Cobourg Dragon Boat and Canoe Club

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Damon Atkins
5 years ago
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1 Cobourg Dragon Boat and Canoe Club

2 In 1999 we first approached Town Council about starting a Dragon Boat Club in Cobourg. Town Council has always been supportive of the CDBCC and endorsed us as we offered recreation programs for residents of Cobourg and Northumberland.

3 In 2008 the Cobourg Dragon Boat Club expanded its mandate to include paddle sports, thus becoming the Cobourg Dragon Boat and Canoe Club. We approached Town Council for a compound to house our new boats.

4 The success of our paddle sport program for youth and adults continued to grow. As our membership grew, so did our need for a bigger compound. In 2010, with Council s blessing, we expanded our fleet and moved to a new home, a compound we share with the Cobourg Yacht Club.

While we have always been supported by Town Council and appreciate the support given to us for our programs, we feel that we have not been treated fairly in the agreements created by Staff.

5 While we have always been supported by Town Council and appreciate the support given to us for our programs, we feel that we have not been treated fairly in the agreements created by Staff. Several conditions were placed upon our use of the compound that were not placed on other user groups. As we had a fleet of 30 boats arriving within two weeks, we were told to sign the agreement or we would not be able to put up our fence.

6 Unknown to us at the time was that there was a Two-Tier Agreement in place, one for the CDBCC and a different agreement for the CYC, for the same shared piece of property. It wasn t until early 2014 that we got a copy of the CYC Shared Compound Agreement, through the Freedom of Information Act, and were able to compare the two agreements. CDBCC Agreement Clauses Pay ½ Cost of Boat Racks Cannot use racks until Lift-in (Late April) Land Lease $1.00 per square foot CYC Agreement Clauses Pay ¼ Cost of Boat Racks Can leave some masts on racks all year Land Lease $0.50 per square foot We are charged for 6 months of use, but are restricted to only 5 months that we can access the boat racks, and the area surrounding the racks. We cannot bring the majority of our boats down to the harbour until the last weekend of April, a full month after we start paying our fees.

It was then that we began to research prior Town By-Laws and Minutes to uncover more discrepancies in how we are treated financially compared to other user groups. CDBCC Expanded Compound by 2000 sq.

7 It was then that we began to research prior Town By-Laws and Minutes to uncover more discrepancies in how we are treated financially compared to other user groups. CDBCC Expanded Compound by 2000 sq. feet Cost of expansion $2000 per season Fencing had to conform with other compounds, barb wire top CYC Expanded Dinghy Compound by 2000 sq. feet Cost of expansion $0 per year No stipulation that fencing needed barb wire

8 When a new lease agreement came into place with the CYC, the terms and conditions were an extension of their original lease.

9 Without any discussions with us, our lease changed, new terms and conditions were in place. We recently received a Register Letter from the Marina outlining the changes, even though we were assured there would be no changes / invoice until the present situation was resolved.

10 We made requests under the Freedom of Information Act. Some of our questions were answered, while we are still waiting for other information. Several of the invoices we asked for are missing or cannot be located.

11 Now that we had some of the financial facts, we approached Town Staff about our concerns. In our first of several meetings, we were given various rationales for the discrepancy of cost for the same piece of land. Town Staff Position Rationale #1 We have more boats than the CYC. Rationale #2 CYC pays reciprocal wall fees and garbage fees CDBCC Position We lease the land, it is up to us how many boats we put in it. Reciprocal wall has nothing to do with the compound, and many years the fees were waived. Garbage fees have nothing to do with the compound. Rational #3 - We should be charged for our dragon boat slip at a rate of the total length of all dragon boats, thus we are getting an in-kind grant. We are using 1 slip, we cannot be charged 3 times for the same space, and again nothing to do with the compound When we asked P. Gauthier why we would be charged for each boat in the slip, but the Yachts with dinghy boats attached to them were not, he stated that a dinghy is not a boat.

