Amalgamation in Labrador West no slam dunk

Thougha recent report recommended Labrador City and Wabush join forces, not everyone heading to the polls this week was convinced that amalgamation is the best courseof action.

• Wabush + Labrador City = Labrador West?

"I'm a bush baby so I'd like to see more elections here in the future," Jason Aylward said as he cast his ballot in Wabush on Tuesday.

"Let's face it the government is not doing it to make us better friends, they're doing it to save money and saving money usually means cutting services."

Incoming WabushMayor Ron Barron and Wayne Button, who is expected to be appointedmayor of Labrador City by the incoming council there, both say at the end of the day the decision about amalgamation will most likely be decidedby the people, and neither is ruling out a plebiscite.

It would have to be proven to see if it is cheaper or better.- Jeff Gibbons

"It is kind of divided" Button said.

"It's really going to be interesting the next couple of months what happens."

Barron has stood against amalgamation in the past and continues to have reservations particularly around recreation services.

"There's a lot of information that's got to come out to the residents in both communities here so that they can make a well-informed decision about how they're going to move forward," Barronsaid, but added that he is keeping an open mind.

"If it makes sense, it makes sense."

Top of mind

There are concerns within both communities that amalgamating could mean the loss of jobs for municipal employees. Labrador City residents arealso concerned it could mean higher taxesand people in Wabushareconcerned they could see their recreation complex replaced by a complex Labrador City has been pushing for.

The discussion was top of mind for many voters as they hit the polls Tuesday.

"We try to work together, the more of us stand together the better we are," Alvin Banfield said outside a polling station in Labrador City. "That reflects the direction of where I vote."

"I honestly don't think it's going to go through because they're two different communities and people are not ready for amalgamation," Labrador City resident Jeff Gibbons said as he went to vote.

Thereport, by consulting company Santec, said amalgamating would bring taxes down moderately for Labrador City and significantly for Wabush.

"It would have to be proven to see if it is cheaper or better," Gibbons said.