Northumberland County council approves $181M budget, re-elects Bob Crate as warden

Northumberland County council voted in favour of the 2022 budget and also re-elected Bob Crate as warden on Wednesday.

The approvals came during Wednesday’s meeting. The $181.3-million budget includes a 3.11 per cent levy increase after growth, which comprises:

• Base levy of 1.85 per cent
• Dedicated infrastructure investment of 0.85 per cent
• Hospital funding of 0.4 per cent

The county says it amounts to $63.3 million in levy funding towards the total budget.

Northumberland County represents seven municipalities: the town of Cobourg, municipalities of Port Hope, Trent Hills and Brighton and townships of Hamilton, Alnwick/Haldimand and Cramahe.

It’s estimated for a median single-family detached home in the county, it will mean $38 in annual property taxation — subject to change based on tax policy and information from the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, which will both be finalized this spring.

“In providing direction to staff at the launch of the budget process in June, council sought to balance affordability for taxpayers with necessary invest­ments in critical community services and infrastructure,” stated Crate (mayor of Trent Hills), who was sworn in Wednesday to serve a second term as county warden after receiving unanimous endorsement from council

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“Council is mindful that the ongoing global pandemic has increased fi­nancial constraints for many of our residents. We have also heard from the public on the importance of sustainable investments in areas such as road and bridge rehabilitation, affordable housing, economic development and community health and well-being.

“Following intensive deliberation over two days of special meetings, council has arrived at a budget that keeps the levy increase as low as possible while ensuring delivery of essential programs and services relied upon by our community.”

The projects and services the 2022 budget will support include:

• Funding for Northumberland Hills Hospital Foundation and Campbellford Memorial Hospital Foundation for investment in essential capital equipment.
• Advancements in capital projects such as the Golden Plough Lodge and Northumberland County Archives and Museum redevelopment, the Elgin Park and Ontario Street community housing projects, and the Campbell­ford Bridge project.
• Surface treatment for over 120 kilometres of municipal and county roads, and construction work on in­tersections, culverts and retaining walls.
• Affordable Housing Strategy initiatives, including the Capital Grant Pro­gram to increase the supply of affordable rental housing and funds for strategic land acquisition for future community housing development.
• Economic development initiatives, including manufacturing attraction activi­ties; micro-grants, coaching and training to grow small businesses; and tourism experience development.

Also on Wednesday, Cramahe Township Mayor Mandy Martin was sworn in a second term as the county’s deputy warden.

The roles of warden and deputy warden are one-year terms, filled by one of the seven members of county council.