Sussex and Sussex Corner amalgamation vote heats up

Sussex Corner residents have less than a week to go before an amalgamation vote with Sussex.

For some residents,conflict around the council table might be tilting the vote towards dropping the "Corner."

Sussex Corner is a small village adjacent to the town of Sussex.

Hoping to be more efficient and better serve the area,the two communities are considering amalgamation,taking the idea to a plebiscite vote.

What should be a civilized decision some say has turned ugly.

"Oh, infighting, you know not very much respect for each other, can't decide on anything," said Mitch Alexander, from Sussex Corner.

"Not very much respect for each other, can't decide on anything.'- Mitch Alexander, Sussex Corner resident

Alexander hasbeen going to meetings to see what joining Sussex will mean to his community, and was pleased with the presentations.

"Very well done, they had lots of charts up on the walls, and they'd take you around and show you exactly what they could show you what would be happening if we amalgamated."

But he saidthis fall, the infighting at council started. He was so frustrated he wrote a letter to the local paper,which isalso following the saga.

Big interest in vote

One silver lining is thatthe controversy around amalgamation has increased interest at the polls.

Denis Pinet,the elections clerk for the plebiscite,worked this past weekend when people had their first chance to vote.

"If advance polls are any indication we'll have a higher turnout than we normally, usually get with a municipal election," he confirmed.

Ben Whalen,deputymayor of Sussex Corner, and saidhe's not pushing his opinion on anyone,that council is acting appropriately.

"There are definitely pros and cons and I encourage people to investigate the information that they have before them," said Whalen. "The village has done a document and there's been a steering committee report provided as well."

Mayor disappointed in council meetings

Mayor Stephen Gillies saidhe's disappointed with the spectacle council has become. He hopes the people of Sussex Corner vote to join their neighbours.

Both communities have to have a majority vote in favour of the amalgamation for it to go ahead.