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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil - 2014-01-30 S SPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES JANUARY 30, 2014 CITY OF KITCHENER A special meeting of City Council was held at 8:19 p.m. this date, chaired by Mayor C. Zehr with all members present. Notice of this meeting had been previously given to all members of Council by the City Clerk pursuant to Chapter 25 (Council Procedure) of the Municipal Code. 1. 2014 OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET Council considered the report arising from the special Finance and Corporate Services Committee meeting held earlier this date with respect to the 2014 Operating and Capital Budgets. Moved by Councillor B. Ioannidis Seconded by Councillor F. Etherington "That the report of the special Finance and Corporate Services Committee meeting regarding the 2014 Operating and Capital Budgets be adopted." A recorded vote was requested. In Favour : Mayor C. Zehr and Councillors B. Ioannidis, S. Davey, K. Galloway-Sealock, B. Vrbanovic, F. Etherington, D. Glenn-Graham, Z. Janecki, Y. Fernandes and P. Singh. Contra : Councillor J. Gazzola. Carried. 2. BY-LAW FOR THREE READINGS Moved by Councillor Z. Janecki Seconded by Councillor B. Ioannidis “That leave be given the Mover and Seconder to introduce a by-law to confirm all actions and proceedings of the Council and that the same be taken as read a first, second and third times, be finally passed and numbered 2014-016 by the Clerk.” Carried. On motion the meeting adjourned at 8:35 p.m. MAYOR CLERK SPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES JANUARY 30, 2014 18CITY OF KITCHENER - - REPORTS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL FINANCE & CORPORATE SERVICES COMMITTEE - 2014 Operating Budget 1. That the general levy of $104,450,373 which results in approximately a 0.99% increase in the 2014 tax rate, excluding tax policy changes, be approved. 2. That assessment growth be budgeted at 1.31% for 2014. 3. That the following 2014 budgets for municipal enterprises be approved: 4. That, effective March 1, 2014, the water rate be increased 3.50% to $1.7633 per cubic metre and the sanitary sewer rate be increased 5.00% to $1.9783 per cubic metre; and, That the minimum charge for water and sanitary sewer be calculated as 1/10 m3 per day; and, That the flat rate sewer charge for residential properties not connected to the municipal water system be based on average annual residential consumption of 250 m3 at the current approved sanitary sewer rate ($1.9783 per cubic metre), billed quarterly; and further, That, effective March 1, 2014, the storm water utility monthly rates be increased 3.0% to the following amounts: 5. That the following net revenues/(expenditures) be approved for reserve funds in 2014: SPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES JANUARY 30, 2014 - 19-CITY OF KITCHENER FINANCE & CORPORATE SERVICES COMMITTEE - (CONT’D) 5. (Cont’d) SPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES JANUARY 30, 2014 - 20-CITY OF KITCHENER FINANCE & CORPORATE SERVICES COMMITTEE - (CONT’D) 6. That the following 2014 local board operating budget appropriations be approved: a. Kitchener Public Library Board $10,092,880; b. Centre in the Square $1,400,000; and, That the funding commitment to the Centre in the Square, be fixed at this amount for three years 2014 to 2016; and further, That a portion of the allocation to the Centre in the Square be used to fund one third of the cost of a joint assessment of the Kitchener Waterloo Symphony and Centre in the Square. 7. That Economic Development Grants be approved for 2014 as follows: Canada’s Technology Triangle$160,197 Waterloo Region Small Business Centre$79,045 Communitech Technology Association$30,968 Waterloo Regional Tourism Marketing Corporation$91,350 Arts Sustainability $236,000 Physician Recruitment$10,000 Specialist Recruitment$10,000 Business and Education Partnership$5,592 Skills Canada$5,592 8. That the following Full Time Equivalent (FTE) changes be approved in core complement: DescriptionFTE Bylaw Enforcement Officers (April 1 Hire) 2 Mobile Infrastructure Specialist (July 1 Hire) 1 Mobile Device Specialist (April 1 Hire) 1 Support Service Representative 1 9. That the mileage rate per kilometre increase to $0.50 for the first 5,000 kilometres and $0.45 for each additional kilometre thereafter, effective March 1, 2014. 10. That the City of Kitchener’s per diem rates remain unchanged at $64/day ($10 for breakfast, $15 for lunch, $25 for dinner, and $14 for incidentals), effective March 1, 2014. 11. That the fee schedule be amended to include the following: Alternative Revenue RateEffective Communications - Leisure Magazine $1,850 per page February 3, 2014 – colour signatures EcDev (Special Events) - Additional Cost Recovery March 3, 2014 Cost Recovery for Special Events - Non-City Events Bylaw Enforcement - Follow up $75 per inspection March 3, 2014 Inspection Fees (if compliance not achieved after violation) Legislative Services (Licensing) $550 per mobile caterer/per April 1, 2014 Mobile Catering Licensing Feesyear Engineering - Damage Deposit $40 per meter of lot frontage March 3, 2014 Inspectionto a maximum of $400 Engineering - On Site Plumbing $475 per application March 3, 2014 Applications Engineering - Driveway Ramp $100 per application March 3, 2014 Widening SPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES JANUARY 30, 2014 - 21-CITY OF KITCHENER FINANCE & CORPORATE SERVICES COMMITTEE - (CONT’D) 11. (Cont’d) Alternative Revenue RateEffective Engineering - Sewer Surcharge $850 per review March 3, 2014 Review Engineering - Capacity Analysis $500 per application March 3, 2014 Request Engineering - Fee for Fourth $5,000 per submission March 3, 2014 and & Subsequent Subdivision Review 2014 Capital Budget and 10 Year Capital Forecast 2014-2023 12. That the Capital Forecast (2014-2023) be approved, with expenditures in those years totalling $939,391,000. 13. That Capital out of current funding be included in the Capital Forecast for the year 2014 totalling $15,441,000 for General City and $48,155,000 for City Enterprises. 