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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDTS-07-034 - Children's Safety Village Agreements1 KKR - . • - Development & Technical Services Report To: Committee of a Whole Date of Meeting: February 26, 2007 Submitted By: Tim Beckett, Deputy Fire Chief Prepared By: Tim Beckett, Deputy Fire Chief (ext 2926) Ward(s) Involved: All Date of Report: February 16, 2007 Report No.: DTS-07-034 Subject: Children's Safety Village Agreements RECOMMENDATION: That the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute the Children's Safety Village Foundation Agreement with the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, the Waterloo Regional Police Services Board, The Corporation of the City of Cambridge, and The Corporation of the City of Waterloo pertaining to the day to day operations of the Children's Safety Village; said agreement to be to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor; and further That the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute the Sponsorship and Maintenance Agreement with the Waterloo Region Children's Safety Village pertaining to the City's sponsorship; said agreement to be to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor." BACKGROUND: The Children's Safety Village (CSV) of Waterloo is located at 200 Maple Grove Road. The Village first opened over 15 years ago. This village serves as an educational centre for school aged children to visit and learn safety tips related to fire safety, bike safety, and pedestrian safety. The village is comprised of an educational building with class rooms for both police and fire programs. Outside are a number of smaller buildings representing businesses and organizations within the Region. Here, the children learn bike safety and pedestrian safety. The programs have been jointly operated and managed by both police and fire services. The City of Kitchener has provided a staff member, the Civilian Fire Prevention Public Training Coordinator, to coordinate fire activities. Through an agreement with Cambridge and Waterloo Fire Departments, we are reimbursed for a portion of this salary. The buildings were built and maintained by individual sponsors. Costs for the buildings were fully funded by the sponsoring businesses and organizations. Over the years some buildings have begun to show signs of wear and tear, requiring maintenance to the structures. There are no written agreements in place and therefore no obligation for the sponsors to provide repair to some of the structures. The current Fire Station on the site was built and funded through collaborated efforts by the three city departments. Regular maintenance is normally conducted by the Civilian Fire Prevention Public Training Coordinator during the summer months. REPORT: This Foundation Agreement defines the Children's Safety Village and identifies key parties, being The Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Waterloo Regional Police Services, City of Kitchener, City of Cambridge and the City of Waterloo. The Foundation Agreement defines the Governing Committee's composition and mandate; and empowers the Governing Committee with respect to day-to-day operations and provides signing and financial authority to the Committee. Lastly, the Foundation Agreement addresses issues with insurance and liability. It identifies party responsibilities, including an indemnification clause and the need to maintain general liability insurance for the amount of five million dollars. These insurance matters are to be dealt with through the Waterloo Region Municipalities Insurance Pool. The Sponsorship and Maintenance Agreement provides for set criteria and expectations of sponsors within the Children's Safety Village. The current Fire Station on the grounds was built through collaborated efforts by Kitchener, Cambridge and Waterloo Fire Departments and has been maintained on a yearly basis by all three. This sponsorship and maintenance agreement will cost us 1/3rd of the annual fee, which is currently set at $500. This will include daily maintenance and major repairs. This money will be deposited into a sponsor reserve fund to cover costs as they occur. We may be required to pay additional cost for repairs if there are insufficient funds in the reserve. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The foundation agreement discusses funding issues. These currently pertain to the salary of the Civilian Fire Prevention Public Training Coordinator and a portion of the salary of the part-time Village Coordinator. These costs are included in the 2007 operating budget and have been paid for several years through past operating budgets. The Sponsorship and Maintenance Agreement requires the payment of $500, split three ways, payable on a yearly basis. Additional maintenance cost for larger capital repairs would be split three ways and would be planned in advance for budgetary consideration. CONCLUSION: It is staff's recommendation that these agreements be executed. Through the execution of these agreements it reinforces the City's commitment and dedication to the Safety Village and the education of our youth. The agreement provide for the necessary structure and funding for the Children's Safety Village to operate on a day-to-day operation as well as provide for long-term sustainability. All costs associated to these agreements are currently budgeted for. Tim Beckett Deputy Fire Chief