By Cecilia Nasmith
Cobourg is set to drop out of the Joint Animal Control Municipal Service Board, following a vote at Monday's committee-of-the-whole council meeting.
The vote called for the town to serve its 24-month notice of withdrawal, as provided for in the current agreement with Port Hope and the townships of Hamilton and Alnwick-Haldimand.
Explanations for the move did not give specifics, but did make clear that the current arrangement is not working out for Cobourg.
Councillor Aaron Burchat, who has been on the board, gave some background.
“We have been trying to move forward on how to better deliver the service for better value,” Burchat said.
He spoke of meeting with Municipal Clerk Brent Larmer and Mayor John Henderson on the issue.
“We have determined what we are getting out of the service is no longer in the town's best interests and we need to move forward, so this is a push to the board to move a little quicker on the things we are working on,” he said.
“We are very different from Port Hope, Hamilton Township and Alnwick-Haldimand Township because of the nature of where we are, and the services we require are different than the other municipalities.”
Councillor Brian Darling asked if this was an irrevocable move – if Cobourg could opt back into membership during that two-year notice period if things changed.
Burchat said the town could return to the fold.
“My understanding is, Port Hope has done this in the past, and then they withdrew it – we aren't the first to do this,” he said.
“We need to push forward toward a better model.”
Mayor John Henderson said discussions on this issue have gone on for four years.
“I have had discussions with each mayor affected, and they realize the system is not working as well as it should – for them as well,” Henderson said.
“I am hoping this will spur discussions and allow us to have outside-the-box discussions.”
All parties know a new model without Cobourg's participation may be needed, Henderson continued - in part because Cobourg contributes the biggest piece of the financing to the tune of $106,000 per year.
“We do have to look at a different model. Each mayor is aware of that, and I am hoping – with your support – it gives us a two-year time period to have that provisional dialogue and create a model that not only works for the Town of Cobourg but creates new partnerships with new organizations.
“We still very much need our animal control enforcement within the Town of Cobourg. Personally, I believe this can be done more efficiently and effectively and, at the end of the day, it will save us money.”
Henderson added that they had received legal advice on this issue - “but more importantly, I think it spurs what we all want, which is new conversations.”
