County council has found a new tenant for the former OPP station in Fergus.
And that new work place for county employees will include a second gym for councillors, employees and their spouses.
Council approved a recommendation on April 28 to move some social services staff to 321 St. Andrew Street West.
Social services administrator Eddie Alton told the county social services committee in a report, “With the Ontario Provincial Police relocating to Aboyne in April of 2011, an opportunity exists for the county to establish an office in the county-owned building … From this office it is proposed that the county would provide Ontario Works financial and employment services designed to be more convenient for residents of the central and northern part of the county, as well as house two of the immigrant settlement and adaption program workers.”
Alton said his staff was asked to report to the committee on “the appropriateness of various office locations in the county to enhance accessibility for Ontario Works clients.”
He said there are a number of requirements to meeting the regulations for such an office. One is that the office would have to serve a minimum of 240 clients to ensure at least three or more caseworkers are assigned to the office, to provide adequate coverage during vacation and sickness. The building must also be on, or close to a major transportation route.
The building must be big enough to serve clients and have a secure reception area.
Alton added there is a preference that the building house only county staff, due to the confidential nature of the work and to protect the clients and meet privacy requirements.
Alton said in the report 332 clients of the current 429 are from the central and northern part of the county, so that criterion is met.
“It will be evident from a review of the current county Ontario Works clients that almost one quarter reside in Fergus and Elora. An Ontario works office in Fergus will provide convenient local services for these clients. A Fergus location will also provide more convenient services for residents of the Townships of Mapleton and Wellington North, as well as the Town of Minto.
“Additionally, the … building provides, with fairly minimal renovation, all of the attributes that we believe are important when considering such a new location.”
The proposal will require a move from Guelph for a manager to oversee the Ontario Works and Immigrant Settlement and Adaption Program, four caseworkers, two ISAP workers, a part-time clerk for both programs, and back-up in reception, for a total of 7.4 positions. That means new hiring that is the equivalent of 1.9 full time jobs.
Alton said Child Care Services and Housing Services would not be assigning staff to work out of the Fergus building on a regular basis but would use the building for meetings and client interviews on a regular basis. The Human Resources department has also indicated it might want to conduct interviews in the building, and such a room could be set up to meet those needs.
Alton said he expects the additional funding required would be accommodated in the Ontario Works funding model (additional costs will be eligible for 50% provincial subsidy), and the annual net municipal cost will be about $67,500, starting in 2012.
The social services committee authorized staff to have renovation plans designed in accordance with a $350,000 budget and the work be tendered as soon as practical after the police left the building.
County council approved that proposal.
Expanded gym
When it moves employees into the old police station, county council will also create a second gym for its employees.
Council approved a recommendation from Chief Administrative Officer Scott Wilson in the administration, finance, and personnel report.
He said the current gym at Wyndham Street, in Guelph, is very successful, and staff want it expanded to include Fergus, in the back end of the old police station. It would be part of the county’s health and wellness program for employees.
“The advantage of the Fergus location (over 129 Wyndham) is that the washrooms – complete with showers and lockers – are already in place, as part of the 2000 relocation of the OPP,” Wilson said in his report. “Physical costs for the 1,575 square feet under consideration will be relatively minor, and limited to flooring, lighting, and filling in the garage door – all of which would be done in some fashion to accommodate the re-located social services staff.”
Wilson also pointed out over one-third of county staff work at Wellington Place, just outside of Fergus, and a gym in the town would “help equalize the availability of the health benefit to county staff. It is estimated that the initial membership at a Fergus location would be 50.”
Wilson said financing and repayment of the Fergus gym would be the same as the partnership for the Guelph one. The county provides the space and staff provide the equipment.
He noted that the equipment in Guelph had cost about $49,000, and that was paid off in just over 30 months. Further, by the end of 2010, that gym’s memberships had generated a surplus of $18,000.
He said based on 50 members, the Fergus equipment, at a cost of about $40,000, would be repaid within nine months of its opening.
The Guelph gym charged $10 a month per employee, and if the gym were to fold, the county would own it and could resell it.
The gyms are open to county councillors, staff, and spouses, and are accessed through a secure key system. Hours of access were 5am to 9pm.
Councillor Lou Maieron noted that there had been a big fuss in 2006 when the gym story was published in the Wellington Advertiser.
He wondered if the same thing would happen again and asked committee chairman John Green about that.
Green said running the Guelph gym had been predicated on 70 gym members, and that gym had double that number.
Warden Chris White defended the new gym in an interview.
He said that the building is already a county facility, and that the renovation work would be done in any case for the move by social services.
He said memberships will cover the cost of the equipment, and other costs such as heat and hydro would already be borne by the county.
“Those fixed costs are already included,” he said. “It’s part of an existing, running building.”
White said there is one loss for the county. “We’re losing the opportunity costs for that space.”
