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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil - 2008-02-04 SSPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES FEBRUARY 4, 200$ CITY OF KITCHENER A special meeting of City Council was held at 4:10 p.m. this date, chaired by Mayor C. Zehr with all members present. 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. Mayor C. Zehr advised that for the second year in a row the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) has awarded the Financial Planning and Reporting Division for the City with the Canadian Award for Financial Reporting with respect to the 2006 Annual Report. Mayor Zehr on behalf of Council extended congratulations and appreciation to staff for their hard work. Mayor C. Zehr advised of a request to add an item to the special Council agenda concerning a serious and urgent matter to be discussed in closed session. Mayor Zehr added that due to timing issues it has been requested that Council move into closed session to discuss the matter this date. Moved by Councillor C. Weylie Seconded by Councillor J. Smola "That pursuant to Chapter 25 (Council Procedure) of the Municipal Code the following matter be added to the agenda of the special Council meeting this date: • consideration of Council holding an in-camera meeting this date." Carried Unanimously. Moved by Councillor C. Weylie Seconded by Councillor J. Smola "That an in-camera meeting of City Council be held immediately following this special meeting to consider a labour relations matter." Carried. Council considered the report arising from the special Finance and Corporate Services Committee meeting held earlier this date with respect to the 2008 Operating and Capital Budgets. Councillor J. Gazzola advised that he had a question with respect to Clause 5 and he requested that Clause 7 be dealt with separately. In regard to Clause 5 of the report concerning the tax credit pursuant to the Municipal Elderly Residents Assistance Credit Program, Councillor Gazzola asked why this was not open to all citizens. Ms. P. Houston, General Manager, Financial Services /City Treasurer, responded that the program was introduced in 1998 and has been grandfathered therefore no new names were being added. Ms. Houston further advised that there were very few persons listed as part of the program. In regard to Clause 7 concerning the 2008 water and sewer rates, Councillor J. Gazzola put forward a motion to reduce the increase in the water and sewer rates for 2008 to 8.5% for the overall combined rates. There was no Seconder for the motion therefore it was not considered by Council. Moved by Councillor B. Vrbanovic Seconded by Councillor J. Smola "That the report of the special Finance and Corporate Services Committee regarding the 2008 Operating and Capital Budgets be adopted." Carried. Councillor J. Smola requested that staff prepare a summary of what took place in order to reach the decision on the 2008 budgets. Councillor Smola added that he had received several calls from constituents and would like to offer them a summary should they have questions with respect to the budgets. On motion, the meeting adjourned at 4:20 p.m. SPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES FEBRUARY 4, 200$ - 22 - CITY OF KITCHENER MAYOR CLERK SPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES FEBRUARY 4, 200$ - 23 - CITY OF KITCHENER REPORTS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL FINANCE AND CORPORATE SERVICES COMMITTEE - 2008 Operating Budget 1. That the 2008 department operating budget, resulting in a 2008 levy for general purposes of $81,808,167, be approved. 2. That an increase in the 2008 tax rate, excluding tax policy changes, be approved at an estimate of 3.01 %. 3. That a special capital levy of $5,369,176, which results in a 0.70% increase in the 2008 tax rate to be allocated to the Economic Development Investment Fund, be approved with the understanding that this levy represents the fifth year of the 10-year investment program as per the projection included in the budget day presentation to Council. 4. That assessment growth be budgeted at 2.03% for 2008. 5. That, in 2008, a $50.00 tax credit pursuant to the Municipal Elderly Residents Assistance Credit Program be approved, but that no new names be added to the present list. 6. That the following 2008 budgets for municipal enterprises be approved: Enterprises Revenues Expenses SurglustDeficit) • Building Division $ 4,157,278 $ 3,765,692 $ 391,586 • Fleet Division $ 9,557,984 $ 9,557,984 $ - • Doon Golf Course $ 1,595,507 $ 1,772,552 $ (177,045) • Rockway Golf Course $ 1,685,461 $ 1,611,229 $ 74,232 • Water Utility $ 28,661,369 $ 28,381,958 $ 279,411 • Sanitary Sewer Utility $ 29,253,665 $ 30,432,576 $ (1,178,911) • Gasworks Utility $101,573,624 $101,544,718 $ 28,906 $176,484,888 $177,066,709 $ 1581,821) 7. That, effective March 1, 2008, the water rate be increased to $1.2998 per cubic metre and the sanitary sewer rate be increased to $1.3696 per cubic metre. 8. That the reduction of reliance on the Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund be deferred by one year, resulting in a net levy savings of $458,500 in 2008. 