MINUTES - General Committee - 20090202
TOWN OF AURORA
SPECIAL GENERAL COMMITTEE BUDGET
MEETING MINUTES
PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE
NO. 09-03
Council Chambers
Aurora Town Hall
Monday, February 2, 2009
ATTENDANCE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS Mayor Morris in the Chair; Councillors Buck, Collins-
Mrakas (arrived at 7:18 p.m.), Gallo, Gaertner,
Granger, MacEachern, McRoberts and Wilson
MEMBERS ABSENT None
OTHER ATTENDEES Chief Administrative Officer, Director of Corporate
Services/Town Clerk, Director of Building, Director of
Leisure Services, Director of Planning, Director of
Public Works, Director of Financial Services/
Treasurer, Acting Financial Analyst/Budget Clerk,
Manager of Legislative Services/Deputy Clerk and
Council/Committee Secretary.
Mayor Morris called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.
I DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTEREST
There were no declarations of pecuniary interest under the Municipal Conflict of
Interest Act.
II APPROVAL OF AGENDA
General Committee recommends:
THAT the agenda as circulated by the Corporate Services Department,
with the following additional item, be approved:
Additional Delegation (d) - Ms Myriam Schut, Resident
Re: Tree Carving of Maple Trees at 65 Spruce Street
CARRIED
Special General Committee Budget Minutes No. 09-03
Public Open House - Monday, February 2, 2009
Page 2 of 5
III DELEGATIONS
(a) Mr. John Gutteridge, Director of Financial Services/Treasurer
Re: 2009 Budget Overview
Mr. John Gutteridge, Director of Financial Services/Treasurer, provided an
overview of the 2009 Capital and Operating Budget process outlining the
schedule of meetings and the major factors impacting the financial outlook for
2009. Mr. Gutteridge advised that, at this stage in the budget deliberations, the
projected Town tax levy increase sits at 7.8% with the growth factor included.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the delegation from the Director of Finance be received for
information.
CARRIED
(b) Mr. Andrew Kipfer, Aurora Historical Society
Re: 2009 Budget
Mr. Andrew Kipfer of the Aurora Historical Society thanked the General
Committee for the opportunity to speak at this meeting and he advised that the
Aurora Historical Society has been in operation since 1963. Mr. Kipfer advised
that the Society provides the service of operating a museum for the community
and that they are also the keepers and operators of the Hillary House also known
as the Koffler Museum of Medicine, which is a historically significant and
beautiful building in the Town of Aurora. Mr. Kipfer advised that the Town of
Aurora has been a strong source of support for the Aurora Historical Society for
over 20 years. Mr. Kipfer requested that the Town carry on this partnership and
continue the tradition of contributing $50,000 from the operating budget to enable
the Aurora Historical Society to carry on its valuable work within the community.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the delegation from Mr. Andrew Kipfer of the Aurora Historical
Society be received for information.
CARRIED
(c) Mr. Michael Evans, Aurora True Value Hardware
Re: 2009 Budget
Mr. Michael Evans, owner of Aurora True Value Hardware, addressed the
Committee to express his concerns and frustration pertaining to the financial
impacts on his and other businesses in the downtown core resulting from inflated
property assessments. Mr. Evans explained that since homes and businesses
were sold at values far exceeding the current market, surrounding buildings have
been assessed at inflated rates causing taxes to be much higher than what is
appropriate for this current economic climate.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the delegation from Mr. Michael Evans of Aurora True Value
Hardware be received for information.
CARRIED
Special General Committee Budget Minutes No. 09-03
Public Open House - Monday, February 2, 2009
Page 3 of 5
(d) Ms Myriam Schut, Resident (ADDED ITEM)
Re: Tree Carving of Maple Tree at 65 Spruce Street
Ms Myriam Schut addressed the General Committee to follow up on a previous
delegation which she had presented in November 2008 regarding a request that
the Town consider providing funds to enable tree carver, Mr. Colin Partridge, to
do a carving into the trunk of an old Maple tree located on Town property in front
of her residence at 65 Spruce Street. Ms Schut requested that the Committee
consider pursuing the funding for this project through the Arts and Culture Grants
Fund.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the delegation from Myriam Schut be received for information.
