Central Hastings OPP detachment Commander Scott Semple (R) answers a resident’s concern on OPP costing at the public meeting on Wednesday March 22, 2017 while Stirling-Rawdon Mayor Rodney Cooney (L) listens. (Photo: Nicole Kleinsteuber / Quinte News)
In an about-face, Stirling-Rawdon council has voted to accept a costing proposal from the Ontario Provincial Police it had rejected about a month ago.
Council called a special meeting earlier this week after learning that the OPP would not budge from its current costing model.
Stirling-Rawdon Mayor Rodney Cooney says the community cannot afford the $1.8 million a year, and rising, cost of the current nine member local police service and the OPP proposal would still save the municipality $300,000 a year.
OPP would police the community for $1.5 million a year, not including the over $200,000 one-time start up cost.
The Central Hastings OPP detachment will expand to cover Stirling-Rawdon.
Current Stirling-Rawdon officers will be offered positions within the OPP.
