'D' For Woodstock

Friday, 3 October 2014 05:55

The City is coming up $2.4 million short when it comes to average annual funding required for asset management.

WOODSTOCK - When it comes to asset management, the City of Woodstock gets a 'D'.

In 2012 the province announced that in order for any municipalities to receive any funding on a go-forward basis they required an Asset Management Plan, which was presented to City Council Thursday night.

Vice President of Public Sector Digest, Matt Dawe says in terms of condition of roads, bridges and storm sewer the City has done very well, but it was the funding portion of the analysis that brought the rating down.

"They were funding the roads fairly well but bridges and storm they were underfunding those pretty drastically and getting 'F's so their over grade, even though when you drive the roads, go over the bridges, it rains the water goes away -- it really looks at the funding is not there on a go forward to sustain what's there, the infrastructure."

The report also determined that the City is coming up $2.4 million short when it comes to the average annual funding required for asset management.

That figure takes into account roads, bridges and storm sewer only since the County takes care of water and wastewater.

Dawe says compared to other municipalities condition wise, Woodstock's assets are in quite good condition and the funding deficit was really no different than what was seen in other municipalities.

"As far as the overall impact to the citizen if we were looking to close that infrastructure gap, the tax increase is actually quite a bit lower than some of the other ones we have presented to other councils. A total 1.2 % versus others we've seen a 3 all the way up to an 8 percent tax increase over the next five to ten years."

Dawe says there isn't anything immediate the city needs to do in terms of recommendations.

"It's just improving the data that they have. They have a fairly good handle on what their assets are, going out and doing some additional condition inspection information I think will help in the long term and from there, they have some programs in place that they have started so I think they've already started down the right path."

Current councillors agreed that the new council will have some tough decisions to make going forward into the 2015 budget deliberations.