Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Greater Napanee’s unfinished business with the OPP contract remains incomplete, though there was at least some progress to report.
Town CAO Ray Callery provided a brief update to council during the March 9 council meeting, which was held in person at the Selby Community Hall for the first time since late last year.
The long-standing issue regarding the OPP contract revolves around costs incurred by the town relating to the Quinte Detention Centre. The town maintains it has been overcharged for policing costs stemming from the detention centre, which houses inmates from across the province. Greater Napanee has raised the issue with Ontario solicitor general Sylvia Jones, who has heard the matter and is said to be working on a solution that would apply to all municipalities.
“Staff has continued to do research and reach out to area municipalities that have similar issues with detention centres,” Callery told council. “We’re gathering a lot more information from those locations that are basically causing a little more concern with regard to some of the disparities in a couple of the data areas with relation to the number of calls per bed and basically the cost on average per call,” said Callery. “We’re continuing to reach out, there has been a lot of conversation going back with the CAO of Penetanguishene recently, there’s been a lot of information sharing there. I have recently spoken to Thunder Bay, Kawartha Lakes and North Grenville, which is currently in the process of getting (a jail constructed in their community) as well and there are some other issues that are coming to the forefront.”
Callery noted some of the other communities have just recently found themselves in the same boat as Greater Napanee in that they were getting funding that was recently halted. In Greater Napanee’s case however, there wasn’t any previous funding.
Though there was no word on when a decision might be coming from the province, Callery says it appears as though the upper tiers are working on it. Council voted to send a letter to the province for an update on the matter.
“It is my understanding that there is a large amount of conversation going on behind the scenes with the ministry and the ministry is starting to reach out to individual municipalities,” said Callery. “The purpose of this letter is for the ministry to follow up with us specifically prior to the end of the month with our (OPP) contract coming up.”
Councillor Terry Richardson noted in talking with other communities, Greater Napanee certainly isn’t alone.
“It’s interesting that this issue or this problem is far deeply rooted than poor little old Napanee,” said Richardson. “It’s really quite amazing when you turn over the rocks what you find and I think we’ve found something here.”
Deputy mayor Max Kaiser noted the letter shines some information on the dollar figures.
“Reading through the letter I appreciated the comment that given the other detention centres and jails across the province and the funding that they have received that we have actually been overbilled for a number of years, to the tune of what looks like millions,” said Kaiser. “Certainly more than one or two (million). I appreciate the inclusion of that point just to demonstrate that we have not been treated equitably for a long time and it’s time for the field to get leveled across the province.”
The contract will remain under unfinished business and will be discussed at a future council meeting.