Recap of the January 30th Budget Committee Meeting - Proposed Budget Updates

The purpose of this meeting was to allow the Director of Financial Services/Treasurer to present the Budget Committee with the updated 2024 Proposed Budget.

Below is a recap of this meeting:

Southwestern Public Health (SWPH) Budget

• An analysis of the recent budget sent to Elgin County from SWPH indicates that the funding provided by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care is eroding and is lower than 70%.
• SWPH budget increase from 2023 to 2024 is calculated to be 9% which is above the Ministry’s 1% increase. Once Board approved, the overage falls on Municipal Partners to provide in good faith.

Community & Cultural Services Budget Adjustments

• $10K for proposed increase for Museum has been removed for further discussion as a discretionary item
• As originally presented to budget committee:
  • A contracted position has been added to be funded through donations received in the year and offset by previously received donations such as the Bushell Estate. The contracted position has no impact on the levy

Corporate Activities

• Contained within the Corporate Activities department are the taxation amounts for the levy, payments in lieu, supplemental taxes and write-offs as well as other non-specific departmental revenue and debt components of the County Budget.
• Growth is an annual factor that will affect how much the levy needs to be increased to further support the County’s budget needs.
• In recognition of the fact that the County does not have development charges, Council created a growth reserve to recognize new growth by setting it aside. This practice is expected to support the County’s future additional budget pressures that will ultimately result from new growth.

For more details on the January 30th Budget Committee Meeting, please access the following link: https://shorturl.at/bsFGU

Budget Committee Meeting Video - January 30, 2024