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County may use past surpluses to boost Oaks capital reserve

June 4, 2014   ·   0 Comments

County Council’s Government Services committee has recommended moving surplus money from Dufferin County Community Support Services (DCCSS) accumulated for several years to a Dufferin Oaks capital reserve.

The DCCSS operates multiple programs such as transportation services, assisted living and adult day programs under the administration of Dufferin Oaks. The programs are funded mostly by Ministry of Health grants, plus some user fees and county tax support.

At its meeting Tuesday, the committee learned that the infusion of surplus money will increase the Dufferin Oaks Capital Reserve to $268,404 which will be available for use in future capital budgets of Dufferin Oaks.

County auditors identified during the 2013 year-end some surplus monies related to the year-end results of DCCSS in previous fiscal years.

In recent years, the funding model related to DCCSS has changed from one based on individual programs to a more global program approach.

That global approach allows surplus funds to be applied to other DCCSS programs.

It had been normal county practice to temporarily transfer any unspent monies at the end of each year into an account to be held in case the funds had to be returned to the Ministry of Health. With the change in funding model, these funds may now be retained by the county.

That money has been dubbed surplus.

The surplus equals $195,518, of which $187,160 was recognized in 2013 on the recommendation of the auditors and allocated to the Dufferin Oaks Capital Reserve.

The committee recommended that the balance of $8,358 be transferred in 2014 to the same reserve and be earmarked for future Dufferin Oaks capital projects.

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