Sussex and Sussex Corner to consider amalgamation

The Town of Sussex and the Village of Sussex Corner, with help from a committee of citizens from both communities, are looking into the idea of amalgamation.

Sussex Mayor Marc Thorne said councillors in both municipalities started talking about joining the two communities in 2012.

He says they met with provincial officials at the time, to find out the best way to approach the issue — committing to a conducting a study and making a series of public presentations. But plans were put on hold.

"At the time … it just seemed a little overwhelming. We approached the province and the committee at the time was going to put a lot of work directly into the laps of the two municipalities who had just elected a lot of new councillors," Thorne said.

The Sussex mayor says a few months ago he and Sussex Corner Mayor Steven Gillies came back together to resurrect the issue, and they're now planning a series of public meetings with the help of a steering committee made up of citizens.

Right now, for say every $100,000 value in a home, between the village and the town, there's really only $80 difference [in taxes].- Sussex Mayor Marc Thorne

Sussex Corner is a community of about 1,500 people, while the population of Sussex is about 4,300. Thorne says there's probably concern among village residents that amalgamation could lead to a loss of identity and an increase in taxes. He says elected officials will do their best to address those concerns.

"Right now, for say every $100,000 value in a home, between the village and the town, there's really only $80 difference [in taxes]," said Thorne. "I'm not so sure everyone realizes that."

Gillies says that was the first issue he brought up with provincial officials, who he says cited the former Town of Tracadie and the former Village of Sheila in northern New Brunswick as examples. Those communities amalgamated in 1992.

"They're one community with two different tax rates, so that would be the answer I would give," he said. "Not necessarily meaning we would do that, but that's just one point, that they have two different tax rates for one community."

In his time as mayor, Gillies says he's seen a duplication of services and expects amalgamation could offer people in Sussex Corner access to more services and information and a bigger voice with the provincial government.

Still, Thorne is quick to point out that if the business case exists for Sussex and Sussex Corner to amalgamate, the decisions will ultimately be made by the citizens, rather than the elected councils.

The mayors say there are two possible timelines for a plebiscite on the issue. The first would see it happen by November, and the next municipal elections would be for the new community. Or elections will happen in May of 2016 for the two communities and the plebiscite will be six months after that.