Bluewater budget takes big hit by OPP costs

Obscenely high and unsustainable policing costs. OPP bills are destroying communities its officers are supposed to protect. Apparent self-interest is cloaked in the guise of public safety needs. Where is the political outrage while OPP costs continue to climb? Who is going to bring policing costs in this province under control?

Bluewater budget takes big hit by OPP costs

Postby Thomas » Wed Mar 11, 2015 11:55 am

BLUEWATER — Bluewater staff had a difficult time putting together this year’s budget, which shows higher taxes and some cuts to save costs.

Bluewater council approved the 2015 Operating and Capital Budget at a meeting March 2, which shows a tax levy increase of 5.6 per cent for residents.

To save costs, Bluewater council has also reduced its number of meetings per month from three to two. Council used to meet twice a month for regular council sessions, and once a month for planning and development. To reduce the number of times council must meet per month, items covered at the planning and development meetings will be integrated into the regular, committee of the whole meetings.

Another cut has been to the annual large garbage pick-up, which has been completely eliminated from this year’s budget.

“At one point we talked about putting it over every other year, but it has been totally eliminated. There will not be a large garbage pickup based on this budget,” said Bluewater treasurer Ansberth Willert.

Garbage tag fees have also increased from $2.50 to $3.

For the last several years, Bluewater has ended the previous year of operation in a surplus position, resulting in a revenue carry-forward that reduced the municipal levy, according to Willert.

However, Bluewater ended the fiscal year of 2014 with an estimated deficit of $40,747.92, which increased the funding requirement.

“The budget process is becoming an increasingly difficult task for small rural communities and Bluewater is no exception,” said Mayor Tyler Hessel. “Council and staff have worked together to find a balance between funding service delivery and protecting core services, making investments to upgrade our infrastructure, and looking longer-term to our future needs while keeping taxes competitive.”

It didn’t help matters that a new funding formula for the OPP requires a big chunk be taken out of the municipality’s finances.

In 2014, Ontario switched to a new funding model for the calculation of OPP costs and billings to municipalities.

The 2015 OPP billing amount will be $898,132, an increase of 22.2 per cent over last year.

This is year one of a five year phase-in of increased policing costs that will see Bluewater’s OPP costs increase to $1,491,240 by 2019.

“The municipality has no control over policing costs, which is the service funded through the levy under the protected services department,” reminded Willert.


Other budget highlights include $3.2 million allocated for road and bridge upgrades, funding for a new Strategic Plan, development charges study, and water/sewer financial plan, purchasing a pumper-tanker for the fire department and funding for a back-up generator at the municipal office.

“The status quo is not an option for Bluewater and we’ll be looking to forge partnerships with our municipal neighbours to share services and council will be making decisions based on our Asset Management Plan and our Strategic Plan that will be developed this year,” Hessel said.

The budget, which has been approved in principle, will be formally ratified by bylaw at the March 16 council meeting, provided that the county and education rates have been finalized.

Copies of the 2015 Operating and Capital budget will be available at the municipal office and at the municipal website, town.bluewater.on.ca once the education and county rates are confirmed.

http://www.southwesternontario.ca/news/ ... opp-costs/
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