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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil - 2014-08-25 S SPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES AUGUST 25, 2014 CITY OF KITCHENER A special meeting of City Council was held at 2:00 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. FCS-14-138 – CENTRE IN THE SQUARE & KITCHENER WATERLOO SYMPHPONY OPERATIONAL AND STRATEGIC REVIEW Council considered Finance and Corporate Services Department report FCS-14-138 (C. Tasker), dated August 18, 2014, regarding the comprehensive review of the operations of the Centre in the Square (CITS) and the Kitchener Waterloo Symphony (KWS). Ms. C. Tasker introduced the report advising that Webb Management Services Inc. were contracted to provide an analysis of the current state of affairs for both the CITS and KWS as well as recommendations for a mutually sustainable model that meets the financial goals and mandate of each organization. She outlined the findings and recommendations, as well as the management responses, would be presented this date. Mr. Duncan Webb, Webb Management Services Inc., presented the assessment and recommendations of the operations and strategic review of CITS and KWS. He highlighted the methodology used during the assessment and summarized the analysis and conclusions which were developed as a result of the review. He provided various options for CITS, such as tweaking the governance by clarifying the roles and responsibilities of the Board of Directors; an option for the City of Kitchener to take over operations of the building; establishment of a non-profit to exclusively operate the facility; or, to contract with a private commercial entity to operate the building on behalf of the City. He highlighted issues affecting the KWS including the increasingly difficult challenges of sustaining performance arts organizations and recommended focusing on building revenues to drive sustainability. Mr. Webb provided recommendations to meet the challenges and suggested possible outcomes of pursing the recommendations, as outlined in the Strategic Review. Mr. Webb responded to questions regarding the governance recommendations provided for the CITS by clarifying the City currently may be too involved in operational issues, while some non-City board members are unclear about their independence to serve the operating organization. He reiterated that in order to move forward, the mandate and vision for the CITS building should be defined by Council with the guidance of CITS leadership, to express its goals and how the building should serve and support Council’s vision for the City’s future. Mr. Marcus Shantz, Chair of the Board, CITS, addressed Council in support of the recommendations and key findings of the operations and strategic review. He indicated the CITS Board will consider all recommendations and ideas contained within the consultant’s report. He cautioned that implementation of new revenue streams may require additional investment and noted that calendar control for booking performances is required to secure revenue in the short term. Ms. Linda Fabi, Board Member, KWS, addressed Council in assurance that the KWS will investigate all recommendations contained within the consultant’s report before moving forward. She stated that the KWS would like to work collaboratively with the CITS to explore the recommendations while staying true to the KWS Strategic Plan. Ms. S. DiDonato, Manager of Arts and Culture, addressed Council in support of the recommendations and key findings of the strategic and operations review. She highlighted how staff would initiate the four recommendations within the Report FCS-14-138 advising that staff will revisit the mission statement in collaboration with the CITS Board, KWS, stakeholders and community partners and suggested that an ad hoc committee be created for this process with time limited Terms of Reference. She noted staff is mapping the 2015 Arts and Culture Strategy which will include discussions regarding the CITS. Ms. Chris Varga, resident, addressed Council in support of the local arts community. She expressed concern that CITS is exclusive to a segment of the population based on affordability and requested that tickets be made available to a wider audience. She encouraged Council to invest in local talent by opening arts and culture facilities to a larger segment of the community as well as local artists. SPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES AUGUST 25, 2014 - 173-CITY OF KITCHENER Council members generally supported the recommendations put forward within the findings of the strategic and operations review. Suggestions were made to comprehensively examine the Arts and Culture Sector as part of the 2015 Arts and Culture Strategy and support was given for community engagement for the development of the long term vision for the CITS. On motion by Councillor D. Glenn-Graham, seconded by Councillor B. Ioannidis, the recommendation within Finance and Corporate Services Department report FCS-14-138 was brought forward for consideration. An amendment was brought forward by Councillor K. Galloway-Sealock, seconded by Councillor B. Vrbanovic, to add a clause directing staff to amend the appropriate by-laws for the Centre in the Square to reduce Council representation on the Board of Directors to the Mayor and one Council member. Carried Councillor Galloway-Sealock’s amendment was then voted on and was on a recorded vote with Mayor C. Zehr and Councillors B. Vrbanovic, S. Davey, P. Singh, K. Galloway-Sealock, B. Ioannidis, F. Etherington voting in favour; and, Councillors D. Glenn-Graham, J. Gazzola, Y. Fernandes and Z. Janecki voting in opposition. Moved by Councillor D. Glenn-Graham Seconded by Councillor B. Ioannidis “Thatstaff be directed to work with representatives of the Centre In The Square (CITS) to: (1) revisit the mission and mandate of CITS; (2) identify the priorities and parameters for the City’s funding relationship with CITS, specifically as it relates to the City’s arts and culture strategy; (3) review existing plans for physical improvements to the CITS building, and make recommendations to City of Kitchener on the final plans; and, (4) analyze the costs of any proposed physical improvements and make recommendations to Council as to the funding of such improvements; and, That staff be directed to coordinate the selection of a facilitator to lead the mission / mandate discussion and the subsequent facilitated sessions between the City, CITS and the Kitchener Waterloo Symphony (KWS); and further, That staff be directed to initiate the process to amend the appropriate by-laws to reduce the number of Council representatives on the Centre In the Square Board of Directors by two, so that the representatives will be the Mayor and one councillor.” Carried Unanimously. 2. IN-CAMERA MEETING AUTHORIZATION Moved by Councillor K. Galloway-Sealock Seconded by Councillor B. Ioannidis “That an in-camera meeting of City Council be held this date to consider a labour relations matter, a land acquisition / disposition matter and a matter subject to solicitor-client privilege.” Carried. On motion the meeting adjourned at 4:53 p.m. MAYOR CLERK