HomeMy WebLinkAboutDTS-10-170 - Local Environmental Action Fund (LEAF) Update & Authority to Execute Legal DocumentsREPORT
REPORT TO:
Finance & Corporate Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING:
September 27, 2010
SUBMITTED BY:
Jeff Willmer, Interim General Manager, Development &
Technical Services
PREPARED BY:
Barbara Steiner, Senior Environmental Planner (519-741-
2293)
WARD(S) INVOLVED:
All
DATE OF REPORT:
September 22, 2010
REPORT NO.: DTS-10-170
SUBJECT:
LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION FUND (LEAF) UPDATE
& AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE LEGAL AGREEMENTS
RECOMMENDATION:
1. THAT this report on the status of the projects and programs funded by LEAF be
received for information; and further,
2. THAT the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute Local Environmental Action
Fund (LEAF) legal agreements with the organizations granted monies from LEAF,
all such legal agreements to be subject to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor.
BACKGROUND:
On May 3, 2010, Council requested that an update be provided to Finance and Corporate
Services Committee on the projects and programs that have been funded by LEAF.
In addition, on that same date, Council directed staff to investigate the feasibility of providing for
the issuance of loans under the City’s LEAF program to worthwhile projects and programs that
meet LEAF criteria; and that final disposition of the 2010 LEAF applications submitted by the
local YMCA and Community Renewable Energy Waterloo (CREW) be deferred, pending any
recommendation as to the outcome of the investigation into the feasibility of the provision of
loans from LEAF. This investigation will be coming forward in a staff report on November 8,
2010 along with the discussion of all of the issues that have emerged regarding the evaluation
of applications to LEAF and grant administration as identified in report DTS 10-083.
Finally, the Mayor and Council need authorization to execute the LEAF legal agreements for
2010 and future years. In a 2009 Council resolution, this authority was only granted for 2009
LEAF grantees, not all future years (DTS 09-114). In approving the application and evaluation
process for LEAF as outlined in staff report DTS-08-194, Council confirmed that all successful
applicants would be required to enter into a legal agreement with the City setting out the terms
and conditions of the LEAF grant.
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REPORT:
On April 16, 2007, Council approved the $5 million Local Environmental Action Fund (LEAF).
Throughout 2007, input on how LEAF should operate was obtained from staff, Council,
Kitchener’s Environmental Committee, and the community at large. Based on direction from all
stakeholders an Operating Framework for LEAF (DTS-08-33) was approved by Council on
March 17, 2008, and the application and evaluation process (DTS-08-194) was received for
information on November 17, 2008. On December 8, 2008 the final composition of the LEAF
Steering Committee was approved by Council including the addition of two (2) citizen-advisors.
City Council is the final decision-making authority on whether or not an application for LEAF
funding is successful or not.
In 2009, Council approved sixteen (16) projects for LEAF funding in the amount of $1,163,559.
In 2010 to date, Council approved six (6) projects for funding in the amount of $97,022. In
addition, it is anticipated that a loan of $1,367,000 to fund the solar roof at the Consolidated
Maintenance Facility will be expended in 2010.
Therefore, at this point in time, Kitchener’s Local Environmental Action Fund has invested in
twenty-two (22) worthwhile projects in the amount of $1,260,581, and $3,739,419 is available for
future environmental initiatives that meet LEAF criteria with $1,367,000 of this amount currently
on loan.
The attached table summarizes the status of the twenty-two (22) projects funded by LEAF to
date. A presentation at Finance and Corporate Services Committee on Monday, September 27,
2010 will provide more context and detail, and will also contain photographs and other visual
documentation of the projects’ activities.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
COMMUNICATIONS:
This status update was prepared for Council and is available to the community at large.
Additional information on the LEAF program is available on the City of Kitchener website.
REVIEWED BY:
Alain Pinard, Interim Director of Planning (741-2319)
Sian Williams, Assistant City Solicitor (741-2264)
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Jeff Willmer, Interim General Manager
Development and Technical Services Department
Attachments:
Table: Status of 2009 & 2010 Projects Funded by LEAF (September 2010)
Presentation: Update on Projects Funded by LEAF (under separate cover)
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