The Municipality of Oakland-Wawanesa council is expected to vote on Tuesday whether or not to move the municipal office from Nesbitt to Wawanesa.

Currently, staff is using the office in Wawanesa on a half-time basis with the main municipal office located in Nesbitt. The Nesbitt office is about 600 square feet and some feel it is too small to be used on a regular basis by staff or for council meetings.

Council is trying to decide whether or not to build a new office or renovate and expand the one in Wawanesa.

Glen Kirby is a rural ratepayer and he opposes moving the municipal office and its services out of Nesbitt.

“On October 15th I sent a letter to council requesting that any decision on the new municipal office be delayed until the province’s municipal board and our council deal with the petition, signed by a majority of rural voters, requesting that Oakland-Wawanesa be dissolved and the former RM of Oakland be reinstated. Until they deal with the petition I don’t feel our council has the mandate to make decisions on big spending projects.”

Kirby notes since amalgamation in 2015 there has been a steady decline in services and when it comes to losing the municipal office out of Nesbitt Glen Kirby says a majority of the rural residents don't want to see that happen.

“This would be another step in the de-evolution of our smaller centres and people don’t want to see that.