Mayor, empty council seats in troubled Lakeland Ridges to be filled in spring byelection

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The seats for mayor and two councillors in Lakeland Ridges will be up for grabs in a byelection to be held May 6. 

Elections NB director of communications Paul Harpelle confirmed the paperwork was filed on Wednesday, two days before the March 22 deadline for the spring byelections. 

Former mayor Tanya Cloutier and councillors Michael Furrow and Mark Grant quit earlier this year amid the continued dysfunction of the troubled municipality in western New Brunswick, which continues to be under the governance of the province. 

They all cited bullying and harassment issues in their resignations. 

A new supervisor has since been appointed to run Lakeland Ridges but the remaining councillors say no progress has been made since that time, with no communication about future meetings or when they might be eased back into their positiions. 

The province took over control of the new municipality last summer, saying in a report made public later, infighting, cliques and hoarding of information was limiting the council’s ability to govern. The elected council was expected to step back into their roles by early March, according to a timeline set out by the province in November, but most recently suggested continued turmoil will likely extend that. 

“With the resignation of the three council members towards the completion of the transition plan, next steps are currently being considered,” Environment and local government spokesperson Clarissa Andersen said in a recent email. “When next steps have been determined, council and residents will be informed.”