Why Do We Need to ‘Remake’ City Council?


. . . because Owen Sound deserves a Council that:  Listens,  Leads Responsibly,  and  Works for Everyone

Two-thirds of our current city council (66.6%) have served for two terms or more. During their tenure, Owen Sound has continued to decline — the population has shrunk since many of them first took office, and our median after-tax household income has fallen to just $57,600. That means half of our residents are now struggling to make ends meet, even as council debates spending $25 million on an expanded Art Gallery. Meanwhile, rent prices have risen steadily, and homelessness has surged since the current mayor first joined council in 2010. It’s time for a change. These long-serving members should make way for a new generation of residents — people with fresh ideas and a real commitment to improving life for everyone in Owen Sound.  At the end of this current term their time on council will be:

 

Sixteen (16) Years Twelve (12) Years Eight (8) Years
     Ian Boddy      Marion Koepke       Brock Hamley
       Scott Greig      Carol Merton
       Travis Dodd  

 


Three years ago, Owen Sound residents went to the polls hoping for fiscal responsibility, transparency, and compassionate leadership.
Instead, we got:

  • Unkept promises on budget oversight

  • Silenced residents during public questions

  • Wasteful spending on consultants and bureaucratic growth

  • Neglected priorities, as housing insecurity and inequality deepen

At the midpoint of this term, it was clear: we elected a council that talks about change—but delivers more of the same.


The Problem: A Council Detached from Reality

1.  Broken Promises on Fiscal Responsibility

Deputy Mayor Scott Greig pledged in 2022 to create a Budget Committee for better spending oversight.

Three years later?  No committee. No change. Instead:

  • $100,000+ on studies for a $25 million art gallery expansion

  • $85,000 for a “Vision 2050” plan—while refusing to publish the resident survey

  • Claims that there’s “no money” to remove barriers for diverse council candidates

All this while over half of Owen Sound households take home under $57,600 per year.

2.  Out-of-Control Bureaucracy

City Hall is expanding faster than the city it serves. In 2023, 85 municipal employees earned over $100,000—a 66% increase from 2018, when only 51 staff appeared on the provincial sunshine list. In 2024 alone, three senior officials received double-digit pay hikes, with two surpassing $20,000. The City Manager’s salary rose by $20,357, while the Director of Public Works received an astonishing $21,404 increase.

These raises are especially troubling given that many Owen Sound residents struggle to get by on less than the value of a single one of these raises.
 

Double- Digit Salary Increases in 2024
City Manager 10.25%  $198,668  -  $219,025
Director, Public Works 16.23%  $131,889  -  $153,296
Director, Art Gallery 12.99%  $108,971  -  $123,122

Lately staff have resorted to issuing short term contacts. Is this strategy an attempt to avoid council-approval? I wonder how much of the work performed by these contracted positions is work that should have been performed by existing employees. Here are just a few examples from last year:

  • Corporate Services Facilitator 18 month contract   [Read]

  • Intermediate Planner 13 month contract  [Read]

  • Human Resources Specialist 14 month contract   [Read]

  • Senior Planner 12 month contract   [Read]

  • Capital Asset Risk Management Coordinator 5 to 6 month contract   [Read]

This bloated structure is unsustainable—and unfair to taxpayers.  Comparisons to similar municipalities like Cobourg show:

  • Owen Sound has 9 more administrative managers

  • $1.7 million more in management salary costs

  • No justification for this growth, especially with a declining population

3.  Silencing of Residents

Public engagement has eroded.

  • Town Hall proposals became staff-run open houses

  • Public speaking time cut from 5 to 3 minutes

When residents raise concerns, they’re often met with silence—or amendments to the procedural bylaw to further restrict input.

4.  Failure to Address Urgent Needs

While council funds lofty plans, unhoused residents are sleeping in city parks.
The mayor has brushed off homelessness as “not my problem—it’s a county issue” But every person in Owen Sound deserves to be heard and housed.

We’ve spent thousands on consultants—money that could have kept 80 households housed through rent supports. Instead, we’ve prioritized visioning over reality.


The Fix: Real Reform, Not Lip Service

We’ve outlined concrete, achievable solutions:

Right-Size Senior Management

  • Cut at least 6 administrative management positions

  • Align staffing with comparator municipalities

  • Save up to $1 million per year

Restore Accountability

  • Implement the promised Budget Committee

  • Adopt Zero-Based Budgeting to evaluate every dollar spent

  • Require Council review of all contract hires

Performance-Based Management

  • Shift all senior management to 5-year renewable contracts, not lifetime guarantees

  • Tie up to 20% of salaries to community-focused performance goals

  • Ensure goals are approved by a 60% Council majority

Put Residents First

  • Restore meaningful public engagement (true Town Halls, open dialogue)

  • Focus spending on urgent community needs—not consultant studies

  • Expand support for low-income and unhoused residents


The Roadblock: the Current Council

These changes are not radical—they’re just responsible. But our current Council refuses to act. They’ve:

  • Ignored objective financial analysis

  • Protected the status quo

  • Repeatedly put staff priorities over public priorities


What Comes Next?

We won’t fix this by waiting.

We’ll fix it by electing better councillors—people who will:

  • Demand accountability

  • Control unnecessary spending

  • Listen to all residents, not just insiders

  • Make compassion and fiscal sense co-exist

Let’s get organized now. Let’s support and encourage candidates who are ready to lead with integrity, humility, and purpose.


 

The 2026 election could be the last opportunity to stop the decline

We need to act now before it's too late - get involved in our city's future!

 

 

 

Take the time to leave your comments on this site below. if you are interested in helping to identify candidates who are not afraid to embrace change or, if you plan to run for Council yourself, let us know by tapping the button above.