Two seats at the nuclear table — pay raise for workers — film development office — road costs
Article by Valerie MacDonald
There are two nuclear-industry manufacturing sites in Northumberland. One is located in Port Hope, the other one in Cobourg, both are owned by Cameco.
At present, Port Hope Mayor Bob Sanderson sits as Vice Chair on the Canadian Association of Nuclear Host Communities. A not-for-profit association whose purpose, according to the organization’s website, is: to “support local governments by acting as a resource for all current, future, and interested nuclear host communities, while maintaining the best interests of their communities in an ongoing proactive relationship with the Canadian nuclear industry and regulators.”
Now that Northumberland County is joining the organization, he recommended to county councillors, during their April 21 council meeting that a second municipal representative sit on the board.
As a result, Mayor of Cobourg, John Henderson where the second plant is situated, has been recommended for the position.
In other county council meeting decisions, Council has taken a move to retain staff. It has approved a 2.12% retroactive pay raise for non-union workers and agreed to enhance their benefits including annual sick days for permanent part-time employees. (To see the financial thinking behind this decision, go to the end of the article.)
In other matters, county councillors have directed county staff to work with staff from the seven municipalities to establish a film development strategy and organize a film development office which will establish a contact list, outline local services, setup a photo file, and provide contacts with the film industry. Such an office is anticipated to be a money maker and will provide positive exposure for Northumberland County.
Drain Brothers Excavating, who do road resurfacing, have been awarded a $4.3-million paving contract for a number of Northumberland County roads. Peterborough County will receive money for Northumberland County’s share of repairing a 3.7-kilometres section of County Road 42, a boundary road between the two counties, at a cost less than the anticipated $1.4-million share. It’s estimated there will be a surplus of $605,000 from the budgeted amount of this project.
Finally, Northumberland County proclaimed April 28 National Day of Mourning recognizing the number of workers who have been killed, disabled or injured on the job. The county has a commitment to the providing a healthy work place, Northumberland County Warden Bob Crate said.
Financing pay and benefit improvements
The cost for 2022 will be $56,000, but overall there will be a $315,000 financial impact.
“To enhance the non-union retiree benefit costs to cover 100% of the premiums from age 60 – 65 for employees with 25 years’ service would increase the cost by $3,000 per year per employee. Currently the annual cost of benefits is split 50/50 between the employee and the County. There is no financial impact in 2022.
The annual increased cost to have premiums paid at 100% for employees with 30 years of service and age 55 would be $3,000. The impact in 2022 would be $2000 (partial year).
The annual cost to provide three paid sick days for the permanent part-time employees is $9,382. The 2022 impact based on 2 sick days (pro-rated) in 2022 is $6,255.
The combined impact of the cost-of-living increase and the benefit enhancements is $314,955. The cost of living included in the approved 2022 budget was $243,526 leaving a shortfall of $71,429 which will be absorbed within the 2022 salary and benefit budgets due to salary gapping as a result of several vacant positions.”
By comparison, according to that same staff report, individual municipalities approved cost of living increases for their staff of between 1.5% and 4.9% for this year.
