Meeting will outline Beaver Harbour boundaries - Mar. 06, 2013
Barb Rayner
Beaver Harbour
A public meeting will be held Mar. 13 in the Quaker Hall to discuss the history of boundaries in Beaver Harbour and where they are located.
Local Service District chair Frank McCallum said a lot of people don’t know where the boundaries are although they have actually been in place since 1971.
“People don’t understand where they (boundaries) are and don’t understand how long they have been there. They have been there since 1971. It is nothing new.”
The issue emerged, said McCallum, after the LSD turned out the lights in an area many think of as Beaver Harbour but it is actually in the LSD of Pennfield.
“Beaver Harbour LSD was paying for them but they are outside our boundaries. The people who are complaining are those who lost street lights. It is 25 years since the lights were put in and we have been paying for them all that time.”
Those concerned about losing the lights can contact NB Power to have a dusk-to-dawn light installed near their homes at a cost of around $20 a month, McCallum stated. There would be an added cost if a pole has to be put in.
“People were very upset by the fact that we took the lights out and I have to admit we should have had a public meeting to let them know but we cannot change the past. All we can do is beg forgiveness.”
About four or five years ago someone who thought he lived in Beaver Harbour wanted to serve on the LSD but found out he was not paying taxes for Beaver Harbour but for Pennfield, McCullum said, which triggered interest in learning the LSD boundaries.
“They are from Waite’s Lane to just past the graveyard on the other end. We are completely surrounded by either water or Pennfield.”
McCallum said he understands some people, who always considered they lived in Beaver Harbour but are actually in Pennfield LSD, are concerned that they will have to change their postal addresses but he doesn’t think that is the case.
“I think, as far as the post office is concerned, they would still have the same address and would continue to pick up their mail from the Beaver Harbour post office.”
Also at the upcoming meeting, said McCallum, there will be someone from the provincial government in attendance to explain what the community would have to do to extend its boundaries.
“There is benefit in that because we would get a larger tax base.”
barb@stcroixcourier.ca
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