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Municipalities seek answers on new police board costs

MINDEMOYA—While they are preliminary numbers at this point, the estimated overall cost to Manitoulin municipalities with the establishment of the new Manitoulin Police Detachment Board will be approximately $10,000.

“It’s very vague at this stage,” said Bryan Barker, chair of the Manitoulin Municipal Association (MMA) and a member of the police detachment board after an MMA meeting last week. 

“I had just asked for the estimated and proposed membership dues to be put on the agenda here tonight, so municipalities will have a bit of a heads up before the budget is finalized,” Mr. Barker told MMA municipal representatives. “The board held a preliminary draft meeting of the budget. What you have before you are suggestions set out at the meeting.”  

Mr. Barker said the board is looking to have the stipends municipal and community members receive for attending members, “to be the same (as they had been for members of the community police advisory committee). We know this is an expense to municipalities so we will keep them as close as possible to what they are now.”

The province will be naming two more local members to the board, however, at this point Mr. Barker said they have not yet been appointed, and he said the board is unsure if their stipends will be paid by the province or through the board (municipalities).

Mr. Barker explained the new Manitoulin Police Department Board has held one meeting, noting that legislation was passed by the province in April of last year changing from a community police advisory board to an OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) detachment board and includes more responsibilities of board members in policing in an area.

Under the preliminary membership dues for 2025, a total of $9,704.15 is needed, and the costs will be shared using both a weighted assessment of each municipality and half cost based on population. Under these preliminary numbers for the budget the shares to each Island community include: $1,090.55 from Assiginack; $466.51 from Tehkummah; Burpee and Mills $421.66; Cockburn Island $34.13; Gordon and Barrie Island $751.28; Billings $2,375.38; Municipality of Central Manitoulin $2,375.38; Town of NEMI $2,986.76; and Town of Gore Bay $647.64. These costs include an administrator for the board and the stipends being provided for members.

Mr. Barker cautioned that this is just a preliminary draft budget and there may be some deductions or additions as the budget is finalized. 

“In March we will provide more clear numbers. In the meantime, this is what we are anticipating in costs,” said Veronique Dion, secretary of the MMA.

“This is why we brought this up here tonight,” said Mr. Barker. “We’re (municipalities) all in budget deliberations. There shouldn’t be much difference in these numbers and the final budget. We just wanted to bring it the members as a heads up.”

Article written by

Tom Sasvari
Tom Sasvarihttps://www.manitoulin.com
Tom Sasvari serves as the West Manitoulin news editor for The Expositor. Mr. Sasvari is a graduate of North Bay’s Canadore College School of Journalism and has been employed on Manitoulin Island, at the Manitoulin West Recorder, and now the Manitoulin Expositor, for more than a quarter-century. Mr. Sasvari is also an active community volunteer. His office is in Gore Bay.