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Tiny Homes the community debate

Sleeping Cabins update The discussion about the homeless problem in Cobourg has been going on for about forty years. Since a long-departed woman called Deedee Bedard camped her tent in front of Victoria Hall during the 1985 Municipal election. A motion was accepted and passed to establish a “Municipal Housing Authority” by the incoming Council...

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Waterfront Parking Survey Results.

Waterfront Parking Survey Results There are historically a couple of topics that inflame the Citizens’ opinions, one of them is the topic of Parking and Parking Fees. Councils have wrestled with the problem of parking for decades and none of the solutions offered has satisfied the majority enough to sway public opinion and that is...

You have to know when to stop digging!
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You have to know when to stop digging!

When you engage in public debate you should know when to disengage, or as the adage goes “know when to stop digging” when you are already in the hole. A recent example is the furor and invective, as well as some derision aimed at the new Mayor of Cobourg. Lucas Cleveland said he ran for...

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Last Year for Community Grants

Last year for community grants Community Grants (CGs) – perhaps the last connection between the local government and the Citizens. Often a last resort for cash and mostly a supplication to Council to reduce the payback for using Council owned facilities. Awarding CGs is an onerous task for the people assigned to deliver them. There...

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Done & Dusted and it’s still “deceitful”

In the Cobourg News we have a summary of the second Budget Review day. This day was supposed to be the day that the Mayor would make his stand on cutting services to reduce the tax rate. Looking at the additions to the list of next year’s expenses – centennial pool, trees, beach mat and...

A magnificent example of feedback
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A magnificent example of feedback

Just this week an example of how much politics has changed emerged from the ether of the Internet to the bowels of the Council Chamber in Cobourg. As explained in a previous post a suggestion was made by the Town Staff person in charge of Community assets, to close the Centennial Pool on Charles St....

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County looking at Northumberland Police Force

County looking at Northumberland Police Force, Every few years this old chestnut appears – just like a zombie the idea of a County/Regional Police Service refuses to die. The idea may succeed this time, the proponents – the people in short pants ( those Councillors with no or little experience of local politics) have proposed...

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Another Budget surprise

Town to close the Centennial Pool! – that was one of the headlines to emerge from the recent Budget discussion. A couple of comments were made on the Draper report and then a “Change.org” petition was started by Meghan Thomas, a concerned Citizen. Sign the petition here. BUT checking the Town’s website a contradiction appears...

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When is a large tax increase not a small tax increase? When you add a Fee

Storm water management does anybody know what it is and how we pay for it? Well the Citizens of Cobourg will soon find out just how deceitful (not my words but another commenter) Council has been and the result is that a huge increase will be coming down the pipe (no pun intended). Cobourg, until...

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First look at the 2023 Budget

First look at the 2023 Budget, posted two days ago this post has garnered 51 comments from the usual commenters. Other posts about the same subject – the 2023 Budget have elicited another 57 comments, but most comments in one of them quickly moved off the topic of taxes and went into a lengthy discussion...