Some residents of Trenton, N.S., are expressing their frustration over a new policy that limits them from bringing the same issue to town council more than once in a six-month period, unless new information becomes available.
Mayor Alec Dove says new policy is meant to streamline council meetings
CBC News
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Some residents of Trenton, N.S., are expressing their frustration over a new policy that limits them from bringing the same issue to town council more than once in a six-month period, unless new information becomes available.
Alison Ellsworth-Cameron lives on Strickland Avenue, which has been experiencing sewage backflow for years. She feels the policy, which was implemented in the spring, is restrictive and unfair.
“We are not being heard by council,” said Ellsworth-Cameron.
She said she took the sewage issue to council in March, but a recent backup in her home caused $50,000 worth of damage.
“I addressed all of these situations that were happening, the impact that it was happening on us emotionally, financially, physically, when we have to clean up these situations,” said Ellsworth-Cameron.
“I addressed council and not one person after I spoke even commented.”
She said the new policy means she can’t bring the issue back to council until September.
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Mayor Alec Dove said the policy has seen some “bumps in the road” and he understands the frustration, but it’s meant to streamline council meetings and prevent the same topic from being discussed repeatedly.
“If you ask Question A, Question A is answered. Then I honestly don’t understand why somebody else comes up and asks the same question,” Dove said.
“They’re going to get the same answer. They might not like the answer, but the answer is the answer.”
Dove said council reviews policy changes after a year, and if something is not working, adjustments can be made.
Still, others in the town say they’ve been experiencing similar issues with council, who feel not enough is being done to address their concerns.
Jodi MacKay has been asking for a street light to be installed on her road for more than a year due to visibility concerns. She says it’s a dark area and dangerous for her disabled husband to leave their long, narrow driveway when the sun goes down.
“I just don’t know why it’s such a big issue,” said MacKay.
She said the way residents are being treated by council is cause for concern.
“I just don’t think that they want to hear from the citizens. I just think they want to run their council and just be able to get by without being held accountable for anything,” said MacKay.
But Dove says there is protocol for requests like MacKay’s.
“There’s a process that has to be followed here and we’re now rolling forward with this process,” said Dove. “We don’t have unlimited resources and staff work very hard everyday to satisfy the concerns of the residents in this town.”
Cheri MacInnis, another Trenton resident, says tension between council and residents has been building for a while, but boiled over after the closure of the public pool in June.
Enough is enough. The disrespect that people are feeling is becoming unbearable.– Cheri MacInnis, Trenton resident
She says residents felt as if council stopped people from talking at the meeting in June and it has only gotten worse.
“I think everyone is kind of on the same page with regards to [this]. Enough is enough. The disrespect that people are feeling is becoming unbearable.”
MacInnis says residents want to know more about how the council is spending their money and are still awaiting for the town to release its budget.
“We need to figure out what we are going to do next because we can’t continue on like this,” said MacInnis.
Dove says they are still working on a budget to release publicly and is hopeful something can eventually be worked out between residents and council.
“We should have respectful discourse at the end of the day … we’re all on the same team here.”
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