The Corporation of the City of St. Catharines
GENERAL COMMITTEE MINUTES
Monday, January 25, 2016
Present:
Absent: | Mayor Walter Sendzik Councillors Sandie Bellows, Mike Britton, Mark Elliott, N. Carlos Garcia, Matt Harris, David A. Haywood, Bill Phillips, Mathew Siscoe,
Councillor Joseph Kushner |
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Officials Present: | Dan Carnegie, Chief Administrative Officer Shelley Chemnitz, Commissioner of Corporate Services Nicole Auty, Director of Legal and Clerks Services/City Solicitor Jim Riddell, Director of Planning and Building Services Kristine Douglas, Director of Financial Management Services Jeanette Pillitteri, Director of Corporate Support Services Dan Dillon, Director of Transportation and Environmental Services David Oakes, Director of Recreation and Community Services David Wood, Director of Fire and Emergency Management Services Bonnie Nistico-Dunk, City Clerk Rebecca Alfieri, Council and Committee Coordinator |
Mayor Sendzik was in the chair and called the meeting to order in Council Chambers at 10:32 p.m. |
1. | Call for Reports to be Brought Forward from Consent |
• Item No. 4.3 - Niagara Symphony Association Line of Credit Renewal (Councillor Elliott)
• Item No. 4.4 - Emergency Dispatch Services Working Group (Councillor Stevens)
That Council defer General Committee Agenda Item No. 4.3, regarding the Niagara Symphony Association Line of Credit Renewal to the meeting of February 8, 2016 in order to allow for Councillor Kushner to be present.
Motion to Defer Carried
That Council defer General Committee Agenda Item No. 4.4, regarding Emergency Dispatch Services Working Group to the meeting of February 8, 2016, due to the time, it will not allow Council to have a more robust discussion.
Motion to Defer Carried
2. | Motion to Move Reports on Consent |
That Council approve the Consent Agenda, save and except those items brought forward for discussion. FORTHWITH
Yeas: Councillors Bellows, Britton, Elliott, Garcia, Harris, Haywood, Phillips, Siscoe, Sorrento, Stevens, Williamson, and Mayor Sendzik
Nays:
Carried
3. | Discussion Reports |
Follow this link to view General Committee Agenda reports of January 25, 2016
3.1. | Planning and Building Services, Building and Development Update on Graffiti By-law (Deferred by General Committee, December 14, 2015) |
That Council receive for information the update on staff procedures for addressing complaints in regard to graffiti regulated by the Public Nuisance by-law 2007-295, as amended; and
That staff in conjunction with the Clean City Committee explore possible alternative strategies to deal with graffiti in the City of St. Catharines and report back to Council by the end of the first quarter of 2016; and
That staff report to Budget Committee through a memo requesting funds for 2016 and that the funds come out of the Operating Budget; and
That staff embark on a public awareness program of how to combat graffiti in the City of St. Catharines as well as the use of the Graffiti Removal Assistance Program. FORTHWITH
Yeas: Councillors Bellows, Britton, Elliott, Garcia, Harris, Haywood, Phillips, Siscoe, Sorrento, Stevens, Williamson, and Mayor Sendzik
Nays:
Carried as Amended
Legal and Clerks Services, Office of the City Clerk Citizen Appointment to Clean City Advisory Committee |
That Council appoint Karen Sabzali to the Clean City Advisory Committee as recommended by the Environmental Sustainability Committee for the remainder of the term of Council; and
That the Office of the City Clerk be directed to make the necessary notifications. FORTHWITH
Yeas: Councillors Bellows, Britton, Elliott, Garcia, Harris, Haywood, Phillips, Siscoe, Sorrento, Stevens, Williamson, and Mayor Sendzik
Nays:
Carried
4. | Consent Reports |
Follow this link to view General Committee Agenda reports of January 25, 2016
4.1. | Parks, Recreation and Culture Services, Parks, Cemeteries, Forestry and Horticulture 2016-2018 Goose Management Work Plan |
That Council approve the 2016-2018 goose management work plan. FORTHWITH
Approved on Consent
4.2. | Parks, Recreation and Culture Services, Programs and Cultural Services Design for St. Catharines Arts Award |
That Council approve Clayton Haigh’s design for the next ten years of the St. Catharines Arts Award; and
