Virgil Hammock

Virgil Hammock
Candidate Ward 3 Councillor
Tantramar Township 

Let’s be clear the work of council in its first term in this new town of Tantramar will be difficult. Amalgamation seldom, if ever, works. It is the bureaucrats answer for centralization and control. It did not work in Halifax or Toronto and more locally it did not work at our hospital. The Sackville Hospital started out with a purely local board then moved to a regional board, SERHA, and finally a provincial board, Horizon. Each time our service got worse. I know, as I served four years as an elected member of SERHA until I, and other elected members, got kicked out to make way for Horizon.

The whole idea of amalgamation is streamlining and cutting cost. It never does, but it does end up in the short order losing local jobs and less local control. Eventually bureaucratic jobs blossom at higher cost. Already in our amalgamation we will have a highly paid  unelected regional service commission that will stand in the way of our path to Fredericton and take over control of some of what should be done by council. We go into our new council with an appointed CAO rather than one that is hired, and perhaps fired, by council. This is a major problem. It means our council is controlled by Fredericton.

Of course, our new council and mayor will want to make things work. That is why it is important that they work to common goals through teamwork. Council is non-partisan and that is a good thing. It means councillors can disagree and still believe in the common good. This is why in this election I have not backed any candidate for major for council, but ran on what I believed would result in a better town. I might wish for certain people to win, but I leave that choice to the voter. Nothing would be worse than starting out a new term of council with bad feelings between its members.

I wish I could promise smooth sailing in the next few years or promise anything. I am just one person and town council are not ran by one person. Face the facts — down the road council will be blamed for everything that goes wrong despite if it was something that was not under its control. It has alway been thus, at least it was during my 13 years on council.

I do have a lot of experience in town government, the health sector, and planing. I realize that getting one’s ideas out there is difficult. Many people just go to the poll and vote with gut feelings and worse many people don’t vote at all. I do think that I would have something to add to this new council and new town. I will do it full-time.

I ask for your vote. Thank you.

Virgil Hammock
Candidate Ward 3 Councillor
Tantramar Township

I voted Saturday evening in Tantramar at the advanced poll at The Church by the Lake in Middle Sackville and took my son there to vote on Monday afternoon. While the poll workers were extremely friendly and helpful the space was awkward and small, about the size of someone’s living room. I watched on Monday as an older person using a walker tried to vote—it wasn’t pretty. I was told that next Monday’s vote will likely be held in the church’s gym; I certainly hope so. The church is not the right place to vote. Questions as to why need to be asked after the election.

As there is only one poll station in this election, it will be interesting to watch the percentage of voters (not numbers) outside of Ward 3, Sackville, who show up to vote. I also note, in my two visits to the poll, that almost everyone who was voting was elderly if you can judge by white hair. That might be a plus for me as I am the oldest person running, but that misses the point. The turnout for elections, particularly municipal elections, is small and getting smaller. Younger people seem to have better things to do than vote in local elections, but are keen to complain about the results afterwards. I hope that I am proven wrong. It is almost as if this election was designed by the provincial government to fail. Despite all that, please, if you have not already done so, vote.

Virgil Hammock
Candidate Ward 3 Councillor
Tantramar Township

A problem with local government is most people in a community like Sackville (soon to be Tantramar) are not very interested in what is happening at town hall until an issue comes up that personally affects them. Then they jump up and down and demand action and satisfaction. The fault is both with the citizens and council. In the Sackville area this has not been helped by the lack of a local newspaper. The Sackville Tribune Post served us very well for over a hundred years. The Wark Times and CHMA have stepped up to try and fill the gap, but many people in Tantramar were still in the dark in what was happening at Town Hall and relied on conversations at the post office or at a local grocery store for information on town politics. Fun, but it does have its problems.

Of course, there are the local political junkies who are well informed, but they are in the minority. The solution, or at least a partial solution, is to directly involve more people in the community in local government. Appoint interested citizens in committees of council—committees that report directly to council on subjects and issues that are important to our community. There is a history of standing committees of council that did just that. Renaissance Sackville comes to mind, but there were others. Renaissance actually had a budget which it gave out to community groups in the name of council. It was responsible to council, but the beauty was that council could not be seen as funding one favourite group over another. As a councillor deciding an ATV Club over Nature Club who get the most funding, I would not touch that with a ten foot pole.

