CARRIED [FOR: Riepma, Nixon, Kungl, Thomson, Nigussie, Harris, Morales, Hamilton; AGAINST was not called for by Mayor, but Courser was either against or abstained]

🤐🏷️ Confidential Acquisition of Land Matter - Bradford Street

Receive the confidential notes

🤐🏷️ Confidential Acquisition of Land Matter - Bradford Street

Direct staff to undertake the confidential directions related to the item

🕵️🧐 2025 Q3 YTD Internal Audit Status Update

Report: https://barrie.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=14888527&GUID=8B14386C-39A7-418C-9F78-17350253374E
- Summaries of the completed internal audit projects "Wastewater Treatment Facility Upgrade Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) Billable Rate Audits" and "Fraud Prevention Month"
- The projects "PCard and Expense Reimbursement", "Vendor Reviews", and "Staff Overtime" are in progress, and "Fraud & Wrongdoing Program Oversight" is ongoing
Receive the report as information

Section C (2026 Business Plan & Budget)

This was separated out after initial publication of the Agenda

💰⚖️ 2026 Business Plan and Budget - City Operations and Infrastructure Investment Funding Portions

Strong Mayor Budget: https://barrie.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=14888528&GUID=48A1A1CF-2877-40AF-838F-C07640ADFA96

Operating Budget Approvals

Approve the 2026 tax-supported base operating budget for City Operations and the Infrastructure Investment Fund, with gross expenditures of $355.6M and a net property tax levy requirement of $214.5M
Add a Camp Access expense amount and corresponding revenue amount of $35,000 to the Recreation and Culture Program Budget for 2026
Staff to apply to Province for $5M in funding to install traffic safety/calming measures
Increase Capital Project - Traffic Calming Measures by an additional $500k ($50k per ward) to be funded in the interim from the ASE Reserve pending receipt of any funding from the Province

City Operations and Infrastructure Investment Funding

Approve the 2026 budget request for City Operations, with a net tax supported municipal funding requirement of $214.5M - representing a 0% tax rate increase for City operations and a 2% increase associated with Infrastructure Investment Funding (Read "Why 0% tax increases cost so much", to get a plain-language summary of why continuous 0% tax increases are actually a really bad idea for the City.)
Approve the New Investment and Service Recommendations presented, with a gross cost of $1.2M and net property tax levy requirement of $73K
Approve the 2026 Water Rate base operating budget, with net expenditures of $37.4M and water rate revenues of $37.4M, and the 2026 Water Rates as proposed
Approve the 2026 Wastewater Rate base operating budget, with net expenditures of $51.3M and wastewater rate revenues of $51.3M, and the proposed 2026 Wastewater Rates
Approve the 2026 Parking Rate base operating budget, with net expenditures of $2.5M and parking rate revenues of $2.5M, and the proposed 2026 Parking Rates
Exclude the following estimated expenses from the Business Plan:
- Amortization expense: $69.5M
- Post-employment benefit expenses: $1.5M
- Solid waste landfill closure and post-closure expenses: $200K

Capital Budget Approvals

Approve the 2026-2030 Capital Budget relating to new capital spending requests of $36.2M, $92.1M, $80.3M, $54.3M and $31.5M (odd that the amounts are given, but not the purpose)
Any Industrial Development Charge Discounts in 2026 to be funded by any year-end surplus, with any remaining balance funded from the appropriate capital reserve

Bylaw Update and Forecasts Received for Information

Bylaw 2025-024 to be replaced on May 1, 2026, with a bylaw incorporating the fees and charges presented in the 2026 Business Plan
Receive the operating forecast information for 2027-2029

Council and Staff Authorization Requests

Authorize the Executive Management Team (EMT) to add temporary non-complement positions to the end of the budget year, using existing approved funds to deal with any unforeseen circumstances that impact delivery of City Operations
Authorize the EMT to implement the economic adjustment for the Non-Union Group (NUG) of employees (including full-time, part-time and students), effective January 1, 2026
Authorize staff to submit applications for grants that would reduce future capital expenditures, fund service enhancements, or enable capital projects to be advanced, and present a report or memo prior to the execution of any agreement associated with the acceptance of any grant
Authorize the Director of Finance/Treasurer to make the necessary alternations to the transfer to and/or from reserves to reflect changes since the 2026 Business Plan's publication on October 29, 2025
Authorize the Director of Legislative and Court Services / City Clerk or their designate to prepare all necessary bylaws to implement the recommendations
AMENDMENT by Thomson / Nigussie:
- Add paragraph: That two of the following officers, either the Mayor, Clerk, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer or their designates be authorized to execute any agreements that may be required to accept grant funding from other levels of government or their partners to reduce expenditures associated with programs, services and capital projects
- Amendment CARRIED, unanimously
AMENDMENT by Thomson / Nigussie:
- Add paragraph: a) That the Ecological Offset Policy be amended to allow for those who are in compliance with the Ecological Permit process - including but not limited to obtaining the proper permits prior to tree-cutting - to defer any ecological offsetting payment greater than $25,000 until occupancy, the first permit for both residential and non-residential uses is issued; b) That the deferral of payment fees of any amount is not available for any trees removed without a permit; and c) That a one-time non-transferrable deferral of payment of fees be secured by an agreement registered on title
- Amendment CARRIED, unanimously
AMENDMENT by Thomson / Morales
- Add paragraph: a) That one-time funding of $530,000 be provided to the Downtown Barrie Business Improvement Area for the purpose of funding the 2025 and 2026 events and operational costs, with $475,000 being allocated from the Tourism Reserve and $55,000 from the Tax Rate Stabilization Reserve; and b) That staff report back to the Infrastructure and Community Investment Committee regarding operational and infrastructure initiatives in support of events and festivals in the downtown
- Amendment CARRIED, unanimously
MOTION, as amended (three amendments), CARRIED, unanimously