A slim majority of Cobourg Council showed total disregard for scarce taxpayer dollars when it went on a $4 million spending spree last evening says the Cobourg Taxpayers Association (CTA).
The CTA slammed a decision by a majority of Council when it ignored the advice of its Deputy Mayor to delay a $4 million relocation of the Town’s Public Works facility until a proper cost/benefit analysis and examination of alternatives is conducted.
“The Mayor and three Councillors chose to ram through a costly proposal to relocate the Public Works facility despite sound advice the report lacked adequate justification”, said CTA spokesperson Ken Strauss.
While the CTA accepts that the existing Public Works site poses several health, safety and environmental issues, Strauss said it is not convinced that the proposed $4 million taxpayer funded solution is the correct one.
He said the CTA commends Councillors McCarthy and Rickerby for reconsidering their position a week earlier when the matter was voted on at Committee of the Whole.
“Both Councillors raised intelligent and meaningful questions in debate, when they sided with the Deputy Mayor that the report by the Public Works Director did not contain any analysis of alternatives”.
Unfortunately, the big spenders on Council outvoted careful analysis by one, said Strauss.
The CTA said it will keep the pressure on Council over the next two weeks to reverse the 5-2 decision at Committee of the Whole granting Northumberland Medical Arts Inc., a private sector corporation, more than $300,000 to offset Development Charges and Building and Plumbing permit fees.
It is obvious that strong public opposition expressed through a deluge of calls and emails to the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Councillors was an important factor in last night’s decision to defer a vote until December 21st.
“Citizens understand that it makes no sense that public funds should fund the construction of a private sector medical office complex”.
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