A letter came from the Chair of Transition House Board came up during a presentation at Cobourg Council on Wednesday, April 30, 2025.
Alison Lester, secretary for the Board of Directors of Transition House on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 was speaking to council about the Emergency Care Establishment bylaw.
During her presentation, it was brought up by Mayor Lucas Cleveland of a letter sent from Meaghan Macdonald, Chair, Transition House Board of Directors to Kevin Feagan, Manager Bylaw Enforcement and Licensing Town of Cobourg and copied to all members of Council.
Cleveland stated in the council meeting that the letter, “makes some pretty disparaging and erroneous statements about this town council and our hard workers of the Cobourg Protection Services.”
Cleveland states in the letter it says, “it is clear the town staff and town council would really just prefer that the clients of Transition House go to some other town.”
“I find it interesting when it’s the Cobourg Fire Department that’s at the encampment everyday making sure the tents were safe for individuals. I find it difficult when Cobourg Bylaw was at the encampment almost on a daily basis making sure the residents there were safe and here we have the Chair of the Board accusing us of trying “target” our most vulnerable and accusing our staff of trying to hurt people – and I’m just wondering if that’s your position as well?”
Cleveland asked if it was Lester’s position as well.
“The purpose of today’s delegation is not to speak to matters of bylaw enforcement. That was a letter that was sent to members of Council responding to a very specific and different issue. However the sentiment carries over. In this case we’re talking about an amendment to a bylaw that effectively says, “alright we’ll take up to a certain number and after that, we want you to go somewhere else. We’ll only take some many as long as everyone else is getting some too.”
Cleveland interjected stating, “no I think what we’re saying is 55% of the residents of 310 are Cobourg’s and we should take care of them. And I think what we’re hearing is 45% who aren’t from Cobourg and that perhaps, considering Transition House (10 Chapel Street) was operating a four bedroom house for almost a decade in the Town of Cobourg as the sole emergency shelter – that we could easily open up a house in another community so they don’t have to travel.”
Councillor Miriam Mutton called a point of order indicating the conversation was going “back and forth” and wasn’t pertaining to the delegations discussion of the amendment to the ECE.
“The question I’m having is there seems to be some serious misinformation happening,” said Cleveland.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
