Emo pulls out of amalgamation study

Only La Vallee and Alberton will continue to look into the pros and cons of amalgamation after Emo pulled out of the discussions.
“They [council] just didn’t feel that a study was necessary at this time,” said Emo clerk/treasurer Brenda Cooke.
“A commission isn’t on the radar screen in the Rainy River District. They just decided until it was necessary to put it on hold,” she explained.
Emo Reeve Brian Reid said because the province doesn’t appear to be pressing for change in Rainy River District, there’s no point in pursuing it right now.
“They won’t start to work on it unless you instigate it,” he explained. “It’s not like we’re being forced into it and we would have to do all the work ourselves.”
After meeting with a representative of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the three municipalities initially planned to have their clerks proceed with an assessment of all the possible cost savings that could be attained by amalgamating.
But at their last council meeting, Emo decided not to continue with the study, leaving La Vallee and Alberton to carry on.
“It is my understanding that Alberton and La Vallee will proceed,” said La Vallee clerk Laurie Witherspoon, though admitting she has been directed to proceed with the review only when she has time–not as a top priority.
“This is definitely a big project and it is something I will work at time permitting,” she remarked. “It’s not something I’m going to drop and do. It’s just something they want to take a look at.”