Inter-municipal Agreement Policy (Policy 19)

Antigonish, Nova Scotia

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TOPIC: Inter-Municipal Agreements Policy POLICY NUMBER: 19 DATE APPROVED: February 17, 2015 (2015-022) DATE REVISED: TITLE: This Policy may be cited as the "Inter-Municipal Agreements Policy" of the Municipality of the County of Antigonish. PREAMBLE: Inter-municipal agreements enable municipalities to share their knowledge, enhance service delivery, focus on strong regional development, plan for growth, and improve quality of life. They can also increase the efficiency, effectiveness and innovative capacity of a municipality, allow for capitalization on economies of scale, and ensure consistency in the distribution of costs associated with regionally provided services. When used appropriately, inter-municipal agreements can improve the economic, political, social and environmental aspects of life across north eastern Nova Scotia. This policy establishes the guiding principles for the Municipality of the County of Antigonish when entering into inter-municipal agreements. POLICY: 1.0 While Municipal Council recognizes the importance of municipal autonomy, it also acknowledges that the advancement and achievement of some goals is best accomplished through a shared-services approach. 2.0 The Municipality commits to promoting, fostering, and embodying cooperation, collaboration, coordination and communication in their relationships with other municipal units, and will base that relationship on the principle of mutual respect. 3.0 The Municipality will seek opportunities to maximize cost-sharing partnerships, provide benefits to its residents and partnering municipalities, bring greater clarity and confidences to all parties involved in future joint projects, and build successful communities. 4.0 Each participating municipality, separately and together, has a significant role to play in the success of its region and the province, and will ultimately share both the rewards of success and the risks of failure; 5.0 Municipal Council may consider cost-sharing strategies through inter-municipal agreements for services and infrastructure based on a fair and equitable distribution of costs that may consider a basic level of uniform service, usage, assessment and its various components, population or a combination thereof.