CARRIED
PUBLIC OPEN SESSION - Opportunity for members of the public to
provide input regarding the 2009 budget
Delegation (e) Mr. Dave Giroux, President of the Aurora Minor Ball Association
Re: 2009 Capital Budget
Mr. Dave Giroux, President of the Aurora Minor Ball Association, addressed General
Committee to clarify some issues pertaining to the budget item regarding a baseball
facility. Mr. Giroux advised that the Aurora Minor Ball Association is in support of the
draft design previously submitted by staff in report LS09-003 for the proposed senior
baseball diamond facility. Mr. Giroux advised that Mr. Jim Tree, Manager of Parks, and
his staff, have worked very hard to bring the existing ball facilities in Aurora to the
highest possible standards in order to allow the Association to carry on, however the
needs of the Aurora Minor Ball Association now exceed the capacity of the existing
fields and there is a distinct and pressing need to build a new baseball facility in Aurora.
Mr. Giroux provided a number of factors and statistics to support his statements and he
advised that, although the cost which was recently quoted for the project seemed high,
he has since consulted with his peers in other municipalities and believes that the
amount is comparable and should be pursued, adding that the details cannot be
properly assessed until the project goes out to tender. Mr. Giroux advised that
membership is projected to increase considerably in 2009 and will continue to increase,
providing that there are adequate fields available to play on.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the delegation from Mr. Dave Giroux, President of the Aurora Minor
Ball Association, be received for information.
CARRIED
Special General Committee Budget Minutes No. 09-03
Public Open House - Monday, February 2, 2009
Page 4 of 5
IV CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS REQUIRING SEPARATE DISCUSSION
Delegation (f) from Mr. Ilmar Simanovskis, Director of Public Works
Re: Review of 2009 Capital Budget
(Deferred from the Special General Committee - Budget Meeting 09-02
January 31, 2009)
Project #49 - Corporate Environmental Master Plan
General Committee recommends:
THAT staff be requested to determine if funds from the Aurora Hydro Sale
Investment Fund Project can be allocated toward project #49 - Corporate
Environmental Master Plan; and
THAT staff look into whether this capital project can be funded through
Development Charges.
CARRIED
Project #96 - Infrastructure Condition Assessment for PSAB Compliance
General Committee recommends:
THAT Project #96 - Infrastructure Condition Assessment for PSAB
Compliance, be moved above the line.
CARRIED
Project #98 - Sidewalk Reconstruction - Centre Street and Catherine Avenue
General Committee recommends:
THAT Project #98 - Sidewalk Reconstruction - Centre Street and
Catherine Avenue, be moved above the line.
CARRIED
Project #99 - Pedestrian Rail Crossing at Cousins Drive
General Committee recommends:
THAT Project #99 - Pedestrian Rail Crossing at Cousins Drive, be moved
above the line; and
THAT staff be requested to identify sources of funding for this project and
to pursue funding support from the York Region District School Board.
CARRIED
Delegation (f) from Mr. Ilmar Simanovskis, Director of Public Works
Re: Review of 2009 Capital Budget - Fleet Management
General Committee recommends:
THAT the fleet management overview from the Director of Public Works
be deferred to the next Capital budget meeting.
CARRIED
Special General Committee Budget Minutes No. 09-03
Public Open House - Monday, February 2, 2009
Page 5 of 5
Delegation (g) Mr. John Gutteridge, Director of Financial Services/Treasurer
Re: 2009 Capital Budget
(Deferred from the Special General Committee - Budget Meeting 09-02
January 31, 2009)
General Committee recommends:
THAT the department overview from the Director of Financial Services be
deferred to the next Capital budget meeting.
CARRIED
V ADJOURNMENT
General Committee recommends:
THAT the meeting be adjourned at 10:28 p.m.
CARRIED
THE REPORT OF THE SPECIAL GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING 09-03 WAS
CONSIDERED AND APPROVED BY COUNCIL AT ITS MEETING HELD ON
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2009.
_______________________________ ________________________________
PHYLLIS M. MORRIS, MAYOR LUCILLE KING, TOWN CLERK