MINUTES - General Committee - 20110207
TOWN OF AURORA
SPECIAL GENERAL COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
CAPITAL BUDGET & PUBLIC CONSULTATION
Council Chambers
Aurora Town Hall
Saturday, February 5, and Monday, February 7, 2011
ATTENDANCE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS Mayor Dawe in the Chair; Councillors Abel, Ballard
(arrived at 9:05 a.m.), Buck (arrived at 9:05 a.m.),
Gaertner (arrived at 9:03 a.m.), 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 (not present on Feb. 7),
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, Manager
of Financial Planning, Capital Asset Management
Coordinator, and Council/Committee Secretary
Mayor Dawe called the meeting to order at 9:02 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 PUBLIC OPEN SESSION – OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC TO PROVIDE INPUT REGARDING THE 2011 BUDGET
(a) Ms Edel Reid, Catholic School Council Chair, and
Ms Christine deHaas, Principal, St. Joseph Catholic School
Re: Safety Issues on Glass Drive
Ms Edel Reid advised that Ms Elizabeth Crowe, Chair of the Board of Trustees
for the York Catholic District School Board, was appearing in place of Ms
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Capital Budget & Public Consultation
Saturday, February 5, & Monday, February 7, 2011
Page 2 of 7
Christine deHaas who was unable to attend the meeting. She advised that other
members of the School Council, along with a student representative, were also
present on behalf of the school community to request that road improvements to
Glass Drive, currently scheduled for 2015-2016, be accelerated. Ms Reid
reported that the school community has serious concerns about road safety in
front of the school and pedestrian access to the school from the municipal road.
She advised that the school’s population has grown due to the implementation of
a French immersion program in 2010 and will continue to increase with
expansion of the program and implementation of the full-day kindergarten
program. Ms Reid reviewed the three main concerns: no access to the front of
the school from the municipal road without climbing through a ditch; extreme
traffic congestion, exacerbated during winter; and very limited parking. She
requested that the road improvements include: proper access to the school
entrance from the road; addition of a curb and sidewalk along the north side of
the street; elimination of the ditch; and space for a “kiss-n-ride” area in front of
the school.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the comments of the delegates be received and referred for
discussion.
CARRIED
IV DELEGATION
(a) Mr. Dan Elliott, Director of Corporate & Financial Services/Treasurer
Re: 2011 Capital Budget Draft 1
Mr. Dan Elliott presented a review of the 2011 Capital Investment Plan. He
stressed the need to ensure that capital investments are targeted at needs, not
wants, and explained that the Capital Budget would be viewed in three distinct
categories: repair and replacement projects; growth and other infrastructure
projects; and studies and other capital initiatives. Mr. Elliott reviewed the capital
investment program over recent years and noted the increase for 2011 was due
to three significant and unique projects, without which the program would fall
below the average of recent years: solar photovoltaic project at SARC; Town Hall
renovation project; and Joint Operations Centre project. He reported that recent
historical spending on repair and replacement of tax-supported assets was about
$11 million per year, and noted that amortization is based on historical cost at a
rate of about $5.8 million per year, but the tax base is paying about $2.3 million
per year toward consumption of those assets. Mr. Elliott advised there is no
other reliable source of funding and that grant programs are drying up from other
levels of government, except that the gas tax continues to come in under an
agreement extended to 2013. He discussed the new accountability model for
infrastructure reserves, whereby the asset group managers are now responsible
for the management and accountability of long-term financial and asset
management and they decide where to allocate their own repair and replacement
reserve balance to make scarce resources last and maintain serviceability. Mr.
Elliott then reviewed the recommended process for the remainder of the meeting.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the comments of the delegate be received and referred for
discussion.
CARRIED
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Capital Budget & Public Consultation
Saturday, February 5, & Monday, February 7, 2011
Page 3 of 7
V CONSIDERATION OF ITEM
1. 2011 Capital Budget Draft 1
• Tab 16 – Repair & Replacement Capital Projects
• Tab 17 – Growth & New Capital Projects
• Tab 18 – Studies & Other Capital Projects
Mr. Dan Elliott, Director of Corporate & Financial Services/Treasurer
Re: 2011 Capital Budget Draft 1 (continued from earlier delegation)
Further to his earlier delegation, Mr. Dan Elliott gave an explanation of the priority
score assigned to each project. He explained that the ELT reviewed and scored
all projects using a capital scoring tool that took into consideration: legal
obligation; Council policy; impact of deferral; health and safety; operating
division’s importance; impact on operations; and relation to service levels. Mr.
Elliott advised that the projects were presented in order of priority and suggested
that all items were marked as priorities for this year.
The Committee recessed at 10:34 a.m.
The Committee reconvened at 10:48 a.m.
Project 72098 – Ice Plant Retro-Fits Aurora Family Leisure Complex
General Committee recommends:
THAT Project 72098 – Ice Plant Retro-Fits AFLC be referred to staff to
report back to Council on the long-term feasibility of the site, including this
item and other items identified in the repair and replacement capital
project requests: Project 72099 – AFLC Parking Lot Re-paving and
Curbing, Project 72127 – AFLC Elevator, Project 72096 – Re-Glazing of
AFLC Pool Windows, and Project 72097 – Sound System AFLC.
CARRIED
Project 72124 – Ice Re-surfacer #593
General Committee recommends:
THAT Project 72124 – Ice Re-surfacer #593 be deferred pending a report
back to Council regarding the life cycle of the equipment.
CARRIED
The Committee recessed at 12:18 p.m.
The Committee reconvened at 12:55 p.m.
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Capital Budget & Public Consultation
Saturday, February 5, & Monday, February 7, 2011
Page 4 of 7
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Procedural By-law be waived to allow an additional delegation
of the Public Open Session to address the Committee at this time.
