Northumberland County has released its 2023 annual report and the county’s warden says among the items that stand out most is the need for the provincial government to better-fund housing and social services.
In recent years, regional governments like Northumberland County have been asked to spend more money in areas traditionally funded by the province. When Northumberland County Warden Brian Ostrander considers the key takeaways from 2023, he said that’s one recurring theme for him, along with the need to continue to efficiently share services between local and regional governments.
“We must continue to drive a shared services environment between upper and lower-tier municipalities where we can partner and work together to help build on each other’s successes,” Ostrander told kawarthaNOW.
“We’re of course doing good work in that realm, from coordinating public works efforts and working across municipalities to build a seamless emergency service/public works communications system, to the development of a policing study to offer advice on next best steps for policing in Northumberland.”
Further, when it comes to managing services and taxpayers’ dollars, Ostrander said, “we must also continue to pressure our provincial partners for a better socioeconomic deal.”
“We simply cannot keep providing services like social services and housing services using property taxes,” he said. “Property taxes only make sense for linear projects like roads and bridges — but even then, in small and rural communities we don’t have the base to adequately keep up with the networks that we have.”
On that note, Northumberland County and the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus continue to advocate for a social and economic prosperity review, Ostrander added.
Northumberland County released its 2023 report on August 14, following county council’s receipt in June of externally audited financial statements for that year.
The report intends to reflect “Northumberland County’s commitment to transparency and accountability, providing community members with a clear view of how their tax dollars are being used to address key priorities and deliver essential services,” the county noted in a media release.
The 104-page report includes community statistics and facts, program and services highlights from 2023, and key priorities for 2024, with the aim of keeping residents informed of county governance and administration. It also provides a visual summary of 2023 financial performance and the complete audited financial statements for the fiscal year ending on December 31, 2023.
“The annual report remains an important tool for us to demonstrate our commitment to transparency and accountability with community members and interested parties,” said Northumberland County CAO Jennifer Moore in a media release.
“Through this report, we share updates on our key initiatives and programs, providing the community with an engaging and informative resource to learn how their tax dollars are being put to work in our community.”
The report identifies the tangible outcomes delivered in alignment with the county budget and highlights Northumberland’s efforts to advance key priorities outlined in its community strategic plan and annual business plans, the release noted.
The report shows county council approved a $213.5-million budget in 2023, allocating $128.5 million toward operating costs, $9.2 million for future strategic and infrastructure needs, and $75.6 million for investments in capital and critical infrastructure.
A total of $68.1 million of revenue in the 2023 budget was garnered through property taxes, with $60.2 million hailing from grants and subsidies. The remaining dollars were generated through a combination of debt, reserves, fees for services, and other revenue-generating activities.
“As county council and staff look ahead to the future, continued focus is on monitoring progress and measuring success to ensure quality service for the community,” the release said.
In early 2024, the county introduced an online dashboard of key performance indicators in a move to provide greater insight for community members and interested parties on the status of the county’s priorities and initiatives. The additional reporting tool is intended to complement the county’s formal annual reporting process, the release noted.
“This report provides an assessment of our progress during the past year, identifies opportunities and priorities for 2024, and reaffirms our commitment to strategic and prudent administration of taxpayer dollars,” Ostrander said in a statement.
“As we officially close out the 2023 fiscal year with this report, I want thank staff, council, community partners and our residents for helping us move forward our shared priorities.”
The 2023 annual report is available on Northumberland County’s website at northumberland.ca/annualreport.
