The Three Rivers steering committee held a meeting Monday to discuss a request from Georgetown to cease all meetings as a show of support until the province makes a decision on whether to close the community’s school.
Georgetown mayor Lewis Lavandier has also stepped away as committee chairman until the school review process is over in mid-March.
Brian Harding, who was elected interim chairperson during the meeting, said representatives from the remaining six communities and unincorporated areas in Montague and Cardigan Fire Districts felt it would be counterproductive to stop regionalization efforts.
RELATED: Montague changes heart on idea of new Three Rivers region
The Three Rivers steering committee held a meeting Monday to discuss a request from Georgetown to cease all meetings as a show of support until the province makes a decision on whether to close the community’s school.
Georgetown mayor Lewis Lavandier has also stepped away as committee chairman until the school review process is over in mid-March.
Brian Harding, who was elected interim chairperson during the meeting, said representatives from the remaining six communities and unincorporated areas in Montague and Cardigan Fire Districts felt it would be counterproductive to stop regionalization efforts.
RELATED: Montague changes heart on idea of new Three Rivers region
Harding said members also felt stopping talks over issues that affect individual communities could set a dangerous precedent.
“If Brudenell has an issue, do the other communities back away from the table until the issue is solved? If we do that, we’ll never get there,” said Harding, noting that amalgamation talks began about two years ago.
“It has to be an ongoing process. By the same token, these are people volunteering their time to do what they feel is best for the region as a whole.”
A press release issued by the committee said members also felt the province’s timing for the school closure has put an undue strain on what were described as positive negotiations.
However, Harding said the school closure and the possible expansion of a recycling plant on Baldwin Road are two recent examples of why regionalization is needed to provide residents with a stronger voice.
“Whatever else happens in the future, there would be more influence once regionalization happens and we have a large municipality,” said Harding. “The government is going to listen more to the fourth largest municipality in the province than they will to smaller communities.”
The meeting also saw Cardigan resident Dalene Stewart elected as interim vice-chairwoman.
Harding said remaining members understood and appreciated why Georgetown was stepping away from the table to focus on the school issue.
He said that if and when Georgetown returns to the negotiations, Lavandier will return to his position of chair while Harding will become vice chair.
