The Municipal Corporation of the Town of Fort Erie

Council-in-Budget Committee Minutes

Wednesday, January 31, 2024 at 6:00 P.m. - 7:00 P.m.

Council Chambers

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1.

Call to Order

Mayor Redekop called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm.

2.

Roll Call

The Clerk gave the roll call.

Present: His Worship Mayor Redekop and Councillors Christensen, Dubanow, Flagg, Lewis, McDermott and Noyes

Staff: A. Dilwaria, J. Janzen, C. McQueen, C. Patton, M. Schmitt, K. Walsh and P. Todd.

3.

Announcements/Addenda

Mayor Redekop made the following announcements:

4.

Declarations of Pecuniary Interest

None.

5.

Boards and Committees

Mayor Redekop gave the Chair to Councillor McDermott to chair the budget reports section of the agenda. 

5.1

Presentations

5.1.1

Julia Liken, 205 Gilmore Road

Re: CBC-04-2024 - 2024 Library Operating Budget

Julia Liken and Tony Harrison-Edge provided a presentation to Council regarding the 2024 Fort Erie Public Library Operating Budget.

 

5.1.2

Schelley Hiebert, CEO, Fort Erie Public Library

Re: CBC-04-2024 - 2024 Library Operating Budget

Schelley Hiebert provided a PowerPoint presentation regarding the 2024 Fort Erie Public Library Operating Budget.

5.2

Reports

5.2.1

CBC-04-2024

2024 Library Operating Budget

• Recommendation 1
  Moved by: Councillor Noyes

  That: Council receives for information purposes Report CBC-04-2024 regarding the 2024 Fort Erie Public Library Board Budget request as set out in Appendix 1 to be incorporated into the consolidated General Levy Operating Budget.

  Carried

6.

Departmental Operating Budgets

6.1

Presentations

6.1.1

Jonathan Janzen, Director, Corporate Services

Mr. Janzen delivered a PowerPoint presentation highlighting the Town's 2024 General Levy Operating Budget. 

6.2

Reports

6.2.1

CBC-05-2024

Analysis of the 2023 Assessment for the 2024 Taxation

• Recommendation 2
  Moved by: Councillor Lewis

  That: Council receives Report CBC-05-2024 regarding the analysis of the 2023 assessment for the 2024 taxation year for information purposes.

  Carried

6.2.2

CBC-06-2024

2024 General Levy Operating Budget

• As per section 14.10 of Council's Rules of Procedure, the Chair requested that the motion be divided and each part voted on separately. 

  Recommendation 3
  Moved by: Councillor Christensen

  PART 1

  That: Council approves the following 2024 Supplementary Base Budget funding, subject of previous reports/resolutions:

  1. $600,000 for Development Charges (DC) Exemptions.
  Carried
• PART 2

  That: Council excludes 2024 Supplementary One-Time funding.

  Carried
• PART 3

  That: Council approves the following 2024 Supplementary Base Budget new funding requests:

  1. $52,200 for Junior Municipal Law Enforcement Officer (PDS) staffing costs
  2. $76,240 for Executive Assistant to Director (PDS) staffing costs
  3. $82,768 for Project Manager, Policy (PDS) staffing costs
  4. $60,213 for Community Coordinator (IS) staffing costs
  5. $81,545 for Asset Management Analyst (IS) staffing costs
  6. -$48,000 for Grader (R52424) rental savings
  7. $6,250 for Temporary Washroom - Village Square (VSTW24) costs.
  Carried
• PART 4

  That: Council approves the following 2024 Supplementary One-Time new funding requests:

  1. $75,000 for Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan (CIP) Consultant funded by the Affordable Housing CIP Reserve
  2. $50,000 for Parks Operational Plan funded by the General Levy Rate Stabilization (GLRS) Reserve
  3. $250,000 for Shoreline Protection Master Plan funded by the GLRS Reserve
  4. $60,000 for Planning User Fee review funded by the GLRS Reserve
  5. $100,000 for Transportation studies funded by the GLRS Reserve
  6. $250,000 for Urban Storm Drainage Master Plan funded by the GLRS Reserve.
  Carried
• PART 5

  That: Council approves the following 2024 grants:

  1. $24,750 for Fort Erie Lions Senior Citizens complex
  2. $36,582 for business area watering
  3. $28,853 for Beachcombers Seniors Complex
  4. $23,500 for Community events
  5. $1,621,618 for Fort Erie Public Library.
  Carried
• PART 6

  That: Council approves the following 2024 Business Improvement Area (BIA) levies:

  1. $40,700 for Bridgeburg Station BIA Levy
  2. $31,800 for Crystal Beach BIA Levy
  3. $45,000 for Ridgeway BIA Levy.
  Carried
• PART 7

  That: Council amends the 2024 Capital Budget as per Appendix “2” to Report CBC-01-2024 to substitute $400,000 of Water Refurbishing Reserve funding for the Elm Street Watermain project (ELMS19) and $226,182 of Water Refurbishing Reserve funding for the Ott Road Watermain project (OTTW24) with the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) Formula-Based grant increase of $626,182.

  That: Council amends the 2024 Capital Budget to include a Grader [R52424] for $25,000 with DC Reserve funding.

  That: Council amends the 2024 Capital Budget to include a Temporary Washroom – Village Square [VSTW24] for $37,000 with Facilities Reserve funding.

  That: Council approves the proposed Volunteer Firefighter and Crossing Guard rates of pay as presented and directs staff to amend the related By-law.

  That: Council amends the 2024 Fees and Charges to revise Tax Registration fees and charges and directs staff to amend the related By-law.

  Carried
• Amendment:

  That: Report CBC 06-2024 be amended to include a recommendation under Part 7 to amend the 2024 Capital Budget to include a capital project for the Centennial Library Accessible Washrooms [CLAW24] for $45,000 with Facilities Reserve funding; and further 

  That: Report CBC 06-2024 be amended to remove the recommendation under Part 8 and replace it with the following:

  That: Council approves the 2024 General Levy of $34,369,711 comprised of a base budget of $33,458,495 and a supplementary budget of $911,216 and approves the 2024 General Capital Budget of $17,120,800 and directs staff to submit the related By-laws.

  Carried
• PART 8

  That: Council approves the 2024 General Levy of $34,369,711 comprised of a base budget of $33,458,495 and a supplementary budget of $911,216 and approves the 2024 General Capital Budget of $17,120,800 and directs staff to submit the related By-laws.

  Carried
• PART 9

  That: Council excludes capital asset amortization of $7.2 million from the 2024 General Levy Operating Budget.

  Carried

7.

Scheduling of Meetings

Councillor McDermott returned the chair to Mayor Redekop for the remainder of the meeting.

No further meetings are required for the 2024 Budget.

8.

Adjournment

• Moved by: Councillor Dubanow

  That: Council-in-Budget Committee adjourns at 8:34 p.m.