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The Corporation of the City of St. Catharines

GENERAL COMMITTEE MINUTES

Monday, May 02, 2016

 

Present:

Mayor Walter Sendzik

Councillors Sandie Bellows, Mike Britton, Mark Elliott, N. Carlos Garcia,

Matt Harris (left at 10:23 p.m.), David A. Haywood (left at 10:42 p.m.),

Joseph Kushner, Bill Phillips, Mathew Siscoe (left at 10:41 p.m.),

Sal Sorrento, Jennifer Stevens, and Bruce Williamson (left at 10:42 p.m.)

 

Officials

Present:

Dan Carnegie, Chief Administrative Officer

Shelley Chemnitz, Commissioner of Corporate Services

Bryan Shynal, Commissioner of Operations

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

Phil Cristi, Acting Director of Parks, Recreation and Culture Services

Jeffery Silcox-Childs, Acting Director of Parks, Recreation and Culture Services

David Wood, Director of Fire and Emergency Management Services

Anthony Martuccio, Design & Construction Engineer

Bonnie Nistico-Dunk, City Clerk

Deanna Haine, Council and Committee Coordinator

 

 

Mayor Sendzik was in the chair and called the meeting to order in Council Chambers at 9:23 p.m.

 

 

1.

Call for Reports to be Brought Forward from Consent

Item 4.1: Firefighters Recruitment Process - Additional Information (Councillor Stevens)

Item 4.3: Project P13-180, New Administration Building for Victoria Lawn Cemetery - Award of Design and Contract Administration Services (Councillor Kushner)

Item 4.4: 2016 Tax Rates (Councillor Britton)

Item 4.6, Sub-item 4: Request for Fee for Service Agreement with St. Catharines Museum (Councillor Williamson)

Item 4.6, Sub-item 9: Outstanding Reports List as of April 22, 2016 (Councillor Britton)

 

 

 

 

 

2.

Motion to Move Reports on Consent

Moved By:  Councillor Garcia

That Council approve the Consent Agenda, save and except those items brought forward for discussion. FORTHWITH

Yeas:Councillors Garcia, Harris, Haywood, Kushner, Phillips, Siscoe, Sorrento, Stevens, Williamson, Bellows, Britton, Elliott, and Mayor Sendzik

Nays:

Carried

 

3.

Discussion Reports

Follow this link to view General Committee Agenda reports of May 2, 2016

 

At the request of the Mayor, General Committee moved to discuss Item 4.3 next.

 

3.1.

Transportation and Environmental Services, Engineering and Construction

Seymour Hannah Sports and Entertainment Centre – Ice Pad Replacement and Associated Mechanical Modifications - Phase 1 Award

(Deferred by General Committee, April 18, 2016, Item 3.2)

 

Moved By:  Councillor Phillips

That Council award the tender for Project P16-164, Seymour Hannah Sports and Entertainment Centre – Ice Pad Replacement and Associated Mechanical Modifications – Phase 1 to the lowest acceptable bidder, Schilthuis Construction Inc. in the amount of $1,548,000 plus HST; and

That the City Solicitor be directed to prepare the necessary by-law. FORTHWITH

...

Moved By:  Councillor Harris

That Council move to In-Camera for the purpose receiving legal advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege with respect to the awarding of a contract.

Carried

General Committee recessed and reconvened In-Camera at 9:56 p.m. General Committee reconvened from In-Camera at 10:04 p.m.

Moved By:  Councillor Phillips

That Council receive the information provided In-Camera from the City Solicitor.

Carried


Council now voted on the main motion.

Yeas:Councillors Haywood, Kushner, Phillips, Siscoe, Sorrento, Stevens, Williamson, Bellows, Britton, Elliott, Garcia, Harris, and Mayor Sendzik

Nays:

Carried

 

3.2.

Corporate Support Services, Human Resources

Firefighters Recruitment Process – Additional Information (Item 4.1 moved from Consent)

 

Moved By:  Councillor Stevens

That Council defer the report from Corporate Support Services respecting the additional information with regard to the firefighters recruitment process.

Motion to Defer Carried

 

3.3.

Transportation and Environmental Services, Engineering and Construction

Project P13-180, New Administration Building for the Victoria Lawn Cemetery – Award of Design and Contract Administration Services (Item 4.3 moved from Consent)

 

Moved By:  Councillor Kushner

That Council direct staff to engage the architectural firm of Raimondo + Associates Architects Inc. for the design and contract administration services for the New Administration Building for the Victoria Lawn Cemetery, Project Number P13-180 at a total estimated cost of $96,560 excluding HST; and

That the request by the St. Catharines & District Retirees Association be accommodated; and

That Council direct staff to confer with the group regarding other possibilities, including a relocation; and

That Council direct staff to work with the association with regard to extending the deadline to allow them to stay in the present location for as long as possible; and

Further, that the City Solicitor be directed to prepare the necessary by-law and agreement. FORTHWITH

...

Moved By:  Councillor Bellows

That Council defer their decision for two weeks to have more time to look into this and perhaps look at the building.

Motion to Defer Carried

The Mayor called for a five minute recess.
 

General Committee recessed at 9:38 p.m. and reconvened at 9:43 p.m., continuing with Item 3.1.

 

3.4.

Financial Management Services, Accounting

2016 Tax Rates (Item 4.4 moved from Consent)

 

Moved By:  Councillor Britton

That Council approve the property tax rates as detailed in Appendix 1; and

That the City Solicitor be directed to prepare the necessary by-law(s). FORTHWITH

Yeas:Councillors Sorrento, Stevens, Williamson, Bellows, Britton, Elliott, Garcia, Harris, Haywood, Kushner, Phillips, Siscoe, and Mayor Sendzik

Nays:

Carried

 

3.5.

