Cobourg mayoral candidate Nicole Beatty today announced her First 100-Day Action Plan, outlining the priorities and actions she will begin advancing immediately if elected Mayor. The plan includes:
1. Delegate Strong Mayor Powers back to all of Council and the CAO, as permitted under provincial legislation, restoring collaborative decision-making and ensuring major decisions are made around the Council table.
2. Meet individually with every member of Council and the Town’s senior leadership team to set expectations, identify priorities, understand their governance framework preferences, and establish how to work well together from day one.
3. Continue to work with and support Chief Leather and Cobourg Police Services in the implementation of their multi-phased crime enforcement strategy.
4. Engage the community in the Official Plan process that is currently underway to establish clear direction on where and how Cobourg should grow, the type of housing we need, appropriate building heights and the infrastructure required to support growth.
5. Reinstate the Planning and Development Committee,
6. Work with Town Staff, Council and stakeholders to bring forward priority recommendations for park and playground enhancements and site mapping options for recreational infrastructure. This will include realistic timelines and an affordable funding plan, including sources from outside of the tax levy.
7. Reprioritize Cobourg’s Integrated Community Sustainability Plan to help ensure our community grows in a way that is financially responsible, environmentally sustainable, and prepared for the future.
8. Establish a permanent Resident Budget Advisory Committee, made up of residents and Council members, embedded in the annual budget process through the Council procedural by-law, and at no cost to taxpayers.
9. I will establish a Mayor’s Economic Advisory Roundtable to help us respond to and attract future economic opportunities, job creation and labour needs, including the Wesleyville nuclear project, major employers, skilled trades, small business, tourism and emerging industries.
10. Convene a Community Safety Action Table with police, Town and County leadership, provincial representatives and community partners to identify immediate prevention measures in parks and public spaces while ensuring immediate service coordination priorities and support plans are in place for people experiencing crisis.
11. Introduce an Arts and Culture Ambassador Program to promote local artists, heritage, and cultural experiences.
12. Establish a permanent virtual “Community Idea Bank” to collect resident feedback and suggestions on an ongoing basis.
“I know this is an ambitious agenda for the first 100 days, and that is intentional. Cobourg needs a Council that is ready to get to work from day one. My commitment is to bring Council together, focus Town Hall on the priorities residents have asked us to address, and spend less time on conflict and distractions and more time delivering results. I’ve laid out what I intend to do because residents deserve to know not only what I stand for, but what I will actually do if they elect me Mayor,” said Beatty.