The Town of The Blue Mountains will continue to have its own police services board.
The town recently received confirmation from the provincial government that it will continue to have its own separate and distinct police services board.
The province had been considering a merger of the Collingwood and The Blue Mountains boards into a single entity. The two towns submitted a joint application to carry on with the status quote of separate police boards, which the province ultimately approved.
With the approval of the continuation of two boards, the province is expanding the size of The Blue Mountains board to five total members. The current board has three members – one from the town, one community representative and one provincial appointee. The composition will increase to two town representatives, two community representatives and one provincial appointee.
At its committee of the whole meeting on Oct. 16, The Blue Mountains council approved appointing Coun. Gail Ardiel as the town’s second representative on the board. Ardiel will join Mayor Andrea Matrosovs as a board member. The town will also be advertising for a community board representative once the province’s approval is official. Ardiel had been the council alternate on the board.
CAO Shawn Everitt told council there is “massive value” in maintaining a separate police board.
“We see it as a significant win,” he said of the province’s decision to continue with the status quo.