14. That debenture financing of up to $6,268,000 be approved for the Margaret Avenue Bridge project for a term not to exceed 10 years to be issued over the course of the project; and further, That a total of $1,672,000 of debenture financing be approved for 2014 as follows, for a term not to exceed 10 years: Project $ Margaret Avenue Bridge 1,200,000 City Hall Cooling Towers 200,000 Chiller Replacement - Twin Pads 182,000 Kiwanis Compressor Replacement 90,000 Total 1,672,000 15. That the following projects included in the Capital Forecast for 2014 be financed from the Development Charges Reserve Fund: 2014 $ (000's) NON ENGINEERING PROJECTS Planning Studies - Growth 155 Development Charge Act Study 90 Central Library-Non EDIF 268 Major Park Development 326 General Park Development 321 Community Trails 48 Trail Crossings 34 Fire Radio System Upgrade 20 Total 1,262 SPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES JANUARY 30, 2014 - 22-CITY OF KITCHENER FINANCE & CORPORATE SERVICES COMMITTEE - (CONT’D) 15. (Cont’d) ENGINEERING PROJECTS Monitor and Update Upper Blair 110 Development Charge Act Study 100 Intensification Allowance 643 Engineering Studies 166 City Share Of Subdivisions 276 Total 1,295 Grand Total 2,557 Administrative 16. WHEREAS Ontario Regulation 284/09 allows municipalities to exclude amortization expenses and post-employment benefits from their budgeted expenses; and, WHEREAS Council must approve any exclusion by resolution before adopting a budget; and, WHEREAS amortization expenses as recorded on the 2012 consolidated financial statements was $34.3M; and, WHEREAS post-employment benefit expenses as recorded on the 2012 consolidated financial statements was $27.9M; and, WHEREAS the accumulated surplus would increase by the combined amount of amortization expense and post-employment benefit expense ($62.2M as recorded on the 2012 consolidated financial statements) if these expenses were excluded; and, WHEREAS there is no impact of future tangible capital asset funding requirements based on the exclusion of these expenses; THEREFORE IT BE RESOLVED that the exclusion of amortization expenses and post- employment benefits for the purposes of the 2014 Budget be approved. 17. That the Proposed City of Kitchener 2014-2016 Business Plan (Chief Administrator’s Office report CAO-13-039) be approved. 18. WHEREAS Members of Council, particularly new councillors who take office following the 2014 Municipal Election, might require additional home-office technology equipment in order to communicate with residents in their Ward; and, WHEREAS some Councillors spend their maximum capital budget of $5,301 each four-year term for technology equipment and home-office furniture while others spend far less; and, WHEREAS Kitchener’s Mayor and 10 Councillors are each allowed $3,129.55 a year (a total $34,425 a year) for home office and technology operating expenses; and, WHEREAS neither the capital budget nor the operating for technology costs including Blackberries, internet, and telephones has been used in each of the past three years; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the annual operating budget allowed for each Member of Council be reduced by $629.55 to $2,500 (reducing the total budget by $6,925, from $34,425 to $27,500); and, BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that notice be hereby given that a motion will be brought forward at the February 10, 2014 Council meeting to amend Council Policy I-47 (Technology and SPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES JANUARY 30, 2014 - 23-CITY OF KITCHENER FINANCE & CORPORATE SERVICES COMMITTEE - (CONT’D) 18. (Cont’d) Home Office Expenses - Mayor and Councillors) to include a provision that unless circumstances like breakage or theft allow the Mayor to make an exception, each Member of Council will restrict home-office technology purchases to one laptop and one tablet per four- year term and digital-camera purchases will no longer be covered by home-office-technology budgets. 19. WHEREAS demand for Kitchener’s Leisure Access Card program providing subsidies for seniors, children, single mothers and other adults who cannot afford Kitchener’s recreation programs continued to increase in 2013 and is expected to go still higher in 2014; and, WHEREAS the program serving low-income families experienced a $29,500 shortfall in 2013 after its budget was exhausted helping 3,460 people (up from 3015 in 2012); and, WHEREAS assistance from private funders is increasingly precarious in an economy where many local families have suffered unemployment; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the $135,780 budgeted for the leisure access subsidy program be increased by $10,000 in addition to the $10,000 increase Council has already approved through Alternative Revenue proposal AR05 [Increase User Fees by an Additional 1% while providing additional funding for the Leisure Access Card (LAC)], resulting in a total budget for leisure access of $145,780. 20. a) That staff be directed to further investigate options for tree planting donations and report back to a future meeting of the Community and Infrastructure Services Committee. be b) That consideration of funding an Economic Development Strategic Initiatives Fund, deferred to Council’s 2015 Budget deliberations process ; and further, That staff be directed to report back by June 2014 with more detail on the potential strategic initiatives, outlined in Issue Paper BD08 (Economic Development Strategic Initiatives Fund). c) That no increase be allocated to accommodate Canada Post’s postage rate increase, outlined in Issue Paper BD09 (Postage Charges); and further; That staff be directed to explore options to reduce postage costs through promotion of e-billing or disincentives for paper billing and report back to a future meeting of the Finance and Corporate Services Committee. d) That the traffic calming budget be reduced by $56,500. per year, as outlined in Issue Paper BD30 (Traffic Calming Reduction); and further, That staff be directed to reduce the number of traffic calming projects from four (4) to three (3) per year. e) That staff be directed to report back with more information on the allocation of funding sources for the Margaret Avenue Bridge, outlined in Issue Paper BD31 (Margaret Avenue Bridge Replacement - Funding Sources Capital);