By Tyler Waugh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Mount Pearl council has sent a letter to the Minister of Municipal Affairs calling attention to proposed changes to the membership of the Eastern Regional Service Board (ERSB) that will leave around 80,000 residents without a voice at the table.
Councillor Bill Antle, who has been an ERSB board member for the past five years, told council at the March 31 public meeting that Mount Pearl, Paradise and Conception Bay South would see their membership change to an ex-officio status under the proposed change, meaning they will not have the ability to speak or vote on matters before the board.
Mayor Dave Aker reported that a letter has been sent to Chris Tibbs, the Minister of Municipal Affairs, that argues continued representation on regional service boards for waste, fire protection, water and wastewater services is at stake.
“The board’s motion is not binding on the minister, the minister has discretion,” said Aker. “As good regional partners, constituents, we have carbon copied other mayors in the region, as well as the MHA, so hopefully Minister Tibbs will reach out and we can consult a bit more and see if we can enhance representation to ensure that the governance structure is responsible and representative and that the rural areas get the representation that they need a little bit more of.”
Antle said representatives from all three affected communities voted against the proposed change at a March 26 ERSB meeting. He pointed out that Mount Pearl paid around $633,000 last year to the City of St. John’s, which owns the Robin Hood Bay regional waste facility used by Mount Pearl.
“Despite that financial contribution we will have no say around the board when the budget comes up. We will have no say,” Antle told council. “How can an Eastern Region Service Board be called regional when three of the largest municipalities in that structure aren’t included? Mount Pearl, Paradise and CBS represent nearly 80,000 residents, so that’s 80,000 residents that don’t have a vote.”
Councillor Mark Rice, who has attended several past ERSB committee meetings, said the proposed change calls into question the nature of the relationship, especially considering there is a planned regional wastewater project where municipal contributions are being asked for up front.
“When I look at it, are we a partner or are we a customer? We’re a partner when they want us to be a partner, but now I look at it as being a customer, so why are we putting a share up front for wastewater – because it all goes together, it’s all connected,” Rice said, adding that he checked with the City’s legal department prior to the meeting and it was determined there are no signed memorandums of understanding for regional services except for fire services.
Another proposed change to the membership and structure adopted by the ERSB board incudes a reduction from the current level of 20 directors down to 12, with St. John’s continuing to hold half the voting power with six appointed directors, and the remaining spots going to elected representatives from six other rural areas.
The proposed changes to the ERSB board structure would be effective upon receiving ministerial approval.
Antle said he first received notice of a desire to restructure the board via a September email.
The ERSB was created by the Province in 2012.
The Pearl News requested a copy of the letter sent to Minister Tibbs, but it was not made available prior to deadline.
