MINUTES - General Committee - 20110321
TOWN OF AURORA
SPECIAL GENERAL COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
OPERATING & CAPITAL BUDGETS
Council Chambers
Aurora Town Hall
Monday, March 21, 2011
(Continued on March 28 & April 5, 2011)
ATTENDANCE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS Mayor Dawe in the Chair; Councillors Abel, Ballard,
Buck, Gaertner, Gallo (arrived at 7:10 p.m.), Humfryes
(arrived at 7:08 p.m.), Pirri, and Thompson
MEMBERS ABSENT None
OTHER ATTENDEES Director of Customer and Legislative Services/Town
Clerk, Director of Building and By-law Services, Director
of Infrastructure and Environmental Services, Director
of Parks and Recreation Services, Director of Planning
and Development Services, Associate Solicitor, Director
of Corporate and Financial Services/Treasurer,
Manager of Financial Planning, Financial Analyst/
Budget Coordinator, Financial Analyst/Cashflow
Manager, Capital Asset Management Coordinator, and
Council/Committee Secretary
Mayor Dawe 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 Customer and Legislative Services
Department, with the following addition, be approved:
New Item 8
Memorandum from Director of Corporate & Financial Services/Treasurer
Re: Additional Historical Surplus Information
CARRIED
III DETERMINATION OF ITEMS REQUIRING SEPARATE DISCUSSION
Items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 were identified as items requiring separate
discussion.
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Operating & Capital Budgets
March 21, 2011 (Continued on March 28 & April 5, 2011)
Page 2 of 10
IV ADOPTION OF ITEMS NOT REQUIRING SEPARATE DISCUSSION
None.
VI CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS REQUIRING SEPARATE DISCUSSION
1. Memorandum from the Director of Corporate & Financial Services/Treasurer
Re: Digital Information Display Units for Town Hall
General Committee recommends:
THAT the memorandum regarding Digital Information Display Units for
Town Hall be received for information.
CARRIED
2. Memorandum from the Director of Corporate & Financial Services/Treasurer
Re: Proposed Workshop: Town Facilities & Major Projects
General Committee recommends:
THAT the memorandum regarding Proposed Workshop: Town Facilities &
Major Projects be received for information; and
THAT the following capital projects referred to in Tabs 16 & 17 be removed
from the 2011 Draft Budget and referred to a public workshop meeting to be
scheduled following the receipt by Council of a draft Strategic Plan, with
the exception of Project #31056 which will be removed from this list of
items to be covered in the proposed workshop and added back into
the 2011 Capital Budget:
– #12018 Town Hall Renovation
– #72098 AFLC Ice Plant Retrofit
– #72099 AFLC parking lot repave
– #72127 AFLC lift conversion to elevator
– #72096 AFLC re-glazing pool windows
– #72097 AFLC sound system replacement
– #34217 Joint Operations Centre
– #34211 Snow Storage Construction
– #74004 Dedicated Youth Space
– #72123 SARC photovoltaic solar project
– #12019 Development of Leslie Street property
– #31056 Bloomington sidewalks, bikeway and illumination
CARRIED
3. Memorandum from the Director of Corporate & Financial Services/Treasurer
Re: Additional Budget Context Information
General Committee recommends:
THAT the memorandum regarding Additional Budget Context Information
be received for information.
CARRIED
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Operating & Capital Budgets
March 21, 2011 (Continued on March 28 & April 5, 2011)
Page 3 of 10
4. Memorandum from the Director of Corporate & Financial Services/Treasurer
Re: Additional Reserve Information
General Committee recommends:
THAT the memorandum regarding Additional Reserve Information be
received for information.
CARRIED
5. Memorandum from the Manager of Parks
Re: Lambert Willson Washroom Building
General Committee recommends:
THAT the memorandum regarding Lambert Willson Washroom Building
be received for information; and
THAT Capital Project #73114 Lambert Willson Washroom Building be
added to the 2011 Capital Budget.
CARRIED
V DELEGATION
(a) Mr. Dan Elliott, Director of Corporate & Financial Services/Treasurer
Re: Opening Remarks, Budget Update and Adjustments To Date
Mr. Dan Elliott presented a 2011 Budget Update and adjustments to date,
including the referral of major Capital projects from the Draft Budget to a Special
Council meeting in June for further discussion. He discussed the increased costs
and tax rate impact of the Fire Services and reviewed the concepts behind Cash
to Capital and Capital Project Financing.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the presentation by Mr. Elliott be received.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT additional Item 8 be added and brought forward for discussion.
