Eastern Charlotte Council Meeting Highlights Growth, Infrastructure, and Community Concerns

The Municipality of Eastern Charlotte held its regular May 2025 council meeting at Magaguadavic Place in St. George. The session opened with a moment of silence in honour of two respected community leaders: the late Stan Smith, St. George’s longest-serving mayor, and Robert Lee, a former councillor and deputy mayor. Council members recognized their years of service and lasting impact on the region.

The agenda was adopted without objection, and minutes from the April and May meetings were approved following a motion by Councillor Terry Lee. A scheduled financial audit presentation by Ted Saunders Doyle was deferred to June. In its place, Englobe Corporation delivered an update on water exploration activities in Blacks Harbour. Council reiterated the urgency of the project. “Everybody here wants this done as soon as possible,” one councillor noted.

Planning issues took centre stage next. Alex Henderson, Senior Planner with the Southwest New Brunswick Service Commission, briefed council on a proposed subdivision and rezoning for a hillside development in Blacks Harbour. “The next steps involve getting the street and the land for public purposes assented to on the plan,” Henderson explained.

A tender recommendation for dredging the sewage lagoon in Blacks Harbour sparked discussion. The recommended bid came in at $513,506.86. Chief Administrative Officer Jason Gaudet urged council to move forward with the project.

The YMCA of Greater Saint John requested an increase in annual municipal funding—from $80,000 to $100,000. Councillor Adam Hatt voiced his support. “It only stands to reason, as we’ve gotten bigger and the ask has got bigger as well,” he said, referencing both regional growth and the YMCA’s expanding services.

Council approved revisions to the terms of reference for two committees—the Age-Friendly Community Committee and the St. George Beautification Committee. The updates address membership turnover and aim to maintain strong resident engagement.

Concerns were also raised about the St. George Public Library’s limited hours and location. Councillor Alexa Detorakis highlighted accessibility issues: “The current hours of operation are between 1 and 4 p.m., so just thinking of a new model, I guess, in the future to make it more accessible to everyone.”

A proposed bylaw related to ATV usage on municipal roads was also reviewed. Deputy Mayor David Hart reflected on the community’s experience during last winter’s bridge closure. “The ATVs were using different routes during the bridge closure, and we had zero complaints—other than the normal one or two non-compliant individuals,” he said.

Council considered donation requests from local groups. Applications from the New Brunswick Dart Association and Bay of Fundy Dog Rescue were acknowledged but could not be supported at this time. A separate request from the Around the Loop Group was referred to the Finance Committee for further review.

Community events were also highlighted. The upcoming ALS Walk in St. George and the annual municipal cleanup initiative were both noted. From the gallery, Karen Kernighan encouraged participation in the ALS event, emphasizing its importance to families in the region affected by the disease.