The long-dormant issue of Point Edward amalgamation was revived Tuesday at a candidates meeting featuring Sarnia council incumbents.
Members of the Seaway Kiwanis Club raised the question during the latest in their series of "meet the candidates" luncheons at Sarnia Golf and Curling Club.
"Yeah, I want Point Edward, let's just take it, it will save me a drive if I want to get to the bridge... we'll suddenly be in Sarnia," said Brian White with a chuckle. "It's not something I'm opposed to discussions about, but it's not really a decision we're going to make between municipal leaders. We're going to be told that it happens or doesn't happen."
White said that's the impression he got from Ontario Premier Doug Ford at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario [AMO] conference in Ottawa last month.
"It could be four years from now that we're all running for Ward 2 Sarnia, in the regional municipality of Lambton-Kent," he said. "I have no idea what's coming. The reality is amalgamating services could save us a lot of money. I'd be open for the discussion."
Bev MacDougall recalled conversations she's had with Point Edward mayors at county council, including one with the late Dick Kirkland when she was first elected.
"He said, 'Bev MacDougall, Point Edward, proudly independent, don't you ever forget that,'" said MacDougall. "Well, Dick moved on and Larry MacKenzie said 'Bev, proudly independent, our turf, don't forget it.' Now I sit beside the other Bev on county council, Bev Hand, and she said to me, 'We've done a lot of great things in Point Edward. We've done a lot of great things in Sarnia.'"
MacDougall predicts the pressures of economies will force mergers.
"You have to go into those conversations with empathy," she said. "You will get nowhere if they're combative conversations. Somebody trying to take over somebody else. I have always thought there was efficiencies to be found in fire service delivery, but one is volunteer and the other is paid. So, you know what, it will be complicated, but good people working together in the interest of the people they serve will get through the conversation."
Incumbents Matt Mitro, Andy Bruziewicz and Dave Boushy agreed they would also be open to the discussion.
A moratorium on further amalgamations, imposed when the City of Sarnia and Clearwater amalgamated in 1991 and the city rejoined the county federation, expired January 1, 2016.