Legal and Clerks Services, Office of the City Clerk

Council Correspondence, Sub-item 4 and Sub-item 9 (Item 4.6 moved from Consent)

 

Sub-item 4

Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum

Re: Request for Fee for Service Agreement with St. Catharines Museum

Moved By:  Councillor Williamson

That Council direct staff to prepare a report regarding the request from the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum for a Fee for Service agreement with the St. Catharines Museum & Welland Canals Centre and look into collaborating, staff-wise, in terms of working together to do some curatorial and other work with the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

Carried

Councillor Harris left the meeting and was not present for the vote.

Sub-item 9

Outstanding Reports List - updated April 22, 2016

Councillor Britton asked questions relative to the Outstanding Reports List and asked staff to prepare a memo to Councillors when due dates cannot be met.

Moved By:  Councillor Britton

That Council receive the updated Outstanding Reports List for information purposes.

Carried

Moved By:  Councillor Williamson

That Council extend the curfew by 15 minutes to complete the remainder of the items on the agenda.

Carried

 

4.

Consent Reports

Follow this link to view General Committee Agenda reports of May 2, 2016

 

4.1.

Brought forward for discussion - See Item 3.2

Corporate Support Services, Human Resources

Firefighters Recruitment Process – Additional Information

 

 

4.2.

Parks, Recreation and Culture Services, Programs and Cultural Services

Festival and Events Program Funding Recommendations

 

That Council approve the recommendations of the Festivals and Events Review Committee for funding of the following 2016 Festivals:

         In the Soil Festival

         Niagara Integrated Film Festival

         Niagara Jazz Festival

         Niagara VegFest; and

That staff be directed to make the necessary notifications. FORTHWITH

Approved on Consent

 

4.3.

Brought forward for discussion - See Item 3.3

Transportation and Environmental Services, Engineering and Construction

Project P13-180, New Administration Building for the Victoria Lawn Cemetery – Award of Design and Contract Administration Services

 

 

4.4.

Brought forward for discussion - See Item 3.4

Financial Management Services, Accounting

2016 Tax Rates

 

 

4.5.

Parks, Recreation and Culture Services, Programs and Cultural Services

Cultural Funding Policy Revisions

 

That Council approve the revisions to the St. Catharines Cultural Investment Policy; and

That staff be directed to revise the SCCIP program materials and systems accordingly; and

That Council approve the Revised Terms of Reference for the Arts & Culture Advisory Committee, to add the Festival Review Sub-Committee. FORTHWITH

Approved on Consent


 

4.6.

Legal and Clerks Services, Office of the City Clerk

Council Correspondence

Note: Sub-item 1 and Sub-item 2 brought forward for discussion - See Item 3.5

 

That Council receive and file the items listed within the report, save and except Sub-item 4 and Sub-item 9; and

That Council receive and file additional correspondence distributed for the meeting held May 2, 2016, which is available upon request and includes: (1) a memorandum from the Director of Planning and Building Services regarding additional comments received respecting the applications for 65 Broadway, 6 Tanner Circle and 63 Cecil Street, and (2) a memorandum from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport regarding an update on Ontario’s culture strategy, which was forwarded to staff in Parks, Recreation and Culture Services. FORTHWITH

Approved on Consent

 

5.

Report Requests and Directions for Staff

Directions have been noted and will be provided to the appropriate members of staff.

 

5.1.

Parks Management Plan and Condition Update

 

That Council direct staff to prepare a report for the end of June regarding a site condition of the City's recreation facilities at the various parks, including what projects will take place this year, how much money is in the parkland dedication fund and should the parkland dedication fund policy be changed. (requested by Councillor Haywood)

 

5.2.

Bill Burgoyne Arena - Summer Closure

 

That Council direct staff to prepare a report detailing what happened with Bill Burgoyne Arena, including fixes that staff are putting into place currently, as well as the follow up that is going on with the lacrosse organizations and report back to Council in two weeks. (requested by Councillor Siscoe)

 

5.3.

Hiring for Senior Staff Positions

 

That Council direct staff to prepare a report outlining the process for hiring senior staff, including the makeup of the interview team for each position, those being the CAO, Commissioners and Directors. (requested by Councillor Phillips)

 

5.4.

Cushman Road Park

 

That Council direct staff to prepare a report to provide an update on the previously requested report regarding the feasibility of creating a parking area for Cushman Road Park and include a response from staff regarding a request to remove the barriers along Carlton Street at Cushman Road Park. (requested by Councillor Britton)

 

Moved By:  Councillor Phillips

Seconded By:  Councillor Kushner

That Council approve the requests set out in Items 5.1 through to 5.4.

Carried

 

6.

In-Camera Session (General Committee)

Council will meet In-Camera for the following purposes:

         a proposed or pending acquisition or disposition of land by the municipality or local board (Realty File No. 06-15)

 

The Mayor motioned that General Committee recess and reconvene In-Camera.

 

At 10:46 p.m., the Mayor motioned that the curfew be extended for five minutes to complete the agenda.

 

7.

Adjournment

General Committee recessed to the In-Camera session at 10:46 p.m. General Committee adjourned at 10:48 p.m. and City Council reconvened.

 

 

Certified Correct:Confirmed by:

 

 

 

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Council CoordinatorMayor