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.

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.

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