ESSEX FREE PRESS

by Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Since getting reacquainted with the community, Essex Salvation Army Major Wavey Kearley Birt has come to know just how generous the community is, and she could not be more pleased.   She had a wonderful experience serving the Essex community from 1995-1999, when she had her now late husband, Phillip Birt, worked together to oversee the needs of the Essex Salvation Army. She eagerly stepped-out of a five-year retirement to return to the role when...

by Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative The 2026 Draft Budget was presented to Essex Council during the nearly five-hour Budget Walkthrough meeting on Monday evening, designed to introduce the local decision-makers and ratepayers to the details inside.   An average tax increase of 4.92% – or $208 a year – across Wards 1 through 4 has been proposed. That is for a median single-family detached home. That equates to around $2,200 in property tax, on average from all Wards, on a residential...

by Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Though there were some concerns around the table, Council for the Town of Essex unanimously supported Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy in directing Administration to investigate options for an affordable housing subsidy program.  The idea is to have it available to help nonprofits that supply existing affordable residential units in the community leverage grant dollars from upper-levels of government.   The program will be included in the 2026 Town of...