Council decided on Feb. 20 to change its funding mechanism for the Wolfville Business Development Corporation (WBDC).
Effective April 1, 2016, the town will cease allocating funding to the WBDC from the special commercial area rate and will provide a maximum of $40,000 in the upcoming 2015-2016 fiscal year.
That sudden move prompted the turnout.
WBDC member Jason Calnen asked why there was no prior communication to the corporation before the decision. He said it wouldn’t have happened during the tenure of the late Jim Laceby.
“I see this as big step backwards and I’d like to know why,” Calnen said.
Lisa Boehme of the Edible Sideshow Food Truck, meanwhile, questioned whether there was any consultation about how funding would be allocated, while Lisa Sellers from Privet House Restaurant asked whether the town intends to hire an economic development officer.
Business owner Lisa Campagne expressed her concern about an overall lack of communication and termed the issue paramount when “some of us have invested our life savings here (in Wolfville).”
Peter Herbin, one of the founders of the WBDC in the 1980s, said the town and the business community used to have a very good relationship. He said he considers the latest move a relative broadside.
The WBDC members, he said, used to enjoy “our ability move much more quickly than the many layers of government.”
According to Herbin, the WBDC takes days and weeks to make important decisions and has the ability to do things for the town that the town cannot do efficiently and quickly issues.
Iain Porter also questioned the lack of a public process.
“It seems very strange. Is there some vile and appalling thing the WBDC has done? I’m wondering why the process was so dictatorial in this town,” said Porter. “It used to be very open, very democratic. Folks, you missed the mark on this one. Why did it happen in the back room?”
Cantwell told the business community that he hopes that “after all this is over we can get together and work through this decision regarding the change in the structure of the funding.”
Cantwell said their questions will be responded to in a couple of weeks.
“Our intention is to hold a general membership meeting with the board and council,” he said.
