SD&G – Residents in the United Counties will be paying less for policing in 2018.
Coun. Dennis Fife, who sits on the O.P.P. police board, told county council Tuesday morning they inked a contract a couple of weeks ago with the provincial police force next year.
The deal still has to be formally approved by county council.
“After we passed it, we found out that costs are going to be decreased for next year, so that’s good news,” Fife said.
Exactly how much the county will save was not available.
The United Counties’ O.P.P. budget has been just over $10 million. It was $10.4 million this year.
There was a budgeted increase of $103,000 this year but the county had a windfall reduction in 2016 of $1.1 million.
Usually, the savings are put into roads – one of the county’s single biggest expenses.
“Their (O.P.P.) contract come into us and it was lower than it was last year. I don’t think there’s any cut in services,” Coun. Chris McDonell, also a member of the police board, told CNW.
McDonell couldn’t recall how much the savings were but he didn’t believe it was like the $1.1 million windfall signed in 2015, when the O.P.P. changed its billing model to base its cost on calls for service.
He did say it was “a considerable amount.”
The county has already set aside Dec. 4 to start budget talks.