(Today’s Northumberland file photo)
(Editors note: After being re-elected on Monday evening (October 26, 2026), Today’s Northumberland wanted to do an in-depth follow-up on Tuesday afternoon. Meeting with the Mayor in his office, he provided a statement as to what will be happening in the future during his second term as Mayor)
Re-elected mayor says he will no longer accept being treated as an “Impostor” and promises to expose decisions he says have harmed taxpayers
Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland says his second term will mark a decisive break from what he describes as years of political division, personal attacks and financial decisions that have negatively affected the municipality and its taxpayers.
In a statement following his re-election on Monday, October 26, Cleveland said he was confident the new Council would operate differently, despite disagreements, and would no longer be driven by what he characterized as a fellow elected official’s personal ambitions.
“I am no longer the ‘Impostor’ Mayor, and I won’t allow myself to be treated that way,” Cleveland stated.
“The public clearly saw the three-member voting bloc I faced from my first day and removed two of those musketeers.”
Cleveland was re-elected mayor with 4,524 votes, defeating former Deputy Mayor Nicole Beatty, who received 3,850 votes, and Max LeMarchant, who received 1,432.
Adam Bureau was elected Deputy Mayor with 4,726 votes, defeating Johnny Percolides, who received 4,133.
Cleveland said he takes the new Deputy Mayor at his word that he wants to end divisions at Council and bring people together.
“I take the new Deputy Mayor at his word when he says he wants to work to ‘stop the division and move forward and bringing everybody together,’” Cleveland stated. “The public, after the vote, are the ones demanding this of him.”
Police Board becomes priority
One of Cleveland’s first priorities is securing a seat on the Cobourg Police Service Board, an issue he said he regretted not pursuing during his previous term.
“For me, as I have said, going on the Cobourg Police Board is priority one. My single biggest regret, as I have said, is not doing that,” he stated.
Cleveland described the board as “an enigma, a black hole of non-information” and said he intends to change that.
He also criticized what he described as a lack of basic courtesy from the board during his time as mayor, including not being invited to its events.
“Even simple things, such as being Mayor and not being given the basic courtesy of being invited to their events, were just typical of the childish pettiness that ends today,” he stated.
Cleveland said he will demand access to the financial manager’s report that he says prompted the new police chief to take what he described as historic actions.
He also promised to provide Council with regular updates about the Police Service Board, drawing a comparison to the updates he has provided about Northumberland County Council over the past four years.
“I look forward to working with new CPS Board Chair Sean Graham as we both start new roles there together,” Cleveland stated.
Responds to election campaign attacks
Cleveland also addressed the personal attacks he said he faced from supporters of the previous Deputy Mayor during the election campaign.
He said he deliberately posted more than 200 examples of the commentary and maintained that the allegations made against him were untrue.
“I faced the most despicable personal attacks from supporters of the previous Deputy Mayor. I purposefully posted well over 200 of them. Not a word was true. Not when it was said, not now,” he stated.
Cleveland linked the controversy to broader disagreements over the municipality’s response to criminal drug activity.
“What they, in their delusion, will never understand is that, again, Cobourg does not want, now or ever, the normalization of criminal drug activities. Period,” he stated.
He argued that the attacks ultimately damaged the candidate they were intended to support and contributed to her defeat.
Cleveland said he would no longer engage with those making personal attacks, regardless of whether they continue through protests, letter-writing campaigns or online commentary.
He also disclosed that he spent $10,000 on legal advice regarding the situation.
“After spending $10,000 on legal advice, the best advice was to just ignore them, and I will be doing so for the next four years,” he stated.
Strong mayor powers remain an option
Cleveland said he intends to continue using strong mayor powers judiciously, as he said he did during his previous term.
However, he made clear he would use those powers when he believes doing so is in the best interests of the majority of Cobourg residents.
“Strong mayor powers, just like in my last term, will be deployed judiciously, but certainly if I feel it is in the best interests of the majority of Cobourg citizens,” he stated.
He also said he intends to defend his positions more forcefully while demonstrating that he can work collaboratively when given the opportunity.
“My goal is to show that I am collaborative when given an actual chance to be,” Cleveland stated.
He attributed previous difficulties working with some members of Council to what he described as resentment over his election as mayor.
“It is impossible to work collegially with individuals who despise you because you ‘leapfrogged’ the destiny they felt was theirs, but truly never was,” he stated.
Financial review promised for January
Perhaps the most significant commitment in Cleveland’s statement concerns Cobourg’s finances.
The mayor said a process to examine the municipality’s financial position and past decisions will begin in January.
