Post by Rick (Admin) on Jun 25, 2013 14:51:15 GMT -5
No push for OPP costing in North Bay
There appears to be no real political appetite in North Bay right now for an Ontario Provincial Police costing.
Although some city politicians have indicated they may be interested in looking at whether there would be any savings associated with replacing the city police service with OPP, it doesn't look like there's much political will to push such an agenda forward – for now, at least.
Coun. Mac Bain, who was considering the pros and cons of an OPP costing during budget deliberations in December, said he's since backed away from the notion.
Bain pointed to an 8.45% pay hike OPP is slated to receive in 2014, as well as the expectation of tighter cost-recovery in its pricing, saying he would prefer to let the “dust settle” on those two issues before considering a cost comparison between the two services.
“In my mind, it doesn't make sense to go down that road,” said Bain, noting he would be willing to look at the issue again in the future.
Deputy mayor Sean Lawlor said he's not opposed to the city looking at its options. And he said a costing is the only way to know for sure which is the best option.
But Lawlor, who noted that the policing issue can be divisive, said he's more interested right now in looking ahead to the 2014 budget process and finding savings and efficiencies within the city's existing spending.
Mayor Al McDonald, meanwhile, said he supports the North Bay Police Service and is not in favour of an OPP costing at all.
The OPP costing issue was raised during a recent meeting of the North Bay Taxpayers' Association, which has been keeping a close eye on the situation in West Nipissing where the cost comparison process is now underway.
Mark King, president of the taxpayers' association, said the group doesn't yet have a firm position on the issue of an OPP costing in North Bay. But he said the association is looking at how the process unfolds in West Nipissing in order to help it decide if it's something it will advocate for in North Bay.
West Nipissing council is expected to discuss the matter, which could go to a vote, during a meeting tonight.
According to a five-year forecast of operating cost comparisons, the West Nipissing Police Service is expected to cost $3.7 million in 2014 compared to the OPP's $3.6 million. And by 2018, the OPP is expected to cost approximately $4 million compared to the municipal police service's $4.2 million.
But West Nipissing is also looking at a total of nearly $2 million in initial start-up costs, including more than $800,000 in renovations to the existing police headquarters building and $400,000 for the relocation of fire services administration, which is currently housed jointly with police at the municipal building on Holditch Street.
The costing issue in North Bay was first flagged during the city's 2013 budget process when the North Bay Police Association responded to rumblings that some council members wanted to look at the OPP.
At the time, association president Mike Tarini issued a release suggesting OPP wouldn't be cheaper in the long run due to considerations including future pay increases, health benefits for OPP officers after retirement, as well as severance liabilities associated with disbanding the municipal service.
Jim Christie, president of the OPP Association, responded with a letter to the editor defending the OPP as a viable and cost-effective community policing option. He also noted that the 8.45% pay hike officers will receive in 2014 comes after a two-year pay freeze.
Christie pointed to a report from the auditor general which found costs for municipalities policed by the OPP are significantly lower than those for similar-sized municipalities served by a municipal police service. He said Statistics Canada reported the North Bay police service cost at $282 per capita in 2011, while the cost to a similar-sized community for OPP services was $153.
There appears to be no real political appetite in North Bay right now for an Ontario Provincial Police costing.
Although some city politicians have indicated they may be interested in looking at whether there would be any savings associated with replacing the city police service with OPP, it doesn't look like there's much political will to push such an agenda forward – for now, at least.
Coun. Mac Bain, who was considering the pros and cons of an OPP costing during budget deliberations in December, said he's since backed away from the notion.
Bain pointed to an 8.45% pay hike OPP is slated to receive in 2014, as well as the expectation of tighter cost-recovery in its pricing, saying he would prefer to let the “dust settle” on those two issues before considering a cost comparison between the two services.
“In my mind, it doesn't make sense to go down that road,” said Bain, noting he would be willing to look at the issue again in the future.
Deputy mayor Sean Lawlor said he's not opposed to the city looking at its options. And he said a costing is the only way to know for sure which is the best option.
But Lawlor, who noted that the policing issue can be divisive, said he's more interested right now in looking ahead to the 2014 budget process and finding savings and efficiencies within the city's existing spending.
Mayor Al McDonald, meanwhile, said he supports the North Bay Police Service and is not in favour of an OPP costing at all.
The OPP costing issue was raised during a recent meeting of the North Bay Taxpayers' Association, which has been keeping a close eye on the situation in West Nipissing where the cost comparison process is now underway.
Mark King, president of the taxpayers' association, said the group doesn't yet have a firm position on the issue of an OPP costing in North Bay. But he said the association is looking at how the process unfolds in West Nipissing in order to help it decide if it's something it will advocate for in North Bay.
West Nipissing council is expected to discuss the matter, which could go to a vote, during a meeting tonight.
According to a five-year forecast of operating cost comparisons, the West Nipissing Police Service is expected to cost $3.7 million in 2014 compared to the OPP's $3.6 million. And by 2018, the OPP is expected to cost approximately $4 million compared to the municipal police service's $4.2 million.
But West Nipissing is also looking at a total of nearly $2 million in initial start-up costs, including more than $800,000 in renovations to the existing police headquarters building and $400,000 for the relocation of fire services administration, which is currently housed jointly with police at the municipal building on Holditch Street.
The costing issue in North Bay was first flagged during the city's 2013 budget process when the North Bay Police Association responded to rumblings that some council members wanted to look at the OPP.
At the time, association president Mike Tarini issued a release suggesting OPP wouldn't be cheaper in the long run due to considerations including future pay increases, health benefits for OPP officers after retirement, as well as severance liabilities associated with disbanding the municipal service.
Jim Christie, president of the OPP Association, responded with a letter to the editor defending the OPP as a viable and cost-effective community policing option. He also noted that the 8.45% pay hike officers will receive in 2014 comes after a two-year pay freeze.
Christie pointed to a report from the auditor general which found costs for municipalities policed by the OPP are significantly lower than those for similar-sized municipalities served by a municipal police service. He said Statistics Canada reported the North Bay police service cost at $282 per capita in 2011, while the cost to a similar-sized community for OPP services was $153.