Zorra Township’s assets have a $1.5 million investment shortfall

Connor Luczka, Echo Correspondent

The 2025 asset management plan (AMP) paints a complicated picture of Zorra Township’s assets, as Coun. Paul Mitchell noted at an earlier June 4 council meeting.

“If there are two disturbing things in this report, it’s the dollar figures involved. The other is what I thought were very low ratings in the condition assessments,” Mitchell said.

Connor Brennan, a specialist with Oxford County, presented an update on the AMP at that meeting, ahead of council’s decision on what to do with the plan on June 18.

As Brennan presented, the AMP indicates that the replacement value of the township’s assets is estimated at $338 million. Of that value, about $135 million is related to roads, fleet, transportation equipment, streetlights and sidewalks, $101 million to bridges and structural culverts, $69 million to facilities, $20 million to urban stormwater, $8.5 million to fire department fleet and equipment and $4 million to recreation assets.

To fully fund the municipality’s assets, $6.73 million of investment is required each year. A nearly $5 million investment target has been recommended, though in this year’s budget only $3.45 million is slotted for asset investment, leaving a $1.52 million shortfall.

A two to 2.4 per cent tax levy increase would be required each year over the next five to meet the investment target.

Within the plan, each asset is given a rating ranging from “excellent,” that it is well maintained with no defects, to “critical,” that it no longer functions.

When it comes to bridges and culverts, two per cent of the assets are excellent, 63 per cent are good, 35 per cent are fair and none are poor or critical. Transportation services assets tell a different story – 11 per cent are excellent, 15 per cent are good, 52 per cent are fair, 14 per cent are poor and eight per cent are critical.

About 86 per cent of stormwater assets are in excellent condition, 13 per cent are good and one per cent are fair. None are in poor or critical condition. About 24 per cent of recreation assets are in excellent condition, 49 per cent are in good condition, two per cent are in fair condition, five per cent are in poor condition and 20 per cent are in critical condition. About 37 per cent of facility assets are in excellent condition, 11 per cent are in good condition, 43 per cent are in fair condition, six per cent are in poor condition and three per cent are in critical condition. About 25 per cent of fire department assets are in excellent condition, 14 per cent are in good condition, 14 per cent are in fair condition, 22 per cent are in poor condition and 25 per cent are in critical condition.

Although at a glance the assessments seem dire, Brennan said many assets are being properly managed even if they may have a fair or poor rating. If a building is set for replacement in 10 years, the municipality is not going to replace the roof with five years left if it is functional.

“I don't want residents to look at this and say we have bridges in poor condition,” Ryan said after Brennan’s clarification. “In an asset management context, we do. Functionally? Not necessarily.”

The full 2025 AMP was presented to council at its June 18 meeting, after press time. A report on council’s decision will be available in a future edition of the Echo.

The 173-page report can be found on the Zorra Township website.