Chatham-Kent is saving some money by handling all planning matters themselves.
The municipality currently enlists a consultant to handle applications, but CK will now save $178,000 next year. Benefits will level off at $140,000/year by 2019.
Councillor Derek Robertson doesn't expect a significant adjustment period for staff with the new workload. "Certainly other planners on staff have six to eight years experience. I would hazard a guess that, per capita, we have the 'leanest' staff, and the most effective model we could expect to have leaving this meeting."
Just before the vote, planning company Storey Samways Planning Ltd announced it wouldn't be renewing its contract with the municipality. Principal Planner Tom Storey wouldn't comment the night the decision was made.
