MINDEMOYA—Manitoulin Island municipalities have now appointed two community members for the new Manitoulin OPP Detachment Board. However, not all municipalities have appointed someone to the board as their representative and the province has not announced the two provincial representatives to the board.
At a Manitoulin Municipal Association (MMA) meeting recently, after a discussion held in a closed session, members approved the community appointment of Lana Sim from Manitowaning and Christine Blake of Little Current.
“Do we have all the municipal representatives in place?” asked Al MacNevin, mayor of the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands (NEMI).
Veronique Dion, CAO/Clerk of Billings township and MMA secretary pointed out some municipalities have selected their representatives to the board, but not all have.
“I know the OPP was hoping everyone would have their representatives come in as a group,” said Mr. MacNevin.
New board members will have to undergo training sessions, pointed out Ken Noland, reeve of Burpee and Mills township.
It was noted by Ms. Dion that once the full board representatives have been selected they will undergo this training through the province. She told The Expositor after the meeting only five local municipalities had selected their members for the board. However, the province has not undertaken public advertising for community representatives to apply for the two provincial appointee positions.
For the Manitoulin board, one member is to be appointed by each of the following municipalities, who is a member of council for the municipality: Township of Billings, Municipality of Central Manitoulin, Town of Gore Bay and Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands, with one member jointly appointed by each of the following municipalities who is a member of the council of one of the municipalities: Burpee and Mills Township, Cockburn Island Township and the municipality of Gordon/Barrie Island. One member will be jointly appointed by each of the following municipalities, who is a member of the council of the municipalities of Assiginack Township and Tehkummah Township.
As well, two members who are neither members of the council of, nor employees of, any of the above municipalities, jointly appointed by all of the above municipalities. The board will also have two members appointed by the province.
