Budget Committee

Minutes

Meeting #:
Date:
Time:
-
Location:
Hybrid meeting- virtual and Council Chambers, City Hall
Members Present:
  • Paul Sharman (Chair), 
  • Kelvin Galbraith, 
  • Lisa Kearns, 
  • Shawna Stolte, 
  • Rory Nisan, 
  • Angelo Bentivegna, 
  • and Mayor Marianne Meed Ward 
Staff Present:
  • Hassaan Basit, 
  • Blake Hurley, 
  • Craig Millar, 
  • Sue Evfremidis, 
  • Jacqueline Johnson, 
  • Curt Benson, 
  • Scott Hamilton, 
  • Chad MacDonald, 
  • Leah Bortolotti, 
  • Enrico Scalera, 
  • Lori Jivan, 
  • Emilie Cote, 
  • Oanh Kasperski, 
  • David Thompson (Audio/Video Specialist), 
  • Richard Bellemare (Audio/Video Specialist), 
  • and Lisa Palermo (Clerk) 

1.
Call to Order

 

The Chair called the meeting to order.

2.
Land Acknowledgement

 

The Chair read the Land Acknowledgement.

3.
Approval of the Agenda

 
  • Moved byCouncillor Stolte

    Approve the agenda as presented.

    CARRIED

4.
Declarations of Interest

 

None.

5.
Delegations

 

6.
Consent Items

 

None.

7.
Presentations

 

None.

8.
Regular Items

 

8.1
2025 Budget review (F-38-24)

This item has attachments. 
1.F-38-24 2025 Budget Review and Approval.pdf
2.Appendix A of F-38-24 2025 Summary of Proposed Budget Amendments.pdf
  • Moved byCouncillor Stolte

    Endorse the 2025 Operating Budget including any approved budget amendments to be applied against the proposed net tax levy amount of $264,343,845; and

    Endorse that any surplus or deficit resulting from a difference between the actual results and the estimated 0.75% City portion of the net assessment growth be transferred to / from the Tax Rate Stabilization Reserve Fund; and

    Endorse the 2025 Capital Budget for the City of Burlington, with a gross amount of $105,425,263 with a debenture requirement of $8,950,000, and the 2026-2034 capital forecast with a gross amount of $994,403,942 with a debenture requirement of $30,179,850 as outlined in the 2025 Budget Overview (F-36-24) and as amended by Council; and

    Administer the debenture in the amount of $8,950,000 in 2025 as tax supported debt; and

    Declare that, in accordance with s. 5(1)5 of the Development Charges Act, 1997 and s. 5 of Ontario Regulation 82/98, it is Council’s clear intention that the excess capacity provided by the above-referenced works will be paid for by future development charges.

    CARRIED

  • Amendment:

    Moved byCouncillor Bentivegna

    Web and Digital Marketing (1)

    Remove Web and Design Marketing Advisor.

    LOST

  • Amendment:

    Moved byCouncillor Kearns

    Web and Digital Marketing (1)

    Re-allocate existing resources from other parts of City operations to enable more efficient, technology enhanced communications and to support the Web and Digital Marketing Advisor role.

    LOST

  • Amendment:

    Moved byCouncillor Bentivegna

    Strategic Initiatives (2)

    Remove funding and re-evaluate in a future budget.

    LOST

  • Amendment:

    Moved byCouncillor Galbraith

    Strategic Initiatives (2)

    Use one time funding for a one-year contract position to determine if position is required and justified for the long term.

    LOST

  • Amendment:

    Moved byCouncillor Bentivegna

    By-law Compliance Department Phase (3)

    Remove funding and review previous year to year KPI's within the full compliment By-law Compliance department.

    LOST

  • Amendment:

    Moved byCouncillor Galbraith

    By-law Compliance Department Phase (3)

    Reduce the staffing from 5 to 3 for the phase 3 implementation of the program. Move the currently staffed positions to full-time - 1 manager and 1 animal control and 1 additional bylaw officer.

    LOST

  • Amendment:

    Note: discussion on this amendment was deferred to the bottom of the budget amendments list, and the two paragraphs were voted on separately.

    Moved byCouncillor Kearns

    Parks Portable Washrooms (4)

    Staff to report back by Q1 2025 on the relocation of the washroom rental facilities within Spencer Smith Park with improved screening, that does not compromise safety.

    Increase washroom operations hours at Discovery Landing  (7am-10pm 365 days of the year incl. holidays) and 414 Locust Street (8am-6pm 365 days of the year and incl. holidays). This would result in an increase in $15K.

    CARRIED

  • Amendment:

    Note: this amendment was withdrawn by Councillor Bentivegna.

    Animal Services - New Vehicles (5)

    Remove two additional vehicles for the requested two new Animal Services Officers and operating costs (2025-012).

     

  • Amendment:

    Note: this amendment was withdrawn by Councillor Bentivegna.

    Municipal By-law Enforcement and Licensing - New Vehicles (6)

    Remove two additional new vehicles and operating cost regarding Municipal By-law Enforcement Officers (2025-012).

     

  • Amendment:

    Moved byCouncillor Bentivegna

    Forestry enhancements (7)

    Remove funding from 2025 budget.

    LOST

  • Amendment:

    Note: this amendment was withdrawn by Councillor Bentivegna.

    Stormwater Infrastructure and Storm Response Enhancements (8)

    Remove $196,726 from ongoing salaries, wages and benefits and use the balance of funding to fulfill needs for 2025, and re-evaluate in a future budget.

