ROCKWOOD – Guelph/Eramosa is now compliant with provincial law after its 2024 asset manangement plan was at last presented to council a year past deadline.
The province requires townships and municipalities to create thorough plans to manage assets such as infrastructure and vehicles.
According to Mike Bly of PSD Citywide, the total replacement cost of the township’s assets is valued at an estimated $301 million.
Roads was quoted at $78 million, water was estimated at $46.7 million, wastewater at $45.5 million, bridges and culverts at $43.2 million, storm water networks at $30.7 million, buildings and facilities at $27.9 million, parks and land improvements at $14.8 million, fleet at $11.3 million and machinery and equipment at $2.7 million.
Approximately 89 per cent of assets are in fair or better condition, Bly said.
Bridges and culverts were ranked 20% in very good condition, just under 60% in good condition, around 20% in fair condition and under 5% in very poor condition.
Buildings and facilities were ranked just under 20% in very good, around 45% good, under 20% fair, around 5% poor and under 5% very poor.
Fleet ranked nearly 40% very good, almost 30% good, around 5% fair and poor and over 20% very poor.
Machinery and equipment proved to be the worst category with a ranking of roughly 10% for very good, good, fair and poor. And a whopping nearly 50% very poor.
Roads ranked approximately 25% very good, almost 40% good, under 10% fair, under 5% poor and a little over 10% very poor.
The top two asset categories were wastewater network and water network with ranking of almost 40% very good, nearly 60% good and nearly 50% very good and 40% good respectively.
Bly recommended council include a 1.5% annual tax increase over 15 years if the town wants to maintain its assets.
Councillors voiced concern over a tax increase but Mayor Chris White said it was just a suggestion and would be discussed in the future.
The report was received by council as information.
