CCRC perspective there are many ways to work together from joint councils to service sharing and amalgamation is but one tool in the box and like any tool it should only be used when it fits the job.

All the best to the newly amalgamated town of Roddickton-Bide Arm.

New Year, New Success'

2009 is already shaping up to be an exciting time in Newfoundland and Labrador from a municipal perspective. Specifically from a CCRC angle we have just completed the Municipal Sustainability Self-Assessment process as the first step in the ICSP process and we're eager to get the rest of the process underway. We are still awaiting the ICSP report from the Department of Municipal Affairs before we can proceed further and all signs indicate that the report will be released soon.

The CCRC will be continuing it's traditional activities of providing information and assistance to any municipalities that request it with regard to service sharing or cooperative efforts. On the forefront of cooperation is our continuing work on Fogo Island with all councils taking part in discussions around potential amalgamation. Still early in the process but 2009 will be a big year for local government on Fogo Island.

The CCRC has been so inundated with requests for information and assistance and with the ICSP issue that we have not been conducting the research that we need to and so for 2009 we are planing to kick-start our research activities especially with regard to ideas of regional approaches to government and the financial benefits of cooperation.

As we are always looking to serve the membership if there are any areas of research or activity please forward them along and the CCRC Advisory Committee will welcome and consider all suggestions.

The Advisory Committee for 2009 consists of:
Chairperson: Madelyn Kelly - Councillor in Happy Valley-Goose Bay
Jody Fancey - Mayor of Bishops Falls
Dave Strong- CAO for PAradise
Kelly Voddon - Dept. of Geography, MUN
Keith Warren - Dept. of Municipal Affairs
Dan Noseworthy - Dept. of Municipal Affairs
Ryan Lane - CCRC Program Officer

Looking forward to a busy 2009.

Have a Sustainable Holiday Season

Well after about a year of work the Individual Self-Assessment reports are going in the mail today! So every municipality that took part, all 250, will receive an individual report based on their session. The reports emphasize the fact that they are based on the results as discussed at each session and are not intended as an outsiders evaluation but are a real self-assessment.

No doubt some councils will not receive their report until early in 2009 but hopefully that will place issues of sustainability on the top of the priority list for the new year.

I have to say a special thank you to those councils who took part in the Pilot phase of the project as it will have been a year between the session and the report. I do apologize for the time lag but there were delays in securing the funding project in the initial phases. Never the less it is now complete.

Again, Thanks you to all councils, and staff who took the time from their busy schedules to take part.

In 2009 the CCRC will continue helping municipalities work together to enhance their sustainability and it will al be posted here and on the CCRC website.

Have a safe and happy Christmas.

Ryan

NLAMA ICSP session

On Friday Dec 12 NLAMA has again invited the CCRC to do a training session on ICSP development in NL. This will make the third session I've done with administrators on the topic. Each session has been slightly different and this upcoming one will have the most up to date material.

It will, of course, cover the basics of what an ICSP is and some general steps on how to develop one but the session will also cover the very likely ICSP options in NL and outline the plans of MNL to provide assistance to towns for ICSP development.

So if you're a municipal administrator and would like to know more get in touch with NLAMA ASAP and sign up for the session on Friday.

Cheers.

In the News

Two regionally related pieces in the news as of late.

First is the Bide Arm and Roddickton amalgamation due to be finalized in January 09. By all accounts everyone seems to see this as a positive move for the area.

Second:
Cell phone coverage and snow clearing are just a couple of the items up for discussion at a meeting this week of the Lower Trinity South and Conception Bay North Community Councils. The session Thursday night is in an effort to strengthen ties between the communities. CBN Joint Councils Association Chairman Frank Evely says snow clearing is just one of the issues they have in common. Evely says the 9:30pm cut-off for snow clearing just won't do. He says there are people heading to and from work after that hour.

Evely says there's strength in numbers...and hopes banding together will bring results.

As reported by VOCM

Wrapping up and moving on.

The Municipal Sustainability Self-Assessment project is quickly coming to a close and it looks like we will have approximately 90% participation. So the first order of business is to say a hugh thank you for every council that took the time to take part in the process. We have received fantastic feedback from around the province and it is a great sign for the next phase of the ICSP process.

Speaking of ICSPs we're hoping that very soon there will be more detail available as to the specific details for this province. Stay tuned for updates as soon as they're available.....

Councillor Survey Results Available

The detailed and demanding work of creating, circulating, collecting and compiling the results of the municipal councillor survey is finally complete! The results of the municipal census were released back in May at MNL's municipal symposium and we can now release the results of the companion municipal councillor survey.

See the press release here and a pdf copy of the results here.

The CCRC would like to say a special thank you to Matt Beck who completed a great deal of the collection and compilation for both the census and the survey. Thanks Matt!