Bay Bulls hopes to double down on work projects in 2020
By Mark Squibb | Vol. 13 No. 2 (January 23, 2020)
Bay Bulls mayor Harold Mullowney admits that 2019 was a year of challenges.
Perhaps biggest of all was a piece of roadwork along Lower Road that remains unfinished.
“We’ve had a lot of challenges when you look at the bit of road work we’ve tried to do this year,” said Mulloweny.
Bay Bulls Mayor Harold Mullowney anticipates a busy 2020 after some disappointing setbacks in 2019.
“It was supposed to be finished before tourism season started, but because of a number of circumstances beyond control, it dragged on and on and on.”
The largest concern was that the Town had to switch contractor’s mid-year, slowing down the project considerably.
“That was a bit disappointing, because we had intended to do a considerable amount of work this year.”
“It occupied a tremendous, tremendous amount of our time. It was frustrating. We started the year with three or four projects that we wanted to knock off, and because of this one we never got them done.
“All that being said, we’re looking at a very active year coming,” said Mulloweny, hoping that many of those projects, including the resurfacing of Cemetery Road by the Regional Lifestyle Centre, and updating of St. John’s Road, will be picked up in 2020.
He adds that the Forotten Corner restoration project on the Ryan Property is scheduled to be completed, the Town is planning to preserve the last vestiges of the Southern Shore railway as a heritage site, and work is scheduled for community walking trails.
Near the top of Mullowney’s 2020 wish list is more regional partnerships.
Bay Bulls had recently floated out the idea, once again, to cost share with nearby communitiies for a regional municipal enforcement officer.
So far, no one else has come on board with that idea.
“We’re still hopeful that we can do a deal with some other towns in the area because we’ve always looking at the fact that we could use some enforcement,” said Mullowney.
“It’s too much for small towns like Bay Bulls or Witless Bay to take on their own. But if we were to share, and do something regionally, I think it’s possible.”
Mulloweney suggested that the cyclic nature of councils stalls the movement towards regional partnerships.
“The unfortunate thing is, every time you have an election you get new people around the table, and even if there’s a lot of planning went into something, you basically need to re-educate everyone as to the necessity, and by the time you’re ready to move again, you’re into another election,” said Mullowney.
“And you got to start all over again,”
“Doing things regionally makes more sense,” he said, noting that regional groups such as the Bay Bulls Bauline Athletic Association (BBBAA) and the Witless Bay Regional Fire Department are quite successful.
“Anything we can do by working together, as small towns, is to the benefit of all. Because we cannot do everything in our own little silos.”
Meanwhile, Bay Bulls has their own election woes.
There has been a vacant seat on council since August of 2018, and at least seven unsuccessful attempts to fill it.
“We’ve gone out to the market a number of times on that, and we’ve had no one bite. We’re getting closer to the next election, so maybe people are waiting for that. But the reality on that piece is that there are still issues where we can’t vote effectively on things, because in a small town, many people have connections, and there are conflicts here and there, and so you have to step out. That one extra councillor will make things run so smooth. I’m disappointed we haven’t ben able to pick one up.”
For example, council needed to seek permission from the Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment for council to act on matters related to work being done on St. john’s Road— of the six councillors, three are found to be in conflict of interest, leaving only three councillors to vote on the matter.
Meanwhile, a decision made at council chambers down the road in Witless Bay (who, this past fall, did hold a successful election) will affect not only Bay Bulls, but many communities in the region.
Council is looking to hire a fire chief (as opposed to having volunteer man the position).
The decision would require communities who avail of the regional service to dip into their pockets.
“This is something I’d have to run by the whole council, obviously, but personally the way I look at it is the whole region is growing. This is the fastest growing region in the province right now, the region between Bay Bulls and Witless Bay, up to Mobile, Tor’s Cove… as we move forward, yes, we’re going to need to step up and have more services available. We have a great fire department, they’re absolutely fantastic, but the reality is, like the councillors, they’re all volunteers. And they don’t have the ability, sometimes, to do what needs to be done on a regular basis,” said Mullowney.
“If we can in any way shape of form facilitate them becoming more efficient, if a paid fire chief will help that, I think I’m all for that.”
