Health board budget approved, new chair elected

Newly elected chair Jo-Anne Albert says she hopes to a good job and stay well-informed in this position. Photo by Syerra Turry, QNet News

By Syerra Turry

BELLEVILLE – Belleville and Quinte West will see more money from the Hastings and Prince Edward Public Health budget this year, while Hastings and Prince Edward counties will see less.

The board passed the 2019 balanced operating budget of nearly $15.4 million at their meeting Wednesday.

This represents a 2.5-per-cent hike from last year for Belleville and Quinte West, while Hastings County decreased 2.7 per cent and Prince Edward County 4.3 per cent.

Member municipalities will face a 1.5-per-cent increase in costs, which was approved last fall.

The budget shows that revenues for this year are expected to be similar to those of previous years, with the exception of money related to the Healthy Kids Community Challenge, which ended in September. This Ontario-wide program brought in revenue of $344,000 from the provincial health ministry in 2018, but also created costs for the health unit. The program will not continue in 2019, which partly accounts for an expected 29-per-cent decrease in office expenses, a 45-per-cent decrease in program supply fees and a 30-per-cent decrease in professional services fees.

An increase in electronic communication has also helped to offset office and supply expenses, director of corporate services Valerie Dunham told the board.

“We used to spend, seven years ago, $15,000 on postage, and just this past year we spent $2,500 because we don’t mail anything anymore. There’s an ebb and flow of budgets that we’re starting to see here and we’re creating a new norm,” she said.

Valerie Dunham, director of corporate services at Hastings Prince Edward Public Health, says she is proud of the 2019 budget. Photo by Syerra Turry, QNet News

A key goal in drafting the budget, Dunham said, was to lower discretionary costs in order to reinvest in into staffing positions.

“We’ve reduced a lot of discretionary costs and we’ve maintained full-time staffing at the same level as last year in spite of not anticipating a large increase in revenues. So, I’m very proud of it,” she told QNet News. 

Full-time recruitments last year included a registered practical nurse, an epidemiologist and a foundational standards specialist who works to help the health unit achieve their strategic goals in terms of health assessment, program standards, and health promotion.

A 1.6-per-cent increase for members of the Ontario Nurses Association was included in the budget, which was negotiated last year. Negotiations with the Canadian Union of Public Employees negotiations which have yet to be resolved.

The meeting also saw the election of a new chair, Jo-Anne Albert, who serves as mayor for the municipality of Tweed.

“I’ve spent seven years on the board, as vice chair for four, so I guess it’s time to step up to the plate,” she told QNet News. “I just hope I can do a good job and keep informed of what’s going on.”