TOWN OF VIEW ROYAL MINUTES OF A SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE BUDGET MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2020

MINUTES OF A SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE BUDGET MEETING

HELD ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2020 VIEW ROYAL MUNICIPAL OFFICE – COUNCIL CHAMBERS

PRESENT WERE:

• Mayor Screech
• Councillor Kowalewich
• Councillor Lemon
• Councillor Rogers

REGRETS:

• Councillor Mattson

PRESENT ALSO:

• K. Anema, Chief Administrative Officer
• S. Jones, Director of Corporate Administration
• D. Christenson, Director of Finance
• P. Hurst, Director of Protective Services
• L. Chase, Director of Development Services
• J. Rosenberg, Director of Engineering
• S. Vella, Manager of Accounting
• E. Bolster, Deputy Corporate Officer
• 0 members of the public
• 0 members of the press

1. CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Screech called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m.

2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

MOVED BY: Councillor Lemon SECONDED: Councillor Rogers

THAT the agenda be approved as presented. CARRIED

3. REPORTS

a) 2020-2024 Five Year Financial Plan Deliberations

1. Summary from February 18, 2020 meeting

The Director of Finance provided a summary from the February 18, 2020 Council meeting budget discussion, noting the 3.78% taxation increase discussed at that meeting is now 3.53% based on the removal and addition of items from property taxation, prior year surplus and the Casino reserve account.

2. Continued 2020-2024 Financial Plan Deliberations

a) Non-Core Requests:

The Committee continued discussion of the non-core budget requests and supported those listed in the draft budget (Schedule 2.1) with the following exceptions, notations and amendments:

Protective Services:

• Additional RCMP members (N-54) – addition of one member in 2020 and addition of one member in 2023 instead of 2022.
• With respect to the Director of Finance’s February 6, 2020 “Policing Reserve Requirement Forecast” report (C-27-20), a decision was made to contribute $17,000 annually at this time to the Police Operating Reserve. Staff will develop a Police Operating Reserve policy to guide future reserve contribution levels.

Transportation Services:

• Active Transportation Plan (N-73) – move $5,000 into 2021 from 2022 for RFP work and leave the remaining $145,000 in 2022 for development of the Plan;
• Urban forestry strategy (N-74) – move the project from 2023 to 2022; and
• Stoneridge wetland parrot feather removal (N-52) – provisional support pending further information.

Development Services:

• Development of road ends (N-12) – Capital portion in 2020 reduced from $40,000 to $20,000.

Parks Services:

• View Royal Park community garden expansion (N-30) – project removed from 2021 and proponents can be advised that an expansion request may be looked at in the future, pending the outcome of the View Royal Park Master Plan review.

b) Capital Plan:

The Committee discussed the other capital budget requests and supported those listed in the draft budget (Schedule 3.1) with the following exceptions, notations and amendments:

General Government Services:

• Council meeting webcasting (C-100) – move the project to 2021; and
• Town Hall solar electrical panels (C-90) – project not approved.

4. TERMINATION

MOVED BY: Councillor Lemon SECONDED: Councillor Rogers

THAT this meeting terminate. Time: 8:45 p.m. CARRIED