Cramahe Township shoots down County shared services and amalgamation study
Cramahe Township Municipal Building. Northumberland 89.7 FM File Photo
By Dan Jones, Northumberland 89.7 FM News and the Local Journalism Initiative.
Cramahe Township will not be participating in a request to examine services rationalization or the potential amalgamation of Northumberland County.
Last year, Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland pondered to Northumberland County Council whether his town should separate from the County.
He expressed displeasure in not finding common ground on such items as an equitable cost-share for the operation of the emergency shelter in Cobourg and the cost of the homelessness camp at the former Brookside youth detention centre.
At a council meeting Tuesday night, some Cramahe Councilors were open to exploring shared services, such as roads, water, waste-water and fire.
Councillor Sherry Hamilton called the idea of amalgamation as “pie in the sky.” Mayor Mandy Martin, who sits on Northumberland County Council said the amalgamation proposal went over like a lead balloon when presented.
“Lest you think this initial motion was made in jest. It was not, it was dead serious. So this is a way of softening it down. And I must say Chief Administrative Officers everywhere went nuts,” Martin said.
Cramahe Township Chief Administrative Officer Holly Grant explained that the remaining six municipalities in Northumberland County had voted in favour of examining the shared services proposal. However, the County motion called for all municipalities to participate.
Deputy Mayor Sandra Arthur said while she doesn’t support amalgamation, shared services could be explored.
“I’m certainly in favour of some of this. I don’t like the wording of ‘participation in a municipal restructuring study.’ If it was a municipal shared services study. But I don't like the word restructuring,” she explained. “So, I can’t agree with that one. But, if we can change it to shared services, I’m ok with that.”
Two Councillors were in favour of examining shared services, however opposition from two councillors and the Mayor, questioned the need for the study, when the township council could approach other municipalities as needed. The motion failed three to two.
