MINUTES - General Committee - 20091121
TOWN OF AURORA
SPECIAL GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
NO. 09-30
OPERATING BUDGET
Council Chambers
Aurora Town Hall
Saturday, November 21, 2009
ATTENDANCE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS Mayor Morris in the Chair, Councillors Buck (arrived at
9:25 a.m.), Collins-Mrakas, Gaertner, Gallo, Granger,
MacEachern (arrived at 9:30 a.m.), McRoberts and
Wilson
MEMBERS ABSENT None
OTHER ATTENDEES Chief Administrative Officer, Town Solicitor/Acting
Town Clerk, Director of Parks and Recreation
Services, Director of Infrastructure and Environmental
Services, Director of Corporate and Financial
Services/Treasurer, Acting Financial Analyst/Budget
Coordinator, Cashflow and Investment Coordinator
and Council/Committee Secretary
Mayor Morris called the meeting to order at 9:15 a.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 Customer and Legislative Services
Department be approved as presented.
CARRIED
III DELEGATIONS
a) Mr. Dan Elliott, Director of Corporate and Financial Services/Treasurer
Re: Review of 2010 Operating Budget Process
Mr. Dan Elliott, Director of Corporate and Financial Services, reviewed a number
of overarching budgetary issues with respect to salary and benefits; a proposal
for a new process for funding conferences, training and networking, growth
revenue and supplementary taxes, for consideration in the 2010 budget
deliberations. Mr. Elliott requested that Council approve several revisions to the
2010 Operating Budget, which were identified as necessary, subsequent to the
issuance of the budget binders.
Special General Committee Operating Budget Meeting Agenda
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Page 2 of 5
General Committee recommends:
THAT the review of the 2010 Operating Budget process, presented by Mr.
Elliott, be received; and
THAT the proposed adjustments, as identified by Mr. Elliott, be included in
the proposed 2010 Operating Budget.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Closed Session item be brought forward for consideration.
CARRIED
V CLOSED SESSION
General Committee recommends:
THAT General Committee resolve into a Closed Session to consider:
• labour relations or employee negotiations – verbal update (1 item)
CARRIED
The meeting recessed at 10:15 a.m.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the meeting reconvene at 10:45 a.m.
CARRIED
b) Mr. Neil Garbe, Chief Administrative Officer
Re: Review of 2010 Operating Budget - Chief Administrative Officer
and Council
Mr. Neil Garbe, Chief Administrative Officer, reviewed the upcoming
budgetary challenges, goals and objectives for the Administration
Department, and provided a forecast of expenses, revenues and staffing
requirements for consideration in the 2010 budget deliberations. Mr.
Garbe requested that Council give advance approval for two new positions
as outlined is his presentation:
• Manager of Corporate Communications – new full-time position
• Manager of Strategic Initiatives – Converted and upgraded from the
former position of Economic Development Officer
Special General Committee Operating Budget Meeting Agenda
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Page 3 of 5
General Committee recommends:
THAT the presentation from Mr. Garbe be received; and
THAT Council give advanced approval to establish the proposed full-time
positions of “Manager of Corporate Communications” and “Manager of
Strategic Initiatives; and
THAT staff be authorized to proceed with the recruitment process.
CARRIED
c) Mr. Ilmar Simanovskis, Director of Infrastructure and Environmental
Services
Re: Review of 2010 Operating Budget – Infrastructure and
Environmental Services
Mr. Ilmar Simanovskis, Director of Infrastructure and Environmental
Services, reviewed the upcoming budgetary challenges, goals and
objectives for the Infrastructure and Environmental Services Department,
and provided a forecast of expenses, revenues and staffing requirements
for consideration in the 2010 budget deliberations.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the presentation from Mr. Simanovskis be received for information.
CARRIED
The meeting recessed at 12:25 p.m.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the meeting reconvene at 1:10 p.m.
CARRIED
Mr. Elliott provided General Committee with updates pertaining to the Council
Administration section of the 2010 Operating Budget and requested direction from the
Committee regarding several proposed revisions to the draft budget.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Council Administration - Conferences Budget be reduced by
$12,000.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the funding for Advisory Committees be held at the 2009 levels.
CARRIED
Special General Committee Operating Budget Meeting Agenda
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Page 4 of 5
At 2:02 p.m. Mayor Morris relinquished the Chair to Deputy Mayor McRoberts in order
to provide input to the discussion at hand.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Historical Grant of $50,000 be confirmed for the 2010 Budget;
and
THAT the Historical Society be invited to present at the Special General
Committee Operating Budget meeting on Monday, November 30, 2009,
and they be requested to bring forward their business plan at that time.
CARRIED
At 2:04 p.m., upon conclusion of the discussion, Mayor Morris resumed the Chair.
At 2:08 p.m. Mayor Morris relinquished the Chair to Deputy Mayor McRoberts and left
the meeting.
d) Mr. Al Downey, Director of Parks and Recreation Services
Re: Review of 2010 Operating Budget – Parks and Recreation
Mr. Al Downey, Director of Parks and Recreation Services, reviewed the
upcoming budgetary challenges, goals and objectives for the Parks and
Recreation Services Department, and provided a forecast of expenses,
revenues and staffing requirements for consideration in the 2010 budget
deliberations.
Councillor Buck left the meeting at 2:42 p.m.
At 3:05 p.m. Mayor Morris returned to the meeting and resumed the Chair for the
duration of the meeting.
Councillor Collins-Mrakas left the meeting at 3:30 p.m.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the 2010 Operating Budget for the Parks and Recreation Services
Department be deferred until the Special General Committee Budget
meeting scheduled for Monday, November 30, 2009; and
THAT the Director be requested to report back regarding the following
areas:
• clarification with respect to the numbers for 2010 compliment in the
Parks and Recreation Division; and
• provision of a comprehensive break down of the $68,000 requested
for vehicle repairs; and
• clarification with respect to the total cost for contracts within 2010 in
comparison to 2009, and
• clarification as to whether revenues have decreased from previous
years.
CARRIED
Special General Committee Operating Budget Meeting Agenda
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Page 5 of 5
e) Mr. Dan Elliott, Director of Corporate and Financial Services/Treasurer
Re: Review of 2010 Operating Budget - Corporate and Financial
Services
Mr. Dan Elliott, Director of Corporate and Financial Services, reviewed the
upcoming budgetary challenges, goals and objectives for the Corporate
and Financial Services Department, and provided a forecast of expenses,
revenues and staffing requirements for consideration in the 2010 budget
deliberations.
General Committee recommends:
THAT program enhancements be transferred over to the Capital Budget.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the balance of the presentation from the Director of Corporate and
Financial Services/Treasurer’s review of 2010 Operating Budget - Corporate
Revenues and Expenses, be deferred to the Special General Committee
Operating Budget meeting scheduled for Monday, November 23, 2009.
CARRIED
IV ADJOURNMENT
General Committee recommends:
THAT the meeting be adjourned at 4:10 p.m.
CARRIED
THE REPORT OF THE SPECIAL GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING 09-30 WAS
CONSIDERED AND ADOPTED BY COUNCIL AT ITS MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY,
DECEMBER 8, 2009.
_______________________________ ________________________________
PHYLLIS M. MORRIS, MAYOR CHRISTOPHER C. COOPER
ACTING TOWN CLERK