Kentville sees almost entirely new council after controversies

Kentville Town Council has a brand new look, with anew mayor andall but one of the council seats filled withnew faces.

Sandra Snow defeatedtwo time incumbent mayoral candidateDavid Corkum by more than 1,000votes.

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"Corkum was 'Snowed' under. I'm really excited," long time Kentville residentMarcia Eyresaid Sunday.

"[Snow's] just going to be wonderfulfor the town."

Amalgamation a scare tactic, says new mayor

Eyre thinks Snow will be more open to new ideas including sharingmore projects and services with nearby municipalities. On election night,Snow acknowledged that amalgamation was used as a scare tacticduring the election campaign.

"The petition [Corkum]waved around in the air was fora governance study," Snow said.

"It never had anything to dowith amalgamation, and amalgamation is not on thetable for Kentville."

Travel expenses driving force

Snow also suggested that people in Kentville were unhappy with the"entitlements" the council seemed to be enjoying. Questions were raisedabout Corkum's travel expenses for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.Last year they came to $12,000.

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Thirteen people ran for the six council seats. Eric Bollandis the only incumbentwho has been re-elected. Three of the new councillors are women.

Eyebrows were raised about two of the incumbents who lost, Bill Boyd andMark Pearl, when it became known that for the past threeyears they wouldspendthewinter months in Florida and use video conferencingto attendtown council meetings.

"Morally, it was just totally wrong," Eyre said. "That played a big factor in themgoing down."

Voter turnout in Kentville was 54.2 per cent.