CARRIED
8. Memorandum from the Director of Corporate & Financial Services/Treasurer
Re: Additional Historical Operating Surplus Information
General Committee recommends:
THAT the memorandum from the Treasurer regarding Additional Historical
Operating Surplus Information be received for information.
CARRIED
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Operating & Capital Budgets
March 21, 2011 (Continued on March 28 & April 5, 2011)
Page 4 of 10
6. Operating Budget – Committee Direction
The Committee recessed at 9:53 p.m.
The Committee reconvened at 10:04 p.m.
General Committee recommends:
THAT gapping of the salaries be implemented at a value of $165,500 for
the Fire Services budget.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the draft Cash to Capital account funding be increased by only
$285,000 over the 2010 approved budget amount.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Procedural By-law be waived to extend the hour to 11:00 p.m.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the meeting be recessed until 7:00 p.m. on Monday, March 28, 2011.
CARRIED
The Committee recessed at 11:01 p.m.
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Operating & Capital Budgets
March 21, 2011 (Continued on March 28 & April 5, 2011)
Page 5 of 10
Monday, March 28, 2011
(Continued from March 21, 2011)
ATTENDANCE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS Mayor Dawe in the Chair; Councillors Abel, Ballard,
Buck, Gaertner (arrived at 7:04 p.m.), Gallo, Humfryes,
Pirri, and Thompson
MEMBERS ABSENT None
OTHER ATTENDEES Chief Administrative Officer, Director of Customer and
Legislative Services/Town Clerk, Director of Building
and By-law Services, Director of Infrastructure and
Environmental Services, Director of Parks and
Recreation Services, Director of Planning and
Development Services, Associate Solicitor, Director of
Corporate and Financial Services/Treasurer, Manager
of Financial Planning, Financial Analyst/Budget
Coordinator, Capital Asset Management Coordinator,
and Council/Committee Secretary
The Committee reconvened at 7:02 p.m. on Monday, March 28, 2011.
Mr. Dan Elliott, Director of Corporate and Financial Services/Treasurer, referred
to the updated Capital Summary sheets for Budget binder tabs 16, 17, and 18
which were distributed. He briefly reviewed the Draft Budget adjustments to date
and discussed the tax rate pressure forecast, tax impacts of the Draft Budget for
the Town, and the approved budgets for York Region and Ontario Education.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the presentation by Mr. Elliott and the two new items on the
amended agenda, Items 9 and 10, be received.
CARRIED
9. Memorandum from Director of Infrastructure and Environmental Services
Re: Project #34211 – Snow Storage Site Selection and Construction
General Committee recommends:
THAT the memorandum regarding Project 34211 – Snow Storage Site
Selection and Construction, currently on the list of projects for
consideration at a future workshop, be received for information only.
CARRIED
6. Operating Budget – Committee Direction
General Committee recommends:
THAT $50,000 be added to the Council Administration budget with the
understanding that it is for possible allocation respecting heritage issues
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Operating & Capital Budgets
March 21, 2011 (Continued on March 28 & April 5, 2011)
Page 6 of 10
provided that the $50,000 is found in another area and approved by
Council.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT $10,000 be added to the Historical Grants line of the Council
Administration budget for allocation toward the 150th Anniversary
celebration of Hillary House in 2012.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Community Grants line of the Council Administration budget be
reduced by $6,000.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Conference line of the Council Administration budget be
reduced by $10,000.
DEFEATED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Municipal Business line (4-4002) of the Council Administration
budget be reduced from $5,000 to the previous year’s level of $1,000.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Education Grants line of the Council Administration budget be
reduced by $600.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Council Administration budget be accepted as amended.
CARRIED
The Committee recessed at 9:03 p.m.
The Committee reconvened at 9:12 p.m.
General Committee recommends:
THAT Project 73085 – Arboretum Development, allocated at $100,000, be
removed from the Capital budget.
DEFEATED
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Operating & Capital Budgets
March 21, 2011 (Continued on March 28 & April 5, 2011)
Page 7 of 10
General Committee recommends:
THAT the funds allocated in the amount of $20,000 for Bull Frog Power be
removed from the Infrastructure and Environmental Services Operating
budget.
