{"id":44565,"date":"2024-06-07T11:13:29","date_gmt":"2024-06-07T14:13:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.chmafm.com\/welcome\/?p=44565"},"modified":"2024-06-07T11:13:35","modified_gmt":"2024-06-07T14:13:35","slug":"tantramar-roadshow-a-great-step-towards-better-communication-transparency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chmafm.com\/welcome\/tantramar-roadshow-a-great-step-towards-better-communication-transparency\/","title":{"rendered":"Tantramar Roadshow ‘a great step’ towards better communication, transparency"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Sackville resident Percy Best came to Tantramar’s Municipal Roadshow to ask about pedestrian safety and heritage protections. Photo: Erica Butler<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tantramar\u2019s municipal roadshow is \u201ca perfect environment to voice concerns for the betterment of our town,\u201d says Sackville resident Percy Best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best was one of a handful of residents who came out for the third edition of the Tantramar roadshow at the Civic Centre last Thursday. The next instalment takes place Thursday, June 13 at the Sackville Music Barn on Station Road in Upper Sackville.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best says the roadshows are \u201ca great step\u201d by the municipality to open up lines of communication. \u201cThe path to talk to councillors has been greatly degraded over the last few years,\u201d says Best, \u201cand gets worse all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best points to the end of public question periods during council meetings, a practice included in the former town of Sackville\u2019s procedures, but not in those of the new municipality of Tantramar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe used to be able to even send in a written letter, and it would be brought up and attached to the package,\u201d said Best. \u201cNow it’s like a no man’s land. That’s one of the reasons we don’t go to council meetings. It\u2019s like, why bother?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best hopes the roadshows will continue, and be hosted annually or twice a year across the municipality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tantramar CAO Jennifer Borne speaking at a Tantramar Roadshow session on May 30, 2024. Photo: Erica Butler<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tantramar CAO Jennifer Borne didn\u2019t rule out future roadshow meetings, and says she has been pleased with the sessions so far. Even with some small turnouts, Borne feels the sessions have been successful to date. \u201cEven if we hit a couple, we are successful,\u201d says Borne. The schedule includes weekday, weekend, morning and evening time slots, and hits all five wards of the municipality. That\u2019s intentional, says Borne. \u201cWe tried to suit everyone’s needs,\u201d she says, adding that residents can attend any or all sessions, regardless of where they live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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RCMP Sergeant Eric Hanson addresses concerns about ATVs on streets at a Tantramar Roadshow session on May 30 2024. Photo: Erica Butler<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The one surprise for Borne so far has been the topics that residents are bringing forward to ask about. \u201cComing into these we thought it might be more around the assessment piece and taxation,\u201d says Borne. But so far pedestrian safety and traffic issues seem the most prominent concerns. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of interesting that’s what we’re hearing through these sessions,\u201d says Borne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Borne says that so far staff have been enjoying and looking forward to the in-person sessions. Councillors have also been attending the sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt’s certainly always a challenge to spread the word and get people through the doors,\u201d says Borne. So the more that we can have [in attendance], the better. But any way that we can have a forum and demonstrate transparency is a success for us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hear coverage of the Sackville roadshow session as reported on Tantramar Report:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n