The 10-year capital police budget was proposed with a $26.4 million reduction at the Guelph Police Services Board meeting on Thursday.
The board met on Oct. 5 and there were big changes to the forecast previously presented at a meeting held on July 20. A couple of key projects were deferred, and grant funding was utilized in other projects, according to the 2024-2033 Capital Budget and Forecast & 2023 Budget Additions report.
“These reductions were achieved through a revision in our inflationary assumptions over the 10-year forecast,” said manager of financial services Sarah Purton. “So, there is a bit of a risk as well as the deferral of two large projects, the indoor range and the fourth-floor upgrades.”
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Purton said they were moved outside of the 10-year period.
There were no questions or remarks by the board members, though at the previous meeting the projects were discussed in detail, as well as possible options.
The report read that the police training facility — indoor firing range, proposed for $7.4 million, was beyond the budget period but that a separate report to the board would be provided due to risks of not planning for the facility in advance.
The police station fourth-floor update, proposed at $14.3 million, was also said to be beyond the budget period. Since there is no need for staff to vacate the Clair Road Emergency Services Centre (CRESC) facility, as previously discussed, the fourth floor of the station downtown is not needed for them.
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Scott Tracey, media relations co-ordinator, previously explained in an email that the fourth floor of the west end of the Guelph Police Services station at 15 Wyndham St. S. is “essentially an empty shell, allowing it to be developed as required based on its ultimate end use.”
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The renovation of police headquarters was planned to be complete in 2019, but work was extended until July of 2022. It came in at about $2.7 million over its $34-million budget.
The total amount being requested for the 10-year budget and forecast is now $52,465,100. The 2024-2027 capital budget calls for $6,584,900 in 2024, $3,266,600 in 2025, $4,448,600 in 2026, and $6,551,700 in 2027.
The capital forecast from 2028 to 2033 is $5,117,100 in 2028, $4,378,800 in 2029, $5,711,700 in 2030, $4,037,700 in 2031, $4,918,700 in 2032 and $7,449,300 in 2033 for information and planning purposes.
