MINUTES - General Committee - 20120116
TOWN OF AURORA
SPECIAL GENERAL COMMITTEE
MEETING REPORT
CAPITAL & OPERATING BUDGET REVIEW
& PUBLIC CONSULTATION
Council Chambers
Aurora Town Hall
Monday, January 16, 2012
(Continued on January 23, 2012)
ATTENDANCE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS Mayor Dawe in the Chair; Councillors Abel, Buck,
Humfryes, Pirri, and Thompson
MEMBERS ABSENT Councillors Ballard, Gaertner, and Gallo
OTHER ATTENDEES Chief Administrative Officer, Director of Corporate and
Financial Services/Treasurer, Director of Customer and
Legislative Services/Town Clerk, and Council/Committee
Secretary
Mayor Dawe called the meeting to order at 6:20 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 additional item, be approved.
Item 5 – Request from Members of the Aurora Leisure Centre for the
Installation of Two TV Sets
CARRIED
III PUBLIC CONSULTATION – OPEN SESSION – OPPORTUNITY FOR
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO PROVIDE INPUT REGARDING THE
2012 BUDGET
No members of the public came forward.
Special General Committee Meeting Report
Capital & Operating Budget Review & Public Consultation
Monday, January 16, 2012 (Continued on January 23, 2012)
Page 2 of 6
IV DELEGATIONS
None
V CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS
1. Memorandum from the Director of Corporate & Financial Services/Treasurer
and the Director of Infrastructure & Environmental Services
Re: Request for 2012 Capital Budget Amendment
General Committee recommends:
THAT the memorandum regarding Request for 2012 Capital Budget
Amendment be received; and
THAT $38,000 be added to the 2012 Draft Capital Budget to provide for
necessary computer hardware related to the WAMS Capital Asset
Management System project, to be funded from the municipal capital
reserve.
CARRIED
2. Budget Update Presentation by Dan Elliott, Director of Corporate &
Financial Services/Treasurer
Mr. Elliott provided a Budget update including a brief overview of Aurora’s
employment growth, business growth, construction value, and the combined tax
rates of municipalities in York Region in 2011. He reviewed the 2012 Budget
pressures, tax increases, and impact to the overall residential tax bill. Mr. Elliott
presented the Operating Budget forecast through 2015 and options to reduce the
2013 Budget pressures.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Budget Update Presentation by Mr. Dan Elliott, Director of
Corporate & Financial Services/Treasurer be received for information.
CARRIED
3. General Budget Discussion
A. Update from Mayor Dawe re York Region Finance & Administration
Committee Budget;
B. Four-year Operating Forecast;
C. Continued reliance on Hydro Funds interest for Operating Budget;
D. Emerald Ash Borer Beetle Reserve contribution;
E. Contribution to Infrastructure Reserves;
F. Library funding request;
G. Smart Commute $10,000 draft provision for program support;
H. Application of 2011 Surplus to 2012 Operating Budget; and
I. Any other Budget-related matters raised by Committee Members either at
time of adoption of Agenda or during the Meeting.
Special General Committee Meeting Report
Capital & Operating Budget Review & Public Consultation
Monday, January 16, 2012 (Continued on January 23, 2012)
Page 3 of 6
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Emerald Ash Borer Beetle Reserve contribution of $100,000 be
removed from the 2012 Budget.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Smart Commute draft grant provision of $10,000 for program
support be removed from the 2012 Budget.
CARRIED
The Committee recessed at 8:38 p.m. and reconvened at 8:50 p.m.
Mayor Dawe relinquished the Chair to Deputy Mayor Abel at 9:16 p.m. and resumed the
Chair at 9:21 p.m.
5. Request from Members of the Aurora Leisure Centre for the Installation of
Two TV Sets
General Committee recommends:
THAT Council receive and refer to staff the Request from Members of
the Aurora Leisure Centre for the Installation of Two TV Sets.
DEFEATED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the meeting be recessed until 7:00 p.m. on Monday, January 23,
2012.
