For those of you who may not have heard, the $312K NMAI waiver was declined (6-1) at this past Monday’s Committee of the Whole meeting. (See Press Release here). Without the CTA and your involvement, we believe the waiver would have been approved by Council last fall.
CTA applauds council on killing $312K NMAI grant
The Cobourg Taxpayers Association (CTA) today applauded Council’s 6-1 decision to decline the NMAI fee waiver.
“This represents a huge victory for the CTA and Cobourg taxpayers”, said CTA President Lydia Smith.
“We have argued from the beginning that public funds should not be used to fund a private sector commercial building and that it was not permissible under the Municipal Act”.
NMAI Board Member Part of Lawsuit
Dr. Mark Essak and other members of the Northumberland Family Health Team are alleged to have committed several questionable acts regarding the finances of their practices. Note that Dr. Essak is one of only two Cobourg residents who is on the Board of Northumberland Medical Arts Incorporated (NMAI) which is the not-for-profit corporation that has requested a waiver of fees related to the construction of their proposed clinic.
NMAI Waiver of Development Charges & Fees
The CTA received a copy of this correspondence from Bill Thompson to Mayor Brocanier
To mayor and council
I am 100% opposed to this waiver of $303,623.00 of development fees requested by a private enterprise for a new medical building.
Being a private enterprise ,it should not be granted this gratis waiver which may reflect solely on Cobourg taxpayers while all Northumberland County residents may avail themselves of the medical services provided.
Facts on NMAI Waiver of Development Charges
Vows To Keep Pressure On Council Over Medical Complex Grant
Mayor Brocanier and several of the Councillors have attempted to defend the handout to Northumberland Medical Arts Inc. (NMAI or the Clinic) with emotion and completely unsubstantiated statements. By allowing passion to trump logic, they have ignored the facts!