October 15, 2024
Fredericton, NB – The membership of the Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick (UMNB), elected Mayor Brittany Merrifield from the Town of Grand Bay-Westfield as its new president. The election took place at the Union’s Annual General Meeting on October 6th in Fredericton.
“I am honoured to have been elected to serve my peers and advocate on behalf of communities across New Brunswick.” Said President Merrifield. “Our order of government has the most direct impact on our residents’ lives, and I want to be part of a movement that ensures our work as local leaders is recognized, supported, and strengthened by other orders of government.”
Brittany Merrifield was elected as Mayor of Grand Bay-Westfield in 2021 and joined UMNB’s board of directors in 2022, serving as Treasurer and 1st Vice President. She has also served on various committees at the national level through her work with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). In addition to her service at the municipal level, Mayor Merrifield is an engaged community volunteer and an award-winning photographer.
“Local governments are at a crossroads without critical access to a new fiscal framework. The current system no longer meets the needs of our members and places an increased tax burden on residents.” Said Merrifield. “The work of municipal reform will remain incomplete until fiscal reform is complete. I look forward to engaging with the political parties in the coming weeks to ensure municipalities get the necessary funding needed to unlock our province’s future.”
In addition to the election of Mayor Merrifield, the UMNB members also elected four other new officers to its Board of Directors. Those include:
- 1st Vice President, Councillor Dan Boyd, Village of Grand Manan
- 2nd Vice President, Councillor Wade Greenlaw, Municipal District of St. Stephen
- Treasurer, Councillor Jean-François LeBlanc, City of Bathurst
- Past President, Mayor Andrew Black, Town of Tantramar.
About UMNB: The Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick (UMNB) is a bilingual association of fifty-six local governments of all sizes, representing almost 80% of New Brunswick’s population. Together, our members tackle local challenges and share solutions to make life better for their citizens.
Media Contact:
Vanessa Pettersson
Vanessa.pettersson@umnb.ca
506-444-2285