9. That the following net revenues/(expenditures) be approved for reserve funds in 2008: ($000's) Arbitration 7 Asset Management 261 Auditorium Tickets 5 Building Enterprise 410 Business Parks (11) Computer 20 Development Charges (11,200) Election 104 Equipment (119) Fagade Improvements (4) Federal Gas Tax - Gas Capital Investment (875) Golf Cart Replacement (43) Hydro Capital Investment 541 Insurance (18) LEAF 1,076 SPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES FEBRUARY 4, 200$ - 24 - CITY OF KITCHENER REPORTS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL FINANCE AND CORPORATE SERVICES COMMITTEE - (CONT'D) 9. (Cont'd) Maint. Facility Expansion - Market 166 Mediation 6 Oktoberfest Float (1) Public Art (2) Recreational Land 153 Sick Leave (179) Tax Stabilization (705) Telephone 293 Training -General (103) Training -Senior Mgmt. (20) Victoria Park Ice g WSIB 11 Working Capital (4,705) (14,923) 10. That Council Policy I-770 -Reserve Fund -Working be repealed and the Working Capital Reserve Fund be eliminated; and further, That the balance of $4,704,750 in the Working Capital Reserve Fund be transferred to the Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund. 11. That the following 2008 local board operating budget appropriations be approved: Kitchener Public Library Board $8,395,545 Centre in the Square $1,314,027 12. That Economic Development Grants be approved in the amount of $253,000 for 2008 as follows: Canada's Technology Triangle $143,000 Waterloo Region Small Business Centre $75,000 Communitech Technology Association $35,000 (includes membership) 13. That an Annual Operating Grant be approved in the amount of $193,700 for 2008 for the Homer Watson House and Gallery. 14. That the following grants be eliminated from the 2008 budget: Kitchener Citizens Beautification Committee $2,305 Waterloo County Quilt Festival $2,706 Festival of Trees $5,610 K-W Opera $7,803 15. That the mileage rate per kilometre be increased to $0.44 for the first 5,000 km and remain at $0.39 for each additional km thereafter, effective March 1, 2008. 16. That a special committee be established composed of the Chairs of Council's Standing Committees and the City's General Managers, to identify and bring forward recommendations to make cuts to low priority programs and services; and further, That an across-the-board expense reduction in the 2008 base budget in the amount of $220,000. be set as the target of this initiative. SPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES FEBRUARY 4, 200$ - 25 - CITY OF KITCHENER REPORTS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL FINANCE AND CORPORATE SERVICES COMMITTEE - (CONT'D) 17. That the following FTE changes be approved: Description FTE Operations Staff -Growth 2.11 Operations Staff -Hours of Work 0.50 Fleet Technician 1.00 Forest Heights Library 0.50 Direct Detect Staffing 0.50 Downtown Coordinator 1.00 Development Engineering 2.00 Site Plan Staff 2.00 Environmental Planner 1.00 Corporate Call Centre 1.00 Cash and Capital Planning 1.00 Junior Buyer 1.00 Supervisor -Storm and Sanitary Maintenance 1.00 Construction Engineering 2.00 Infrastructure Asset Planning 1.00 2008 Capital Budget and 10 Year Capital Forecast 2008-2017 18. That the Capital Forecast (2008-2017) be approved, with expenditures in the years 2008-2017 totalling $755,464,000. 19. That Capital out of Current funding be included in the Capital Forecast for the year 2008 totalling $36,913,000 for General City and $25,754,000 for City Enterprises. 20. That a total of $4,051,000 of debenture financing be approved for 2008 as follows, for a term not to exceed 10 years: Project ($ 000's) Duke/Ontario Garage Repairs - DT 1,025 Delta Project 1,366 Fire -Major Equipment/Fleet 1,660 4,051 21. That a total of $8,900,000 of debenture financing be approved for 2008 as follows, for a term not to exceed 15 years: Project ($ 000's) University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy - 8,900 Capital Grant o nnn 22. That the 2007 and 2008 Cultural Capitals of Canada allocations in the amount of $400,000 be closed out to capital surplus in 2008; and, That capital surplus in the amount of $852,000 be transferred to the Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund in 2008; and further, That the 2009 capital budget allocation for Cultural Capitals of Canada be maintained to enable the cultural community to further discuss alternative partnerships that would result in a major cultural event in 2009. 23. That $360,000 be set aside in the 2008 Operating Budget for the potential implementation of salary adjustment, with any recommended adjustments to be brought forward to Council at the appropriate time in 2008. SPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES FEBRUARY 4, 200$ - 26 - CITY OF KITCHENER REPORTS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL FINANCE AND CORPORATE SERVICES COMMITTEE - (CONT'D) 2008 Cagital Budget and 10 Year Cagital Forecast 2008-2017, cont'd 24. That the following projects included in the Capital Forecast for 2008 be financed from the Development Charges Reserve Fund: Engineering Projects ($ 000's) Planning Studies 39 Heritage Impact Assessments 22 Grand River South Pumping Station 200 Freeport Pumping Station Upgrade 950 City Share of Subdivisions 268 DC Study 10 Intensification Allowance 286 Engineering Studies 161 Borden Greenway Trunk Sewer 253 Idlewood Creek 286 Strasburg Road 600 Blockline Rd. East 4,635 New Watermains 189 7,899 Non-Engineering Projects tin order of priority) ($ 000's) New Community Arena/Twin Pads 5,329 Major Park Development 286 General Park Development 122 Community Trails 39 Trail Crossings 35 Equipment Acquisitions/Upgrades 291 Consolidated Maintenance Facility 350 Bridgeport CC 284 6.736 Total Engineering/Non-Engineering 14,635 And further, that none of the above noted projects will be commenced unless there are sufficient uncommitted monies in the Development Charges Reserve Fund to complete them; otherwise the above projects will be front end financed by the appropriate developers. 25. That the following projects included in the Capital Forecast for 2008 be front-end financed with a development charges credit: Projects with Development Charge Funding -Front End Financing with Credit ($ 000's) Grand River South Sewage Facility 1,081 Mid/South Strasburg Trunk Sewer 2,977 4,058 26. That the deadline for the review of debt, refund and scheduling policies, as they relate to projects funded with development charges revenue, be extended by one year to align it with the development of the Growth Management Strategy.