By Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press
Essex County Council did not direct Administration to provide a report on the cost estimate for engaging a consultant to perform a feasibility study for Regional Policing at its April 16 meeting.
The motion to get the cost-estimate for the June 4 meeting failed in a vote of 10-3, with Amherstburg’s Mayor Michael Prue and Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb, and Leamington Mayor/County Warden, Hilda MacDonald, in favour.
At the April 2, 2025 meeting of Essex County Council, Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy brought forward the Notice of Motion as a topic of discussion, when County Council was discussing the matter.
Last week, Bondy did not support her own motion.
“I would like to just say that I think we have had a healthy conversation here,” Bondy said, noting Essex Council had a similar discussion recently.
She did not want to ask Administration to spend any time on the matter.
That doesn’t mean there will not be desire to have this discussion in the future.
“I don’t want to slam the door,” she said.
“I want to say how disappointed I am that the mover is not supporting her own motion,” Mayor Prue said. He wanted to support the motion, because he believes it is not going to cost very much money to look at that report and see whether or not there are cost-savings going forward.
It could be ready for the next Term of Council.
“I think we should start the ball rolling tonight,” Prue said.
Prue originally got the topic discussed at the March 5 meeting, when he put forward two Notices of Motion in forms of options for County Council to consider.
Option 1 asked County Council to direct Administration of the County of Essex to work with local municipalities to explore options for traditional regional policing models for the County of Essex and that it be in place for January 1, 2029.
Option 2 asked County Council to direct Administration of the County of Essex work with local municipalities to explore possible options for a collaborative approach to policing in the long-term, where the Police Board, Command, and Corporate structures are held at the County-level and local communities are provided with options for flexible service delivery models to meet local needs and pricing.
Through his motions, Prue noted that the Town of Amherstburg Policing Contract with the
City of Windsor ends on December 31, 2028 and the City of Windsor has decided not to renew this contract with the Town of Amherstburg.
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