HomeMy WebLinkAboutOPD-001-04
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REPORT
OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT
Meeting:
GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
Date: March 29, 2004
Report #: OPD-001 -04
File#:
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By-Law #:
Subject:
SENIOR CITIZENS AND PHYSICALLY DISABLED
SIDEWALK AND DRIVEWAY WINDROW
SNOW CLEARING PROGRAM
Recommendations:
1. THAT Report OPD-001-04 be received; and
2. That a user pay system be implemented for the 2004 - 2005 season; and
3, That the fee schedule as outlined in Option "8" be approved; and
4. That the funds required to pay contractor be drawn from the Seniors Snow
Clearing account number 7212-92004-0261; and
5, That the revenues received be credited to an Operations Fees and
Service Charges account.
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Submitted by: ~ ~~ Reviewed by:
rederick J. Horvath, B.A., RD.M.R, RRF.A.
Director of Operations
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Franklin Wu,
Chief Administrative Officer
CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L 1C 3A6 T (905) 263-2292 F (905) 263-4433
801
REPORT NO: OPD-001-04
PAGE 2
BACKGROUND
The Senior Citizens and Physically Disabled Sidewalk and Driveway Windrow Snow
Clearing Program began as a pilot project in the winter of 1992 for the Bowmanville,
Newcastle and Orono Business Improvement areas, The program was expanded in
1993 and each year continues to grow with 662 residents on the current program,
During budget deliberations in 2001, staff brought forward a report recommending a
fee for service for this program, The goal was to investigate a cost recovery
program to be implemented in the 2001 - 2002 season, The resolution by Council
at the time was to continue the program in order to provide a municipal service to the
seniors,
PROGRAM INFORMATION
40
10
7
N/A
3
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
2
62
Did Not Return to Program from 02-03
Total Participants in 02-03 Program
Bowmanville
Courtice
Newcastle
Newtonville
Orono
Solina
Burketon
Enniskillen
Hampton
Maple Grove
Mitchell's Corners
350
115
41
10
21
4
1
2
10
2
6
562
62
646
50
29
17
1
1
o
o
o
2
o
o
*100
400
144
58
11
22
4
1
2
12
2
6
662
Increase to the 03-04 Program from last 16
Year
(*100 new participants as of February 5, 2004)
CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L1C 3A6 T (905) 263-2292 F (905) 263-4433
802
.,
REPORT NO: OPD-001-04
PAGE 3
2001 2002 2003 2004
TO DATE
COSTS $75,855 $52,647 $97,201 $65,000
PARTICIPANTS 629 646 662
In review of other municipalities in the Region of Durham, Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax,
Scugog and Pickering offer a similar program, Only Ajax and Scugog provide a
charge for the service. The charges are as foilows:
· Ajax $50.00/windrow; $100.00/sidewalk; $125.00/corner lot.
· Scugog $50.00/sidewalk & pathway to door; $175,OO/to plow
driveway for 1 vehicle; $225.00/for both services.
RESIDENTS CONCERNS
During the 2003/2004 winter, several complaints and inquiries were received about
the program. The majority of the complaints were:
1, The windrow 1 sidewalk were not completed as soon as the resident
expected,
2, I pay the same taxes as my next door neighbour and I should have my
sidewalk cleared as weil,
3, The neighbour adjacent to approved seniors complaining that the contractor
was entering or exiting from their driveway,
Staff and the contractor have worked together since the commencement of the
winter program to ensure that ail program expectations are met and that customer
enquiries are dealt with in a timely and positive manner.
CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE; ONTARIO L 1 C 3A6 T (905) 263-2292 F (905) 263-4433
803
,
REPORT NO: OPD-001-04
PAGE 4
COMMUNITY CARE
Community Care relies on volunteers to assist seniors with snow clearing removal.
Community Care does not use a contractor and the majority of snow clearing is
performed manually with shovels, Community Care assists only registered
applicants (51 in 2003 - 2004), and charge $7,00 per hour for snow removal.
Their program relies solely on volunteers and if they are unable to attract volunteers,
they cannot provide the service,
OPTIONS
In preparing this report, staff considered the following options:
OPTION "A" - EXISTING LEVEL OF SERVICE
Council may consider maintaining the existing level of service with no changes,
OPTION "8" - FEE SCHEDULE
Council may reconsider the fee for service again. The fees would be proposed to
cover sidewalks at various lengths, corner lots and windrows.
For your information the Clarington program consists of 662 windrows, 438
sidewalks and windrows and 64 corner lot sidewalks and windrows,
Based on our 2001 report and recommended fees for service, the estimated cost
recovery for the 2003 - 2004 program would have been:
. Windrows 662 @ $ 50.00 $33,100.00
· Sidewalks 438 @ $100,00 $43,800,00
· Sidewalk/corner lot 64 @ $150,00 $ 9,600,00
$86,500,00
If this is the direction of Council staff recommends the following fee schedule for
implementation in 2004 -2005,
· Windrows $ 50.00/ per season
· Sidewalks $100.00 / per season
· Sidewalk/corner lot $150,00/ per season
Our projected cost for this program is estimated at $90,000 for 2004,
CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOW MANVILLE, O~TeR40 L 1 C 3A6 T (905) 263-2292 F (905) 263-4433
.
REPORT NO: OPD-001-04
PAGE 5
CONCLUSION
The Seniors and Physically Disabled Snow Clearing Program has expanded
significantly over the last 12 years, The program will continue to grow and annual
costs are reflective of the weather conditions and contractor's pricing. The
Municipality is geographically challenged to undertake any type of program in-house
and to be cost effective, As the Municipality is facing a difficult budget challenge in
2004, the ongoing increased costs of the program due to participation is a concern
as well as increased expectations to the level of service.
After review of all options, staff's recommendation is to implement a user pay system
for the 2004 - 2005 season,
CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L 1C 3A6 T (905) 263-2292 F (905) 263-4433
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