Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability Budget Committee Meeting

Minutes

Meeting #:
Date:
Time:
-
Location:
Hybrid meeting- virtual and Council Chambers, City Hall
Members Present:
  • Lisa Kearns (Chair), 
  • Kelvin Galbraith (Vice Chair), 
  • Rory Nisan, 
  • Shawna Stolte, 
  • Paul Sharman, 
  • Angelo Bentivegna, 
  • and Mayor Marianne Meed Ward 
Staff Present:
  • Tim Commisso, 
  • Brynn Nheiley, 
  • Kwab Ako-Adjei, 
  • Nick Anastasopoulos, 
  • Joan Ford, 
  • Sheila Jones, 
  • Chad MacDonald, 
  • Allan Magi, 
  • Karen Roche, 
  • Enrico Scalera, 
  • Nancy Shea-Nicol, 
  • Emilie Cote, 
  • David Thompson (Audio/Video Specialist), 
  • Richard Bellemare (Audio/Video Specialist), 
  • and Samantha Yew 

1.
Declarations of Interest:

 

None

2.
Delegation(s):

 

3.
Consent Items:

 

None

4.
Regular Items:

 

Item 4.2 was added to the agenda on a two-thirds vote and considered as item 4.1.r Event support (18).

4.1
2023 budget review and approval (F-01-23-1)

This item has attachments. 
1.F-01-23-1 2023 Budget review and approval.pdf
2.F-01-23-1 App A 2023 Summary of Budget Motions.pdf
3.F-01-23-1 App B 2023 Council Budget Motion Memorandums.pdf
4.F-01-23-1 App C Follow-up QandA Memo.pdf
  • Moved byCouncillor Sharman

    Approve the 2023 Operating Budget including any budget amendments approved by the Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability Committee to be applied against the proposed net tax levy amount of $219,206,545; and

    CARRIED
  • Moved byCouncillor Sharman

    Approve the 2023 Capital Budget for the City of Burlington, with a gross amount of $72,572,264 with a debenture requirement of $5,500,000, and the 2024-2032 capital forecast with a gross amount of $805,460,537 with a debenture requirement of $35,725,000 as outlined in report F-01-23-1 and as amended by the Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk & Accountability Committee; and

    CARRIED
  • Moved byCouncillor Sharman

    Approve that if the actual net assessment growth is different than the estimated 0.60%, any increase in tax dollars generated from the City portion of assessment growth from the previous year be transferred to the Tax Rate Stabilization Reserve Fund or any decrease in tax dollars generated from the City portion of assessment growth from the previous year be funded from the Tax Rate Stabilization Reserve Fund; and

    Administer the debenture in the amount of $5,500,000 in 2023 as tax supported debt; and

    Declare that, in accordance with sis. 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

a.
Beachway Parking (1)

 
  • Moved byMayor Meed Ward

    Direct the Director of Transportation to retain the 10 free parking passes at Burlington Beachway Park based on Option A for 2023 and 2024, resulting in a budget increase of $84,600

    CARRIED
  • Moved byMayor Meed Ward

    Direct the Director of Transportation to work with staff and develop a program that verifies addresses to confirm that those using the exemptions are Halton residents; and

    Direct the Chief Financial Officer to establish a Beachway Parking Reserve Fund to be funded from 100% of the remaining parking revenues, net of operating expenses collected at Beachway Park. This reserve fund shall be used to fund future operating and capital requirements at the Burlington Beach Regional Waterfront Park including but not limited to park improvements, active transportation infrastructure, existing and additional parking improvements. This would result in an operating budget impact of $85,400; and

    Direct the City Manager in consultation with the Mayor, Ward 1 Councillor and Deputy Mayor for Community and Recreation Services to liaise with Halton Region staff on options to temporarily use vacant land in the vicinity of the park owned by the Region of Halton for overflow parking; and

    Direct CFO to annually review and report back on a process to review specified non-obligatory reserve funds.

    CARRIED
  • Amendment:
    Moved byCouncillor Sharman

    Add "for 2023 and 2024" to the first operative clause after "based on Option A"

    CARRIED
  • Amendment:
    Moved byMayor Meed Ward

    Add "operating and" to the third operative clause after "used to fund future"; 

    Replace "the park" with "the Burlington Beach Regional Waterfront Park" in the third operative clause;

    Add "operating" to the third operative clause before "budget impact of $85,400"; and

    Add "Direct CFO to annually review and report back on a process to review specified non-obligatory reserve funds annually".

