Council committee balks at $60-million price tag

04-11-24 3:40 p.m.

COBOURG

There's more to value than money, but – to several councillors present at county council's Public Works Committee meeting for November – the many benefits to be had from a Joint Operations Base are not worth the price tag to build it.

Regardless of reduced operational costs, improved efficiencies or addressed accessibility issues, the $60-million price tag of a Joint Operations Base that would take care of it all inspired a decided resistance at Northumberland County council's Public Works Committee meeting for November.

Presenters from Public Works, Northumberland Paramedics, Roads Operations and Natural Heritage described conditions that they would like to see addressed, with the premise that a Joint Operations Base would be the most economical approach.

Staffers described working in shifts because there is only an office trailer with port-a-pottie available, having to store equipment outdoors because there's no space elsewhere, ancient facilities which will require costly repairs in the near future, the necessity (in some cases) to rent costly storage and office space because none is available elsewhere.

In the case of roads-operations locations, there is also the chance to recoup some costs by the sale of lands occupied by operations depots.

Looking ahead to the growth the county is experiencing, including the growth in staff necessarily to provide these services, the planning is beginning now. For example, Director of Finance Matthew Nitsch said that about $6-million has been set aside in reserves for the purchase of the land to accommodate such a facility.

Opposition was expressed by committee member Warden Brian Ostrander and councillor (and non-committee member) Mandy Martin.

“Here in Cramahe, we need a new firehall. We've got a community centre that is in dire need of upgrading,” Martin said.

“We are also facing extreme challenges.

“We have to get smarter about this, because the tax system – we are at the limit for many taxpayers. OPP costs are up, everything else is going up,”

Martin reminded council that the $60-million may not be the extent of it, given some current capital projects experiencing cost overruns.

“You can't go to a dry well and get artesian, and that's where we're at. That's where we are coming to in this economy and this province, frankly,” she said.

“We have a wonderful paramedic base in Cramahe, but we are carrying a 20-year debenture on it. We have a serious water break in downtown Colborne – these are everyday things we are dealing with.”

“I require more convincing this is a good idea,” Ostrander said, though he expressed another wish.

“If they do go down this road and there's a whole bunch of land that could be sold, I hope we also take time to see what other opportunities exist with those lands before we sell them because, in the words of John Wayne, God ain't making any more land,” he said.

The committee voted to recommend that county council receive the presentation for information..