Final decision not official until the town’s 2025 budget approved and financial implications confirmed
After extensive discussion around the table at the Sept. 10 council meeting, the Woodstock council agreed to proceed with the Woodstock Police Force expansion.
Mayor Trina Jones led the discussion, sharing the survey results and feedback from a series of open forums, which played a role in the council’s decision.
Under the plan, the Woodstock Police Force coverage area would expand from its existing Ward 4, the former town boundaries, to Wards 1, 2, 3 and 5 over the next three years. The move would see the tax rate in the outside wards increase by 5 cents per $100 for each of the next three years.
The motion, approved unanimously by council members, directs the staff and mayor to proceed with expansion plans, conditional upon 2025 budget approval and no adverse changes to promised provincial transition funds.
Ward 4 Coun. Norm Brown, who works in law enforcement as a member of the Sheriff’s Office at the Woodstock courthouse, declared a conflict of interest and left council chambers during the discussion and the vote.
Following the council meeting, Jones told the River Valley Sun that Brown decided to declare a conflict. She said neither the Municipal Act nor the town saw his employment in law enforcement as a conflict in this particular debate.
The proposed policing model, shared with the public through open forums and an online and mailout survey, would double police staff levels and increase the annual budget from $5.3 million in 2024 to $7.8 million by 2027.
Jones explained that the New Brunswick Department of Public Safety’s commitment to a minimum of $4.2 million in transition funds was vital in making the policing expansion feasible. She said the town remains in negotiations to secure additional transition funds.
Jones stressed that the transition funds are a one-time commitment, and the town is responsible for all ongoing operational and capital costs.
Under the current timeline, the Woodstock Police Force would replace the RCMP in Ward 5 in October 2025, Ward 3 in October 2026, and Wards 1 and 2 in 2027.
Jones shared the community-wide survey results, demonstrating that most ward residents supported the expansion.
She explained that 592 of Woodstock’s approximately 11,000 residents responded to the survey, giving the town a reasonable indication of the community’s viewpoint.
She said 324 or 54.7 per cent supported the expansion, while 185 or 31.3 per cent opposed it. Another 14 per cent indicated they were undecided.
Jones broke out survey responses from Ward 4, which already has Woodstock Police Force coverage and faces no tax hikes with the expansion, noting some people raised concerns their responses could skew the results.
She explained 121 of 200 (60.5 per cent) Ward 4 respondents supported the expansion, while 41 (20.5 per cent) opposed it. She added another 38 (19 per cent) were undecided.
Jones said the council and staff focus more on the remaining wards’ responses.
She explained the outlying wards, which would see coverage change from the RCMP to the Woodstock Police Force under the expansion plan, saw 392 survey respondents.
The survey indicated 203 people, representing 51.8 per cent, supported the expansion, with 144 or 36.7 per cent opposing it, with 11.3 per cent undecided.
“The surveys combined met the sample size amounts to achieve the level of confidence to accept the results as accurate within a five per cent margin of error and statistically this would be considered a normal and accepted result,” said Jones.
She said the town pushed harder than ever to provide detailed information to residents and secure as much feedback as possible.
“I feel that we succeeded in our goal of getting word out to the general public,” Jones said.
Jones explained survey responses and questions raised at open forums provided feedback from the public regarding their views.
She explained that people in favour of the police expansion showed a willingness to pay more for what they believe to be improved police coverage.
Jones said most of those opposing the expansion wanted to avoid paying the extra cost.
“Cost was the biggest issue overall,” she said.
Jones explained several commenters suggested the money could be better spent on roads and other town expenses. In contrast, others suggested policing is a moot issue under a judicial system they described as the “catch and release” of criminals.
The mayor noted that the estimated 15-cent tax rate increase is targeted for policing only and won’t be collected and used elsewhere in the town budget.
She also noted that the numbers used to calculate the impact on the town budget used conservative estimations, noting they didn’t take into account a potential increase in the town’s tax warrant or an improved municipal fiscal plan.
During council discussion, the mayor and councillors noted that the costs of future RCMP coverage remain unclear as the province is currently negotiating a new contract with the federal force.
Jones explained the province bills the municipality for RCMP coverage, noting that cost may significantly increase once it factors in the nine per cent pay increase for officers and a potential increase in the number of officers.
During discussions, Coun. Jeff Bradbury noted the unknown factor of RCMP costs and pointed out that budget deliberations may allow the town to limit tax increases surrounding the expansion.
He believes the expansion will put the council in the “driver’s seat” regarding budgets in the future.
Bradbury also praised the Woodstock Police Force.
*I have a strong feeling for our police force,” he said. “It is the best police force in the province, if not the country.”
Bradbury, other councillors and the mayor expressed confidence in new interim Chief Mark Bennett, who replaced Chief Gary Forward last week to handle the change efficiently.
Coun. Will Belyea, noting his Ward 2 constituents supported the expansion, said he would support moving forward with the plan.
Belyea also pointed out the commitment of $4.2 million in transitional funds. If they fail to move forward now, he said they may be forced to expand a few years down the road without available transitional funding support.
Ward 1 Coun. Mike Martin said he supports the expansion, admitting he “thought there would be more naysayers.” \
Deputy Mayor Mark Rogers reminded the council that even after Woodstock Police Force expansion, the RCMP will continue to police areas outside the town and will remain a strong partner with the town force.
Following the meeting, Mayor Jones confirmed that the council’s decision to proceed with the policing expansion will only be finalized after the 2025 budget is approved.
