A Belleville councillor is calling for a review of the agreement with Hastings County for services that he says are escalating in cost.
Councillor Jack Miller questions the $10 million Belleville pays for the cost of administering the programs such as provincial offences and long term care services.
He told Quinte News he’s “not picking a fight with Hastings County,” however, he does want to know what the agreements are and if there is an amending opportunity.
Miller told city council Monday that the agreements were reached 20 years ago and in all the years he’d been on council he had never seen them.
He says Long Term Care, overseeing Hastings Manor, has increased 29% in three years.
He pointed to the rate of increase in expenditures for provincial offences, but with a reduction in revenues for the city.
Over the last 10 years Belleville’s revenue has dropped from almost $442,000 to $163,000 while expenses have gone from 43% of revenue to almost 69%.
Miller noted the outstanding $750,000 fine against former Belleville businessman Jim Sinclair, which he “doesn’t really expect to see.”
Miller asked for a staff report, in the next four months, outlining the agreements as they pertain to the Provincial Offences Board and Long Term Care, specifically Hastings Manor.