Time:

4:00 p. m.

Place:

Council Chambers
Richmond City Hall
 

Present:

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie
Councillor Linda Barnes
Councillor Derek Dang
Councillor Evelina Halsey-Brandt
Councillor Sue Halsey-Brandt
Councillor Rob Howard
Councillor Kiichi Kumagai
Councillor Bill McNulty
Councillor Harold Steves

City Clerk J. Richard McKenna

Call to Order:

Mayor Brodie called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m.

RES NO.

ITEM

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

1.

It was moved and seconded

That Council resolve into Committee of the Whole to hear delegations on agenda items (4:06 p.m.).

CARRIED

2.

Delegations from the floor on Agenda items -
 

Mr. Bill Diston, 10560 Reynolds Drive, spoke about previous years tax increases, the increase being proposed for 2004 and 2005, the proposed use of casino revenue and the potential GST rebate to reduce property taxes, and finally, the need to reduce expenditures and improve efficiencies.
 

Mr. Eric Sykes, of 4760 Moncton Street, supported a tax increase of CPI plus 1% rather than the amount being proposed.  He also expressed concern about the use of casino revenue to help reduce property taxes, and suggested that more could be done to reduce the cost of running the City.

SP04/2-2

3.

It was moved and seconded

That Committee rise and report (4:30 p.m.).

CARRIED

GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE

4.

2004 BUDGET
(Report:  Mar. 12/04; File No.:  0970-01)  (REdms No. 1175373, 1195212, 1195049)
 

SP04/2-3

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That Item Nos. 1 to 9 inclusive (as identified in the Staff Compromise Proposal attached to the report dated March 12^th, 2004, from the Chief Administrative Officer), which would result in a 2.52% property tax increase, be adopted and form the base level for the 2004 Operating Budget.
 

(2)

That the additional levels, Items Nos. 12 to 14 inclusive, which would result in a 0.66% property tax increase, be approved for inclusion in the base level operating budget.
 

(3)

That the requests for funding from the:
 

(a)

Disability Resource Centre, and

(b)

Richmond Therapeutic Equestrian Society,
 

which would result in property tax increases of 0.07% and 0.02% respectively, be included in the additional levels and form part of the base operating budget, with the appropriate adjustment being made to the funding for the Disability Resource Centre to make it a conventional revenue source.
 

(4)

That Translation Services be included in the base 2004 operating budget as an additional level, resulting in a tax increase of 0.02%.
 

(5)

That an additional $500,000 or 0.46% tax increase be added to the operating budget for transfer to a reserve account to be named at a later date.

The question on Resolution No. SP 04/2-3 was not called, as the request was made that the recommendations be dealt with separately.

The question on Part (1) of Resolution No. SP04/2-3 was not called, as the following amendment was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

That staff be directed to reduce the reliance on casino funds by $1.4 Million which would have been used for the Community Safety building, and to find other offsetting sources of funds for the Five Year Capital Plan.

WITHDRAWN

SP04/2-4

It was moved and seconded

That Resolution No. SP04/2-3 be amended by adding the following as Part (6),
 

That the contribution to the revolving fund of $1 Million be taken from the Casino Revenue Account, and that funding from the Casino Revenue Account to the Public Safety Building funding plan be reduced by $1.4 Million.

CARRIED

OPPOSED:  Mayor Brodie

The question on Part (1) of Resolution No. SP04/2-3, as amended by Resolution No. SP04/2-4, was then called, and it was CARRIED with Mayor Brodie, and Cllrs. E. Halsey-Brandt and S. Halsey-Brandt opposed.

The question on Part (2) of Resolution No. SP04/2-3, as amended by Resolution No. SP04/2-4, was then called, and it was CARRIED.

The question on Part (3) of Resolution No. SP04/2-3, as amended by Resolution No. SP04/2-4, was then called, and it was CARRIED with Cllr. Howard opposed.

The question on Part (4) of Resolution No. SP04/2-3, as amended by Resolution No. SP04/2-4, was then called, and it was CARRIED.

The question on Part (5) of Resolution No. SP04/2-3, as amended by Resolution No. SP04/2-4, was then called, and it was CARRIED.

The question on Part (6) of Resolution No. SP04/2-3, as amended by Resolution No. SP04/2-4, was then called, and it was CARRIED with Mayor Brodie opposed.

SP04/2-5

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That Richmond taxpayers be surveyed on the following matters by a questionnaire circulated with the 2004 tax notices:

(a)

Are Richmond property taxes too high, too low or acceptable;

(b)

What is the level of taxpayers satisfaction with, and suggestions for, improvement on the manner in which Richmond City Council has managed such matters as:

(a)

public spending;

(b)

provision of services

(c)

maintenance of City infrastructure;

(d)

imposition of user fees;

(e)

generation of other revenues; and

(f)

other matters as directed by Council.
 

(c)

Whether taxpayers agree with City Councils approved approach to management of City finances as contained in the Long Term Financial Sustainability Plan or do taxpayers prefer alternative strategies.
 

(2)

That staff:

(a)

draft a questionnaire on these matters for Council approval;

(b)

provide advice:

(i)

regarding any other cost-effective means of receiving and tabulating public response including use of the internet and the City Page of the local newspapers; and

(ii)

regarding how best to publicize this questionnaire and maximize taxpayer response.

The question on Resolution No. SP04/2-5 was not called, as the following referral motion was introduced:

SP04/2-6

It was moved and seconded

That Resolution No. SP04/2-5 be referred to staff for the preparation of a report for submission to the Monday, April 5^th, 2004 meeting of the General Purposes Committee.
 

Prior to the question on Resolution No. SP04/2-6 being called, staff were requested to:

(1)

provide a supplemental sheet for possible inclusion with the property tax notice, which would show the cost of police and protective services and various other services performed by the City for 2003 and 2004, as well as the costs passed on to the City by outside agencies; 

(2)

consider other options, such as placing a full page notice in local newspapers with a questionnaire to which the public would be requested to respond, or engaging a public opinion pollster to conduct a poll of Richmond residents; and

(3)

review action taken by other municipalities within the Lower Mainland to include information with their respective property tax notices.
 

The question on Resolution No. SP04/2-6 was then called, and it was CARRIED with Cllr. Barnes opposed.

BYLAWS FOR ADOPTION

Cllr. Derek Dang, in accordance with Section 100 of the Community Charter, advised that he was in a potential conflict of interest, and he then left the meeting (6:28 p.m.).

SP04/2-7

It was moved and seconded

That Zoning & Development Bylaw No. 5300, Amendment Bylaw No. 7598 (8733 Blundell Road, RZ 03-242688) be adopted.

CARRIED

Cllr. Dang returned to the meeting (6:29 p.m.).

SP04/2-8

It was moved and seconded

That the following bylaws each be adopted:
 

Council Procedure Bylaw No. 7560, Amendment Bylaw No. 7662

Parking (Off-Street) Regulation Bylaw No. 7403, Amendment Bylaw No. 7673 (To add newly developed parking lot to Schedule A.)

Waterworks & Water Rates Bylaw No. 5637, Amendment Bylaw No. 7685 (To allow options to single family residential water meter customers to apply for credits.)

CARRIED

ADJOURNMENT

SP04/2-9

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (6:30 p.m.).

CARRIED

Certified a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the Special Meeting of the Council of the City of Richmond held on Monday, March 29^th, 2004.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie

City Clerk (J. Richard McKenna)