HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm Svcs - 2009-05-11COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE MINUTES
MAY 11, 2009 CITY OF KITCHENER
The Community Services Committee met this date commencing at 4:16 p.m.
Present: Councillor G. Lorentz -Chair
Mayor C. Zehrand Councillors J. Smola, J. Gazzola, K. Galloway and C. Weylie.
Staff: C. Ladd, Chief Administrative Officer
T. Speck, General Manager of Corporate Services
P. Houston, General Manager of Community Services
D. Chapman, General Manager of Financial Services & City Treasurer
J. Willmer, Interim General Manager of Development & Technical Services
R. Gosse, Director of Legislative Services and City Clerk
J. Witmer, Director of Operations
M. Hildebrand, Director of Community Programs
R. Regier, Executive Director of Economic Development
J. Miller, Acting Director of Corporate Communications
I. Pregel, Manager of Cultural Development
D. Chapman, Manager of Special Events
L. Palubeski, Manager of Programs and Resource Services
R. Willms, Supervisor of Administration
L. Alonzo, Acting Performance Measurement Internal Auditor
C. Goodeve, Committee Administrator
1. CSD-09-032 - 2009 REGIONAL MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT
The Committee considered Community Services Department report CSD-09-032, dated April
14, 2009 regarding the provision of summer and winter maintenance services on select
Regional Roads within the boundaries of the City of Kitchener.
In response to questions, Mr. J. Witmer advised that on average the cost of maintaining the
City's and Region's roads are relatively the similar, even though the City has approximately
five-times the amount of road per kilometre. He added that a small number of roads are
maintained by a third party contractor, but generally the City maintains all roads within its
boundaries. He agreed to provide the Committee with additional information comparing the
cost of maintaining the Region's and City's roads.
On motion by Councillor J. Gazzola -
itwas resolved:
"That the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute an agreement with the Regional
Municipality of Waterloo, for the City to provide summer and winter maintenance
services on select Regional Roads within Kitchener for 2009, subject to the satisfaction
of the City Solicitor."
CSD-09-035 - ONE KCI YOUTH DROP-IN PROGRAM
The Committee considered Community Services Department report CSD-09-035, dated April
29, 2009 recommending that the City take on the role of lead partner in the development and
implementation of a Youth Drop-In program at Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational
School (KCI). Ms. L. Palubeski reviewed the report.
Ms. Lila Read, Principle KCI, addressed the Committee in support of the staff
recommendation. She advised that to sustain the work of the ONE KCI Community Alliance, in
the fall of 2008 school administration led a steering committee through the submission of a
proposal for Urban and Priority High School funding, which is provided by the Ontario Ministry
of Education. She added that while KCI administration assumed the lead role in the co-
ordination and facilitation of this process, community partners and agencies agreed to become
active in the implementation of specific projects within the funding proposal.
In response to questions, Ms. L. Palubeski advised that the City currently runs 13 summer
youth drop-in programs, adding that the year-round Youth Drop-in program at Centreville-
Chicopee has been in operation for several years. Ms. L. Read stated that while the Waterloo
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MAY 11, 2009 -16 - CITY OF KITCHENER
2. CSD-09-035 - ONE KCI YOUTH DROP-IN PROGRAM (CONT'DI
Region District School Board will be providing the facility and volunteers, it has no experience
running adrop-in centre, which is why the City was asked to take the lead for this project. She
added that the provincial government has indicated that they will continue this funding in the
foreseeable future; however, the Community Alliance is exploring ways in which these projects
could become self-sustaining. Ms. Read stated that a progress report will be provided to the
City containing specified measurables to rate the program's level of achievement.
On motion by Councillor C. Weylie -
itwas resolved:
"That the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute a two year agreement with the
Waterloo Region District School Board, for the implementation of a Youth Drop-In
program at the Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational School (KCI), subject to
the satisfaction of the City Solicitor."
CSD-09-036 -COMMUNITY INVESTMENT STRATEGY
- TIER 1 VALUE FOR MONEY AUDITS
The Committee considered Community Services Department report CSD-09-036, dated May 4,
2009 regarding the Tier 1 Community Grants Program value for money audits of Leadership
Waterloo Region (LWR) and the Social Planning Council of Kitchener-Waterloo (SPCKW). Ms.
I. Pregel reviewed the staff report.
Mayor C. Zehr advised that the representatives from LWR were unable to attend this meeting
and have requested a deferral of the recommendation concerning their organization to the May
19, 2009 Council meeting.
On motion by Mayor C. Zehr-
itwas resolved:
"That consideration of the following recommendation be deferred and referred to the
May 19, 2009 Council meeting, in accordance with the request from Leadership
Waterloo Region:
That notice be given to Leadership Waterloo Region that it will no longer be a
Tier 1 Community Grants Program beginning January 1, 2010 and that staff be
instructed to consider Leadership Waterloo Region as an external supplier of
leadership development services for City staff."
Mr. Nathan Pike and Ms. Trudy Beaulne, SPCKW, addressed the Committee in opposition to
the recommendations of the value for money audit. Mr. Pike stated that their client
stakeholders are more than satisfied with the services they receive and are almost
unconditional in their support of SPCKW. He requested that the Committee not base its
decision of the contents on the value for money audit and asked that their current level of
funding be maintained. In addition, he requested that the City and SPCKW establish a Joint
Working Group to: discuss the contents of the audit; explore additional benefits that could be
provided to the City; assess and consider any new recommendations that might arise from
those discussions; and, examine the implications that those recommendations may have on
the City's funding allocation.
