The unofficial start of summer kicked off with the Victoria Day long weekend.
The Victoria Park Campground appears to be nearly full and the marina is alive with activity after most of the boats were put in recently.
On Friday, May 16, 2025, Cobourg Fire Chief Ellard Beaven put his personal pontoon boat in the water in Cobourg.
Although the Chief was using a Town of Cobourg vehicle, CAO Tracey Vaughan said using it for personal use is permitted as per the Town contract.
“The contract for the Cobourg Fire Chief stipulates that the individual is expected to be on call, twenty-four hours a day to respond to calls that require it. The Chief shares this responsibility with the Deputy Fire Chief. To ensure that the Fire Chief can meet the requirements of the contract, the Cobourg Fire Chief position is provided with “unlimited use” of a municipal vehicle.
Vaughan said this is the first time this has been stipulated in the Chief’s contract.
When the Town recruited for the Fire Chief position, “we updated the contact and terms of service based on best practices,” stating, “this is a standard operating procedure if you were to look at similar emergency operations in Northumberland County and beyond.”
Insurance coverage is provided for the Town for work related travel.
“The position is expected to pay for their own fuel and any other incidental expenses when operating the vehicle for personal use, which they do.”
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
