Losing $100,000 in government funding may not seem the best of News, but at least it provides needed information as Centre Wellington heads into its 2013 budget discussions.
On Nov. 19, Mayor Joanne Ross-Zuj said councillors received notice about the provincial infrastructure funds that are about to be released for roads, bridges and wastewater.
“You can see the turnaround date is Jan. 9, 2013. Again, we are very quickly pressed for time to get something ready. It always seems to be the pattern that we don’t have a lot of time, but at least we have some good planning practices in place.”
She said there will be a number of items treasurer Wes Snarr would be bringing forward so council can get on this right away.
At the federal level, Ross-Zuj noted this was Advocacy Week in Ottawa so members of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities are lobbying the MPs for infrastructure programs which will hopefully be released in 2014.
“We have lots of campaigns being launched this year by FCM to have our voices heard about the infrastructure deficiencies and the need for investment into the communities.
“We’re getting an excellent response and welcoming of the ideas. I’m looking forward to some good policies coming out of Ottawa in the new year.”
With that, and the bit of money from the province, “we should be able to launch some good programs in the new year.”
OMPF funds down $100,000
Ross-Zuj said “the other bit of News, which is not particularly good, but could be a lot worse, is that our OMPF [Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund] is being reduced. We’ve lost another 10%, but at least we have some coming back to us.”
She explained the OMPF had continued to drop since 2009, “and we’ll lose another $100,000 off our total this year.”
In 2012, the township received $999,700. For 2013, that amount is $899,800.
Ross-Zuj said it was good News to have going into budget talks, in that it gives the municipality a better understanding of the funds it will be working with in 2013.