In response to questions, Mr. N. Pike advised that the audit highlighted the polarization of
feedback among stakeholders, clients, and funders and did not provide a quantitative analysis
or a comparison of SPCKW's finances to other similar organizations. He commented on the
value that could be derived from forming a Joint Working Group to identify the gaps in their
services, through which recommendations could be made as to how to move forward.
In response to questions regarding the implementation of 211 services, Ms. T. Beaulne
described it as a phone and web service that connects people with reliable information and
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3. CSD-09-036 -COMMUNITY INVESTMENT STRATEGY
- TIER 1 VALUE FOR MONEY AUDITS (CONT'D)
provides access to a broad range of community resources, social, health and related
government services and programs. She noted that this service is expected to come online in
Waterloo Region in the next two years. She stated that 211 would build on what is already in
place and is not intended to replace the services currently being provided by SPCKW. She
then reviewed some of the projects undertaken by SPCKW and outlined the following three
main programs offered by her organization: research and data management; community
information; and, social planning/community building. Referring to the funding discrepancy
between the Cities of Kitchener and Waterloo in relation to social planning, she noted that
SPCKW has only recently begun to build a relationship with the City of Waterloo for those
services. Accordingly, only a small portion of their overall funding contribution is allocated
toward social planning. Ms. Beaulne advised that the distribution of funding between the three
main programs is determined primarily on the historic expectations of the funding provider.
She stated that the City of Kitchener's funding has traditionally been allocated toward social
planning, adding that Kitchener is the largest funder of those services. She noted that the
Community Information Centre accounts for the majority of SPCKW's budget.
Mr. Brad Ullner addressed the Committee in support of SPCKW and noted his high level of
satisfaction with the services they provide. He advised that he disagrees with the conclusions
made in the auditor's report, stating that there was little value attributed to the community
benefits realized through the work undertaken by SPCKW. He requested that consideration be
given to the formation of a Joint Working Group, as suggested by Mr. Pike.
In response to questions, Ms. I. Pregel advised that the Community Information Centre was
identified as providing a core service and staff are proposing that the City's financial
contribution should be adjusted accordingly. She stated that staff are recommending that
SPCKW's funding allocation for 2009 be reduced to $43,000., effective July 1St, and that the
City enter into an annual agreement with SPCKW to support the Community Information
Centre. She noted that staff are also recommending that any social planning services be
purchased on an as needed basis through the City's Purchasing Policy. Ms. Pregel agreed to
provide information to the May 19, 2009 Council meeting, outlining how those services would
be purchased on aproject-by-project basis. She clarified that every month since January 2009
SPCKW has received one-twelfth of the originally approved $86,154. and it is recommended
that this be adjusted so that their allocation be based on $43,000. for the remainder of 2009.
Mayor C. Zehr stated that support for social planning falls under that mandate of the Region of
Waterloo; however, SPCKW's financial statements indicate that the Region does not provide
funding for those services. He added that the City's mandate aligns more closely with the
provision of community information and noted that Kitchener is currently providing four-times
the level of funding then the City of Uaterloo. He advised that while he is generally in support
of the staff recommendation he has concerns regarding its proposed timing. He put forward
that staff and SPCKW should meet to discuss a phasing out approach to the City's funding
allocation, commenting that these discussions could also meet some of the objectives of the
Joint Working Group proposed by Mr. Pike.
On motion by Mayor C. Zehr-
itwas resolved:
"That a grant in the amount of $43,000., annualized for the remainder of 2009, be
approved to the Social Planning Council of Kitchener-Waterloo, to come into effect on a
date to be determined, to support their Community Information Centre; and further,
That planning services be purchased from the Social Planning Council of Kitchener-
Waterloo on a project by project basis, subject to need and as priorities present
themselves."
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4. CSD-09-034 -FOLLOW-UPON THE 2009 LOOSE LEAF COLLECTION PROGRAM
The Committee considered Community Services Department report CSD-09-034, dated May 4,
2009 regarding afollow-up to the report which was presented at the April 6, 2009 special
Council meeting concerning the options for the 2009 Loose Leaf Collection program. Mr. J.
Witmer reviewed the report.
In response to questions, Mr. J. Witmer advised that based on discussions held with the Cities
of Waterloo and Cambridge, staff are proposing a new alternative to the four options previously
presented to Council, being: Alternative 1 -four week program with a single collection and
reduced leaf dump sites. He added that staff have also reviewed the potential for additional
street sweeping and concluded that a shift could run from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., with two
sweepers running a late afternoon/early evening shift while the other sweepers are being
maintained. He stated that staff are suggesting that the number of leaf dump sites be reduced
to 5 for 2009 and then eliminated altogether in 2010; in keeping with the practices of the Cities
of Cambridge and Waterloo. Concerning the provision of enhanced security at leaf dump sites,
he commented that it is less expensive to continue with the current practice of separating out
the garbage from the leaves, than implementing enhanced security measures.
Several members expressed concerns with selecting a preferred option prior to undertaking
the public consultation. Ms. J. Miller advised that staff could immediately commence with the
public consultation outlined in the staff report, which would include posting the survey on the
City's website and potentially setting up a telephone response line. She added that the survey
would then be published in the July 2nd edition of Your Kitchener, with feedback and
recommendations being presented in August, 2009. It was suggested that the public
consultation should specify the financial implications of all of the optionslalternatives outlined in
report CSD-09-034.
On motion by Mayor C. Zehr-
itwas resolved:
"That staff be directed to immediately proceed with the public consultation process on all
of the Options /Alternatives proposed for the City's Loose Leaf Collection program
outlined in Community Services Department report CSD-09-034."
ADJOURNMENT
On motion, the meeting adjourned at 6:09 p.m.
Colin Goodeve
Committee Administrator