MINUTES - General Committee - 20110214
TOWN OF AURORA
SPECIAL GENERAL COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
OPERATING BUDGET
Council Chambers
Aurora Town Hall
Monday, February 14, 2011
ATTENDANCE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS Mayor Dawe in the Chair; Councillors Abel, Ballard,
Buck, Gaertner, Gallo, Humfryes, Pirri, and Thompson
MEMBERS ABSENT None
OTHER ATTENDEES Chief Administrative Officer, Director of Customer and
Legislative Services/Town Clerk, Director of Legal
Services/Town Solicitor, Director of Parks and
Recreation Services, Director of Planning and
Development Services, Director of Infrastructure and
Environmental Services, Director of Corporate and
Financial Services/Treasurer, Cash Flow and
Investment Coordinator/Financial Analyst, Budget
Supervisor/Financial Analyst, Capital Asset
Management Coordinator, and Council/Committee
Secretary
Mayor Dawe called the meeting to order at 9:08 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 DELEGATION
(a) Mr. Dan Elliott, Director of Corporate & Financial Services/Treasurer
Re: Review of 2011 Operating Budget Process
Mr. Dan Elliott presented a review of the 2011 Operating Budget Process. He
discussed overarching budget issues including the reallocation of 2010 budgets;
the budget approach to salaries and benefits; the corporate approach to
conferences, training, networking and receptions; proposed adjustments to date;
and a summary of debt.
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Operating Budget
Monday, February 14, 2011
Page 2 of 6
IV CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS
1. Memorandum from the Cash Flow & Investment Coordinator
Re: Capital Budget – Additional Information
General Committee recommends:
THAT the memorandum regarding Capital Budget – Additional Information
be received for information.
CARRIED
2. 2011 Operating Budget – Council
Presentation by Mr. Neil Garbe, Chief Administrative Officer
Mr. Dan Elliott presented elements of the Council Administration operating
budget on behalf of Mr. Neil Garbe. He discussed each individual line item in the
budget including personnel costs, various expenses and community grants. Mr.
Elliott advised that there were no changes for Councillors at this time. He
reviewed the Aurora Historical Society (AHS) funding requests and it was agreed
that representatives of AHS would be invited to attend the next Operating Budget
meeting to present and discuss their plans and needs.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the second administrative position, Council Administrative
Assistant, be deleted from the 2011 Budget.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the presentation by Mr. Elliott on behalf of Mr. Garbe be received
for information.
CARRIED
The Committee recessed at 10:21 a.m.
The Committee reconvened at 10:38 a.m.
3. 2011 Operating Budget – Administration
Presentation by Mr. Neil Garbe, Chief Administrative Officer
Mr. Neil Garbe presented elements of the Administration operating budget. He
outlined the functions of the Office of the CAO including organization
administration, communications, economic development, strategic initiatives, and
environmental initiatives. Mr. Garbe reviewed their objectives for 2011 including
improvements to organizational efficiencies, client service and satisfaction, and
positioning for the future. He provided an overview of the department’s budget
including personnel costs, expenditures, base pressures, efficiencies and
enhancements, and forecast pressures, adding that there were no anticipated
changes from the current program.
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Operating Budget
Monday, February 14, 2011
Page 3 of 6
General Committee recommends:
THAT the presentation by Mr. Garbe be received for information.
CARRIED
4. 2011 Operating Budget – Parks & Recreation Services
Presentation by Mr. Al Downey, Director of Parks and Recreation Services
Mr. Al Downey presented elements of the Parks and Recreation Services
operating budget. He outlined the functions of the department including
responsibility for parks and recreation administration, recreational services, parks
services, and business support services. Mr. Downey reviewed their objectives
for 2011 including plans for improved organizational efficiencies, positioning for
the future, and client service and satisfaction. He provided an overview of the
department’s budget including personnel costs, expenditures, revenue, base
pressures, efficiencies and reductions, enhancements, and forecast pressures.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the presentation by Mr. Downey be received for information.
CARRIED
5. 2011 Operating Budget – Corporate & Financial Services
Presentation by Mr. Dan Elliott, Director of Corporate and Financial Services
Mr. Dan Elliott presented elements of the Corporate and Financial Services
operating budget. He outlined the functions of the department including Office of
the Director and Treasurer, corporate accounting, financial planning, Human
Resources, and Information and Technology Services. Mr. Elliott reviewed their
objectives for 2011 including plans for improved organizational efficiencies,
positioning for the future, and client service and satisfaction. He provided an
overview of the department’s budget including personnel costs, expenditures,
revenue, base pressures, efficiencies and reductions in base, enhancements,
and forecast pressures.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the presentation by Mr. Elliott be received for information.
