GUELPH – A $4.05-million surplus from Wellington County’s 2018 operating budget will be transferred to the Wellington Terrace capital reserve contingent upon the approval to move forward with the Continuum of Care project.
An administration finance and human resource committee recommendation approved by county council on April 25 also directs the surplus be reallocated to the roads capital reserve should council elect to not move forward with the project.
A preliminary plan for a “Continuum of Care” on Wellington Place lands in Aboyne pegged the price of building a supportive seniors community for about 300 residents at around $88 million.
The county included $1 million for project exploratory work in the 2019 budget and discussions surrounding the continuum have been included in the county’s current strategic planning process.
County councillors attended the second of two strategic planning sessions at the Hillsburgh Library on April 25 following the regular county council meeting.
Warden Kelly Linton said the process is going well and he anticipates a report on the plan will come before county council in June.
At the April 25 council meeting, councillor Mary Lloyd said she was pleased with the decision on how to handle the surplus.
“I think it’s very forward planning in that we would have to build up funding for that if it were to go forward,” Lloyd stated. “But I also like the fact that it has it contingent on going forward and, if not Continuum of Care, it’s going to the road budget, and I’m thankful for the way that that was put together.”
