The Corporation of the City of St. Catharines
BUDGET STANDING COMMITTEE MINUTES
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Members Present: | Mayor Walter Sendzik (arrived at 3:06 p.m.) Councillors Mike Britton, N. Carlos Garcia, David A. Haywood, Bill Phillips, and Mathew Siscoe (Chair) |
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Officials Present: | Dan Carnegie, Chief Administrative Officer Shelley Chemnitz, Commissioner of Corporate Services Kristine Douglas, Director of Financial Management Services Jim Riddell, Director of Planning and Building Services Jeanette Pillitteri, Director of Corporate Support Services Nicole Auty, Director of Legal and Clerks Services/City Solicitor Brian York, Manager of Economic Development Cindy Upshall, Manager of Corporate Communications Bonnie Nistico-Dunk, City Clerk Margaret Kreuk, Budget Analyst Maggie Riopelle, Corporate Research Officer Deanna Haine, Council & Committee Coordinator |
1. | Call the Meeting to Order |
Committee Chair, Mathew Siscoe, took the chair and called the meeting to order in Council Chambers at 3:03 p.m.
2. | Adoption of Agenda |
That the Budget Standing Committee adopt the agenda for the meeting of Tuesday, January 26, 2016.
Carried
3. | Declarations of Interest |
There were none declared.
4. | Adoption of Minutes |
Budget Standing Committee, January 12, 2016, and January 14, 2016
That the Budget Standing Committee approve the minutes of the meetings held on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 and Thursday, January 14, 2016.
Carried
5. | Chair's Report |
The Chair provided an update regarding the recent budget public consultation through the Telephone Town Hall and Open Houses processes.
6. | Discussion Items |
6.1. | Revised Budget Schedule |
Shelley Chemnitz, Commissioner of Operations, provided a brief summary of the changes to the Budget schedule.
That the Budget Standing Committee approve the revised Budget schedule.
Carried
6.2. | Telephone Town Hall Summary |
Shelley Chemnitz, Commissioner of Operations, provided a summary of the one-hour Telephone Town Hall session, which took place on January 18, 2016, with a callout to 30,000 random households.
6.3. | Department Presentation Planning and Building Services - Jim Riddell, Director |
Jim Riddell, Director of Planning and Building Services, provided a departmental overview, including the proposed operating budget.
That the Budget Standing Committee receive the departmental presentation by Jim Riddell, Director of Planning and Building Services.
Carried
6.4. | Department Presentation Legal and Clerks Services - Nicole Auty, Director / City Solicitor • The following requested information will be addressed through an attached memorandum to the presentation: - Examine the options of webcasting and audio recordings of In-Camera Committee meetings - Reports LCS-118-2015 and LCS-119-2015 |
Nicole Auty, Director of Legal and Clerks Services/City Solicitor, provided a departmental overview, including the proposed operating budget and the memorandum regarding webcasting. Ms. Auty advised webcasting could be made possible through a reduction in the Postage account and reallocation of the funds to the Council and Committee account.
That the Budget Standing Committee receive the departmental presentation by Nicole Auty, Director of Legal and Clerks Services/City Solicitor; and
That the Legal and Clerks Services budget include a reduction of the Postage account in the amount of $10,000 based on a review of the 2015 actual amounts for that account; and
That the Legal and Clerks Services budget include a corresponding increase in the Council and Committee account in the amount of $10,000 for webcasting of Council meetings as described in Option 1 in the Legal and Clerks Services report to General Committee on April 27, 2015.
Carried
6.5. | Office of the Chief Administrative Office Department Presentations - Dan Carnegie, CAO Economic Development - Brian York, Manager |
Brian York, Manager of Economic Development, provided a departmental overview, including the proposed operating budget.
That Economic Development be directed to report back to the Budget Standing Committee demonstrating what a 2.85% and 5.0% increase to their budget would look like.
Carried
Moved By: Chair, Councillor Siscoe
That the Budget Standing Committee extend the meeting by a half hour.
Lost
That the balance of the agenda items be deferred to the meeting of January 28, 2016.
Carried
6.6. | Office of the Chief Administrative Office Department Presentations - Dan Carnegie, CAO Corporate Communications - Cindy Upshall, Manager |
Due to the length of the meeting, this item was deferred to the meeting of January 28, 2016.
7. | Information Items |
7.1. | See Agenda for attached items: • Report Referral's to the Budget Standing Committee • 2015-2016 Budget Standing Committee Work Plan • Emailed Concerns to the Budget Standing Committee |
8. | Other Business |
There was none this evening.
9. | Adjournment |
That this meeting be adjourned at 5:04 p.m.
Carried
Certified Correct:Confirmed by:
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Council & Committee CoordinatorCommittee Chair