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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Minutes - 1998-04-27 SCOUNCIL\1998-04-27-SPE APRIL 27, 1998 SPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES CITY OF KITCHENER A special meeting of City Council was held at 12:25 p.m. this date and Chaired by Mayor C. Zehr with all members present. Notice of this special meeting had previously been given to all members of Council by the City Clerk pursuant to Chapter 25 (Council Procedure) of the Municipal Code. Moved by Councillor G. Lorentz Seconded by Councillor Jake Smola "WHEREAS, in its Local Services Realignment formula, the Province of Ontario has calculated an expenditure reduction target of $5,040,000 being equal to 3.2% of the City of Kitchener's gross expenditures; AND WHEREAS, the above formula applied to the City of Kitchener's unique circumstances, results in an unfair target, compared to other municipalities; AND WHEREAS, this issue has been brought to the attention of Ministry of Municipal Affairs Field Office Staff, local MPP's, and Ministry of Municipal Affairs Municipal Finance Branch Staff, to no avail; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Kitchener strongly recommends that the Hon. Ernie Eves, Minister of Finance amend the calculation of the expenditure reduction target for the City of Kitchener to properly reflect our unique circumstances, specifically: Adjust the reduction for transfers to other funds to include not only transfers to capital funds, but also transfers to reserve funds, in order to fully reflect the fact that the City of Kitchener's accounting practice is to transfer all capital funds first to the reserve fund, as they are allocated in the annual budget process and then to the capital fund when the funds are spent. Adjust the reduction for services provided to other municipalities to reflect the fact that the City of Kitchener provides transit service, not only for the City of Kitchener but the City of Waterloo, as well. This adjustment will require a reduction for Waterloo's share of transit revenues and capital expenditures. Ensure all operating and capital expenditures for the City of Kitchener's Gasworks enterprise are excluded from the calculation. Adjust the calculation to include the Centre in the Square's expenditures only to the extent that the City provides a grant to this theatre operation, rather than the full gross expenditure that is primarily recovered through fees. Adjust the calculation to exclude the gross expenditures of the two municipal golf courses, that are enterprise operations (i.e. expenditures fully recovered through fees). Adjust the calculation to exclude the gross contract settlement costs of the Kitchener Rangers Junior A Hockey Club, which is primarily a flow through of box office receipts, administered by the City of Kitchener, on a commission basis. THAT, as a result of the above adjustments, a corresponding adjustment be made to the City of Kitchener's 1998 provincial grant allocation from the Community Reinvestment Fund (CRF); and further, THAT, the City of Kitchener strongly recommend that the Province consider a consultation process with municipalities to develop a more equitable methodology for the allocation of Community Reinvestment Funds in future years." Carried Unanimously. SPECIAL COUNCIL M~NUTES APRIL 97, 1998 CITY OF KITCI:IENER Moved by Councillor G. Lorentz Seconded by Councillor J. Ziegler "That Dr. James Currie be appointed as the Veterinarian to serve on the Dog Designation Appeal Committee for a term of one year expiring November 30, 1998." Carried. Councillor M. Yantzi disclosed a pecuniary interest and abstained from all voting and discussion of the request of the Kitchener Pioneer Lions Club for permission to sell media bingo cards in Kitchener, as his employer receives funding from the Lions Club. Moved by Councillor G. Lorentz Seconded by Councillor B. Vrbanovic "That subject to a maximum prize board of $3,000, with a maximum of six $5,500 prize boards per calendar year, the Councils of the Cities of Kitchener and Waterloo approve the request of the Kitchener Pioneer Lions Club and the Kitchener-Waterloo Community Spirit Lions Club to sell media bingo cards in the Cities of Kitchener and Waterloo; and, That the Lions Clubs from all municipalities involved in the media bingo, resolve how to operate the media bingo with a maximum prize board of $3,000, and with a maximum of six $5,500 prize boards per calendar year; and further, That the Kitchener Pioneer Lions Club and the Kitchener-Waterloo Community Spirit Lions Club report back to the Twin City Committee in six months on the operation of the media bingo." Carried. Councillor M. Yantzi previously disclosed a pecuniary interest and abstained from all voting and discussion of the request of the Kitchener Pioneer Lions Club for permission to sell media bingo cards in Kitchener, as his employer receives funding from the Lions Club. Councillor Jake Smola asked that he be recorded as opposed to granting permission to sell media bingo cards in Kitchener. Moved by Councillor T. Galloway Seconded by Councillor G. Lorentz "That Council endorse the Corporate Goals and Objectives (1998-2001) as submitted to the Finance and Administration Committee on April 21, 1998, and the amendments to Objectives 3.2, 4.2 and 6.3 made that date, as appended hereto and forming part of these minutes; and further, That Management Committee monitor the process of completing the above in the times allocated, with a semi-annual review by Council." Carried. Moved by Councillor G. Lorentz Seconded by Councillor T. Galloway "That the applications attached hereto and forming part of these minutes relative to cancellation, reduction, refund or levy of taxes be disposed of as recommended therein." Carried. Mr. J. Shivas, City Solicitor, expressed concerns over the draft of the Municipal Act, which the Province is receiving comment on until May 8, 1998. He suggested that a request for an extension of the response date is appropriate at this time. Moved by Councillor B. Vrbanovic APRIL 97, 1998 SPECIAL COUNCIL 1VHNUTES - 991- CITY OF KITCHENER Seconded by Councillor J. Ziegler "That the City of Kitchener hereby requests the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to grant an extension to the deadline for submitting comments on the draft of the new Municipal Act from May 8, 1998 to June 8, 1998." Carried. Moved by Councillor T. Galloway Seconded by Councillor B. Vrbanovic "WHEREAS the City of Kitchener has owned and regulated, successfully and properly, a gas utility for the past 100 years; AND WHEREAS no benefit can be achieved by imposing an additional layer of regulatory control upon the City; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology respectfully be requested to allow the City of Kitchener to continue to be responsible and publicly accountable through its elected representatives for all aspects of its municipally-owned gas utility, without the burden of an additional layer of regulations by the Ontario Energy Board." Carried. Moved by Councillor B. Vrbanovic Seconded by Councillor G. Lorentz "That an in-camera meeting of City Council be held immediately following recess of this special meeting to consider a personal matter and three matters subject to solicitor-client privilege." Carried. The meeting then recessed at 12:45 p.m. and reconvened at 2:05 p.m. with all members present. Moved by Councillor J. Ziegler Seconded by Councillor C. Weylie "That the City Solicitor be instructed to retain Bruce Lee to represent the City on an interim basis in the Ralgreen action, pending resolution of the insurance defence application." Carried. Moved by Councillor B. Vrbanovic Seconded by Councillor T. Galloway "That leave be given the Mover and Seconder to introduce a by-law to confirm all actions and proceedings of the Council at its special meetings held on April 20 and 27, 1998, and that the same be taken as read a first, second and third times and be numbered 98-47 by the Clerk." Carried. On motion the meeting adjourned at 2:10 p.m. MAYOR CLERK