AGENDA - General Committee - 20150504PUBLIC RELEASE
May 1,2015
TOWN OF AURORA
ADDITIONAL ITEMS
FOR SPECIAL GENERAL COMMITTEE
2015 BUDGET REVIEW MEETING
Monday,May 4,2015
(continued from February 23,March 2,March 9,March 23,and March 30,2015)
7 p.m.
Council Chambers
Item 18 –Memorandum from Director of Corporate &Financial Pg.1
Services/Treasurer
Re:2014 Training and Development Expenditure Details
RECOMMENDED:
THAT the memorandum regarding 2014 Training and Development Expenditure
Details be received for information.
Item 19 –Memorandum from Chief Administrative Officer Pg.11
Re:2015 Proposed Budget Reductions
RECOMMENDED:
THAT the memorandum regarding 2015 Proposed Budget Reductions be received for
information.
Closed Session Item 1 –Personal matters about an identifiable individual,including
a Town or Local Board employee;Re:Elimination of One
Full-time Position
Item 20 –Consideration of Motion to Move 2015 Budget to Council for Adoption
RECOMMENDED:
THAT the draft 2015 Operating Budget,with approved changes,be referred back to
staff for preparation of a final Budget report and presentation to Council.
MEMORANDUM
DATE:May 4,2015
TO:Mayor and Members of General Committee –Budget
FROM:Dan Elliott,Director,Corporate &Financial Services -Treasurer
RE:2014 Training and Development Expenditure Details
RECOMMENDATIONS
THAT the memorandum regarding 2014 Training &Development Expenditure Details
be received for information.
BACKGROUND
At its meeting of April 14,2015,Council adopted the following resolution:
NOW THEREFORE BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED THAT staff provide a report,for
Council consideration at the next Budget meeting,that includes the following
information:for the year 2014,an itemized list of all conferences and/or training
and/or development courses attended by all members of staff,the cost of each
conference and/or training and/or development course attended.
Attached to this memo is a detailed accounting of the conferences,training and
development courses attended by all members of staff,including the total cost for each.
Costs include where applicable meals,accommodation,travel/mileage,registration,books
and supporting materials.
In completing the review requested of Council,staff categorized each item into one of the
following main groups:
Public Health &Safety:Health or safety courses required by regulation or statute
or for the continuing workplace safety of staff or patrons.
Maintain qual/cert/lic/cred:Courses,conferences or sessions required to acquire or
maintain a professional or other qualification,certification,
licence or credential,which is required of the position,or
which supports the work of the position and the Town,or
which furthers the Town’s staff expertise.
Town of Aurora
Corporate &Financial Services
Additional Items for Special General Committee
2015 Budget Review Meeting
Monday,May 4,2015 Item 18 Page -1
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2014 Training &Development
May 4,2015 -2 -Expenditure Details
Professional Development Courses,conferences,webinars,seminars of any sort to
develop specific skills of staff as required for improving
their work performance,effectiveness,versatility or
knowledge of new or emerging trends,techniques or
regulations
The total 2014 expenditures,using the above main groups is as follows:
Public Health &Safety $5,293,06
Maintain qual/cert/lic/cred 44,736.25
Professional Development 91,353.64
Prof.Dev.Materials 939,83
Misc.Training Costs 127.91
Total 2014 Expenditure $142,449.97
The Town utilizes primarily two budget numbers in each work group or department for
conferences,training and development.One is referred to as “conferences and seminars”,
and the other is referred to as “mandatory training”.
For the most part,conferences and training budgets are determined based on a formula
approach,based on a fixed amount per CAO,per Director,per Manager,and per staff
member.Mandatory training is budgeted based on local need to meet required courses for
public safety,compliance,recertification etc.
The Human Resources group have a third special account for Corporate Training,courses
affecting many staff,or select staff for advanced learning such as certificates in municipal
leadership or the like.These are normally reserved for staff who seeking to advance in the
ranks,and have been identified as part of our succession planning for key leadership roles.
The implementation of the Human Resource Information System will greatly assist in the
consistency of categorizing training across the corporation with the view to simplify the
process and apply the categories listed above.A separate report regarding the specific
capabilities of this new system in this regard,as requested by Budget Committee,is pending
and will be presented shortly.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 –Analysis and Reconciliation of Conferences/Seminars/Training/Mandatory
2014 Expenditures
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2015 Budget Review Meeting
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Attachment 1
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MEMORANDUM
DATE:May 4,2015
TO:Mayor Dawe and Members of Council
FROM:Neil Garbe,Chief Administrative Officer
RE:2015 Proposed Budget Reductions
RECOMMENDATIONS
THAT this memorandum regarding 2015 Proposed Budget Reductions be received;
and
THAT Council provide direction with respect to proposed expenditure reductions.
BACKGROUND
On March 30,2015 General Committee passed the following recommendation:
THAT the memorandum regarding Proposed Budget Adjustment Impacts –Training
&Development,Printing &Advertising,Telecommunications be received;and
THAT the General Committee recommendations of March 23,2015,being:(a)THAT
the 2015 Draft Operating Budget be adjusted by increasing Total Departmental
Revenue by $100,000;(b)THAT the 2015 Draft Operating Budget be adjusted by
reducing the “Training &Development”budget by $100,000;and (c)THAT the 2015
Draft Operating Budget be adjusted by reducing the “Advertising”and “All Other –
Printing–Advertising Related”budgets by a total of $30,000,be combined and
amended to read as follows:
THAT the 2015 Draft Operating Budget be adjusted by increasing Total
Departmental Revenues by $100,000 and decreasing Total Departmental Expenses
by $300,000;and
THAT staff report back to Council throughout the 2015 fiscal year regarding the
opportunities to meet this target.