     

  • Amendment:

    Moved byCouncillor Bentivegna

    Provision to Library (9)
    Remove from 2025 budget.

    LOST

  • Amendment:

    Note: this amendment was withdrawn by Councillor Bentivegna.

    Grant Administration and Accounting Support (10)
    Remove funding request for 2025. Report reads: number of grant applications are applied for annually, and considered routine (Federal and Provincial Gas Tax, Housing Accelerator Fund).

     

  • Amendment:

    Moved byCouncillor Kearns

    Grant Administration and Accounting Support (10)
    Adjust to part-time (PT) until return on investment (ROI) proven to be 1:1 of FTE.

    LOST

  • Amendment:

    Note: discussion on this amendment was deferred to the bottom of the budget amendments list and withdrawn by Councillor Kearns.

    Love My Hood Program (11)
    Reduce the Love My Hood funding to $250 from $500 per event up to forecasted 150 events for 2025.

     

  • Amendment:

    Note: this amendment was withdrawn by Councillor Stolte.

    Loose Leaf Collection Program (12)
    Eliminate the Loose Leaf Collection Program.

     

  • Amendment:

    Moved byCouncillor Sharman

    Burloak Regional Waterfront Park Maintenance (13)
    Increase Burloak Waterfront park maintenance and horticultural service vs. current part time service and minor contracted weed control.

     

    CARRIED

  • Amendment to Amendment (13):

    Moved byCouncillor Kearns

    Burloak Regional Waterfront Park Maintenance (13)

    Remove "Burloak Waterfront park" and replace with "parks".

    Increase parks maintenance and horticultural service vs. current part time service and minor contracted weed control.

    LOST

  • Amendment:

    Moved byCouncillor Kearns

    Consulting Costs (14)
    Fund one-time professional consulting for strategic priorities within Corporate Affairs from the Strategic Plan Reserve Fund up to $100,000.

    CARRIED

  • Amendment:

    Moved byCouncillor Kearns

    Wellington Park (15)
    Add a paved multi-use pathway in 2025 from Hager Avenue to Wellington Park with funding from the Active Transportation Reserve Fund.

    LOST

    IN FAVOUR: (2): Councillor Kearns, Councillor Nisan
    OPPOSED: (5): Mayor Meed Ward, Councillor Galbraith, Councillor Stolte, Councillor Sharman, and Councillor Bentivegna

     


  • Amendment:

    Note: this amendment was withdrawn by Councillor Kearns.

    Parking Lot Driveway Relocation (16)
    Fund this project with the Active Transportation Reserve fund rather than using Infrastructure renewal and Park Dedication funding.

     

  • Amendment:

    Moved byCouncillor Kearns

    Electric Vehicle Charging Stations – Downtown (17)
    Defer this project pending outcome of the Downtown Parking Plan scheduled for completion in Q4 of 2025.

    CARRIED

  • Amendment:

    Note: this amendment was withdrawn by Councillor Galbraith

    Plains Road Renewal (18)
    Defer Plains Road reconstruction from Shadeland to Waterdown Road to 2026, and use some of the funding to re-instate the shave and pave program that has been delayed to accommodate the Storm Water Fund. This will also allow for the major construction of Waterdown road to be completed without conflicting with another major Plains Road project.

     

  • Amendment:

    Moved byCouncillor Nisan

    Local Roads Resurfacing Program (19)
    Draw $2M from the Infrastructure Renewal Reserve Fund to accommodate the addition of the $2M Local Road Resurfacing Program into the 2025 budget, and in doing so allows funding of local road resurfacing and storm water work.

    CARRIED

  • Amendment:

    Note: this amendment was withdrawn by Councillor Nisan.

    Innovation and Transformation Reserve Fund (20)
    Remove $200k of the annual provision to the Innovation and Transformation Reserve Fund and increase the annual provision to the Infrastructure Renewal Reserve Fund by $200k to replenish the fund after $2M draw-down to fund storm water work and local road resurfacing.

     

  • Amendment:

    Note: this amendment was withdrawn by Councillor Kearns.

    Council Special Initiatives Reserve Fund (21)
    Provide a one-time transfer of $65,000 from the current balance in the Council Special Initiatives Reserve Fund to the Tax Rate Stabilization Reserve Fund.

     

  • Amendment:

    Note: this amendment was withdrawn by Councillor Nisan

    Mundialization Reserve Fund (22)
    Provide a one-time transfer of $80,000 from the current balance in the Mundialization Reserve Fund to the Severe Weather Reserve Fund.

     

  • Amendment:

    Note: this amendment was withdrawn by Councillor Kearns.

    Mundialization Reserve Fund (22)
    Provide a one-time transfer of $150,000 from the current balance in the Mundialization Reserve Fund to the Tax Rate Stabilization Reserve Fund.

     

9.
Confidential Items and Closed Meeting

 

None.

10.
Rise and Report

 

11.
Information Items

 
  • Moved byMayor Meed Ward

    Receive and file the following five (5) items, having been given due consideration by the Committee of the Whole.

    CARRIED

12.
Staff Remarks

 

13.
Committee Remarks

 

14.
Adjournment

 

10:58 a.m. (recessed), 11:07 a.m. (reconvened), 11:56 p.m. (recessed), 1:00 p.m. (reconvened) 2:41 p.m. (recessed), 2:49 p.m. (reconvened), 4:11 p.m. (recessed), 4:14 p.m. (reconvened)

Mayor Meed Ward was absent from 1:30 - 2:00 p.m. and from 2:49 - 2:58 p.m.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:24 p.m.

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