12 During our second meeting on this issue, a new rationale was presented, as our objections to the original three rationales were valid. Town Position Rationale #4 Fee includes dredging, grass cutting etc. Town dredged the West Harbour Area that summer for us. CDBCC Position Agreement is for the rental of the land, you cannot add new charges 6 years later. No dredging happened in the West Harbour Area as the dredger sunk in July and was out for repairs. This is a fourth attempt to try to justify why the CDBCC pays more money for the same compound leased as the CYC. Every time we counter the rationale, a new one is introduced!

13 This Proposal, submitted by P. Gauthier, and signed by the CEO clearly indicates how the cost of dredging would be recouped.

The minutes of the Council meeting in 2010 state an agreement, not two different lease rates / conditions, and stipulate for the rental of the land, not any of the rationales

14 The minutes of the Council meeting in 2010 state an agreement, not two different lease rates / conditions, and stipulate for the rental of the land, not any of the rationales presented by Town Staff. We have also asked for a copy of the details outlined in the staff report from which the two different agreements were executed, but have not received it yet.

15 Not only were we subjected to Two-tiered financial and lease agreements, we feel we have been, and continue to be subjected to bias by Town Staff. Several demands and conditions been presented to us by the Marina Manager over the years, including access times, repairs, inventory requirements. Since we presented our objection to the Marina Expansion Plan, several new issues developed. After 15 years we were refused use of the public washrooms outside of staffed hours and our integrity and honesty was questioned. An dated May states that staff are adamant the CDBCC was never given the access code by staff. We have documents to the contrary. We finally received the access code again for the washrooms on May 26, However, we were falsely accused of vandalizing the washrooms on May 22, of having the access code all along. Again our integrity and honesty were openly questioned. We are still waiting for the written apology promised to us for this unfounded accusation.

16 We have been told that since we are subsidized for our slip we would not get the code as we do not have the same privileges as the full paying marina users. We should be paying three times the season rate as we have three boats. The policy of the marina is that subsidized users are not allowed the code to access the marina. I have asked for the policy, but to date have not received it. A letter of reprimand sent to us for an Photography Incident, before the facts were discovered to show to the contrary. An Dated July 31 st, 2014 stating it appeared that the use of the compound may not be in compliance with the agreed terms of use. Then a refusal to discuss the issue with us.

17 Many of these issues have been solved through intervention by the Elected Town Councillors and we truly appreciation the work you have done on our behalf. The time you take to make sure that all taxpayers are treated with respect and fairness is commendable. Thank you! The purpose of our presentation tonight was to give you some background to shed light on how we feel that we have been treated unfairly in financial and land lease agreements, as well as a perceived bias against us. This bias seems to have escalated since we gave strong opposition to the Proposed Marina Expansion. We have searched the Minutes and By-Laws from 1970 onward, as well as several s to support our position on these unfortunate issues. These are the financial issues that we feel need to be addressed:

19 Since 1999 the Cobourg Dragon Boat and Canoe Club has had a history of directly supporting the Community. Over $500,000 has been raised through the United Way Challenge the Dragon Event. These dollars have benefited countless programs in both Cobourg and Northumberland. Our padding program has provided the residents of Cobourg with additional recreational choices in Town, adding to the health and wellness of the community and promoting Cobourg as The feel good town Our Dragon Boat and Youth athletes have been ambassadors for Cobourg throughout the Province and across Canada.

20 We are asking the present Council to rectify the financial errors that were created in our agreement and that overpayment of previous fees occurred be factored into our new fees, as committed in the document cited below. Thank-you for granting us the time tonight to present our concerns.

Paddling club thanks Cobourg for its support

Paddling club thanks Cobourg for its support In 1999 we first approached Town Council about starting a Dragon Boat Club in Cobourg. Town Council has always been supportive of the CDBCC and endorsed us as we offered recreation programs for residents