MINUTES - General Committee - 20080227
TOWN OF AURORA
SPECIAL GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
NO. 08-11
Council Chambers
Aurora Town Hall
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
ATTENDANCE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS Mayor Morris in the Chair; Councillors Buck, Collins-
Mrakas (arrived at 7:42 p.m.), Gaertner (arrived at
7:14 p.m.), Granger, Marsh, MacEachern, McRoberts
and Wilson (arrived at 7:32 p.m. and left at 10:38
p.m.)
MEMBERS ABSENT None
OTHER ATTENDEES Director of Financial Services/ Treasurer, Director of
Leisure Services, Financial Analyst/Budget
Supervisor and Administrative Co-ordinator/Deputy
Clerk
Mayor Morris called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.
I DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTEREST
Councillor Marsh declared a pecuniary interest in item 7 due to an
employer/client relationship. Councillor Marsh took no part in the discussion or
voting in this matter.
Councillor McRoberts declared a pecuniary interest in item 15.
II APPROVAL OF AGENDA
General Committee recommends:
THAT the agenda as circulated by the Corporate Services Department,
with the following additional items, be approved:
PowerPoint Presentation by the Director of Financial Services
Re: 2008-2011 Budget – February 27, 2008
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL - ITEM 10
FS08-010 – Discretionary and Obligatory Reserve Report to
December 31, 2007
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL - ITEM 11 – Summary of 2007 Surpluses
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL ITEM 12
FS08-011 – Property Tax Assistance for Low-Income Seniors and
Low-Income Persons with Disabilities
ADDED ITEM 14 – Correspondence from the Director of Public
Works
Re: Request for Increase in Winter Operating
Budget
Special General Committee Report No. 08-11 Page 2 of 7
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
ADDED ITEM 15 – Correspondence to all Ice Users regarding
Proposed Fee Increases and the Responses
Received to Date
CARRIED
Councillor Gaertner arrived at 7:14 p.m.
III DELEGATIONS
a) Mr. John Gutteridge, Director of Financial Services/Treasurer –
Budget Status Update
The Director of Financial Services/Treasurer provided an overview of the
various changes to date with respect to the 2008 budgets and advised the
committee that the municipality is in good financial standing.
Councillor Wilson arrived at 7:32 p.m.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Director of Financial Services/Treasurer present the budget
overview at the next Council meeting.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the presentation by the Director of Financial Services/Treasurer be
received for information.
CARRIED
Councillor Collins-Mrakas arrived at 7:42 p.m.
IV MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION
14. Correspondence from the Director of Public Works
Re: Request for Increase in Winter Operating Budget - ADDED ITEM
General Committee recommends:
THAT $180,000 be added to the 2008 Winter Operating Budget.
CARRIED
Councillor McRoberts declared an interest in correspondence from a recreational facility
user as the facility is owned by his employer. Councillor McRoberts took no part in the
discussion or voting with respect to the specific correspondence.
15. Correspondence to all Users Groups regarding Proposed Fee Increases
and the Responses Received to Date - ADDED ITEM
General Committee recommends:
THAT the correspondence from the User Groups regarding proposed fee
increases and the responses received to date be referred to staff to
provide a summary and report on the comments of the user groups.
CARRIED
Special General Committee Report No. 08-11 Page 3 of 7
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
1. Memorandum from the Financial Analyst/Budget Supervisor
Re: Additional Information Requested at January 29, 2008 meeting
(2) Staffing for the Aurora Heritage Centre
General Committee recommends:
THAT funding of $80,000 be set aside for salaries and/or contract
positions at the Aurora Heritage Centre.
CARRIED
(3) Contract Communications Support for Mayor and Members of Council
General Committee recommends:
THAT $15,000 be included in the 2008 operating budget for contract
communications support for the Mayor and Members of Council.
CARRIED
(4) Review of the CAO’s Budget for Potential Reductions
General Committee recommends:
THAT the level of funding for receptions be maintained at the 2007 level of
$2,500.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the review of the CAO’s budget for potential reductions be deferred
to the next budget meeting.
CARRIED
(5) Council’s Options with Respect to the Library Board
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Library Board 2008 Budget be increased by 4% over the 2007
Budget.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the balance of the memorandum from the Financial Analyst/Budget
Supervisor regarding additional information requested at January 29, 2008
meeting be received for information.
