Mulgrave to hold municipal elections despite application to dissolve

The town of Mulgrave, N.S., will have to take part in municipal elections this fall even though it could be dissolved and merged with the Municipality of the District of Guysborough by next year.

Mulgrave applied to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board to dissolve their status as a town last November but the hearing has been delayed until next March.

"I initially thought we would be done by October 1st," said Lorne MacDonald, Mulgrave's current mayor. "We just keep going until they decide what's going to take place with us."

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MacDonald says he will re-offer.

"Whoever's the mayor at the time of dissolution will stay on to the next election." said MacDonald.

2012 election struggles

In the 2012 municipal elections, Mulgrave struggled to get a full slate of candidates.

Two additional calls for candidates had to take place after the general election was held before all four council seats were filled.

MacDonald is hoping that doesn't happen again because this is a critical time for the community.

Contested application

Guysborough officials have contested Mulgrave's application for a merger because they say the provincial funding is insufficient. In a letter to the Utility and Review Board, the lawyer representing Guysborough states that the funding would place "an unacceptable economic burden on the current residents of the municipality."

There are three issues: the cost of upgrades to Mulgrave's water utility; the cost of demolishing the Mulgrave Memorial Education Centre if it is closed in a couple of years; and a 6.2 kilometre stretch of route 344 which runs through the town.

Mulgrave officials admit the road is in poor condition and Guysborough wants the province to take it over.

$3M over 5 years

In a letter of intent filed with the board the province has offered close to $3 million over five years for infrastructure improvements, road repairs and transitional costs.

But municipal officials say just the bill for upgrading part of route 344 could come to close to $7 million.

"The UARB is reviewing all the information right now," said Zach Churchill, Nova Scotia's minister for municipal relations. "We hope they will be reaching a conclusion by June."

But while officials with the utility board can order the dissolution, they cannot force the province to increase the financial incentives.