The second day of 2023 Budget Deliberations – Council will return to the Operations portion of the budget if necessary, and tackle the remaining budget items.
Watch Online: https://www.youtube.com/live/EqN_2OEvRKM?feature=share
Agenda: https://barrie.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=1061146&GUID=1CB7DA66-E7B3-41BF-8360-F2F0B315761B
📑📊 Staff Reports
💰⚖️ 2023 Business Plan and Budget
Carryover of Operating Budget, if necessary:
Operating Budget Approvals
1. That the 2023 tax-supported base operating budget, with total gross expenditures of $408.1 million and a net property tax levy requirement of $283.1 million for City Services and Service Partners, be approved with the following amendments to reflect changes since the 2023 Business Plan's publication on January 18, 2023:
a) That $35,000 be added to the 2023 budget for 2022 unspent funds allocated to the Market Precinct project, per Council Motion 22-G-026, to continue the business case development with funding from the Reinvestment Reserve; and
b) That 20 Fire Fighter complement positions be pre-approved as part of the 2023 budget to allow the recruitment process to begin in advance of 2024.
City Services
2. That the 2023 budget request for City Services, with a net tax supported municipal funding requirement of $ 180.0 million (representing a 0.88 % tax rate increase for City services and a 1% increase associated with the Dedicated Infrastructure Renewal Fund), be approved.
3. That the New Investment and Service Recommendations as outlined on page 22 of the 2023 Business Plan with a net cost of $2.7 million (operating) and $13 thousand (capital) and a net property tax levy requirement of $1.3 million with additional funding of $93 thousand from the water rate, $162 thousand from the wastewater rate, $45 thousand from the stormwater rate, $548 thousand from capital projects, and $494 thousand from reserves be approved.
Service Partners
4. That the 2023 budget request from the Barrie Police Services Board presented on page 25 of the 2023 Business Plan, with a net tax supported municipal funding requirement of $63.2 million, be approved.
5. That the 2023 budget request from the Barrie Public Library Board presented on page 25 of the 2023 Business Plan, with a net tax supported municipal funding requirement of $9.4 million, be approved.
6. That the 2023 budget request from the County of Simcoe, including contributions to the County of Simcoe Capital Reserve, presented on page 25 of the 2023 Business Plan, with a net tax supported municipal funding requirement of $27.4 million, be approved.
7. That the 2023 budget request for the remainder of Barrie’s Service Partners presented on page 25 of the 2023 Business Plan, with a net tax supported municipal funding requirement of $3.0 million, be approved.
Remaining Budget Items to be Discussed:
Rate Approvals
8. That the Water base Operating Budget, with gross expenditures of $31.5 million and revenues of $31.5 million, and the proposed 2023 Water Rates as outlined in Schedule “N” of the “Proposed Fee Changes” section of the 2023 Business Plan be approved. 9. That the Wastewater base Operating Budget, with gross expenditures of $41.2 million and revenues of $41.2 million, and the proposed 2023 Wastewater Rates as outlined in Schedule “N” of the “Proposed Fee Changes” section of the 2023 Business Plan be approved.
10. That the Stormwater base Operating Budget, with gross expenditures of $11.5 million and revenues of $11.5 million, and the proposed 2023 Stormwater Rates as outlined in New Fees Schedule “J” of the “Proposed Fee Changes” section of the 2023 Business Plan be approved.
11. That funding of the stormwater user charge for January 1, 2023 to March 31, 2023, in the amount of $2.625 million, be funded from the Federal Gas Tax Reserve.
12. That the Parking Operations base budget, with gross expenditures of $2.4 million and gross revenues of $2.4 million, and the proposed 2023 Parking Rates as outlined in Schedule “O” of the “Proposed Fee Changes” section of the 2023 Business Plan be approved.
13. That pursuant to Ontario Regulation 284/09, Staff Report EMT001-23 serve as the method for communicating the exclusion of the following estimated expenses from the 2023 Business Plan:
a) Amortization expense - $63 million;
b) Post-employment benefit expenses - $1.8 million; and
c) Solid waste landfill closure and post-closure expenses - $500 thousand.
Capital Budget Approvals
14. That, consistent with the Capital Project Control Policy, the 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027 Capital Budget relating to new capital spending requests of $78.4 million, $88.8 million, $75.5 million, $17.4 million, and $10.9 million respectively be approved with the following amendments to reflect changes since the 2023 Business Plan’s publication on January 18, 2023, and the 2023 to 2027 Capital Budget items not requiring spending approval, be received as forecast information:
a) That the approved budget for RP1180 - Roads Operations New Fleet to Service Growth be increased by $168,393 to be funded from DC Reserves; b) That project FC1287 - Marina L Dock Repair and Replacement be added to the 2023 Capital Plan with a budget of $525,000 to be funded from the Marina Reserve, and that the increased reserve draw be offset by returning $525,000 of Marina Reserve funding from previously approved project FC1233 - Marina Welcome Centre New Building Development; and c) That $269,500 of previously approved budget from EN1140 - Play Court Construction and Rehabilitation and $291,500 of previously approved budget from project EN1117 - Annual Playground Revitalization Program, in addition to $696,500 of newly requested budget, be used to create a new capital project related to the FedDev Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF) grant for Ferndale Community Park, Eastview Community Park, and St Vincent Park, with total budget and funding as outlined in Appendix “C”;
i) That $30,500 of previously approved budget from EN1140 - Play Court Construction and Rehabilitation funded from the Federal Gas Tax Reserve be returned.