That the City Solicitor be directed to prepare the necessary documents. FORTHWITH
Approved on Consent
4.3. | Brought forward to defer - See Item 1 Financial Management Services, Accounting and Payroll Niagara Symphony Association Line of Credit Renewal |
4.4. | Brought forward to defer - See Item 1 Fire and Emergency Management Services, Fire Chief Emergency Dispatch Services Working Group |
4.5. | Legal and Clerks Services, Office of the City Clerk Council Correspondence |
That Council receive and file the items listed within the report; and
That Council receive and file additional correspondence distributed for the meeting held January 25, 2016, which is available upon request, and include a memo from Planning and Building Services, City of St. Catharines regarding Application for Draft Plan of Subdivision Approval - 54 MacKenzie King Avenue, St. Catharines, File No: 60.46.410, St. Catharines Transit 2016 Operating and Capital Budgets, and Revised Page 5 of Report FMS-021-2016, Niagara Symphony Association Line of Credit Renewal.
Approved on Consent
5. | Report Requests and Directions for Staff |
Directions for staff have been noted and will be provided to the appropriate members of staff
5.1. | Lakeside Park Pavilion Follow up Report |
That the follow up report regarding the Pavilion coming to Council at the end of March, include a clear comparison of the costs of restoration/renovation, including the improvements proposed in the Versluis Brothers quote submitted to Council on November 16, 2015, vs. the costs of demolishing and building a new structure; and
That a summary of all costs incurred to date for consultants, architects, radar studies, etc.; and
That copies of the report that led to the closure of the Pavilion be shared with Council right away and I also asked why the Ward Councillors had not been notified in advance.
Carried
5.2. | 2021 Canada Games |
That staff report back to Council regarding the application process for hosting the 2021 Canada Games in regards to expectations of cost to the city and venue expectations, to come to Council following the February 8, 2016 meeting.
Carried
5.3. | Living Wage Implementation for City staff |
That staff report on the feasibility of the Living Wage to be implemented for all City staff (excluding contract, temporary workers and students); and
That this request be referred to the Budget Standing Committee.
Motion to Refer Carried
5.4. | Increase in Green Advisory Committee Budget |
That staff report on what the financial implications would be on Parks, Recreation and Culture Services budget to increase the Green Committee’s budget from $20,000 back up to $30,000; and
That this request be referred to the Budget Standing Committee.
Motion to Refer Carried
5.5. | By-law to Regulate the Sale and Setting off of Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Special Effects within the City of St. Catharines |
That staff prepare a report to compare to other cities in the Niagara Region regarding the By-law passed by Council on January 11, 2016, to regulate the sale and setting off of fireworks and pyrotechnics in City of St. Catharines out of a trailer as opposed to a cube van.
Carried
5.6. | Consideration of Weekly Council Meetings |
That staff report back of feasibility of holding Council meetings (excluding holidays) weekly from bi-weekly for 2017.
Carried
That the time is now 11:00 p.m. and curfew be extended for 15 minutes in order to deal with unfinished business of Council.
Carried
Councillor Stevens, and Harris were noted as opposed to extension of curfew.
In-Camera Session (General Committee) |
Council will meet In-Camera for the following purposes:
• litigation, or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals, affecting the municipality or local board
• advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose
• personal matters about an identifiable individual, including municipal or local board employees
That this meeting of the General Committee recess and reconvene In-Camera.
Carried
General Committee adjourned to the In-Camera session at 11:04 p.m.
7. | Adjournment |
The Mayor called for adjournment following the In-Camera session.
There being no further items of business, General Committee adjourned at 11:11 p.m. and City Council reconvened.
Certified Correct: Confirmed by:
Council Coordinator | Mayor |