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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Town of Middleton Swears In First Female Black Mayor
Middleton, November 6, 2024 — In a historic moment for the Town of Middleton, Gail Smith was officially sworn in yesterday as the Town’s first black Mayor, and first woman to hold the chain of office. This achievement marks a significant milestone for the community, as the new mayor takes office with a commitment to fostering inclusivity, growth, and unity.
The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Middleton Fire Department, where residents, community partners, and public figures gathered to witness the ceremony. Mayor Smith expressed gratitude to the people of Middleton for entrusting her with the responsibility of leading the community.
“I am deeply honored to be the first woman of Black descent to serve as Mayor of this incredible town,” said Mayor Smith. “I look forward to working with staff, residents and community partners to create a Middleton that everyone is proud to live in.”
Mayor Smith brings a wealth of experience to her new role, having served on Town Council for over 13 years, with the past 4 years as Deputy Mayor. She also sat on several Town committees including the Police Advisory Board, the Planning Advisory Board, Audit Committee and Community Centre Fire Hall Committee. Mayor Smith also has a history of volunteering in the community – she sits on the MacDonald Museum Advisory Board and volunteers with the local black community. Prior to serving on Council, Mayor Smith worked as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) at Soldiers Memorial Hospital in Middleton. She is known for her dedication to public service, her collaborative approach to leadership, and her passion for addressing the unique challenges faced by Middleton’s diverse population.
The Mayor’s top priorities include:
- Public Safety: Working with the RCMP to improve police presence in Town and reduce crime and vandalism.
- Housing and Development: Strengthening the local economy by supporting small businesses and attracting new housing developments to the town.
- Community Engagement: Ensuring that every voice is heard, particularly from underrepresented groups, and fostering a sense of belonging and shared purpose.
Mayor Smith will be joined in office by Deputy Mayor Gary Marshall, and the newly elected Town Council members, Jonathan Archibald, John Bartlett, Sandra Fournier, Bernadette Knapp and Dan Smith. Deputy Mayor Gary Marshall states “I am honored to serve as Deputy Mayor and look forward to working with Mayor Smith, all members of Council, staff and residents to continue making Middleton a great place to work and live.” The newly elected Council convenes its first official meeting on Monday November 18th.
Crosswalk Flags – See and Be Seen
Crosswalk Flags – See and Be Seen
The Town of Middleton has joined many other communities across Nova Scotia by installing crosswalk flags at designed marked crosswalks within the Town. The flags are fluorescent orange designed to provide high visibility to pedestrians.
Flags have been installed at these locations with the intent to increase the coverage annually. The initial locations are located at the following crosswalks:
Intersections of:
- Marshall & Commercial
- King & Main
- Main & Taylor
- Duke & Main
The Town and RCMP advise that both pedestrians and drivers have a shared responsibility to ensure the safe passage of individuals across any roadway. The purpose of these flags is to provide high visibility for a pedestrian crossing a marked crosswalk but must be used in conjunction with the shared responsibility of ensuring that drivers stop and the pedestrian is confident that it is safe to cross the road.
The philosophy of “SEE AND BE SEEN” is the cornerstone of pedestrian safety
Town Budget Update - August 3, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Service Areas Reduced
Middleton, Nova Scotia - Through the budget process for the Town of Middleton for this fiscal year, Town Council has had to make several difficult decisions regarding its financial responsibilities and abilities. In order to produce a balanced budget (a balanced budget is mandated by the Municipal Government Act), Council gave tremendous consideration to all of its core services and service levels, along with offered programs and staffing levels.
As a result, several areas within the Town’s budget have either been reduced or held at previous rates despite increased costs beyond the control of the Town. The surplus from last year’s budget in the amount of $190,802 was brought forward and both the residential and commercial tax rates were increased by two cents, which raises approximately $21,000 in revenue. One key service change that the community will see in September are the Crossing Guard positions that the Town has had in place. Through the budget deliberations, the decision has been made to eliminate the Crossing Guard positions effective for the upcoming school year beginning in September.
The main crosswalk at King and Main Streets has an overhead indicator light to assist pedestrians, and the crosswalk at Marshall and Commercial Streets will have a similar light installed this year. Additionally, the Town will be looking to install the handheld flags at major intersections for pedestrians to utilize for higher visibility by vehicles. Parents and caregivers are asked to take note of the change so that they can make appropriate arrangements if they feel their children need assistance while walking to school.
Later this fall, the Town will complete a formal service capacity review with the goal of finding service excellence and internal efficiencies, along with identifying key areas where the Town can further partner with other agencies and/or municipal units to ensure that its core services can be continued.
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For more information
Rachel L. Turner,
Chief Administrative Officer
PO Box 340, Middleton, NS B0S 1P0
902.825.3559
RTurner@town.middleton.ns.ca
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