“We are going to clean up our financial house, and I say that to all Council members, both old and new. It is going to happen whether you want it to or not,” he stated.
“I will not be silenced any longer. By January, we will begin that process.”
Cleveland alleged that systemic and deliberate decisions made by previous councils and others continue to negatively affect Cobourg and its taxpayers.
He promised those decisions would be brought forward for public discussion and addressed.
“There are systemic, purposeful decisions taken by previous councils and others that continue to impact Cobourg and its taxpayers in negative ways,” he stated.
“They will be revealed, they will be discussed, and they will be permanently fixed!”
Cleveland also declared that political loyalties to previous municipal administrations would no longer dictate the direction of the town.
“The fealty to long-ago mayoral regimes ends today,” he stated.
The scope of the proposed financial review, the specific decisions Cleveland intends to examine and the measures that may follow have yet to be detailed in his statement.
Economic development on the agenda
Beyond the promised financial scrutiny, Cleveland said he plans to bring forward an economic development agenda intended to reduce pressure on residential property taxpayers.
“I look forward to bringing to Council an economic development agenda that will truly supplement our overburdened property tax base,” he stated.
The mayor concluded by thanking the people who supported his re-election campaign and the voters who returned him to office.
“Thank you to all the incredible individuals whose collective efforts drove this winning re-election campaign. I am so grateful to the voters who gave me the mandate to make these critical decisions our collective new reality,” Cleveland stated.
With a new Council about to take office, Cleveland’s commitments set out an ambitious agenda centred on greater scrutiny of the Police Service Board, a review of municipal finances, expanded economic development efforts and a promise to change the political dynamics inside Victoria Hall.
Whether those commitments translate into greater cooperation around the Council table, greater transparency and tangible financial improvements for taxpayers will become clearer as the new term begins.
I am no longer the “Impostor” Mayor, and I won’t allow myself to be treated that way. I am confident in this new Council that, even when we can’t agree, it will no longer be driven, as it was, by a “Co-Mayor’s” personal ambitions. The public clearly saw the three-member voting bloc I faced from my first day and removed two of those musketeers.
I take the new Deputy Mayor at his word when he says he wants to work to “stop the division and move forward and bringing everybody together.” The public, after the vote, are the ones demanding this of him.
For me, as I have said, going on the Cobourg Police Board is priority one. My single biggest regret, as I have said, is not doing that. For me, that Board has been an enigma, a black hole of non-information, and that stops. Even simple things, such as being Mayor and not being given the basic courtesy of being invited to their events, were just typical of the childish pettiness that ends today. As a new board member, I will be demanding to see the financial manager’s report that led our new Chief to take the historic actions he has. As Mayor, I will be updating Council on what is going on at that Board on a very regular basis, as I have done about County Council these past four years.
I look forward to working with new CPS Board Chair Sean Graham as we both start new roles there together.
I faced the most despicable personal attacks from supporters of the previous Deputy Mayor. I purposefully posted well over 200 of them. Not a word was true. Not when it was said, not now. What they, in their delusion, will never understand is that, again, Cobourg does not want, now or ever, the normalization of criminal drug activities. Period. All these people did in their unhinged attacks was hurt their own chosen candidate’s chances, and they played a critical role in her defeat. I certainly will not engage with them, ever. I made up my mind when I continued to see the disgusting commentary. They can do or say whatever they like. After spending $10,000 on legal advice, the best advice was to just ignore them, and I will be doing so for the next four years. No matter the fake protests, the letter-writing campaigns or the personal smears, I will not engage with them, ever.
Strong mayor powers, just like in my last term, will be deployed judiciously, but certainly if I feel it is in the best interests of the majority of Cobourg citizens.
I will always defend myself and my positions in truth and fact, and I will now do so without hesitation. My goal is to show that I am collaborative when given an actual chance to be. It is impossible to work collegially with individuals who despise you because you “leapfrogged” the destiny they felt was theirs, but truly never was.
We are going to clean up our financial house, and I say that to all Council members, both old and new. It is going to happen whether you want it to or not. I will not be silenced any longer. By January, we will begin that process. There are systemic, purposeful decisions taken by previous councils and others that continue to impact Cobourg and its taxpayers in negative ways. They will be revealed, they will be discussed, and they will be permanently fixed!
The fealty to long-ago mayoral regimes ends today.
I look forward to bringing to Council an economic development agenda that will truly supplement our overburdened property tax base.
Thank you to all the incredible individuals whose collective efforts drove this winning re-election campaign. I am so grateful to the voters who gave me the mandate to make these critical decisions our collective new reality.
Thank you Pete for being here today.
Kindly
Lucas Cleveland
Mayor
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
