At a recent council meeting, Mayor of Eastern Charlotte John Craig said local governance reform is still posing many challenges as council irons out the bumps in amalgamating St. George, Blacks Harbour, Bonny River, Back Bay, Beaver Harbour, Pennfield and Lake Utopia into one community. Both St. George and Blacks Harbour dissolved their former status as unique municipalities to amalgamate with surrounding LSDs. 
"We have to remember that not that many communities across New Brunswick have had to amalgamate to the extent that we have," said Mayor Craig. 
Currently, bylaws that were in place in St. George and Blacks Harbour as well as the former LSDs bylaws still exist until new bylaws are written to encompass the entire area of Eastern Charlotte, meaning each by-law needs to be re-written for the new municipality of Eastern Charlotte before in can be properly enforced. The first bylaw Eastern Charlotte plans to re-write for the new municipality is a bylaw for dangerous or unsightly premises. This local bylaw that outlines the requirements for property owners to maintain their premises in a safe and visually acceptable condition.This bylaw is designed to promote health, safety, and the general welfare of the community by ensuring that properties are not hazardous or unsightly.
Under this by-law, property owners are required to keep their properties clean and well-maintained, free from debris and other hazards that may pose a risk to public safety. They are also responsible for maintaining their buildings and structures in a safe and sound condition and complying with all applicable building codes and regulations.
The bylaw also gives the municipality the authority to inspect properties and issue orders to property owners to remedy any unsafe or unsightly conditions. If the property owner fails to comply with the order, the municipality may take corrective action. At the current, the province is in charge of enforcing this bylaw in the former LSDs until a new by-law is written for Eastern Charlotte. 
Craig believes immediate action needs to be taken to write this by-law for dangerous or unsightly premises so that it can be an important tool to ensure that properties are maintained in a safe and visually acceptable condition, promoting the health, safety, and welfare of the community as a whole.