Council agrees to hire consultant
Move will provide level playing field
By Scott Woodhouse Express Staff

Georgian Highlands will spend $8,500 to have a consultant prepare a costing proposal for a municipal police force for the new town.

Council approved the grant, which was requested by the Meaford/Thornbury Police Services Board by a narrow margin in a recorded vote.

Councillor Linda VanAalst explained that the grant would create a level playing field for the municipal service to prepare a costing. She added that Mayor Gerald Shortt was the town's representative on the Police Services Board and that he should be explaining the reason for the request.

"We've requested a costing from them, they've asked us for $8,500 to do that," he said. He added that if they were going to give the municipal service $8,500 they should do the same for the OPP.

Councillor Diane Hurlburt wanted to know why they needed to hire a consultant. "It was my understanding that the OPP and the Meaford/Thornbury police had agreed on a document outlining the level of service - why are we being asked to pay for a study?" said Hurlburt.

Steve Birchall, the Acting Police Chief for the Meaford/Thornbury Police Service, explained that his service was already short-staffed.

"I myself do not have the time or the expertise to put together a proposal like this," he said. "I'm in an acting position, one of my officers just resigned because of this ongoing delay. The OPP has an entire branch funded by provincial tax dollars that does nothing but put together municipal contract police proposals."

Birchall said there were many issues that needed to be covered including radio communications, computer programs, "that I just don't have the time to do."

"A consultant will allow the municipal force to prepare a cost proposal the same way as the OPP," he said.

Deputy Mayor Robert Reid said the cost should be an item in the Meaford/Thornbury Police Service Budget.

Hurlburt suggested the costing, which would be for the entire new municipality, should be area-rated back to Meaford taxpayers.

VanAalst, however, said she did not support area-rating it back to Meaford ratepayers.

"The rural areas are capped at $90. We as a council could support the proposal with the highest cost, and it will be the people of Meaford who have to pay the big bucks - it doesn't matter to us," she said, referring to residents of the former townships.

"To be fair, I think we need to have two costings. I like to shop around for a deal," said VanAalst.

Mayor Shortt replied that Grey Highlands, to the south, only had one choice. He also said the Town of the Blue Mountains, which is a one-third partner in the Meaford/Thornbury Police Service should be asked to pay one-third of the cost of the consultant.

VanAalst. however, pointed out when the Blue Mountains hired a consultant to prepare its own costing study, it paid the whole shot.

"The costing is for a police service for Georgian Highlands, it wouldn't be fair to assess the Meaford/Thornbury Police Service one-third of the cost," she said.

Councillor Harley Greenfield said he questioned the $8,500 expense but agreed "there has to be a level playing field."

"When you see what's happened down in the south end of the county - it's been a disaster, we don't want that to happen here," said Greenfield. In Brockton, the new council voted along rural-urban lines - the rural councillors voted in favour of disbanding the local municipal police force and the severance costs are going the cost the town's ratepayer's hundreds of thousands of dollars and there have been accusations that the bid proposals were rigged.

In a recorded vote, councillors Hutchinson, Luckhardt, Greenfield and VanAalst voted in favour of the grant. Mayor Shortt, Deputy Mayor Reid, and councillor Hurlburt were opposed.