CARRIED
(b) Mr. Klaus Wehrenberg, Resident
Re: Infrastructure Funding for Commuter-oriented Components of
Non-motorized Traffic
Mr. Klaus Wehrenberg expressed his support of off-road trail systems and
barrier-free trails in Town; greenways not only for recreational use but for
commuter traffic also. He stated that the health benefits of walking and self-
propelled travel are known and that a proactive, affirmative action program must
be started to make self-propelled traffic not only possible, but attractive and safe.
Mr. Wehrenberg suggested that some of the infrastructure funds should be
shifted from roads to greenways, to build underpasses and overpasses across
railroads and four-lane roads, in order to encourage people into safer and more
health beneficial modes of travel.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the comments of the delegate be received.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT, further to the public delegation regarding St. Joseph Catholic
School and safety concerns on Glass Drive, staff report back to Council on
the design aspect of road reconstruction and investigate potential options
to resolve the safety issues.
CARRIED
Project 72116 – Library Carpet
General Committee recommends:
THAT Project 72116 – Library Carpet be approved conditionally pending a
report back to Council on the possibility of phasing replacement of the
Library carpet.
CARRIED
Project 31025 – Surface Treatment – Old Bloomington Rd.
General Committee recommends:
THAT Project 31025 – Surface Treatment – Old Bloomington Rd. be
received conditionally pending a report back to Council comparing the cost
of maintaining the road versus resurfacing the road.
CARRIED
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Capital Budget & Public Consultation
Saturday, February 5, & Monday, February 7, 2011
Page 5 of 7
Project 31056 – Bloomington Sdrd. – Bathurst to Yonge – Sidewalk/Bikeway/
Illumination
General Committee recommends:
THAT Project 31056 – Bloomington Sdrd – Bathurst to Yonge – Sidewalk/
Bikeway/Illumination be accepted conditionally pending a memorandum
from the Director of Corporate & Financial Services/Treasurer regarding
the potential of funding Bathurst in lieu of this project or alternatives for the
sidewalk project.
CARRIED
The Committee recessed at 2:25 p.m.
The Committee reconvened at 2:40 p.m.
Project 73074 – Wellington Street East Urban Design Features/Landscaping
General Committee recommends:
THAT staff report back to Council to clarify whether the additional funding
from the Region of York is one-third or two-thirds.
CARRIED
Project 24008 – 1/2 Tonne Hybrid Pick-up Truck.
General Committee recommends:
THAT Project 24008 – 1/2 Tonne Hybrid Pick-up Truck be deferred
pending a report back to Council from the Director of Building and By-law
Services regarding the history and number of vehicles in the By-law
Services fleet.
CARRIED
Project 73135 – Community Garden Storage Building
General Committee recommends:
THAT Project 73135 – Community Garden Storage Building be deleted
from the 2011 Capital Budget Draft 1.
CARRIED
Project 74004 – Dedicated Youth Space
General Committee recommends:
THAT Project 74004 – Dedicated Youth Space be deferred pending a
report back to Council regarding the Youth Needs Analysis report.
CARRIED
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Capital Budget & Public Consultation
Saturday, February 5, & Monday, February 7, 2011
Page 6 of 7
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Procedural By-law be waived to extend the hour of adjournment
in order to address the balance of the items on the agenda.
DEFEATED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the meeting be recessed until 7:00 p.m. on Monday, February 7,
2011.
CARRIED
The Committee recessed at 4:30 p.m.
The Committee reconvened at 7:05 p.m. on Monday, February 7, 2011.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Procedural By-law be waived to allow an additional delegation
of the Public Open Session to address the Committee at this time.
CARRIED
(c) Mr. Gregory Cook, P.Eng., Resident
Re: Comments on Growth Capital Budget Items
Mr. Gregory Cook offered his comments regarding the sidewalk, arboretum, and
solar photovoltaic projects. Firstly, he observed that the state of Town sidewalks
is generally good, but that significant sections of sidewalk have been omitted; for
example, along Industrial Parkway and Yonge Street north to Newmarket from
St. John’s Sideroad. Mr. Cook asked that the Town continue with enhancing and
completing sidewalks wherever possible as they are appreciated and necessary.
Secondly, he stated his support of arboretum funding and asked that the
arboretum, as an important Town project and legacy for everyone, be embraced,
encouraged and brought forward. Thirdly, he cautioned that the solar photovoltaic
project, with a significant cost factor, carried a risk of the technology quickly
becoming outdated and asked that Council strongly reconsider this project.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the comments of the delegate be received.
CARRIED
Project 74006 – PRS Physical Activity Plan
General Committee recommends:
THAT Project 74006 – PRS Physical Activity Plan be deleted from the
2011 Capital Budget Draft 1.
CARRIED
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Capital Budget & Public Consultation
Saturday, February 5, & Monday, February 7, 2011
Page 7 of 7
General Committee recommends:
THAT the 2011 Capital Budget Draft 1, as presented on January 31, 2011,
be received; and
THAT the projects listed in the 2011 Capital Budget Draft 1 be
recommended to Council for approval in principle subject to Operating
Budget discussions, except for the deleted and deferred projects and
those subject to additional reports.
DEFEATED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the 2011 Capital Budget Draft 1, as presented on January 31, 2011,
be received for information.
CARRIED
VI ADJOURNMENT
General Committee recommends:
THAT the meeting be adjourned at 8:44 p.m.
CARRIED
GEOFFREY DAWE, MAYOR JOHN D. LEACH, TOWN CLERK
THE REPORT OF THE SPECIAL GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING OF FEBRUARY
5 AND 7, 2011 WAS RECEIVED BY COUNCIL ON FEBRUARY 22, 2011.