By Cecilia Nasmith
Just as there is probably no citizen left untouched by the COVID-19 pandemic, no department in Northumberland County has failed to be affected.
Chief administrative officer Jennifer Moore detailed some of these affects at this week’s county council meeting.
“Many of our services continue to operate, because most of our services are quite essential and many are health-care related,” Moore said, mentioning the Golden Plough Lodge.
“There have been a lot of conversations in the media, a lot of attention given to long-term-care homes. We are pleased to say – touch wood – that right now our residents are healthy, and we are doing everything we can to make sure they stay healthy.
“We are complying with all provincial directives, including staffing levels.”
The facility is in lock-down, with visitors strictly limited. As well, they monitor staff health as they come and go.
Inventories are a challenge, with about one month’s supplies on hand but deliveries scheduled.
“Very much, this is a priority. Staff are doing everything they can to make sure everyone stays safe,” Moore said.
Paramedics have their own concerns with this emergency, though they are working effectively and call volumes remain stable. They have assisted in public-education and -testing initiatives that help maintain the general health and keep hospital volumes down.
Inventories are a concern for them as well, with about two weeks’ worth of supplies on hand and a delivery pending – though Moore pointed out that sometimes a delivery does not contain the entire amount of supplies that were ordered.
Moore had given a lot of details of the waste department during the debate that led to the motion reopening landfill and transfer-station sites, though she did share staff concerns over personal protective equipment being improperly disposed of in recycling containers (or sometimes just thrown onto the ground).
She added that Material Recovery Facility staff have instituted additional safety protocols at work as they deal with slightly increased volumes.
They continue to evaluate staffing in the transportation department and appropriate ways to meet maintenance standards, with scheduled projects being evaluated (and the majority of them going ahead).
As for county housing, staffers are working closely with residents to prioritize work that must be done to minimize the number of people entering these facilities.
And in public county buildings, increased sanitized housekeeping is being done and actual public access is controlled and limited.
While the Golden Plough Lodge-Northumberland County Archives and Museum project proceeds, other capital projects may be under review like the completion of the Campbellford Emergency Services Base. Work will continue on this, Moore said, but at a slower and safer pace.
“It might be finished later than we had hoped, but we do think it’s important this work continue,” she continued.
Community services like Ontario Works are being offered, wherever possible, through such alternative means as telephone and e-mail.
Services where it’s impossible not to have personal contact, like day care and the Ontario Early Years Centres and even the Provincial Offences court, are closed. Transition House emergency shelter has continued to operate, but has been able to separate clients more widely with the use of facilities at Cobourg Collegiate Institute (now closed to students). And echoing provincial actions in closing their parks and campgrounds, Northumberland Forest trails are closed – a move for which compliance has been challenging to monitor.
Information Technology is exceptionally busy just now, ensuring employees can work remotely.
The economic-development department will soon close the Ontario Agri-Food Venture Centre temporarily, just because its safe operation in this era of social distancing has been too difficult an exercise.
Looking ahead, Moore said, the department is starting to look ahead, not just supporting local businesses now but determining the best ways to proceed once everything gets back on track. A new tourism video, just released, is part of this effort.
“We have regular calls with other CAOs and the long-term-care community about the challenges all of our municipalities are facing,” Moore said.
Costs and lower revenues are a consistent concern, which treasurer Glenn Dees shared some information on.
Materials and supplies are up by about $32,000, Dees said, primarily covering the increased PPE required by the paramedics. He expects that figure to grow, especially in light of increased PPE required by long-term-care facilities.
Outlining staff shuffles and redeployments, he estimated a $90,000 cost in lost productivity. There’s also the impact of things like banked overtime that will be used at a later date, he added. If you factor that in, the figure could be as high as $149,000.
The $490,000 in bag-tag revenue incurred when council approved allowing one free bag of garbage per household per week has already been brought to their attention, and loss of Provincial Offences court revenue and Ontario Agri-Food Venture Centre income will also be felt.
On the other hand, he pointed out that the costs of borrowing and debentures will be less than might have been expected, as the Bank of Canada has reduced its overnight rate. And look for savings on such budget items as travel and training.
“We have another four weeks ahead of us,” Warden Bob Sanderson pointed out.
“This gives us a good perspective on what we may be dealing with in certain areas.”