    CARRIED

b.
Contractual compensation & market competitiveness (2)

 
  • Moved byCouncillor Bentivegna

    Reduce funding in the 2023 Budget from $4,700,000 to $3,700,000 and Defer the balance of funding for consideration in the 2024 Budget ($1,000,000). This would increase the 2024 multi-year simulation by $1,000,000.

    LOST

c.
Inflation (3)

 

This item was withdrawn by Councillor Bentivegna.

d.
Additional preventative maintenance at community facilities (4)

 
  • Moved byCouncillor Bentivegna

    Remove additional funding for additional preventative maintenance at community facilities of $100,000 from the 2023 Budget.

    LOST

e.
Human capital investments stabilizing operations (5)

 
  • Moved byCouncillor Bentivegna

    Remove 1 Human Resources representative resulting in a budget reduction of $131,748 & 1 full time employee; and

    Defer 1 Lead/Hand Operation Coordinator resulting in a budget reduction of $106,506 & 1 full time employee for consideration in the 2024 Budget. This would increase the 2024 multi-year simulation by $106,506.

    LOST

f.
Station #8 Firefighters (6)

 
  • Moved byCouncillor Bentivegna

    Defer 2 Firefighter positions resulting in a budget reduction of $314,100 & 2 full time employee for consideration in the 2024 Budget. This increases the 2024 multi-year simulation by $314,100. My proposal is to fund 2 Firefighters in 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 to reach the required compliment of 20 Firefighters

    LOST

g.
New By-law Compliance Department (7)

 
  • Moved byCouncillor Nisan

    Remove Communications Advisor role from the proposed key investment, saving $118,704. Request communications department to make request for additional resource in 2024 budget if required.

    LOST
  • Moved byCouncillor Bentivegna

    Remove the following 4 positions for a total 2023 Budget reduction of $489,318

    • 1 Supervisor of Enforcement Policy & Administration ($132,248)
    • 2 Customer Experience Representatives ($171,746)
    • 1 Solicitor ($185,324) and defer these 4 positions for consideration in the 2024 Budget. This would increase the 2024 multi-year simulation by $489,318.
    LOST

h.
Home energy retrofit (8)

 
  • Moved byCouncillor Bentivegna

    Remove the project and eliminate the one-time funding of $120,945 and 1.0 contract staff.

    LOST

i.
Agencies, Boards and Commissions (ABC) and Joint Venture (JV) accountability framework review (9)

 
  • Moved byCouncillor Bentivegna

    Remove the project and eliminate the one-time funding of $200,000.

    LOST

j.
Coyote strategy response (10)

 
  • Moved byCouncillor Bentivegna

    Remove the project and eliminate the one-time funding of $200,000. Consider on-going funding for 2024 budget.

    LOST

k.
Burlington lands partnership - housing strategy and implementation (11)

 
  • Moved byCouncillor Bentivegna

    Remove the project and eliminate the one-time funding of $200,000. Consider on-going funding for 2024 budget.

    LOST

l.
Additional resource - mayor's office (12)

 
  • Moved byCouncillor Bentivegna

    Remove the 1 Policy and Research Specialist position in the mayor’s office resulting in a budget reduction of $107,486 & 1 full time employee.

    LOST
  • Moved byCouncillor Sharman

    Approve operating budget funding and defer to City Manager for options and recommendations by Q2 2023 on how to proceed.

    CARRIED

m.
Support for Parks Capital Program staffing (13)

 
  • Moved byCouncillor Bentivegna

    Remove the item from the 2023 budget (expenses of $216,548) including the offsetting recovery from the city’s capital program (revenues of $216,548) and 2 full time employees; and

    Defer these 2 positions for consideration in the 2024 budget without funding from the city’s capital program. This would increase the 2024 multi-year simulation by $216,548

    LOST

n.
Free transit for youth (14)

 
  • Moved byCouncillor Nisan

    Direct the Director of Transit to implement free transit for youth (ages 13-19 on weekends and evenings with a budget impact of $84,000 (revenue loss).

    CARRIED

o.
Open Streets Initiatives (15)

 

This item was reconsidered on a two-thirds vote after item 18.

