MINUTES - Finance Advisory Committee - 20160524
TOWN OF AURORA
FINANCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
Date: Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Time and Location: 5:30 p.m., Leksand Room, Aurora Town Hall
Committee Members: Councillor Michael Thompson (Chair), Mayor Geoffrey Dawe
Member(s) Absent: Councillor Harold Kim
Other Attendees: Councillor Wendy Gaertner, Councillor Sandra Humfryes,
Councillor Tom Mrakas, Doug Nadorozny, Chief
Administrative Officer, Dan Elliott, Director of Corporate and
Financial Services/Treasurer, Jason Gaertner, Manager of
Financial Planning/Deputy Treasurer, and Linda Bottos,
Council/Committee Secretary
The Chair called the meeting to order at 5:36 p.m.
1. DECLARATION OF PECUNIARY INTEREST AND GENERAL NATURE THEREOF
There were no declarations of pecuniary interest under the Municipal Conflict of
Interest Act.
2. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Moved by Mayor Dawe
Seconded by Councillor Thompson
THAT the agenda as circulated by Legal and Legislative Services be approved.
CARRIED
3. RECEIPT OF THE MINUTES
Finance Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, May 24, 2016 Page 2 of 4
Finance Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of April 19, 2016
Moved by Mayor Dawe
Seconded by Councillor Thompson
THAT the Finance Advisory Committee meeting minutes of April 19, 2016, be
received for information.
CARRIED
4. DELEGATIONS
None
5. CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS
1. CFS16-017 – 2017 Budget Preparation Directions
Staff provided background to the report including a review of the key principles
for the development of the 2017 Budget, Budget concerns, Base Operating
Budget directions, the Phase-In Budget for Fire Services expansion, and the
Fiscal Strategy Budget. The Committee discussed various aspects of the report.
Staff noted that 2016 is a re-assessment year and that MPAC (Municipal
Property Assessment Corporation) would be making a presentation to Council
on June 14, 2016.
Moved by Mayor Dawe
Seconded by Councillor Thompson
THAT Report No. CFS16-017 be received; and
THAT the comments and directions of Committee be incorporated into a
revised Budget Directives report for the next Finance Advisory Committee in a
form which can referred by Committee to Council for approval.
CARRIED
2. Memorandum from Treasurer
Re: Departmental Budget Review – Corporate Accounts
Staff noted that Corporate Accounts includes accounts which cannot be easily
attributed to any particular department or are Corporation-wide in nature. The
Committee reviewed the memorandum and variances highlighted in the line-by-
Finance Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, May 24, 2016 Page 3 of 4
line analysis of the core Corporate accounts and Taxation accounts. No further
input was requested and the review was deemed complete.
Moved by Mayor Dawe
Seconded by Councillor Thompson
THAT the memorandum regarding Departmental Budget Review - Corporate
Accounts be received for information.
CARRIED
3. Memorandum from Treasurer
Re: Residential/Non-residential Assessment Split – Comparators
Staff provided background to the memorandum.
Moved by Mayor Dawe
Seconded by Councillor Thompson
THAT the memorandum regarding Residential/Non-residential Assessment
Split – Comparators be received for information.
CARRIED
4. Review (Part 2) of the BMA Management Consulting Inc. Municipal Study –
2015 (Link to full report: http://www.aurora.ca/bma)
Motion to refer
Moved by Mayor Dawe
Seconded by Councillor Thompson
THAT the Review (Part 2) of the BMA Management Consulting Inc. Municipal
Study – 2015 be referred to the 2017 Budget presentation.
CARRIED
5. Extract from Council Meeting of April 26, 2016
Re: Finance Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of March 22, 2016
Moved by Mayor Dawe
Seconded by Councillor Thompson
THAT the Extract from Council Meeting of April 26, 2016, regarding the
Finance Advisory Committee meeting minutes of March 22, 2016, be received
for information.
CARRIED
Finance Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, May 24, 2016 Page 4 of 4
6. NEW BUSINESS
Staff discussed elements of the Citizen Budget Survey and noted that the
Committee had previously recommended that the Survey be enhanced. Staff
advised that the survey can be modified, but timing and resources presented a
challenge at this time. Staff provided options and it was agreed to implement a
survey similar to last year, with the addition of a deliberate intercept process at
various Town events and locations, to obtain 2017 Budget feedback from the
community, and plan for an improved Citizen Budget Survey for the 2018 Budget.
7. ADJOURNMENT
Moved by Mayor Dawe
Seconded by Councillor Thompson
THAT the meeting be adjourned at 6:45 p.m.
CARRIED
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE NOT BINDING ON THE TOWN UNLESS
ADOPTED BY COUNCIL AT A LATER MEETING.