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Cobourg council held a special meeting Monday to review Mayor Lucas Cleveland’s latest directive under Ontario’s Strong Mayor Powers. Issued on August 14, the directive restructures the town’s Planning and Development Division into a new Development Division and appoints Chris Challenger, formerly executive assistant to the CAO, as its director.
The new division consolidates four departments-planning, development engineering, building, and economic development-under Challenger’s leadership. A deputy director position will also be created. Cleveland said the changes are aimed at improving efficiency and speeding up development approvals, which he described as an urgent priority.
Councillors raised questions about the appointment, with several noting Challenger does not hold professional planning credentials. They also raised concerns about bypassing regular council and human-resources processes. Municipal solicitor John Mascarin was consulted and confirmed that the directive is within the mayor’s legal authority. However, he reminded council that it retains responsibility for approving budgets and overseeing financial matters.
Members of the public weighed in at the meeting, with some supporting the move as a way to reduce bottlenecks, while others expressed concern about transparency and process.
Council directed staff to prepare a report on the financial impact of the restructuring, including the cost of hiring additional staff. Cleveland said Strong Mayor Powers allow him to make structural changes, but acknowledged that councillors and residents are seeking more details about how the changes will affect the town’s operations.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