  • Moved byCouncillor Nisan

    Add operational funding of $100,000 to the 2023 budget for Open Streets Initiatives and events, including $15,000 for Canada Day on Brant Street from Lakeshore Road to Caroline Avenue and appropriate funding for the Appleby Line Street Festival, for 2023 subject to further consideration by recreation, community and culture strategy work for future years; and

    Direct the Director of Recreation, Community and Culture and Director of Transportation to collaborate with the Community Development/Neighbourhood Capacity Building Strategy for community events to develop a program that would identify specific closure times (eg weekends) and mitigate conflicts with residential and emergency access.

    CARRIED

p.
Innovation and Transformation Fund (16)

 
  • Moved byCouncillor Sharman

    Establish an Innovation & Transformation Fund by adding $1 million to the 2023 Budget. The objective would be to accelerate achievement of corporate strategic objectives and embed process improvement and related technology integration solutions/practices and learning into the fabric of the organization; and

    Direct the City Manager and Chief Financial Officer to report back on the governance structure to administer the allocation of funds based on to be established criteria, a reserve fund by-law, and any other matters related to accelerating achievement of corporate strategic objectives by Q2 2023.

    CARRIED

q.
Active Transportation Funding (17)

 
  • Moved byCouncillor Nisan

    Add ongoing funding of $500,000 to the 2023 budget for future active transportation capital initiatives related to the endorsed Cycling Master Plan, to fund future initiatives in accordance with the eventual Integrated Mobility Plan and direct the Chief Financial Officer to develop a reserve fund by-law for this purpose.

    CARRIED
  • Amendment:
    Moved byCouncillor Kearns

    Change funding amount from $1.0M to $500,000.

    CARRIED

r.
Event support (18)

 

This item was withdrawn by Councillor Nisan.

s.
Reduction to overall tax increase (19)

 

This item was withdrawn by Councillor Bentivegna. 

4.2
Motion memorandum regarding 2023 budget review and approval (F-01-23-1)

This item has attachments. 
1.F-01-23-1 motion memorandum_event programming(1).pdf

Item 4.2 was added to the agenda on a two-thirds vote and considered as item 4.1.r Event support (18).

5.
Confidential Items and Closed Session:

 
  • Moved byCouncillor Sharman

    Proceed into closed session at 3:04 p.m. in accordance with the following provision under the Municipal Act: 

    Pursuant to Section 239(2)(e) litigation or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals, affecting the municipality or local board and Section 239(2)(f) advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose.

    CARRIED

5.1
Confidential legal services department memo regarding contingency reserve fund projections (L-13-23)

 

6.
Rise and Report:

 
  • Moved byMayor Meed Ward

    Receive and file confidential legal services department memo regarding contingency reserve fund projections (L-13-23)

    CARRIED

7.
Procedural Motions:

 

7.1
Motion to waive the rules

 
  • Moved byCouncillor Nisan

    Waive section 36.2 of Procedure By-law 31-2021, as amended, to add item 4.2 Motion memorandum regarding 2023 budget review and approval (F-01-23-1) to the agenda.

    CARRIED

7.2
Motion to defer

 
  • Moved byCouncillor Kearns

    Defer consideration of item 4.1.h Home Energy Retrofit (8) to after consideration of item 19.

    CARRIED

7.3
Motion to reconsider

 
  • Moved byMayor Meed Ward

    Reconsider item 4.1.o Open Streets Initiatives (15).

    CARRIED

8.
Information Items:

 
  • Moved byCouncillor Stolte

    Receive and file the following two items, having been given due consideration by the Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability Budget Committee.

    CARRIED

9.
Staff Remarks:

 

10.
Committee Remarks:

 

11.
Adjournment:

 

11:05 a.m. (recessed), 11:15 a.m. (reconvened), 12:04 p.m. (recessed), 1:02 p.m. (reconvened), 2:24 p.m. (recessed), 2:30 p.m. (reconvened), 3:04 p.m. (closed), 3:38 p.m. (public), 4:02 p.m. (recessed), 5:33 p.m. (reconvened), 7:05 p.m. (recessed), 7:11 p.m. (reconvened)

Councillor Nisan was in attendance until 3 p.m., returning at 3:39 p.m.

Councillor Stolte was in attendance until 3:36 p.m., returning at 5:33 p.m.

Councillor Galbraith was in attendance until 8:02 p.m.

Chair adjourned the meeting at 9:26 p.m.

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