DEFEATED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Chair call the question.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT Project 81003 – Heritage District Study/Plan be removed from the
Capital budget.
DEFEATED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the requested new full-time position of Applications Support
Specialist be removed from the Corporate & Financial Services 2011
budget.
DEFEATED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the requested new full-time position of Applications Support
Specialist be approved and gapped for six (6) months.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Procedural By-law be waived to extend the hour to 11:00 p.m.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the requested new full-time position of By-law Enforcement Officer
be removed from the Building & By-law Services 2011 budget.
DEFEATED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Chair call the question.
CARRIED
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Operating & Capital Budgets
March 21, 2011 (Continued on March 28 & April 5, 2011)
Page 8 of 10
General Committee recommends:
THAT the requested new full-time position of By-law Enforcement Officer
be approved and gapped for six (6) months.
DEFEATED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the requested new full-time position of By-law Enforcement Officer
be changed to a one-year contract position starting June 1, 2011.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Procedural By-law be waived to further extend the hour to 11:20 p.m.
DEFEATED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the meeting be recessed until 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 5, 2011.
CARRIED
The Committee recessed at 11:07 p.m.
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Operating & Capital Budgets
March 21, 2011 (Continued on March 28 & April 5, 2011)
Page 9 of 10
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
(Continued from March 21 and 28, 2011)
ATTENDANCE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS Mayor Dawe in the Chair; Councillors Abel, Ballard,
Buck, Gaertner, Gallo (arrived at 4:09 p.m.), Humfryes,
Pirri, and Thompson
MEMBERS ABSENT None
OTHER ATTENDEES Chief Administrative Officer, Director of Customer and
Legislative Services/Town Clerk, Director of Building
and By-law Services, Director of Infrastructure and
Environmental Services, Director of Parks and
Recreation Services, Director of Planning and
Development Services, Acting Town Solicitor, Director
of Corporate and Financial Services/Treasurer,
Manager of Financial Planning, Financial Analyst/
Budget Coordinator, and Council/Committee Secretary
The Committee reconvened at 4:07 p.m. on Tuesday, April 5, 2011.
Mr. Dan Elliott, Director of Corporate and Financial Services/Treasurer, provided
opening remarks and advised that the Joint Council Committee for Central York
Fire Services had made a budget adjustment resulting in a net savings of
$43,000 to the Fire Services budget, of which Aurora’s share is $17,000. He
briefly reviewed elements of the 2011 Draft Operating Budget and adjustments to
date.
6. Operating Budget – Committee Direction
Mr. Elliott referred to the full-time staffing requests in Draft 1 of the 2011 Budget
and made recommendations for the Committee’s consideration.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the 2011 Draft Budget be amended to fill the proposed Manager of
Customer Services position on an interim basis internally, using a
secondment or temporary staff; and
THAT the 2011 Draft Budget be reduced by $55,000 by implementing
gapping, to June 1, 2011, of the Manager of Customer Services position.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the 2011 Draft Budget be reduced by $21,800, by implementing
gapping, to June 1, 2011, of the Records Management Clerk position.
CARRIED
Special General Committee Meeting Minutes
Operating & Capital Budgets
March 21, 2011 (Continued on March 28 & April 5, 2011)
Page 10 of 10
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Library requisition amount be reduced by $30,500.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the draft Operating budget with approved changes be referred back
to staff for preparation of a final budget report and presentation to Council.
CARRIED
7. Capital Budget – Committee Direction
General Committee recommends:
THAT the draft Repair & Replacement Capital Projects budget with
approved changes be referred back to staff for preparation of a final budget
report and presentation to Council.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the draft Growth & New Capital Projects budget with approved
changes be referred back to staff for preparation of a final budget report and
presentation to Council.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the draft Studies & Other Capital Projects budget with approved
changes be referred back to staff for preparation of a final budget report and
presentation to Council.
CARRIED
VII ADJOURNMENT
General Committee recommends:
THAT the meeting be adjourned at 5:12 p.m.
CARRIED
GEOFFREY DAWE, MAYOR JOHN D. LEACH, TOWN CLERK
THE REPORT OF THE SPECIAL GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING OF MARCH 21,
2011, AND CONTINUED ON MARCH 28 AND APRIL 5, 2011, WERE RECEIVED BY
COUNCIL ON APRIL 12, 2011.