Essex County Council Approves 2021 Budget
Essex County Council passed a fiscally responsible Budget Wednesday night that supports the new hospital and mental wellness, promotes continued improvements to roads and an expanding active transportation network, builds upon staff engagement and development initiatives and invests in key areas like procurement and resident care at Sun Parlor Home.
“This budget embraces the County’s pay-as-you-go philosophy while making vital investments to promote growth and development along with the construction of a modern hospitals system that will benefit this region for generations to come,” said Sandra Zwiers, Director of Financial Services/Treasurer. “It promotes quality of life issues that matter to residents like improved roads and a connected trail network, it addresses mental health and addiction issues and it invests in the mental wellness of our first responders who have been standing tall against COVID-19.”
The 2021 Budget earmarks funds for an EMS Mental Health and Addictions Response Team pilot project to address community substance abuse issues. The team, consisting of a VPN Paramedic and a staff member of a specialized partner agency, will respond in real time to mental health and addictions calls and provide patients with specialized care. This program will support our most vulnerable residents while also working to lessen demand on standard EMS services.
This Budget also addresses the mental wellness issues first responders must often confront, building on the success of the Peer Support Program, which sees specially trained paramedics offer guidance to their colleagues and other first responder agencies. Essex-Windsor EMS will implement psychological pre-hire assessments, similar to those conducted by the military and police and fire services, to better understand who may be susceptible to mental injury.
Staff at Sun Parlor Home has done an exceptional job keeping residents safe during this pandemic and the 2021 Budget provides them additional resources to meet enhanced care mandates, including increased numbers of PSWs and RPNs along with the continuation of the visitation coordinator and screener positions introduced this year. As well, Sun Parlor Home will hire a coordinator to augment the efforts of their Infection Prevention and Control team.
Essex-Windsor EMS has likewise done a commendable job responding to the pandemic and the 2021 Budget includes funding for full-faced respirators and continuing practices embraced during COVID-19 like doffing stations and enhanced uniform cleaning. The Emergency Management Budget includes funding for the Municipal 511 incident mapping platform that provides a real-time view, both internally and for the public, of construction projects and lane restrictions and road closures in Windsor and Essex County.
“The dedicated frontline workers with the County of Essex have worked hard to keep this community safe during this pandemic and this Budget provides them the support they need to continue standing strong in the fight against COVID-19,” said Warden Gary McNamara. “The investments we are making in this Budget are built upon a foundation of sound financial management and position the County for future success, encouraging continued economic development and residential growth.”
The County’s $51.8 million construction program for 2021 includes $31.9 million for the Capacity Expansion Program. The $12.4 million Road Rehabilitation program encompasses more than two dozen projects, including two bridge rehabilitation and three culvert replacement projects. An additional $100,000 will be directed to the County Wide Active Transportation System, bringing to $4.8 million the CWATS program for next year.
The County continues to support social housing and the new hospital in this Budget, which earmarks $1.7 million for future renovations of deteriorating housing stock and which adds another $5.8 million to the reserve for a new state-of-the-art hospital, bringing the total to nearly $25 million.
The tax rate increase of 0.49 per cent works out to a $4.70 increase on a home assessed at $200,000. The County’s tax rate increases, excluding increases associated with infrastructure expansion, social housing and the new hospitals system, have essentially been flat since 2002. Inclusive of everything, the tax rate has increased by 23 per cent over 19 years, or about 1.16 per cent year, whereas inflation has increased by 32 per cent or 1.62 per cent per year.
Budget Highlights:
Roads: A $51 million construction program including $31.9 million for capacity expansion and an $12.4 million Road Rehabilitation program including more than two dozen projects.
Hospital: A $550,000 boost in mega-hospital funding, bringing the 2021 contribution to $5.8 million and the total set aside to nearly $25 million.
Essex-Windsor EMS: Creation of a new Mental Health and Addictions Response Team to address community substance abuse issues and reduce demand on 911. Increased emphasis on mental wellness and peer support for paramedics. Replacement of seven ambulances.
Sun Parlor Home: A boost in the number of RPNs and PSWs to enhance patient care and the hiring of a coordinator to augment the efforts of the Infection Prevention and Control team.
Social Housing: Earmarking $1,650,000 for restoration of housing stock as part of a five-year capital plan with the City of Windsor to address $10 million in infrastructure requirements.
General Government: Hiring of a Procurement Officer to ensure value for money in the purchasing of supplies and services.
Credit Rating: AA+ with a stable outlook, the highest rating a County level government can achieve.