MINUTES - General Committee - 20091130
TOWN OF AURORA
SPECIAL GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
NO. 09-32
OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET
Council Chambers
Aurora Town Hall
Monday, November 30, 2009
ATTENDANCE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS Mayor Morris in the Chair; Councillors Buck, Collins-
Mrakas, Gaertner, Gallo, Granger, MacEachern,
McRoberts and Wilson (arrived at 8:00 p.m.)
MEMBERS ABSENT None
OTHER ATTENDEES Chief Administrative Officer, Town Solicitor, Director
of Customer and Legislative Services/Town Clerk,
Director of Building and By-law Services, Director of
Parks and Recreation, Director of Planning and
Development, 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 7:05 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, with the following additions, be approved:
Memorandum from the Director of Corporate and Financial
Services/Treasurer
Re: East Holland River Restoration - Capital Project #73092
Delegation (f) - Mr. Peter Paz, Program Manager - Smart Commute
Central York
Re: Smart Commute Central York
Delegation (g) - Mr. Klaus Wehrenberg
Re: Funding for Railway Overpass at Cousins Drive
CARRIED
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Monday, November 30, 2009
Page 2 of 5
III DELEGATIONS
a) Mr. Andrew Kipfer, President
Aurora Historical Society
Mr. Andrew Kipfer addressed General Committee to provide a history of use of
annual budget contributions toward the Aurora Historical Society from the Town
of Aurora in past years and to justify the continuation of those contributions.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the comments of the delegate be received and referred to the 2010
Budget deliberations.
CARRIED
b) Mr. Andre Flys, Co-Chair
Aurora Farmers Market Association
Mr. Andre Flys addressed General Committee to provide the committee with the
2009 Aurora Farmers Market permit fee structure. Mr. Flys requested funding of
$7,800 to establish a new part time staff position of “Farmers Market Manager”,
and for funding of $4,000 toward special event costs.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the comments of the delegate be received and referred to the 2010
Budget deliberations.
CARRIED
f) Mr. Peter Paz, Program Manager - Smart Commute Central York
Re: Smart Commute Central York – (Added Item)
Mr. Peter Paz addressed General Committee to provide an overview of the
Smart Commute York Region Program, outlining the program’s accomplishments
to date and plans for the future. Mr. Paz advised that the Smart Commute York
Region Program relies on the support of partnering municipalities and
organizations, and requested that the Town of Aurora give consideration to a
contribution of $5,000 toward the program.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the comments of the delegate be received and referred to the 2010
Budget deliberations.
CARRIED
g) Mr. Klaus Wehrenberg
Re: Funding for Railway Overpass at Cousins Drive – (Added Item)
Mr. Klaus Wehrenberg addressed General Committee to request, on behalf of
the Aurora Trails Committee, that approval be given to allocate the necessary
funding, within the 2010 budget, for the construction of an at grade railway
crossing at Cousins Drive.
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Monday, November 30, 2009
Page 3 of 5
General Committee recommends:
THAT the comments of the delegate be received and referred to the 2010
Budget deliberations.
CARRIED
c) Mr. Dan Elliott, Director of Corporate and Financial Services/Treasurer
Re: Review of 2010 Operating Budget
– Corporate Expenses & Revenues
Mr. Dan Elliott, Director of Corporate and Financial Services/Treasurer, provided
an overview of the Corporate Expenses & Revenues for consideration at this
meeting.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the comments of the Director of Corporate and Financial
Services/Treasurer be received and referred to the 2010 Budget
deliberations.
CARRIED
d) Mr. Allan Downey, Director of Parks and Recreation Services
Re: Review of 2010 Operating Budget – Parks & Recreation Services
Mr. Al Downey, Director of Parks and Recreation, addressed General Committee
to provide an overview of the documentation and background information which
has been provided to the Committee at this meeting, as requested at the Special
General Committee Budget meeting of Saturday, November 21, 2009.
e) Mr. Dan Elliott, Director of Corporate & Financial Services/Treasurer
Re: Item 1 - FS09-055 - 2010 Operating and Capital Budgets Status
Report
Mr. Dan Elliott, Director of Corporate and Financial Services/Treasurer, provided
a brief overview of the proposed Capital and Operating Budget items which were
requested to be brought back for further consideration at the end of the budget
process, or still require direction from General Committee. Mr. Elliott also
advised that some of the projects referenced for consideration at this meeting
have been proposed by staff to offset some of the items which have been
removed from the 2010 budget.
General Committee recommends:
THAT Council include Capital Projects #14051 Special Audit Fees and
#14052 HR Consulting “above the line” as part of the 2010 Capital Budget
requests, and that the Cash to Capital allocation in the Operating Budget
be increased accordingly to provide the necessary funding partial revenue
offset of $11,000.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT Council approve staff recommendations regarding Parks Fleet
Vehicles for a decrease in fuel in the amount of $20,000 and decrease in
repairs in the amount of $50,000.
CARRIED
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Monday, November 30, 2009
Page 4 of 5
General Committee recommends:
THAT Council approve the staff recommendation to establish the
proposed position of “Legal Administrative Assistant” in the amount of
$64,800.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT Council approve the staff recommendation to establish the
proposed position of “Network Operations Technician”; and
THAT the start date for this position be April 1, 2010.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the hour of adjournment be extended to 11:00 p.m.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the operating impact of Capital project #74003 SARC Wireless
Network in the amount of $4,800 be removed from the 2010 draft
operating budget.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT additional funding be allocated to the Aurora Public Library Board
budget in the amount of $150,000 over and above the 2009 Approved
Municipal Requisition of $2,589,100.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT a contribution of $5,000 be made to the Smart Commute York
Region program, in keeping the partnership with the Town of Aurora.
DEFEATED
General Committee recommends:
THAT staff be directed to include a Capital Budget allocation of $50,000,
above the line, for the design and approval of works for a ground level
pedestrian railway crossing at Cousins Drive; and
THAT a source of funding be identified and reported back to Council.
CARRIED
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Monday, November 30, 2009
Page 5 of 5
VI ADJOURNMENT
General Committee recommends:
THAT the meeting be adjourned at 11:20 p.m.
CARRIED
THE REPORT OF THE SPECIAL GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING 09-32 WAS
CONSIDERED AND ADOPTED BY COUNCIL AT ITS MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY,
DECEMBER 8, 2009.
_______________________________ ________________________________
PHYLLIS M. MORRIS, MAYOR JOHN D. LEACH, TOWN CLERK