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Council delays viability decision until May

One more month. That’s how much longer Village of Clyde residents will have to wait to find out if council will accept Municipal Affairs directives and remain incorporated, or send them to the polls to vote on dissolving on the municipality.
It’s expected that Village of Clyde councillors will make a decision on the future of the municipality at their meeting in May.
It’s expected that Village of Clyde councillors will make a decision on the future of the municipality at their meeting in May.

One more month.

That’s how much longer Village of Clyde residents will have to wait to find out if council will accept Municipal Affairs directives and remain incorporated, or send them to the polls to vote on dissolving on the municipality.

At their April 19 meeting councillors debated, merely one week removed from the April 11 viability meeting, the final step in the three-year-old viability review process.

Despite not reaching a decision, most councillors appeared to have already decided.

“My mind is made up. There’s no changing my mind,” said Coun. Christa Clausing, who added she’s fearful the county would set a higher mill rate for the village.

“I can see problems with the county. At least we’ve got Municipal Affairs with us. The county … they’ll just put us on the backburner and forget about us.

“We’re going to look like Vimy, we’re going to look like Pickardville.”

Although expressing strong opinions, councillors ultimately opted to delay their decision to speak with reps from other hamlets. Village council’s next meeting is slated for May 17.

“I’d like more time because there’s no going back,” said Coun. Neil Olson, who was a member of the Viability Review Team.

“I would set a timeline for our May meeting and make the decision then.”

Mayor Doug Nyal agreed with Olson’s assessment to take the time to make an informed decision.

“It’s our decision, it’s our time schedule,” Nyal said.

“If we sat back and said we weren’t making a decision and six months went by, we might get a call from the minister.”

A firm timetable on when they must come to a decision has not been set, other than Municipal Affairs wants it sooner, rather than later.

Clausing indicated concern over heading to plebiscite.

“I wouldn’t want to put it to a vote. I wouldn’t want to risk anything,” she said.

Olson was also supportive of remaining incorporated, but needs more answers.

“I’ve kind of got my mind made up, but I wouldn’t mind doing a little more research,” Olson said.

“Basically talk to the people in the other hamlets in the county and how they’re treated. What taxes are like, what their services are like.

“I’m leaning towards staying a village, (but) I’d like more time.”

Nyal said while supportive of remaining incorporated, he’s conflicted whether or not to give the choice to the people directly.

“There’s a part of me that sits backs and says we agree, if that’s what we’re doing, we should stay a village,” Nyal said.

“There’s still a part of me that says let’s send it to plebiscite. It would give us a mandate and would silence the critics. And if it went the other way, we really misjudged.”

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