CARRIED
2. Memorandum from CAO - 2008 CAO/Administration Budget Summary
This matter was deferred to the next budget meeting
Special General Committee Report No. 08-11 Page 4 of 7
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
3. Summary of 2008 Budget Changes as of January 29, 2008
General Committee recommends:
THAT the summary of 2008 Budget changes as of January 29, 2008 be
received for information.
CARRIED
5. Extract from Environment Advisory Committee Regarding Advertising
General Committee recommends:
THAT the 2007 level of the Notice Board in the amount of $65,000 be
maintained; and
THAT the extract from the Environment Advisory Committee regarding
advertising be referred to the CAO for comment.
CARRIED
4. Memorandum from the CAO regarding Advertisement Budget for 2008
General Committee recommends:
THAT the memorandum from the CAO regarding Advertisement Budget
for 2008 be received for information.
CARRIED
6. Staff Justifications
Economic Development Division
General Committee recommends:
THAT the memorandum from the CAO regarding the justification of the
Administrative Assistant to the Economic Development Division be
referred back to the CAO for an operating staffing plan of the division.
CARRIED
Marketing/Communications Division
General Committee recommends:
THAT the memorandum from the Marketing/Communications Co-ordinator
be received for information.
CARRIED
Building Administration
General Committee recommends:
THAT the memorandum from the Director of Building Administration
regarding an additional Building Clerk be received for information.
CARRIED
Special General Committee Report No. 08-11 Page 5 of 7
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
IT Services
General Committee recommends:
THAT the full time Help Desk/Telecom Support position be approved.
CARRIED
Public Works
General Committee recommends:
THAT the matter of the full time Environmental Engineer position be
referred back to the Director of Public Works for additional information.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the memorandum from the Acting Director of Public Works
regarding new staff for the Public Works Department in 2008 be received.
CARRIED
Leisure Services
General Committee recommends:
THAT the memorandum from the Director of Leisure Services regarding
new staff complement for 2008 be received for information.
CARRIED
The committee recessed at 10:11 p.m.
The committee reconvened at 10:14 p.m.
7. Report from the Director of Public Works
Re: Vandorf Sideroad Capital Budget Update
General Committee recommends:
THAT report PW08-007 regarding Vandorf Sideroad update be received;
and
THAT $20,000, less $7,500 expended in 2007, be included in the 2008
budget.
CARRIED
9. Deferral from Council Meeting February 12, 2008
Re: Smart Commute Budget
General Committee recommends:
THAT the information regarding Smart Commute Budget be received for
information.
CARRIED
Special General Committee Report No. 08-11 Page 6 of 7
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
General Committee recommends:
THAT the hour be extended by 15 minutes to address the remainder of
the agenda items.
CARRIED
10. Memorandum from the Director of Financial Services Reserve & Reserve
Fund Report
(Distributed at the meeting)
General Committee recommends:
THAT the memorandum from the Director of Financial Services/Treasurer
regarding the Reserve & reserve Fund report be received for information.
CARRIED
11. Memorandum from the Director of Financial Services Surplus/Deficit Report
(Distributed at the meeting)
General Committee recommends:
THAT the memorandum from the Director of Financial Services/Treasurer
regarding the surplus/deficit report be received for information.
CARRIED
12. Memorandum from the Director of Financial Services Senior’s Tax Rebate
Report
(Distributed at the meeting)
General Committee recommends:
THAT report FS08-011 Property Tax Assistance for Low-Income Seniors
and Low-Income Persons with Disabilities be received; and
THAT Council adopt a Low-Income Senior’s Property Tax Assistance
Program under Section 107 of the Municipal Act similar to that set out in
Appendix “A” of report FS08-011 for implementation in the 2008 taxation
year.
CARRIED
Councillor Wilson left at 10:38 p.m.
13. Memorandum from the Director of Corporate Services
Re: Future Budget Date Meetings
General Committee recommends:
THAT March 3 and March 24, 2008 be the next budget meetings.
CARRIED
Special General Committee Report No. 08-11 Page 7 of 7
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
8. Deferral from Council Meeting Feb. 12, 2008
Re: Capital Budget Adjustment of 2%
General Committee recommends:
THAT the matter of the Capital Budget adjustment of 2% be deferred to
the next budget meeting.
CARRIED
VI ADJOURNMENT
General Committee recommends:
THAT the meeting be adjourned at 10:48 p.m.
CARRIED
THE REPORT OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING 08-11 WAS CONSIDERED
AND ADOPTED BY COUNCIL AT ITS MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY, MARCH 25,
2008.
_______________________________ ________________________________
PHYLLIS M. MORRIS, MAYOR KAREN EWART, DEPUTY CLERK