Councillor Mark King will bring forth his long-discussed motion to cost the OPP for North Bay, seconded by Councillor Chris Mayne.
King will bring forward the motion at Tuesday’s regular meeting of Council. It reads that the CAO be authorized to send a request to the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services to obtain the cost of policing from the Ontario Provincial Police for the City of North Bay.
Mayor Al McDonald and North Bay Police Chief Shawn Devine have maintained that a switch to the OPP would be a mistake and are firmly against even costing the proposition.
King and North Bay Taxpayers’ Association president Miles Peters have countered with the approach that now is the time to find out the associated costs of continuing with the local police force or moving to the provincial police force.
King says he has had difficulty finding a colleague to second the motion and he wonders how much support it will get around the table. King has been a vocal proponent of at least exploring the move and says that Council owes it to the taxpayers to get an accurate financial statement in this regard.
