The Township of Fauquier…

The Township of Fauquier-Strickland developed an "Asset Management Plan" (AMP) as at December 31, 2013, and has been working with the document ever since its adoption.

The proposed regulation will force municipalities to review a document that is working well and will add unnecessary levels of analysis, reporting, alignment, projections for a municipality to move forward with its "Tangible Capital Asset" (TCA) renewal.

In its present form the proposed AMP regulation will create undue hardship and excessive work for Fauquier-Strickland. Being a small municipality (under 600 population) with only 4 permanent staff, we don't have the human resources and expertise to complete the specified tasks.

The current regulatory proposal increases asset management criteria into area for which we have no control over. For example, actions required to address the risks and vulnerabilities that may be caused by climate to a municipality's assets will be an exercise in futility. No one can predict the future. This condition or requirement should be removed from the proposed policy statement and the AMP.

Furthermore, a commitment to provide opportunities for municipal residents and other interested parties to provide input into asset management planning for a municipality, will not work either. The municipality has a hard time attracting candidates to run for municipal elected office. How can we ask residents to participate in a process they won't understand and complicated by these inessential requirements.

We understand the benefits of working with such a document, however standardization between municipalities for the purpose of conformity and comparability will only serve the province.

It is unlikely that our AMP will meet the criteria set out in this proposal

- resulting in having to substantially start over. The cost will be difficult to justify to the ratepayers, residents, to budget and will have to be completed by a third party. The latter represents a problem in itself.

Unless the provincial government is willing to create a position for Fauquier-Strickland and provide the financial assistance required at 100% in perpetuity to upgrade and maintain the documents, then the municipality Might be able to meet the dates and criteria requested.

In conclusion, in order to achieve the desired outcomes, the provincial government has only one option: The Province must commit to significantly funding the immediate and on-going municipal resource and capacity needs that will be required to comply.

[Original Comment ID: 210138]