Cobourg politicians sought to clarify several of Mayor Lucas Cleveland’s initiatives under his strong mayor powers at a regular council meeting on September 24.
It began with Councillor Adam Bureau seeking detailed budget costs related to the strong mayor powers and the mayor’s corporate credit card expenses. He gave the need for transparency and accountability as his reasons for the request.
At the same meeting, Deputy Mayor Nicole Beatty requested details regarding timelines for the upcoming 2026 budget. She specifically wanted dates and details related to the draft budget to ensure that public engagement would take place and council input would be considered. She also requested staff prepare a draft 2026 budget following the mayor’s submission, which is complete, and will be brought before council directly. The request was tabled as a legal opinion is being sought.
The mayor argued vigorously, defending the public nature of his expenses, the detailed system used to monitor his budget, and the legality of requests under the strong mayor directives.
In Their Words is a feature that allows people to listen to what’s happening at the various councils within Northumberland. No spin. No opinions. No one is telling you what to think. Just what was said.
It is a chance you might not have otherwise to hear directly from your elected representatives. I hope you find it useful and informative.
The full debate (about 52 min):
Once the debate concluded and the votes were tallied, politicians engaged in a heated discussion. Here is the exchange. Listen and see what you think of the various remarks.
The last words (about 10 minutes):
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