TOWN OF VIEW ROYAL MINUTES OF A SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE BUDGET MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2018

VIEW ROYAL MUNICIPAL OFFICE – COUNCIL CHAMBERS

PRESENT WERE: Mayor Screech Councillor Kowalewich Councillor Mattson Councillor Rogers Councillor Weisgerber

PRESENT ALSO: S. Jones, Deputy CAO/Director of Corporate Administration D. Christenson, Director of Finance P. Hurst, Fire Chief/Director of Protective Services J. Rosenberg, Director of Engineering L. Chase, Director of Development Services 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 4:30 p.m.

2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

MOVED BY: Councillor Weisgerber SECONDED BY: Councillor Rogers

THAT the agenda be approved as presented.

3. REPORTS

a) 2018-2022 Financial Plan Deliberations

The Director of Finance provided an overview of the progress made during the February 20, 2018 Council meeting regarding the 2018-2022 Financial Plan.

Council reviewed non-core/capital “Council Initiatives” items distributed at the February 20, 2018 meeting and supported these with the following changes and/or additional information:

View Royal Park bike skills area (C-42) – $50,000 to be allocated from Casino revenue account as a placeholder for this phased project; public consultation must be undertaken prior to detailed design work; and remove $1,500 from taxation for operating costs in 2018 as the project will not be at the point of requiring annual maintenance in 2018;
Two-sided information signs (C-23) – three locations near regional trails – $11,000 from Casino revenue account; information to be about municipality and will not include business advertising due to limited resources for ongoing information maintenance;
Parks Signage (N-14) – $5,000 from Casino revenue account for one or two signs in Portage Park only;
Design of Island Highway improvements between Helmcken Road and Colwood Interchange – defer discussion of this item to 2019, once the DCC review is completed;
Portage Inlet Linear Connector Park improvements (C-44) – allocate $30,000 in 2018 and $30,000 in 2019 from Casino revenue account as opposed to spreading the $60,000 project over three years;
Hardened hydrant for the supply of water in the event of an emergency – remove from the list as the Capital Regional District will undertake this initiative;
MyCivicApps – as app relies on website content, consider future website improvements prior to considering this app;
Bus shelter on Island Highway near Shoreline School – $25,000 from Casino revenue account;
Wheelchair access for View Royal Elementary School – $8,000 from Casino revenue account pending discussion with the school regarding use of existing on-site parking lot for drop-off and pick-up;
Pedestrian bridge over Craigflower Creek from Parkcrest Drive easement into View Royal Park – remove from the list;
Completion of circular path within Eagle Creek Trail – defer to 2019 budget deliberations with a placeholder of $50,000;
Construction of up to ten garden beds in View Royal Park – $1,500 from Casino revenue account; and
Kids/Arts Day at Eagle Creek Village – add $3,000 to operating budget Public Relations Misc. Services for an arts-focused community joint event with West Shore Arts Council at Eagle Creek Village to be funded by taxation (Councillor Rogers opposed to this initiative).

Council reviewed core operating budgets for each department and supported these with the following amendments:

General government services:

Elections – $35,000 fund from surplus;
Contingency – $28,000 additional, fund from surplus; and
Town Hall furnace replacement program – $6,800 fund from future operating expenditure reserve.

Transportation:

Consultants, Other – reduce allocated funding from $30,000 to $20,000.

The Director of Finance reviewed the reserves accounts found in Tab 20 of the budget binder and described recommended transfers for 2018. Council agree to fund $210,000 of reserve contributions from Casino revenue account.

It was noted that the impact to property taxes of the budget changes discussed both on February 20 and at this meeting would be a 0.92% increase.

Council reviewed Tab 10, Schedule H, page 104 of the budget binder and supported the capital plan with the following changes:

Council Chambers renovations (C-01) – reduce from $50,000 to $30,000 and focus on improved electronics, staff desk and podium only;
View Royal Park playground equipment (C-35R) – increase from $100,000 to $150,000 from Casino revenue account for playground equipment in 2018; and
Chilco Trails Plan implementation (C-36R) – $75,000 – fund from Gas Tax Community Works Fund and not Casino revenue account.

Council requested that staff bring back a variety of scenarios for tax rates for Class 08 as well as representation of the proposed tax increase to various residential properties in the municipality.

MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED BY: Councillor Rogers

THAT the Committee recommend to Council that the 2018 budget as amended by discussions on February 20 and 21, 2018 be endorsed in principle;

AND THAT a financial plan bylaw be prepared for readings consideration. CARRIED

4. TERMINATION

MOVED BY: Councillor Weisgerber SECONDED BY: Councillor Rogers

THAT this meeting terminate. Time: 8:50 p.m. CARRIED

MAYOR

CLERK

TOWN OF VIEW ROYAL MINUTES OF A SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE BUDGET MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2018