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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil - 2007-01-08 SSPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES JANUARY $, 2007 CITY OF KITCHENER A special meeting of City Council was held at 6:37 p.m. this date, Chaired by Mayor C. Zehr with all members present. Councillor J. Smola was in attendance for part of the meeting. Notice of this special meeting had been previously given to all members of Council by the City Clerk pursuant to Chapter 25 (Council Procedure) of the Municipal Code. Council considered a recommendation arising from the Community Services Committee meeting this date regarding final approval of the Cultural Capitals of Canada application. Moved by Councillor G. Lorentz Seconded by Councillor J. Gazzola "That notwithstanding Council's resolution of September 11, 2006 regarding the Cultural Capitals of Canada program as outlined in Community Services Department report CSD-06- 092, the 25% share of the projected program budget up to a maximum amount of $667,000, be approved with funding to be provided in 2007, 2008 and 2009 Capital budgets and forecast." Carried. Council considered a recommendation arising from the Community Services Community Services meeting this date regarding the International Children's Games. Moved by Councillor G. Lorentz Seconded by Councillor J. Smola "That the City of Kitchener, in partnership with the K-W Sports Council, register a team of up to 18 athletes and 6 officials to participate in the 2007 International Children's Games, in Reykjavik, Iceland; and further, That the City of Kitchener send a minimum of one delegate, acting as head of delegation and City representative/VIP, to the Games." Carried. Council was in receipt of Chief Administrator's Office report CAO-06-070 (R. Regier), regarding the Centre Block Evaluation Committee and the public's involvement in the selection process. Mr. R. Regier, Executive Director of Economic Development, explained that the next stage in the Centre Block project requires an evaluation of the proposals submitted from interested developers. The evaluation will be undertaken by a Committee made up of staff and members of the public that have submitted applications to sit on the Committee. Mr. Regier further explained that the applications to sit on the Committee have been reviewed with the intent to select candidates that have particular skills and qualifications to be effective Committee members in evaluating the complex proposals. The evaluation will determine the company's ability and resources, including financial, technological and human resources, to undertake and complete the proposed project. Mr. Regier advised that following the application review, staff is recommending four members of the public and a representative of the Kitchener Downtown Business Association be appointed to the Centre Block Evaluation Committee as outlined in his report. In response to a question raised by Council, Mr. Regier explained that staff have been working with a fairness advisor, Professor McKellar, York University, who advised that members of Council should not be appointed to the Evaluation Committee as it will be important that as decision makers, they remain objective. Councillor B. Vrbanovic asked about the public engagement process and suggested that staff look to methods, other than the usual open houses, to engage the public such as reaching out to high school students and providing information at neighbourhood malls. Mr. Regier advised that with only three proposals being submitted, staff are looking to compress the schedule which may result in the public process beginning in May or June. The meeting then recessed at 6:50 p.m. and re-convened at 7:53 p.m., Chaired by Mayor C. Zehr and with all members present except Councillor J. Smola. SPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES JANUARY $, 2007 - 2 - CITY OF KITCHENER Councillor C. Weylie raised a concern with the staff person being appointed as the representative of the Kitchener Downtown Business Association as recommended in the report and requested that the recommendation be amended to remove the name leaving `Representative of the Kitchener Downtown Business Association' as the fifth appointed position. Councillor J. Gazzola raised a concern as to why this step of the process was not being held publicly and why the three companies that have submitted proposals cannot be named at this time. Mr. Regier replied that the information from the three companies has been submitted confidentially to protect the financial and human resource information that has been provided with each proposal. He also explained that if the public were made aware of the names of the three companies and should one of those companies be disqualified because of their inability to complete the project, this could lead to the inference that the company is incapable of undertaking such a project which may not be the case. Ms. C. Ladd, Chief Administrative Officer, added that the process being followed is consistent with the purchasing process with respect to tenders and that the City must balance public involvement with due diligence in this regard. Mr. H. Gross, Director of Project Administration & Economic Investment, advised that the report submitted to Council in October, 2006, outlined the process and timelines for this project. He advised that the outline proposed that the stage of evaluating the submitted proposed developments would be undertaken outside of the public realm and that a public engagement process would commence once there were two proposals selected. He advised on the need for discretion during the evaluation process as the final two companies would be in competition for the award of the development. Moved by Councillor G. Lorentz Seconded by Councillor C. Weylie "That the following citizens be added to the "Centre Block Evaluation Committee: a. Brian Bennett, Citizen Advisor -Financial b. Rick Haldenby, Citizen Advisor -Building Design c. Donald Zehr, Citizen Advisor -Development/Real Estate/Planning d. Reinhold Schuster, Citizen Advisor -Development/Construction e. Representative of Kitchener Downtown Business Association." A recorded vote was requested. In Favour: Mayor C. Zehr and Councillors B. Vrbanovic, K. Galloway, G. Lorentz and C. Weylie. Contra: Councillors J. Gazzola. Absent: Councillor J. Smola Motion Carried. Moved by Councillor G. Lorentz Seconded by Councillor C. Weylie "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 2007-01 by the Clerk." Carried. On motion, the meeting adjourned at 8:22 p.m. MAYOR CLERK