In a recent appearance on Your Town Matters on CHCO-TV, Eastern Charlotte Mayor John Craig sat town with host Nathalie Sturgeon to address key issues facing the municipality, from financial audits to infrastructure projects, while reflecting on the challenges and successes of the past year.

Nathalie Sturgeon – Initiative de journalisme local

Mayor Craig opened by highlighting the municipality’s clean audit report, an important milestone following the complexities of amalgamation. He credited the achievement to strong teamwork among municipal staff. “We have good staff, a good management team, and everybody works together,” Craig said. He underscored the value of third-party validation in maintaining transparency and accountability, adding, “It’s good to have somebody neutral come in and take a look.”

Financial stewardship was a recurring theme in the discussion. Craig praised Chief Administrative Officer Jason Gaudet’s careful oversight of spending, noting that the municipality has avoided unnecessary expenses. “We didn’t go out and spend, spend, spend. We watch everything we spend money on,” Craig said. He also hinted at an uptick in projects for 2025, saying, “I do foresee a lot of jobs coming up in ’25.”

The conversation turned to local services, with Craig commending the success of Eastern Charlotte Fire and Rescue. He credited the cooperation among fire chiefs for improving operations. “The Eastern Charlotte Fire and Rescue was a total success because all the chiefs worked together on that,” he said. Craig highlighted improved response times under Chief Johnson’s leadership and emphasized the critical role of volunteer firefighters, who he described as dedicated and resilient despite the challenges of the job.

Infrastructure concerns were also discussed, including updates on the bridge and water supply issues in Blacks Harbour. Craig noted that repair work on the bridge has begun but could not provide a timeline for its completion. On the water supply, he assured residents that efforts to resolve the problem are ongoing. “It is still being worked on,” he said.

The mayor also touched on plans for a potential child care facility, emphasizing the need to control costs. “We’re trying to get the price down... we’re hoping to get it down to a million,” Craig explained, balancing the need for fiscal responsibility with the community’s demands.

Looking ahead, Craig identified housing and a new fire hall as key priorities for 2025. He expressed optimism about increased housing developments and stressed the importance of a centrally located fire hall to better serve the community. “We need something that’s more centrally located,” he said. Craig expressed confidence in the path ahead, predicting, “I foresee actually ’25 to be a really good year.”