Council has agreed to seek outside consultation on encampments in the municipality.
Councillor Michael Bondy revised his motion to shift from directly hiring OrgCode Consulting Inc. to having administration prepare a report and proposed request for proposals (RFP) terms for an evaluation of the municipality’s current encampment response and transitional cabins project, with a maximum budget of $55,000.
The goal of the RFP is to secure a consultant to provide homelessness and encampment response advice for Chatham-Kent.
“We are doing our best but we have ROCK Missions, Hope Haven, the municipality, 5,000 opinions on what we should do,”
“Chatham is not a very big place, there is a lot of people who know each other, a lot of egos in play, a lot of preconceived notions of who people are and what they do. So what I am hoping, and again I can’t predict what these people will come back with, is that a neutral group from outside of Chatham-Kent can come in, evaluate what we are doing and make recommendations that we can agree on.”
In their response to the motion before the meeting, municipal staff was critical of hiring an external sole source hire. Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Michael Duben advised council to not discredit local supports.
“If you want to spend more money on a consultant you are entitled to do that,” said Duben.
“I would say that the local condition still is important even if you do bring in a consultant that has experience in another municipality. I think it is relevant to speak to the folks who are dealing with the staff and the clients locally.”
Council voted 10 to 5 in favour of the amended motion, with Councillors Carmen McGregor, Brock McGregor, Aaron Hall, Melissa Harrigan and Mayor Darrin Cannif voting against. Councillors Morena McDonald, John Wright and Trevor Thompson were absent.
A report will return to council for consideration, voting, and with a recommended source of funding.
