Special Council Meeting - Budget

That the Council of the City of Guelph now hold a meeting that is closed to the public, pursuant to Section 239(2)(d) of the Municipal Act relating to labour relations or employee negotiations. Voting

That all proposed salary and wage increases for non-union, management exempt staff, including Mayor and Council, as proposed for 2021 be frozen resulting in a 0% increase and a reduction of $831,800 to the 2021 budget. Voting

That the Budget Impacts per Ontario Regulation 284/09 and Budget - Public Sector Accounting Standards Reconciliation be approved. Voting

That staff be directed to undertake detail design, planning and consultation for the bicycle skills facility in 2021 in the amount of $100,000 and for construction to be completed no later than 2023 Voting

That the Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition be granted of $100,000 in one-time funding . That the $100,000 one-time funding for the Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition come from the Tax Rate Operating Contingency Reserve. Voting

That the Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition be granted of $170,000 one-time funding for community emergency support and anti-racism, equity and inclusion programs That the $170,000 one-time funding for the Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition come from the Tax Rate Operating Contingency Reserve. Voting

That staff be directed to adjust the 2021 allocation funding of $300,000 from the GMHI dividend through the Community Investment Strategy to focus on the Emergency and Resiliency Funding streams, to permit funding to Community Benefit organizations that are struggling to recover from the impacts of COVID-19 Voting

That a one-time transfer of $305,000 from the tax operating contingency reserve to the 2021 operating budget be completed in order to increase the youth and disability subsidy for youth nonprofit facility rentals by 25% in 2021. Voting

That an allocation of no more than $150,000 from the Affordable Housing Reserve, be approved towards contract staffing to develop and implement an Affordable Housing Financial Incentive Program pending the outcome of the discussions with the County of Wellington. Voting

That an amount up to $25,000 be allocated from the Tax Operating Contingency Reserve to fund the investigation and preparation of property tax deferral program options, to be brought back to Council for consideration as part of 2021 property tax policy decisions. Voting

That the 2021 budget increase of $465,300 for the Elliott be treated as a one-time request and funded from the Tax Operating Contingency Reserve in 2021. Voting

That the transfer to the 100RE reserve of $500,000 be removed from the 2021 operating budget and that this amount be transferred from the Redevelopment Incentive Reserve Fund . Voting

That budget request 813 in the amount of $115,300 for the new planner position be removed. Voting

That $90,350 be added to the Mayor and Council budget for the hiring of a Constituency Assistant. Voting

That the amount up to $150,000 for one-time funding to cover police records checks be allocated from the tax operating contingency reserve and the funding to the 2021 Police Services Budget. Voting

That the amount up to $150,000 for one-time funding to cover volunteer police records checks be allocated from the tax operating contingency reserve and the funding to the 2021 Police Services Budget. Voting

That clause 2 be amended as follows: 2. That staff be directed to increase the monthly permit fees to $150.00 per month for all parkades and an increase of $10 per month for surface lots in the proposed 2021 budget effective January 1, 2021, resulting in an anticipated additional $215,880 in revenue in 2021. The rise in monthly permit fees will be offset with a reduction in the transfer from property taxation supporting the Downtown Parking Master Plan financial model to move the parking operation off the tax base. Voting

That clause 2 be amended as follows: 2. That staff be directed to increase the monthly permit fees by 5 percent per month for all parkades and surface lots in the proposed 2021 budget effective January 1, 2021, resulting in an anticipated additional $215,880 in revenue in 2021. The rise in monthly permit fees will be offset with a reduction in the transfer from property taxation supporting the Downtown Parking Master Plan financial model to move the parking operation off the tax base. Voting

That staff be directed to increase the hourly parking rate from $2.25 to $2.50 per hour and to increase the flat fee on Saturdays from $2.00 to $3.00 effective January 1, 2021, resulting in an anticipated additional $144,023 in revenue in 2021. The rise in transient fees will be offset with a reduction in the transfer from property taxation supporting the Downtown Parking Master Plan financial model to move the parking operation off the tax base Voting

That staff be directed to increase the monthly permit fees to $150.00 per month for all parkades and surface lots in the proposed 2021 budget effective January 1, 2021, resulting in an anticipated additional $215,880 in revenue in 2021. The rise in monthly permit fees will be offset with a reduction in the transfer from property taxation supporting the Downtown Parking Master Plan financial model to move the parking operation off the tax base Voting

That staff be directed to examine further opportunities to reduce the tax support to the parking operation and report to Council recommendations in advance of the 2022 budget deliberations. Voting

That $1,500,000 be reallocated one-time, from a transfer to the Redevelopment Incentive Reserve Fund to a transfer to the City Building Reserve Fund, resulting in a 2023 start date and the shortening of the phase-in period of the now 18-year capital levy requirement of 0.39%, as approved for the Baker District Redevelopment project at the October 7, 2020 Baker District Project Update meeting. Voting

That the Guelph General Hospital levy in the amount of $750,000 be paused for the year 2021 and the remaining five-year commitment be paid annually from 2022 to 2026. Voting

That staff be granted delegated authority to begin implementation of a financially net-positive plan for micro transit service to the Hanlon Creek Business Park, as well as other qualified routes in the city as identified by transit staff in January 2021. Voting

That the first-year phase-in of the Baker District (Library and Open Space) operating budget of $525,000 included as an increase in transfer to the Tax Rate Operating Contingency Reserve be removed from the 2021 budget. Voting

That the first-year phase-in of the Baker District (Library and Open Space) operating budget of $300,000 included as an increase in transfer to the tax rate operating contingency reserve be removed from the 2021 budget. Voting

That business licensing fees be reduced by 50%, or $166,000 in 2021 as a one-time relief for all businesses within the City of Guelph. That the reduction in revenue be offset by the use, one time, from the tax operations contingency reserve. Voting

That the recommended transfer to the Infrastructure Renewal Reserve Fund be reduced by $1,211,000, equivalent to half of the 2021 anticipated contribution the long-term Infrastructure Renewal Strategy. Voting

That staff be directed to consider city growth as part of the criteria for Community Benefit Agreements. Voting

That staff be directed to work with the People Information Centre and Guelph Police Services to explore ways to: (a) target the subsidy of volunteer Police record checks; and (b) bring the cost and turn-around time of volunteer Police record checks in line with neighbouring municipalities. Voting

That staff be directed to work with the leadership team at The Elliott to re-examine the agreement regarding that organization’s capital needs for the long-term care portion of the operations and go forward implications and costing. That this information be considered by Council before the 2022 budget. Voting

That by-laws number (2020)-20546 to (2020)-20552, as amended are hereby passed. Voting

That the meeting be adjourned (9:43 p.m.) Voting