CARRIED
The Committee recessed at 9:48 p.m.
Special General Committee Meeting Report
Capital & Operating Budget Review & Public Consultation
Monday, January 16, 2012 (Continued on January 23, 2012)
Page 4 of 6
Monday, January 23, 2012
(Continued from January 16, 2012)
ATTENDANCE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS Mayor Dawe in the Chair; Councillors Abel, Ballard
(arrived at 7:12 p.m.), Buck (arrived at 7:06 p.m.),
Gaertner, Gallo, Humfryes, Pirri, and Thompson
MEMBERS ABSENT None
OTHER ATTENDEES Chief Administrative Officer, Director of Corporate and
Financial Services/Treasurer, Director of Customer and
Legislative Services/Town Clerk, Acting Cash Flow and
Investment Coordinator, and Council/Committee Secretary
The Committee reconvened at 7:03 p.m. on Monday, January 23, 2012.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the agenda be amended with the addition of the following item:
Item 6 – General Budget Discussion
The Chair will facilitate discussion of the following item(s). Budget-
amending motions may be introduced by any Committee Member
during these discussions.
A. Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority request for $25,000 to
support the East Holland River Restoration Program; and
B. Any other Budget-related matters raised by Committee Members
during the Meeting.
CARRIED
5. Request from Members of the Aurora Leisure Centre for the Installation of
Two TV Sets
General Committee recommends:
THAT Item 5 be deleted from the agenda.
CARRIED
6. General Budget Discussion
A. Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority request for $25,000 to support
the East Holland River Restoration Program; and
B. Any other Budget-related matters raised by Committee Members during the
Meeting.
Special General Committee Meeting Report
Capital & Operating Budget Review & Public Consultation
Monday, January 16, 2012 (Continued on January 23, 2012)
Page 5 of 6
General Committee recommends:
THAT staff be directed to provide the additional information requested by
the Committee, regarding the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority
funding request for $25,000, as soon as feasible.
CARRIED
General Committee recommends:
THAT funding in the amount of $353,400 for the Aurora Cultural Centre be
removed from the 2012 Budget.
DEFEATED
General Committee recommends:
THAT Project 34211 – Snow Storage Site Construction be removed from
the 2012 Budget.
DEFEATED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Infrastructure and Environmental Services funding request for
the conversion of the contract position to a full-time position of WAMS
Technical Support be removed from the 2012 Budget.
DEFEATED
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Cash to Capital Reserve contribution be reduced by $125,200
which represents the inflation increase applied to the 2012 Budget.
CARRIED
Councillor Buck left the meeting at 9:09 p.m.
General Committee recommends:
THAT the Corporate and Financial Services funding request for the new
contract position of Applications Support Specialist be removed from the
2012 Budget.
DEFEATED
4. Consideration of Motions to Move Budget to Council for Adoption
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 a Special
Council meeting; and
Special General Committee Meeting Report
Capital & Operating Budget Review & Public Consultation
Monday, January 16, 2012 (Continued on January 23, 2012)
Page 6 of 6
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 a Special Council meeting; and
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 a Special Council meeting; and
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 a Special Council meeting; and
THAT the draft Water, Wastewater and Stormwater Services budgets be
referred back to staff for preparation of a final budget report and
presentation to a Special Council meeting.
DEFEATED
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; and
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; and
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; and
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; and
THAT the draft Water, Wastewater and Stormwater Services budgets be
referred back to staff for preparation of a final budget report and
presentation to Council.
CARRIED
VI ADJOURNMENT
General Committee recommends:
THAT the meeting be adjourned at 9:29 p.m.
CARRIED
GEOFFREY DAWE, MAYOR JOHN D. LEACH, TOWN CLERK
THE REPORT OF THE SPECIAL GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING OF JANUARY
16 (AND CONTINUED ON JANUARY 23, 2012) WAS RECEIVED BY COUNCIL ON
FEBRUARY 14, 2012.