I could see any number of standing committees involving citizen members. I suggested in an earlier post a standing committee on health and wellness. Others might include public, art and culture, heritage, housing, rural/urban relations. I am sure that there are others. Committees such as these would make recommendations to council. Naturally council would have oversight as council has the responsibly over the budget and how it is spent. In the past these committees would have a liaison councillor as a member who would service as a bridge between the committee and council. Often the councillor on the committee would not sit as the chair and the committee would elect its own chair.

Citizen committees would not replace council’s responsibly to formulate and execute policies that properly belong to council. However, there are good reasons for council to listen to their citizen committees recommendations. There is a lot of expertise in Tantramar and council can always benefit from expert advice.

Virgil Hammock
Candidate Ward 3 Councillor
Tantramar Township

When was the last time that you saw a uniformed member of our local RCMP detachment walking a beat in downtown Sackville? I don’t know about you, but for me it has been quite awhile. I understand that they might have better things to do, however, it has not always been so. When we first contracted them it was not uncommon to see an officer walking downtown or a couple of them having coffee in a local coffee shop. We even had officers on bikes. They gave a face to local law enforcement. I believe this absence points to a bigger problem of trust in our community and whether we have adequate policing. With the forthcoming township of Tantramar, of which Sackville is a part, it is question that needs to be asked.

In the past, and I assume now, there were three RCMP detachments based in Sackville’s town hall—Sackville town, rural, and highway. The Sackville detachment looked after the town and was paid by the town. The rural looked after the area outside the town (soon to be part of Tantramar) and the highway, of course, highways. The latter two detachments paid rent to Sackville to use our town hall. It should be remembered that part of the town detachment’s cost was also partially paid for by a government grant. That’s a simple explanation, but it is, of course, more complex than that.

People in Sackville have complained to me what they see as the lack of policing in our town. It not just an officer walking a beat, but noisy cars, trucks, and motorcycles speeding on town streets, break-ins, both in homes and cars. They see very serious crimes being committed just outside of town.

In the past there was a police presence at public town council meetings, usually the chief, to answer questions from council and the public. In addition there was a printed police report at council meetings for the public to pick up. Of course, there were questions that could not be answered in public, but having the physical presence of the RCMP at meetings was reassuring to the citizens of Sackville. Policing is one of our biggest expenditures and the public has a right to know if this money is being will spent. I will work, if elected, to bring back police accountably to the public of Tantramar including having a police presence at council meetings to answer questions.

How policing will work in Tantramar remains to be seen. One force, two forces, three forces? How much control will council and mayor have over policing? I know that I want more, not less control, but I am just one would-be councillor. This new township is vast and every citizen of Tantramar is entitled to the equal protection of law enforcement. It is going to be a tough go over the next couple of years, and possibly, more. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Virgil Hammock
Candidate Ward 3 Councillor
Tantramar Township

Recently there has been a lot of conversation concerning conflict of interest in regard to Sackville Town Council. Actually, it has been a topic of interest as long as I can remember at council. Well, at least, as long ago when I was on council from 1999 to 2012. It is an important issue as it reflects on the public’s trust of council and municipal government. There are two types of conflict of interest—actual and perceived. Both are important. The former can actually lead to legal charges and, in municipal government, removal from office. The later is more likely to lead to the public’s mistrust in their elected officials. Both are bad and are to be avoided.

Members of council and the mayor are both mandated to declare a conflict of interest, both actual and perceived, prior to any, any discussion of an agenda item as well in closed in camera meetings. He or she should physically remove themselves from the meeting and not return until the matter is resolved. There cannot be any debate before conflict is declared

Normally the mayor will ask council before the agenda is discussed at public council meeting if any member wishes to declare a conflict. If the mayor wishes to declare he/she will do so at that time. When the agenda item comes up the member will leave the room before the item is moved and seconded. If it is the mayor they will leave the room and be replaced by the CAO so as not to affect the vote. When the item is resolved the council member or mayor can return and the meeting proceeding.

This procedure is simple and should operate under an honour system. Members of council and the mayor should know when they have an actual or perceived conflict and act accordingly. If conflicts of interest are decided after the fact by lawyers or consultants the harm has already been done. Trust has been lost and in the case of an actual conflict possibly much more. Simply put even though it may be a perceived conflict of interest the best thing to do walk away and let others decide the issue. You can be reasonably sure if you do so that the other councillors know your view in any case.

