North Kent Councillor Joe Faas wants to give residents the opportunity to call the shots when it comes to their local roads. 
Council passed a motion to develop a policy for residents who want to pay for local road improvements.
Fass says the idea came after Wallaceburg residents on Snye Road, Seys Line, and Island View Road approached him asking if their gravel roads could be paved.
“This was sort of an isolated request to start with, but then other people have asked for similar consideration,” Fass explains. “We felt something has to be in place and hopefully that will come back to council and solve that issue.”
The North Kent Councillor says residents would be responsible financially, similar to how requests for water lines are handled.
“Anybody in the rural area wants a water line, they have a petition process to go through,” Fass says. “They have to get a percentage of property owners to agree with it but once they get that percentage, then they present the criteria to residents and residents have a chance to vote.”
Faas says once the new policy is approved, the Wallaceburg roads will be the first ones to be given consideration.