Question: Who is on the Board?
Response: There are three members, including the Town Mayor (as Chair he has no voting rights). Peter Chilibeck, Barry Gutteridge and Frankie Liberty were re-appointed to the Board of
Directors for a term commencing on May 1, 2013 and expiring on April 30, 2016. Mayor Brocanier is the Chairman of the Board.
Question: What is CTA strategy to deal with this issue?
Response: A private FOI has been requested but unfortunately doesn’t cover Holdco. We have collected some information from the Ontario Energy Board Rate filings. There is more to come.
Question: Why is there no Councillor involvement?
Response: As stated, the Mayor maintains it is a private company and therefore no Town councillor has a role.
Comment: A Hamilton Township representative confirmed that the current process is lacking throughout the Northumberland region. This representative and her colleagues forced their Township to rethink this process.
Question: What has happened to the Park Theatre?
Response: The Council has decided not to move on this project reportedly due to structural and safety issues rather than business issues; Taxpayers should know that the Park Theater issue is not dead.
Comment: Advised that the Henley Arcade has only 4 feet that is owned by the Town, 2 feet on either side of the Town property is owned by the bordering businesses.
Question: What is the state of Development Charges where the Town loses money?
Response: There is a lack of resources to address this important issue. We are looking for volunteers to help take this on.
Question: What is the County’s contribution to funding the CCC?
Response: The County does not provide any ongoing funding towards the CCC operating budget. I received information from the director of Corporate Services that there is an agreement with the County to make the CCC available as an emergency shelter in the event of a requirement to evacuate residents of the County from their homes. The County agreed to pay for capital upgrades which I believe involved the backup power supply to the building.
Question: What are non-Taxpayers usage of the CCC facilities?
Response: For the most part the facilities offered by CCC are all user pay; the only one facility is the Walking Track which is available to all who visit the CCC.
Question: There was a shortfall last year in the expenses over revenues for the CCC and there is another projected for this year, where do the funds come from to cover this shortfall?
Response: There was a net cost to the Town of $815, 811 in the 2015 budget and it is anticipated that another large expense will occur this coming year. The utility savings from the IB Storey work will not be realized until at least 6 months in to the year as it is now just getting up and running. The town is hoping for a $70,000/yr savings there and of course are always looking for other ways to decrease costs and improve efficiency. The net to town cost comes from the tax levy to balance the operating budget for the CCC.
Comment: These plans come in stages and may cause problems. The Town needs to be firmer with consultants. The CTA should become increasingly involved with the Downtown and financial planning.
Question: Is there a benefit to going to a Ward System e.g. New Market.
Response: I do not believe there is a benefit. The current coordinator system is akin to a ward system after the fact because individual members of Council are assigned specific portfolio duties after they are elected. And, this has the effect of controlling information, creating inequity, which does not benefit members of Council in making informed decisions based upon the best information available. Since Councillors are elected at large there is a benefit for a citizen to be able to contact any member of Council with whom they are most comfortable.
Question: What is the frequency of CTA meetings?
Response: There is no set schedule. This is our first meeting and we hope to continue holding them quarterly.
Comment from the Audience: These types of meetings should be looked upon as an opportunity to recruit members
Comment from CTA: Part of this process is to generate support through funding. We have expenses (FOI costs for CCC was $85, web site hosting, etc.) that are currently being funded personally by individuals on the Advisory Committee.
Question: How many Firemen and Policemen are there?
Response: There are 31 full time police and 13 full time Fire (not counting management, admininstration or volunteers).
Question: During the Protection Services Budget process is there a consideration of needs?
Response: We don’t know due to lack of insight into the elements that constitute the Budget. There is a cost (a significant disincentive) to the Town of $20,000 each time they go to arbitration. Alternative Services, such as OPP, are options but there are the issues of fear, uncertainty and doubt (as experienced by Port Hope). There are disincentives such as the cost to resurrect a local presence should the OPP alternative not work out, and is very expensive. The rate/day savings may be quickly offset by these uncertainties.
© 2022 Cobourg Taxpayers Association