Virgil Hammock
Candidate Ward 3 Councillor
Tantramar Township

On the subject of transparency in town government particularly that of council. In the twenty odd years that I have been involved in public debate on this issue it has always followed the same pattern. At around election time there are public meetings, I would not want to call them debates, where the subject alway comes up. All of the candidates for mayor and council agree it is a good thing. The non-incumbents candidates accuse incumbents of a lack of transparency during the last council an opinion that is often shared by the audience. The incumbents defend themselves. In the end all agree to do better in the next council. After the election things go back to normal with a lack of transparency regardless of who was elected.

It needs to be stated that town councils are not provincial legislatures or federal parliaments that caucus and make decisions in private (in-camera). Town councils in New Brunswick are by law non-partisan and are very limited to what they can do in-camera. Municipal governments in New Brunswick are a weak, about to become even weaker, form of government under the control the provincial government. Debates and discussions of council are mandated to be done in public council meeting. Of course, there are issues like personnel, property and the like that should be in-camera. Some presentations might need to made private, but they should be rare and limited. What is not allowed, by law, is discussion and debate on issues that are on council’s regular public meeting agenda.

If I am elected as a Ward 3 Tantramar councillor I will make every attempt to limit in-camera meetings as I did in the past. If I find myself in an in-camera meeting that I think has gone off track I will leave the meeting and make that exit public at the next public council meeting. Let me repeat. I will attempt to limit in-camera meetings. One councillor cannot do such things on their own. It takes a majority of council to make things happen.

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room before others do. Yes, I’m old. 84. No, I’m not an aging American draft dodger. Photo. Me in Korea as a US Army photographer in 1957. I was 18. I would like to think that age brings wisdom. If you elect me as a Tantramar ward 3 councillor I promise to do my best to stay alive. It’s worked pretty well thus far and I already did 13 years on Sackville town council.

Virgil Hammock
Candidate Ward 3 Councillor
Tantramar Township

To be clear Sackville does not, nor will the Tantramar Township, operate the Sackville Hospital. That is done by the Horizon Health Network for the government of New Brunswick. This has not always been so. The hospital was built and operated by members of Sackville community, but that was some time ago and is another story.

I served for four years as an elected member of the board the South East Regional Health Authority from 2004 to 2008 when I was still a member of the Sackville Town council (1999 – 2012). The SERHA operated both the Moncton and Sackville Hospitals and I represented the Township of Sackville (Slightly different from Sackville proper.) on the board. In 2008 the Authority was replaced by the Horizon Health Network and the unpaid elected board members of SERHA were replaced by paid political appointees. I have some knowledge of how health authorities operate (or do not operate).

While our township does not have direct control of the funding and operation of our hospital it does not mean that town council does not have a significant role to play in protecting the Sackville Hospital. Council and the mayor must provide a loud and clear voice of our concern to Fredricton. The recent committee chaired by ex-mayor John Higham worked very hard to do that. I have not doubt the Province, given the chance and opportunity, would downgrade or close our hospital.

I think that our council needs to appoint a health liaison town counsellor and a standing committee of council on health and wellness. Remember that the name Tantramar can be traced back to a French term for a festival that celebrated the loud noise made by birds and other wildlife in the marsh. A chief job of the this committee, and council, would be to make a loud noise when comes to the health of our citizens. If I am elected I would certainly attempt to convince my colleagues to establish a health portfolio of council.

It is important to emphasize the term wellness when it comes to the health of our citizens. I found out while on the health authority that one of our major jobs was to keep people out of our hospitals in the first place by actively promoting wellness. The town can actively promote wellness by measures such as an active transportation programme that make it easier for people to walk or drive in our downtown areas, looking for ways to reduce pollution, and urging people to take better care of themselves.

There is also the the important matter of the failure of the ER at the Sackville Hospital. An 8 to 4 operation of the ER just will not do. We cannot schedule our need for emergences around a forty hour week. We have many seniors, students, and countless others without a doctor who rely on the ER. Our winters make it often impossible to go to Moncton or even Amherst ERs.

Speaking of Amherst they seem to be able generally to provide an ER with a 24/7 service and so should we. We need to seek answers the problems of health care in Tantramar. Again, there is nothing that I can do by myself and it will be difficult for all of council and the mayor to solve the problem, but we need to fight for a solution.

If you agree with this and my other postings on the election please share. It will be much appreciated.