It likely will be late into the night before Alberton council begins its discussion on amalgamating with La Vallee at tonight’s regular meeting, which gets underway at 7:30 at the municipal office.
“Information regarding amalgamation” is scheduled as the second last item on the agenda under “New business.”
Reeve Judy Koski said council merely will be discussing whether or not it should look into doing a cost analysis study on amalgamating the two communities, with nothing definite carved in stone.
So far, community reaction to the issue has been almost non-existent, she said.
“I have received no calls, and that may be because we really haven’t made a step towards doing anything so far,” Reeve Koski said.
“And it’s old news,” she added. “We’ve looked to La Vallee before [for amalgamation].”
“We’re both basically rural communities,” La Vallee Reeve Ken McKinnon had told the Times last month. “There’s no big population centres. They are very similar for sure.”
He also had said amalgamating with Emo was another option La Vallee could look at although there have been no discussions as of yet between the two councils.
The previous cost analysis looked at merging Alberton with Miscampbell and Dance as well as La Vallee, which proved to be disadvantageous to both of the organized municipalities.
The previous analysis also was funded by the province whereas a source of money for another study–if deemed necesary–remains uncertain.
“But if we do get into this cost analysis, the ministry would come down and talk to us about it,” Reeve Koski said.
Alberton council tabled the issue at its last meeting in December since some councillors were unable to attend. Reeve Koski said she thought it was a “good idea” to have all councillors present for this issue.
“I think it’s a fairly important discussion,” she remarked.
As already reported in the Dec. 22 edition of the Times, at least one Alberton councillor also wants the township to look into amalgamating with Fort Frances so residents can decide which option is best for them.
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