PENETANGUISHENE - Mayor Gerry Marshall said Sunday he is disappointed that OPP Commissioner Chris Lewis who spoke in Midland on Friday offered "no solution" to dealing with policing costs. "I appreciate the Commissioner supporting our physician recruitment efforts," said Marshall who attended the fund-raising breakfast. "What makes the policing costs discussion difficult is that from the Commissioner to the officer on the street the OPP are all great folks. "The issue is not about service or the quality of those who serve us" said Marshall. "The issue is affordability and sustainability." "The Commissioner said the cost to towns with populations between 15,000 and 50,000 policed by the OPP comes in at $150 per person. "The fact is municipalities do not get billed per person. We get billed using a costing model that nobody understands. "I would drive to Orillia, right now, to sign a deal at $150 per person for Penetanguishene. We would save $531,000 per year, $2.5 million over the five-year term of the contract and we would reduce taxes by 7 per cent." "I committed to our citizens that I would take the high cost of policing issue right to the Premier's doorstep. While it may not be at the doorstep yet, I would certainly say it is parked in his driveway," he said, noting that several steps have been taken in recent months to examine policing issues. "The Policing task force has been created. The Future of Policing Advisory Committee has been created to provide a forum to follow up on key issues, in particular, the review of police services.The committee will also oversee six different subcommittees which will review: crime prevention, law enforcement, assistance to victims of crime, public order maintenance, emergency response, and administration and infrastructure. "An OPP costing project team dedicated to improving the transparency and accountability of municipal costs in communities policed by the OPP has been created. The OPP has established a municipal policing bureau. "A Municipal Mayors Coalition has been formed. "All of these things are a result of growing, province-wide concerns about the high cost of policing," Marshall said. 30 OPP Commissioneroffered 'no solution'Mayor Marshall says Douglas Glynn PENETANGUISHENE - Mayor Gerry Marshall said Sunday he is disappointed that OPP Commissioner Chris Lewis who spoke in Midland on Friday offered "no solution" to dealing with policing costs. "I appreciate the Commissioner supporting our physician recruitment efforts," said Marshall who attended the fund-raising breakfast. "What makes the policing costs discussion difficult is that from the Commissioner to the officer on the street the OPP are all great folks. "The issue is not about service or the quality of those who serve us" said Marshall. "The issue is affordability and sustainability." "The Commissioner said the cost to towns with populations between 15,000 and 50,000 policed by the OPP comes in at $150 per person. "The fact is municipalities do not get billed per person. We get billed using a costing model that nobody understands. "I would drive to Orillia, right now, to sign a deal at $150 per person for Penetanguishene. We would save $531,000 per year, $2.5 million over the five-year term of the contract and we would reduce taxes by 7 per cent." "I committed to our citizens that I would take the high cost of policing issue right to the Premier's doorstep. While it may not be at the doorstep yet, I would certainly say it is parked in his driveway," he said, noting that several steps have been taken in recent months to examine policing issues. "The Policing task force has been created. The Future of Policing Advisory Committee has been created to provide a forum to follow up on key issues, in particular, the review of police services.The committee will also oversee six different subcommittees which will review: crime prevention, law enforcement, assistance to victims of crime, public order maintenance, emergency response, and administration and infrastructure. "An OPP costing project team dedicated to improving the transparency and accountability of municipal costs in communities policed by the OPP has been created. The OPP has established a municipal policing bureau. "A Municipal Mayors Coalition has been formed. "All of these things are a result of growing, province-wide concerns about the high cost of policing," Marshall said. 30