Mayor Lucas Cleveland has announced the members of his Community Led Task Force who will help him set the town's 2026 budget
Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland. Town of Cobourg photo.
By: Cecilia Nasmith, Northumberland 89.7 FM News
Cobourg
The Town of Cobourg has announced details on the Mayor's Community Led Task Force as it prepares to begin its work to help guide the town's 2026 budget.
The Strong Mayor Powers recently given to Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland (along with the mayors of three other Northumberland County municipalities) mean that he alone determines how that budget is set. Though council has certain veto powers, the new legislation gives the mayor ample power to override a veto.
Different mayors are pursuing different avenues of arriving at a 2026 budget. In July, Cleveland issued a directive calling for a Community Led Task Force to review options and provide community-driven recommendations on next year's Capital and Operating budgets, as well as calling for the town to enter into an Independent Consultation Agreement with Cobourg resident David Dexter to lead the task force.
After a public call for expressions of interest, the task force now consists of Anthony Dew, Peter Dounoukos, Chrystalla Mann, Susie Stoltenberg, Mark Mills, Susan MacDonald, Ken Strauss, Esther Schroeder, Dick Kauling and Al Switzer.
Task force members have signed on for “length discussions and forthcoming recommendations on services, tax rate tolerance, debt usage and other revenue sources,” said Dexter said in the recent update.
Over the course of four meetings, they will look at the town's current and upcoming financial challenges, with a final report to the mayor in November.
Cleveland said that his primary goal was “to bring a divergent group of citizens together to look at Cobourg's both unique fiscal opportunities and challenges, and to then make recommendations to myself and council that will help inform and guide future critical financial choices.
“I believe this task force is the first of its kind in Cobourg' long history. I want to thank the members for giving so generously of their time, talents and deep personal support of Cobourg for this very important undertaking.”
