I think that the Cumberland Mayor and Council do not have the mandate to change our OCP and zoning regulations, and to make concessions on development charges, and to sign an MOU that will , in essence, create a new town outside of the old village, and double the population here.

Mayor Bates, a few years ago, urged us to approve a huge expansion of the village boundaries in order to, he argued, incorporate areas that could be developed for commercial and industrial use, thus providing the tax base needed to repair infrastructure. On this basis,the boundary expansion was approved by referendum. Now, contrary to his supposed purpose, he has changed the OCP to allow Trilogy Corp to turn the commercial/ industrial area into mixed use, including a large percentage of residential development, as well as wanting to allow the huge residential development in block 9B, that was designated forest and ecological reserve.

After expanding the village, Cumberland undertook an expensive and lengthy process ,to come to agreement on an Official Community Plan. We took this document seriously, and expressed our vision of future development in detail, in a legal document. We were not told then that the OCP had no teeth, and that Council could and would completely ignore it to satisfy the profit driven demands of the first developer to come along.

I don't doubt that the mayor and Council are honorable people, who want to do the right thing for Cumberland, but they are under financial pressure, and are buckling under. 70% of the voting population of Cumberland appealed to council, in a petition, not to make these concessions to Trilogy.

Council should delay making irrevocable decisions regarding Trilogy's applications until they have the taxpayer's mandate to do so.

Delay rezoning and signing agreements with Trilogy until after the next municipal election, and run for office with your agenda laid out, so that the citizens can decide their future. I realize that council has the legal right to decide on our behalf, but they obviously do not have the moral or ethical right.