15. That any Industrial Development Charge Discounts in 2023 be funded first from the $200 thousand allocated annually in the operating budget, followed by any year-end surplus, with any remaining balance funded from the appropriate capital reserve. 16. That projects impacted by Bill 23 no longer be funded from Development Charges Reserves, but instead be funded from the Tax Capital, Water Capital and/or Wastewater Capital Reserves, as outlined in Appendix “G” to the Staff Report EMT001-23 regarding the 2023 Business Plan and Budget.
By-law update and forecasts received for information
17. That staff be authorized to implement the necessary by-law to establish the billing and collection of the Stormwater Climate Action Fund (stormwater) user charge as attached as Appendix “F” to the Staff Report EMT001-23 regarding the 2023 Business Plan and Budget.
18. That the Stormwater Climate Action Fund Program Policy and Stormwater Climate Action Fund Credit Policy attached as Appendices “D” and “E” to the Staff Report EMT001-23 regarding the 2023 Business Plan and Budget, be approved.
19. That effective April 1, 2023, By-law 2022-013, as amended, be repealed, and replaced with a by-law incorporating the fees and charges presented in the 2023 Business Plan.
20. That forecast information for 2024, 2025, and 2026 presented in the 2023 Business Plan be received for information.
Council and Staff authorization requests
21. That the Executive Management Team (EMT) be authorized to add temporary non-complement positions to the end of the budget year utilizing existing approved funds to deal with any unforeseen circumstances that impact delivery of City services. 22. That the Executive Management Team (EMT) be authorized to implement the economic adjustment for the Non-Union Group (NUG) of employees (including full time, part time and students), effective January 1, 2023.
23. That staff be authorized to submit applications for grants that would reduce expenditures associated with projects, programs and services approved as part of the Operating and Capital Budget.
24. 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 other partners, to reduce expenditures associated with programs, services, and/or capital projects.
25. That staff be authorized to submit applications for grants that would reduce future capital expenditures, fund service enhancements, or enable capital projects to be advanced, and a report or memo be presented, as appropriate, prior to the execution of any agreement associated with the acceptance of such grant.
26. That the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer be authorized to make the necessary alterations to the transfer to and/or from reserves to reflect changes since the 2023 Business Plan’s publication on January 18, 2023.
27. That the City Clerk be authorized to prepare all necessary by-laws to implement the above recommendations.
AMENDMENT by Harvey - that staff prepare an amendment to the Business Licensing Bylaw Transportation 2006-265 and the Fees Bylaw to align the limousine industry with the same provisions related to the taxicab industry, in order to have a limousine company responsible for the drivers
AMENDMENT CARRIED unanimously
AMENDMENT by Hamilton - That a new Capital Project be created for traffic calming measures, with one-time funding of $75,000 ($7,500 per ward) funded from the Tax Capital Reserve
AMENDMENT CARRIED unanimously
AMENDMENT by Harvey - to refer all capital projects in relation to the Permanent Market to the Finance and Responsible Governance Committee
AMENDMENT CARRIED unanimously
AMENDMENT by Hamilton - to delete the reference to the 1% Dedicated Infrastructure Renewal Fund, and add a new paragraph: that staff in the Finance Department be directed to develop a separate reserve to the Dedicated Infrastructure Renewal Fund and that contributions to the DIRF be increased to 2% for 2023 through to 2025 and that 50% of the DIRF collected be for Stormwater Capital Infrastructure
AMENDMENT CARRIED unanimously
AMENDMENT by Harvey - That to offset inflationary pressures in 2023, $1,900,000 from the Reinvestment Reserve and $1,100,000 from the Tax Rate Stabilization Reserve be used as a one-time fund to fund City tax-funded operations
AMENDMENT CARRIED unanimously
AMENDMENT by Thomson - that staff issue a RFP for a company for the purpose of carbon credit generation and monetization, which includes the following parameters: that the successful bidder work with the City to generate, develop and sell carbon credits with a focus on maximizing revenue; all bids must require zero-dollar investment from the City; there be no cost for the taxpayers to operate the program; all data must be managed on the greenest possible blockchain platform to ensure transparency and accountability. Staff to report back to the Finance and Responsible Governance Committee in June advising of the outcome of the RFP process.
AMENDMENT CARRIED unanimously
MOTION, as amended (February 8 & 9) CARRIED unanimously
