Is this what we think it is?

The Tannery lands, now just a big piece of rotting industrial brownfield, was assumed by the Town as a result of the owner failing to pay his taxes and subsequently going bankrupt. This fetid place used to be the home to a tanning factory firstly for animal hides and then fish skins. The chemicals used over the years have been allowed to sink into the ground and previous employees have reported that they used to regularly pump the toxic wastes, arsenic, chrome and other tanning aids, into the ground. It is a potential hazmat horror story.
When the town assumed the land they fenced it in and attempted a minor remedial process and demolished the buildings and it now sits on the Town's books as a tax liability with an accrued cleanup cost. Estimated at at least 1.5 million. The theory for this is that this money will be recovered when the Town sells it.

But on Monday night the first stage of the "Great Giveaway" will ocurr when the minutes of a special meeting will be adopted. A special meeting convened at 9.31 pm and adjourned at 9.35 pm on June 21st. A motion was passed to reduce the tax liability from $835,000 to an unknown amount. This is a statutory move designed to allow the CAO flexibility in his negotiations with prospective buyers. Depending on the new uses proposed by prospective buyers taxpayers of Cobourg will not know if this is a good move or not. But be aware that this could be a giveaway to a developer with an inside connection or a move for the public good. Either way Cobourg taxpayers are giving away tax money!