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The Huron Expositor, 1998-05-06, Page 7Police cost estimates hit some hard BY TRISH WILKINSON AND DAVE EMSLIE Clinton News -Record Staff Another promise of provincial downloading has become a reality as estimated police costs are adding up to a hard hit in the pocketbook for some local municipalities. Historically, townships and villages have not been charged for policing. This will change in 1998, however, after the Harris government realigned services and downloaded policing costs onto local municipalities. Earlier in the year, the OPP provided municipalities with estimates anticipating how much it would Lost each municipality _ based on information such as the amount of police response required in each area. The more precise figures • Provide a breakdown based on information such as the direct costs for policing. the cost of equipment used and each municipalities share of administrative support costs. MCKILLOP TOWNSHIP McKillop Township is facing a charge of $100,153 for 1998 policing. up from an 'original estimate of $77,136. "Ours did increase some," said Clerk -Treasurer Marion McClure. Information the township was provided inidcated the reason for the increase came after evaluating the number of calls OPP responded to in the township. McClure said they must hate gone hack and taken a closer look at the figures to result in the increase above the estimate. TUCKERSMITH TOWNSHIP Tuckersmith Township Reeve Bill C'arnochan sthted that the $'218.559 estimate "was pretty close to the numbers' we wcrc anticipating." Carnochan noted that the township's main concern is what OPP services will be 'provided to the municipality for the money they are paying. "What arc the level of services going to be...are they going to cover special cven4`1were some of the questions the reeve said the township wants to ask the Townshijs re. ve on cont. for OP. McKillop Tbwn+r i r;,� Tucke,vnith Tow, 1$59 Haat Town$ 163,796 Goderich Tb . 77573 62 ,933 467,097 Stanley Townshi Hayfield- OPP. He added although the downloading is inevitably going to have an effect on the township's budget, it is his hope that many of the new costs will balance with others taken over by the province. HULLETT TOWNSHIP Hullett Township's estimate also hit fairly close to earlier guesses, adding up to $163,796. for the municipality. "The number is fairly close to what the province has said our costs would he," Clerk - Treasurer Bev Shaddick stated. Reeve Bob Szusz added that for 1998, the township really has no choice but to pay what the OPP sets out. However, he added _that there is some talk about the Wingham police expanding in 1999. Still, for now the reeve said that the municipality is working at keeping its costs as low as possible to help offset some of the increases policing might cause. "What 'we here in Hullett are trying to do is -hold the line on as much as we can," Sz.usz said. GODERICH TOWNSHIP Among local municipalities, Goderich Township will be the hardest hit, as the municipality is facing an estimated yearly .policing cost of $477,575. This figure came as a surprise to the township, as clerk -treasurer Linda Cranston noted they had estimated a police costing of $127;080, based on the $90 per household figure with which the township had been provided. "For the last two years, we were all told that's what to use as a figure," she stated. Cranston noted that even taking into account the newest figures from Stats Canada, showing 1,455 homes in the township for 1998, the estimate would have only hcen $130,950 using the $90 figure. However, the estimate dated April 14 informed the township they would he facing the $477,000 total, and Cranston noted the news is "quite devastating...quite a shock." In fact, the figure was so much larger than the township expected that the clerk -treasurer said they initially thought there must have been an error, or a "glitch" in the calculation, with figures being entered improperly into a computer. Reeve Laurie Cox said the OPP, in giving the costing, followed the regulations they were provided with, but he added that the regulations are faulty, in that a small municipality has to pay for a facility like the Bluewater Youth Centre. The reeve Said originally. the youth centre was not supposed to be factored into the costing, but the provincial formula stated otherwise. Zed iweus•f What is investing? Investing is putting your money instead of your muscle to work. CAPITA PLRS LTD. Independence & Trust "Serving Canadians Since 7968" Some of our products and services. Retirement & tax planning, mutual funds, GIC's, RRSP's. Slttm'Carter Finar)clal Consultant 406 Wallace Ave. N. Listowel Ont. N411V 113 Bus. 1-800-291-1353 Res. 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EXETER, ONT. 519-235-0996 (John Norris Building) LONDON: 106-30 Adelaide St. N. 667-0897 • 11 He noted that the OPP sergeant was only interpreting the regulations. Reeve Jack Coleman made note of the fact that the OPP is currently preparing a costing for policing of the whole county, both including and excluding Wingham, which still has a municipal police service. "I would hope, when we get the county price, we would do quite a bit better," he said. "I'm hoping for that." When answering to the comment that policing would add to taxpayers' bilis in the township, the reeve noted that he would take the province It its word. "They said it v be revenue neutral. it revenue neutral." HURON CENTENNIAL SINGS 13 Songs of Happiness Kindness & Peace Sung by Huron Centennial Students C.D.'s'20.00 Cassettes x15.00 Order by Phone - 233-3330 or by fax 233-3401 A Great Gilt Ideal Proceeds to support school programs LAI KING STATION would like to wish all mothers Happy Mother's Day! 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Seaforth P.U.C. customers are being contacted by Energy Marketers requesting the right to act as agents in the purchasing of electricity at unspecified prices. These brokers may tell you that you will save a great deal of money in the future. You should know before signing a contract that these claims are unsubstantiated. Be aware that these marketers are NOT associated with our utility in any way and we want to caution you, our valued customer, to fully understand any agreement you may be signing. Seaforth P.U.C. will continue to be your supplier and deliverer of electricity and will keep you informed concerning electricity supply to the year 2000 and beyond. Seaforth P.U.C. has joined ENERconnect, a new buying co- operative made up of Ontario's publicly owned, non-profit electric Utilities. ENERconnect will assist your Utility with power purchasing services in a deregulated electricity market. This decision is expected to ensure competitive electricity rates and a secure supply of power for the residential and commercial customers served by the Seaforth P.U.C. What this means for customers is access to the buying power of utilities such as Ajax, Belleville, Brampton, Burlington, Dundas, Guelph, Goderich, Hamilton, Kingston, Kitchener -Wilmot, North Perth (Listowel), Markham, Niagara Falls, Peterborough, Seaforth, St. Mary's, Stratford, St. Thomas, Windsor, West Perth (Mitchell), and Wingham to name a few. It will keep our Utility viable and competitive in a deregulated market. Deferring your decision regarding your future electricity supplier is the "smart choice" at this time or contact us to discuss deregulation in the electricity market place. Your Utility: Seaforth P.U.C. Phone: 527-0530 A _. /