100 John West Way
Box 1000
Aurora,Ontario
L4G 6J1
Phone:905-727-3123 ext.4744
Email:ngarbe@aurora.ca
www.aurora.ca
Town of Aurora
Administration Department
Additional Items for Special General Committee
2015 Budget Review Meeting
Monday,May 4,2015 Item 19 Page -1
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2015 Proposed Budget
May 4,2015 -2-Reductions
COMMENTS
The current draft budget tax levy increase is 3.95%including the Council directed cuts
to expenditures and increase in revenue.The 3.95%tax levy increase is comprised as
follows:
1.3%Fire
0.75%Fiscal Strategy
1.90%All other services including library
When combined with Region and education taxes,the property tax increase is 2.7%.
The attachment provides a list of budget reductions that could meet this target.As noted
on the table,to achieve a Town portion tax increase of 3.95%(when combined with the
revenue increase target)a reduction of $305,000 in budget expenditures is required.On
March 9,2015 Committee accepted proposed budget reduction of $167,700,which
included an unspecified $10,000 reduction from across the corporation.The attachment,
therefore,identifies a total budget reduction target of $315,000 and the corresponding
items for reduction.The total identified is $327,750,which provides Council a degree of
flexibility to make adjustments to the items listed.
On April 28,2015 Council approved an upward adjustment to the budget of $7,000 to
accommodate the request of Aurora King Minor Baseball Association.This adjustment
is an increase tax pressure of 0.07%for a total tax levy increase of 3.97%.
Revenue
There are a number of opportunities for increasing revenue available to the Town.
Included in these opportunities are:
•Parking and parking related fees
•Sponsorship/advertising revenue
•Sports field/facility rental
•Program subsidy levels
•General fees for services (i.e.legal agreements)
There are some challenges with immediate implementation of changes to revenues.
With each opportunity listed above,Council would need to consider and provide
direction including the approval of policy or approaches.Additionally,especially with
sports field/facility rentals,the 2015 rates have been established and the respective
organizations advised.
Additional Items for Special General Committee
2015 Budget Review Meeting
Monday,May 4,2015 Item 19 Page -2
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2015 Proposed Budget
May 4,2015 -3-Reductions
For 2015,the revenue target established by Council is expected to be met through
higher than expected planning revenue generated from the high level of activity
throughout the Town.Planning revenue is applied against the general levy and the
operation of the Planning Department.Any funds that are surplus to budget contribute
to an overall surplus for the municipality.Planning revenue as a long term source of
revenue will decline and will need to be replaced.Initiating this approach in 2015 for
2016 implementation would allow for a successful transition away from planning
revenue to more stable sources.
It is proposed that an expert in municipal revenue generation (i.e.KPMG)be retained to
review the Town’s current revenue sources,levels and policies,identify new sources of
revenue and provide policy advice to Council on implementation.Should Council be in
agreement with this approach,the cost should be in the $15,000 to $20,000 range.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment No.1 List of Proposed Budget Reductions
Attachment No.2 Five Year Operating Budget History –Select Expenditure Item Details,
dated April 29,2015
Attachment No.3 Confidential Memo regarding elimination of one full-time position
(separate confidential attachment)
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2015 Budget Review Meeting
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2015ProposedBudgetReductionsDate:May4,2015ItemProposedCutCommentsExpendituresTarget$315,000EconomicDevelopmentCommittee$8,000PlaceholderforChamberofCommerceAwardseliminatedCommunityGrants$15,000AlignclosertopreviousactualsTraining$50,000ExpenditurealignedwithfouryearaverageexpenditurehistoryLegalAdvocacy$30,000OutlookpositiveintermsofexternallegalrequirementsAdvertising$30,000Eliminateadvertisinginsportsmagazines,humanresourcejobadvertisemetnsandsolidwasteadvertising.FurthersavingscouldoccurbyeliminatingduplicateplanningnoticesMandatoryfourmonthgappingonallvacancies$50,000AnyvacancymustbeheldvacantforfourmonthsunlessapprovedbyCouncilLibrary$10,000LibraryBoardtodecidehowtoachievecutinadditionto$3,100previouslycutonMarch9,2015AuroraCulturalCentre$10,000InadditiontoprevoiuscutonMarch9,2015ParksandRecreationPrograms$10,000ReviewofsubsidizedprogramsongoingEliminationofonefulltimeposition$108,000DetailsprovidedinconfidentialattachmentCouncilTraining$6,75025%reductionaligningmorecloselywithhistoricspendingTOTAL$327,750Attachment No.1
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2015 Budget Review Meeting
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RevisedApril29,20152015BudgetActualBudgetActualBudgetActualBudgetActualProposedBudgetOtherExpendituresDetailAdvocacy100,000(29,575)100,00028,824100,00044,49197,000108,069100,000OMBRelatedLegalServices350,0001,105,544100,00048,850100,000-100,000-100,000TotalExternalLegalServices450,0001,075,969200,00077,674200,00044,491197,000108,069200,000CommunityGrants66,00036,22456,00031,03931,00013,83731,00013,87631,000Training&Development187,390143,832200,330153,049193,630155,061190,630142,450196,050CouncilTraining27,00011,49327,00013,84227,00022,22627,0008,74227,000Printing&Advertising**243,240212,075258,533189,669246,586213,588241,636247,191254,960**Printing&Advertisingfiguresexcludetheannualleisureguidepublishingcostsofapproximately$40,000peryearasthesecostsarefullycostrecoveredthroughadvertisingrevenues.ThesefiguresincludeCorporate/Specialeventcostsofapproximately$32,000peryear.TownofAurora-FiveYearOperatingBudgetHistory(SelectExpenditureItemDetails)2011201220132014Attachment No.2
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2015 Budget Review Meeting
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