CARRIED
The Committee recessed at 12:08 p.m.
The Committee reconvened at 1:10 p.m.
6. 2011 Operating Budget – Legal Services
Presentation by Mr. Christopher C. Cooper, Legal Services
Mr. Christopher C. Cooper presented elements of the Legal Services operating
budget. He outlined the functions of the department including: primary areas of
law practiced in the department; providing legal, strategic, risk management and
policy advice; preparation, review and interpretation of agreements; protecting
and defending the Town’s interests; and preparation, review and interpretation of
the Town’s by-laws. Mr. C. Cooper reviewed their objectives for 2011 including
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Operating Budget
Monday, February 14, 2011
Page 4 of 6
plans for improved operational efficiency, positioning for the future, and client
service and satisfaction. He provided an overview of the department’s budget
including personnel costs, expenditures, revenue, base pressures and forecast
pressures.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the presentation by Mr. C. Cooper be received for information.
CARRIED
Councillor Gaertner left the meeting at 1:35 p.m.
7. 2011 Operating Budget – Infrastructure & Environmental Services
Presentation by Mr. Ilmar Simanovskis, Director of Infrastructure and
Environmental Services
Mr. Ilmar Simanovskis presented elements of the operating budget for
Infrastructural and Environmental Services. He outlined the functions of the
department including engineering and capital projects, facilities and fleet
services, road network operations, solid waste and recycling, and water and
wastewater operations. Mr. Simanovskis reviewed their objectives for 2011
including plans for improved organizational efficiencies, positioning for the future,
and client service and satisfaction. He provided an overview of the department’s
budget including a comparison of historical budgets to actuals, personnel costs,
expenditures, revenue, overall base pressures, efficiencies and reductions in
base, enhancements, and forecast pressures.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the presentation by Mr. Simanovskis be received for information.
CARRIED
Councillor Humfryes returned to the meeting at 1:57 p.m.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Capital Budget – Additional Information provided in the form of
Attachments to the memorandum of Item 1 be brought forward to be
further addressed by Mr. Ilmar Simanovskis.
CARRIED
Projects 72098, 72099, 72127, 72096, 72097 – Aurora Family Leisure Complex
Capital Items (Attachment 2) and Project 72124 – Ice Re-surfacer (Attachment 3)
General Committee recommends:
THAT the reports from Mr. Simanovskis be received.
CARRIED
The Committee recessed at 2:40 p.m.
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Operating Budget
Monday, February 14, 2011
Page 5 of 6
The Committee reconvened at 2:51 p.m.
Project 31104 – Advance Glass Drive Sidewalk Installation (Attachment 4)
General Committee recommends:
THAT the report from Mr. Simanovskis be received.
CARRIED
Projects 71063, 71064, 71065 – ½ Tonne Truck Replacements (Attachment 5)
General Committee recommends:
THAT the report from Mr. Simanovskis be received.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the items described as Priority 2 – Project 71063 – ½ Tonne Truck
#222 and Priority 3 – Project 71065 – ½ Tonne Truck #247 be removed
from the Budget list.
CARRIED
Project 72116 – Replacement of Library Carpet (Attachment 6)
General Committee recommends:
THAT the replacement of the Library carpet be completed in two (2)
phases.
CARRIED
Project 31025 – Old Bloomington Sideroad Tar and Chip (Attachment 7)
General Committee recommends:
THAT the report from Mr. Simanovskis be received and Project 31025 be
deleted from the Budget list.
DEFEATED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the report from Mr. Simanovskis be received for information.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT, if any major repairs worth over $3,000 are required for Truck #222
and/or Truck #247, the item(s) would come back to Council for discussion.
CARRIED
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Operating Budget
Monday, February 14, 2011
Page 6 of 6
Further to Mr. Elliott’s earlier presentation regarding the operating budget for
Council Administration, he provided the requested Actual figures for comparison
to the Budget amounts respecting Community Grants.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the additional information be received.
CARRIED
V ADJOURNMENT
General Committee recommends:
THAT the meeting be adjourned at 4:00 p.m.
CARRIED
GEOFFREY DAWE, MAYOR JOHN D. LEACH, TOWN CLERK
THE REPORT OF THE SPECIAL GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING OF FEBRUARY
14, 2011 WAS RECEIVED BY COUNCIL ON FEBRUARY 22, 2011.