MINUTES - Special Council - 19970217'·~ .. --·
TOWN OF AURORA
SPECIAL COUNCIL
MEETING NO. 07;.97
Holland Room East
Aurora Town Hall
Monday, February 17, 1997
3:30p.m.
[ MINUTES II
ATTENDANCE
COUNCIL MEMBERS
STAFF MEMBERS
Mayor Jones in the Chair; Councillors Healy,
McKenzie (at 4: 15), Morris, Ochalski, Wallace and
Weller.
Councillors Griffith was absent due to a business
commitment and Councillor Sorley was absent on
vacation.
Chief Administrative Officer, Director of Corporate
Services, Treasurer, Director of Planning, Director of
Building Administration, Director of Leisure Services,
Director of Public Works, Fire Chief, Treasurer, and'
Administrative Coordinator.
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There wer~ no declarations of interest under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
#86. Moved by Councillor Ochalski Seconded by Councillor Wallace
THAT the content of the Agenda be approved as outline.d herein.
CARRIED
MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION
Mayor Jones re: Town of Aurora. Response
to the Discussion Paper "Developing the Framework
for a Greater Toronto Services Board": and
Mr. Milt Farrow. Office of the Special Advisor.
Greater Toronto Services Board Project
Mayor Jones welcomed Mr. Milt Farrow, Special Advisor, Greater Toronto Services
Board Project and his Project Team that were in attendance, and outlined the meeting
procedure for this Special Council Meeting.
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Aurora Special Council Minutes No. 07-97
Monday, February 17, 1997
Page 2
Mr. Farrow introduced Mr. Dennis Perlin, Minden Gross Grafstein & Greenstein, and
Peter-John Sidebottom, Senior Policy Advisor, Local Government Policy Branch,
Ministry of Municipal Affairs as part of his team for the Greater Toronto Services Board
Project. Mr. Farrow explained that the Discussion Paper that was released presents
a variety of ideas on what a new Greater Toronto Services Board might look like and
what it might do. He advised that a range of options have been presented, that no
recommendations have been made at the present time, and that his Project Team was
in attendance to hear the views of Aurora Town Council on the matter. Mr. Farrow
further explained the public review process for meetings to be held and written
submissions on the Paper prior to making his final Report to the Minister of Municipal
Affairs and Housing before the end .of this March.
In response to the Discussion Paper "Developing the Framework for a Greater Toronto
Services Board", Mayor Jones explained that the GTSB must be a level of government
and must have the power, authority, and funding ability to be a full "Super Region"
service provider for necessary and appropriate inter-municipal services. The Mayor
noted that the status quo is not an option and that a fourth level of government
incorporating the GTSB was not a feasible measure from both the perspective of the
Provincial Government and the public. The Mayor discussed that Aurora has
developed a big picture framework which we believe must be adopted, with some
specific implementation logistical suggestions which are open to modification or
amendment for the purposes of reaching local municipal consensus. The Mayor
advised this approach would correlate with the Government's objectives of .less
government, less costs, and improved coordination through amalgamating the Regional
Governments and related structures into one.
Mayor Jones provided an overview of the "Town of Aurora Vision for a Greater
Toronto Services Board", that was unanimously approved at the Special Council
Meeting of February 7, 1997 and also endorsed by the Aurora Chamber of Commerce.
The Mayor addressed various governance scenarios as a result of the Greater Toronto
Services Board initiative and its impact on local municipalities. He explained that
Scenario "B" would arise if the Greater Toronto Services Board became a coordinating
body, and there would still be 5 Regional Governments all delivering similar services
with a GTSB referee to exist to negotiate disputes, and areas of duplication would
remain, and to meet the Provincial goal of less government local municipalities would
have to disappear. The Mayor advised that it was the Town's position, under Scenario
"A", that the Greater Toronto Services Board be a full service provider, to plan,
coordinate, and be empowered to deliver the service, and that this proposal could
provide for economies of scale to reduce costs, consolidation of service delivery to
improve coordination, and empowerment to plan for, coordinate and provide the
service eliminates the need to referee. The Mayor advised that the process under
Scenario "A" would enable local government, the least expensive form of government
and the most accepted, to remain where financially feasible. This may lead to local
municipal amalgamations where municipalities are not financially able to provide local
municipal services in a cost effective and efficient way. He explained that the driver
will be "Form Must Follow Function", a consistently articulated Town of Aurora
principle, belief and value. The Mayor suggested that if it is real change that is
wanted, that the big ticket tax dollar services delivered at the Regional level be
addressed. The local municipal level would also be encouraged to form partnerships
with neighbouring municipalities towards cost reduction and efficiencies. Mayor Jones
concluded by advising that Scenario "A" provides the tools to deal with the largest
part of the tax dollar consisting of 75 to 80 percent in an efficient and cost effective
manner.
At this point of the meeting Council Members and the GTSB Project Team engaged in
a discussion regarding the Greater Toronto Services Board initiative and the Town of
Aurora Vision that was presented in this regard. Questions were raised by the Project
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Aurora Special Council Minutes No. 07-97
Monday, February 17, 1997
Page 3
Team members related to how other specific functions might b!l carried out, the
rationale for division of specific responsibilities, how other area municipalities who
might derive GTSB services might be ensured a continued voice in this new entity, and
how prescriptive the implementing legislation ought to be.
#87. Moved by Councillor Morris Seconded by Councillor Ochalski
THAT the information regarding the Discussion Paper "Developing the
Framework for a Greater Toronto Services Board" be received ..
CARRIED
ADJOURNMENT
#88. Moved by Councillor Wallace
THAT the meeting be adjourned at 4:50p.m.
CARRIED
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T. JON~_j'AYOR L. ALLISON, MUNICIPAL CLERK