MINUTES - Budget Committee - 20190304
Town of Aurora
Budget Committee Meeting Report
2019 Operating Budget Review
Council Chambers, Aurora Town Hall
Monday, March 4, 2019
Attendance
Council Members Mayor Mrakas in the Chair; Councillors Gaertner, Gallo, Gilliland,
Humfryes (arrived at 7:34 p.m.), Kim, and Thompson
Members Absent None
Other Attendees Doug Nadorozny, Chief Administrative Officer, Jason Gaertner,
Acting Director of Financial Services, Robin McDougall, Director of
Community Services, Allan Downey, Director of Operational
Services, Anca Mihail, Manager of Engineering, Lawrence Kuk,
Manager of Development Planning, Cindy Shaver,
Communications Specialist, Samantha Yew, Deputy Town Clerk,
and Ishita Soneji, Council/Committee Coordinator
The Chair called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m.
Budget Committee consented to recess the meeting at 8:58 p.m. and reconvened the
meeting at 9:10 p.m.
Budget Committee consented to extend the hour past 10:30 p.m.
1. Approval of the Agenda
Budget Committee approved the agenda as circulated by Legislative Services, with
the replacement of page No. 2, for Item 2 – Report No. FS19-013 – 2019 Budget
Committee Additional Information.
Budget Committee Meeting Report – 2019 Operating Budget Review
Monday, March 4, 2019 Page 2 of 5
2. Declaration of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof
There were no declarations of pecuniary interest under the Municipal Conflict of
Interest Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.50.
3. Delegations
None
4. Public Consultation – Open Session – Opportunity for Members of
the Public to Provide Input Regarding the 2019 Budget
None
5. Consideration of Items
1. 2019 Operating Budget – Departmental Business Plans
Presentations by Department
(a) Planning and Development Services (Binder Tab 9)
Lawrence Kuk, Acting Director of Planning and Development
Services
Mr. Kuk presented an overview of the department functions and provided
details on the 2018 success and challenges, 2019 objectives and key
pressures, and changes to the 2019 departmental operating budget.
Budget Committee recommends:
1. That the presentation by Lawrence Kuk, Acting Director of Planning
and Development Services, be received; and
2. That the 2019 Operating Budget for the Planning and Development
Services department as presented be tentatively approved.
Carried
Budget Committee Meeting Report – 2019 Operating Budget Review
Monday, March 4, 2019 Page 3 of 5
(b) Corporate Revenues and Expenses (Binder Tab 11)
Jason Gaertner, Acting Director of Financial Services – Treasurer
Mr. Gaertner presented an overview of the items part of the Corporate
Revenues and Expenses, including the challenges in mitigating these
items, key pressures and changes in the 2019 operating budget.
Budget Committee recommends:
1. That the presentation by Jason Gaertner, Director of Financial
Services – Treasurer, be received; and
2. That the 2019 Operating Budget for the Corporate Revenues and
Expenses as presented be tentatively approved, with the following
exception:
(a) That the Council Contingency fund in the amount of $50,000
be reduced to $20,000, and the remaining amount of $30,000
be added to the Sponsorship Policy fund.
Carried as amended
(c) Water & Sewer Budget (Binder Tab 14)
Al Downey, Director of Operational Services
Mr. Downey presented an overview of the water budget process, outlining
details of the guiding principles, expenses including regional costs,
corporate overhead, non-billable water, contributions to reserves for asset
sustainability, retail revenues from water and sanitary usage, stormwater
rate, and how surplus or deficit fluctuations in the water budget are
mitigated.
Budget Committee recommends:
1. That the presentation by Al Downey, Director of Operational Services,
be received; and
2. That the 2019 Operating Budget for Water & Sewer as presented be
tentatively approved.
Carried
Budget Committee Meeting Report – 2019 Operating Budget Review
Monday, March 4, 2019 Page 4 of 5
2. FS19-013 – 2019 Budget Committee Additional Information
Budget Committee recommends:
1. That Report No. FS19-013 be received; and
2. That the budget for the recruitment of Communications Assistant in the
amount of $40,000, not be approved.
Carried
Budget Committee recommends:
1. That the 2018 core operating grant for Aurora Public Library in the amount
of $3,843,100, be approved; and
2. That the 2018 core operating grant for Aurora Cultural Centre in the
amount of $415,700, be approved; and
3. That the 2018 core operating grant for Aurora Historical Society in the
amount of $74,400, be approved.
Carried
Budget Committee recommends:
1. That the Aurora Historical Society 2019 core operating grant increase in
the amount of $1,600, not be approved; and
2. That the Aurora Cultural Centre 2019 core operating grant increase in the
amount of $30,400, not be approved.
Carried
Budget Committee recommends:
1. That the Sport Aurora grant request in the amount of $49,600, not be
approved; and
2. That Sport Aurora be encouraged to apply for individual grants for their
programs through the Sponsorship Policy.
Carried
Budget Committee Meeting Report – 2019 Operating Budget Review
Monday, March 4, 2019 Page 5 of 5
Budget Committee recommends:
1. That the Sport Hall of Fame one-time grant request in the amount of
$28,100 be approved for inclusion in the 2019 Operating Budget.
Motion withdrawn
Budget Committee agreed to discuss the Sport Hall of Fame one-time grant request at a
future Budget Committee meeting.
Budget Committee recommends:
1. That the budget for the recruitment of Parks Co-op Student specializing in
Invasive Species, in the amount of $10,900, not be approved.
Carried
Budget Committee recommends:
1. That the Aurora Historical Society one-time grant request for the Godfrey
Collection Storage in the amount of $3,500, be approved.
Carried
Budget Committee recommends:
1. That the Aurora Cultural Centre grant request for the Kaleidoscope in
Schools program in the amount of $100,000 be approved, subject to staff
reporting back on funding options at a future Budget Committee meeting.
Carried
Budget Committee recommends:
1. That staff be directed to report back with additional information on the
strategies to mitigate the operating impact of the Library Square project.
Carried
6. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 10:47 p.m.