Campobello residents weigh rural community designation

An open house held on December 8 for the public to discuss whether to establish a rural community on Campobello Island was attended by more than 30 islanders. A second session was held on the evening of December 10. While the meeting competed with the firemen's dinner on December 8, residents turned out to listen to Stephen Smart, chair of the Campobello Local Governance Committee, identify the differences between the island's current designation as a local service district and a proposed rural community governance structure.

The open houses are being organized along with a survey to determine the degree of local support for establishing a rural community. If the open houses and the survey demonstrate strong support for a rural community, the province could hold a plebiscite for those qualified to vote.

Establishing local control

The theme for the evening was local control and the ability to change the direction of the island, which has lost 20% of its year-round population over the last 10 years and had an unemployment rate of 18.4% in 2006, likely higher now. "If people on Campobello Island decide to take control, it will be us, not someone at the end of a phone making decisions," noted Smart. The vision of the rural community, described in a draft feasibility report, is "to build a viable, self-sufficient community that is innovative and forward-looking, while maintaining respect for Campobello Island's heritage and acknowledging its unique situation."

At present, the island is not incorporated and is a local service district. Therefore, it has virtually no local governance. The Province of New Brunswick provides local services such as fire, police, solid waste removal, recreation and community services. The island cannot make bylaws to regulate issues such as zoning and subdivisions. The minister of the Department of Local Government establishes the budget for the provision of local services and also sets the local property tax rate. As Marianne Alexander noted, "There isn't anyone to write a check to on the island," referencing the fact that the neither the Province of New Brunswick, nor the federal government, has a mechanism to fund new island projects.

"The rural community is a form of local governance that provides communities with more control over their development and over the delivery of local services," Local Government Minister Bernard LeBlanc said in a release.

The rural community model, available since 2005, is similar to a municipality, with an elected council. It is designed to give people in rural areas the means to carry out planning and to ensure that local services match their community's needs, wants and budgets.

Raising taxes

At the December 8 session, residents raised issues such as increases in taxation, local control over taxes, jobs and ferry service. Tourism, tidal power and emergency measures operation were also discussed.

An initial property tax increase of 8.9% may be necessary if the rural community designation is approved, according to the round-table committee that worked on the budget. The taxes would fund the cost for an elected council, mayor and part-time clerk-treasurer, general administration costs, furniture and equipment as well as land use planning services. The community could also generate income via building permit fees for example. Currently taxes are about six cents lower per $100 of property assessment than average in the province.

Permanent residents may eventually see some cost savings should the community choose to become responsible for the provision of other local services, such as policing services. "Consider paying for something and then getting something. We could have island equipment owned by the island, we can't do that right now," explained Smart.

Blair Tinker questioned, "What are the chances of getting some of the tax money back?" The reply was: "No, we won't. One thing to think about is control over those funds. We would have access to programs that other municipalities already have [under the rural community designation]."

Many of the issues center around the island's current lack of a mechanism to access provincial funds for special projects. Kathleen Case described how difficult it is to do business on the island C an island without a bank or direct connection to the rest of New Brunswick. "If the stove hood at a restaurant breaks or a washer/dryer at a motel C nobody's coming to fix that," she stated, detailing the difficulties of the four border crossings and a trip from Saint John or St. Stephen required to get to the island. "If we can get goods and services back and forth [via ferry] we can bring employment to the island," she noted, citing the struggles of business owners.

Art Quinn, owner of the Campobello Valuefoods store, talked about the difficulties of getting his refrigerators serviced or plumbing repairs done, as contractors have been less willing to come to the island in recent years because of the border crossing requirements and paperwork. A suggestion was made that a year-round ferry from Campobello to the mainland operating three days per week would assist in the movement of goods and services. The point was raised that under a rural community designation islanders would have more power to access their tax dollars to support a ferry.

In regards to tourism, the discussion centered on having some local control over the shape of the "advertising" of the island. Noting that the East Quoddy Lighthouse is featured on calendars in the states and advertising for the rest of the province, audience members seem to agree that they want to highlight aspects of the island of which they are most proud. With a different governance structure, it is possible that Campobello could apply for government grants to assist with the exploration of ideas and capitalize upon the results.

Defining the need

Residents received a survey in the mail in December asking three questions: Are you qualified to vote on this matter? Would you support the establishment of Campobello as a rural community? Do you want a vote (or plebiscite) to be held on this proposal? The information kits and survey are also available at <www.gnb.ca/localgovernment>. The survey period will end January 31.

"This proposal to establish local government C a rural community C for the residents and property owners of Campobello Island was developed by the Campobello Governance Committee," said Local Government Minister LeBlanc in a press release. "I strongly invite all residents to participate in these meetings and to engage in this important democratic process. There would be sufficient local support for establishing a rural community if a majority of those voting voted in favour of the proposal. A rural community would not be established unless sufficient local support was achieved."

To establish a rural community designation the majority of eligible voters, of which there are just over 600, would have to be in support of the change. The minister determines the level of support and has final authority to approve the change.

A 2008 survey revealed that 63.9% of Campobello residents felt that a form of local or community government is either needed or very needed. In the spring of 2009, 50 Campobello residents petitioned the province to carry out a feasibility study of establishing a rural community, initiating the process that may be resolved this spring. The governance needs became formulated after the Health and Wellness Committee was established to explore ways to improve the quality of life on the island.

Summing it up, lifelong islander Smart quipped, "We are a group of people on a rock, and until we get together [as a community] that's what we'll be."