February 16, 2021 - Minutes

Date:

Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Place:

Council Chambers
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair
Councillor Chak Au
Councillor Carol Day (by teleconference)
Councillor Alexa Loo (by teleconference)
Councillor Bill McNulty (by teleconference)
Councillor Linda McPhail (by teleconference)
Councillor Harold Steves (by teleconference)
Councillor Michael Wolfe (by teleconference)

Call to Order:

The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:32 p.m.

MINUTES

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Finance Committee held on February 1, 2021, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

FINANCE AND CORPORATE SERVICES DIVISION

1.

Additional Information on the 2021 Proposed Capital Budget 
(File Ref. No. 03-0970-01) (REDMS No. 6612559 v. 2)

Discussion ensued with regard to (i) funding sources for the proposed capital projects, (ii) works to be contracted out, and (iii) including the Hamilton Community Centre HVAC Replacement in the proposed budget.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the staff report titled “Additional Information on the 2021 Capital Budget” from the Acting Director, Finance dated February 9, 2021 be received for information;

(2)

That the 2021 Proposed Capital Budget as presented in Appendix 3 of the staff report titled “2021 Proposed Capital Budget” from the Acting Director, Finance dated January 15, 2021 in Attachment 2 totalling $99,832,779 be approved; and

(3)

That the 2021 Proposed Capital Budget totaling $99,832,779 and the 2022-2025 Capital Projects be included in the Consolidated 5 Year Financial Plan (2021-2025).

The question on the motion was not called as discussion ensued with regard to adding the following projects to the proposed 2021 Capital Budget and examining their potential funding sources:

§   

Community Safety Building Emergency Power and Interior Upgrades;

§   

Hamilton Community Centre - HVAC Replacement; and

§   

Citywide Sidewalk and Street Light Replacement Program.

In reply to queries from Committee regarding the Community Safety Building Emergency Power and Interior Upgrades, staff commented that the building’s current power system may not be sufficient to maintain building operations in the event of a power outage.

As a result of the discussion, the following amendment motions were introduced:

It was moved and seconded

That the Community Safety Building Emergency Power and Interior Upgrades, at a cost of $890,000, as noted in Table 1 of the staff report titled “2021 Proposed Capital Budget” from the Acting Director, Finance dated January 15, 2021, be included in the proposed 2021 Capital Budget.

CARRIED 
Opposed: Cllr. Au

It was moved and seconded

That the Hamilton Community Centre - HVAC Replacement, at a cost of $500,000, as noted in Table 1 of the staff report titled “2021 Proposed Capital Budget” from the Acting Director, Finance dated January 15, 2021, be included in the proposed 2021 Capital Budget.

CARRIED

It was moved and seconded

That the Citywide Sidewalk and Street Light Replacement Program, at a cost of $500,000, as noted in Table 1 of the staff report titled “2021 Proposed Capital Budget” from the Acting Director, Finance dated January 15, 2021, be included in the proposed 2021 Capital Budget.

CARRIED

Discussion then took place on potential funding sources for the additional projects included in the proposed 2021 Capital Budget, and as a result, the following amendment motion was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

That the Gaming Revenue Provision be used to fund the following additional projects, totalling $1,890,000, as noted in Table 1 of the staff report titled “2021 Proposed Capital Budget” from the Acting Director, Finance dated January 15, 2021:

(1)

Community Safety Building Emergency Power and Interior Upgrades;

(2)

Hamilton Community Centre - HVAC Replacement; and

(3)

Citywide Sidewalk and Street Light Replacement Program.

CARRIED

The question on the amended motion, which reads as follows:

(1)

That the staff report titled “Additional Information on the 2021 Capital Budget” from the Acting Director, Finance dated February 9, 2021 be received for information;

(2)

That the 2021 Proposed Capital Budget as presented in Appendix 3 of the staff report titled “2021 Proposed Capital Budget” from the Acting Director, Finance dated January 15, 2021 in Attachment 2, with the addition of the following projects funded by the Gaming Revenue Provision as presented in Tables 1 and 2 of the same staff report:

(a)

Community Safety Building Emergency Power and Interior Upgrades;

(b)

Hamilton Community Centre - HVAC Replacement; and

(c)

Citywide Sidewalk and Street Light Replacement Program;

totalling $101,722,779 be approved; and

(3)

That the 2021 Proposed Capital Budget totaling $101,722,779 and the 2022-2025 Capital Projects be included in the Consolidated 5 Year Financial Plan (2021-2025).

was then called and it was CARRIED.

2.

Additional Information on the 2021 One-Time Expenditures 
(File Ref. No. 03-0970-01) (REDMS No. 6612560 v. 5)

Discussion ensued with regard to options to reduce costs of the 2021 Richmond By-Election by (i) reducing staffing costs, (ii) reducing voting locations, and (iii) utilizing mail-in ballots and reducing mailing costs.

In reply to queries from Committee, staff noted that (i) staff will examine cost saving opportunities, (ii) the City must adhere to the election requirements specified in the Local Government Act which includes at least two advanced voting opportunities and opportunities on general voting day, and (iii) further reducing the number of proposed voting locations may not be feasible due to the number of electors in Richmond and the need for social distancing measures.

It was suggested that Richmond seek a Provincial ministerial order requesting a special provision that the 2021 Richmond By-Election solely be conducted by mail ballot. Staff noted that in the 2020 Provincial General Election there were both in-person and mail voting opportunities.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the staff report titled “Additional Information on the 2021 One-Time Expenditures” from the Acting Director, Finance dated February 9, 2021 be received for information; and

(2)

That the recommended one-time expenditures totaling $1,081,269 as outlined in Table 1, be approved with funding from the Rate Stabilization Account and included in the Consolidated 5 Year Financial Plan (2021-2025).

The question on the motion was not called, as there was agreement to deal with Parts (1), (2) and the recommended one-time expenditures outlined in Table 1 of the staff report titled “Additional Information on the 2021 One-Time Expenditures” from the Acting Director, Finance dated February 9, 2021, separately.

The question on Part (1) of the motion, as noted:

That the staff report titled “Additional Information on the 2021 One-Time Expenditures” from the Acting Director, Finance dated February 9, 2021 be received for information.

was called and it was CARRIED with Cllrs. Day, Steves and Wolfe opposed.

The question on the One-Time Expenditure Priority No. 1, as noted:

That the 2021 By-Election, totalling $716,504, as outlined in Table 1 of the staff report titled “Additional Information on the 2021 One-Time Expenditures” from the Acting Director, Finance dated February 9, 2021 be approved with funding from the Rate Stabilization Account and included in the Consolidated 5 Year Financial Plan (2021-2025).

was called and it was CARRIED with Cllrs. Day, Steves and Wolfe opposed.

The question on Part (2) of the motion, as noted:

That the One-Time Expenditure Requests, Priority Items No. 2 to 6, less the 2021 By-Election, totalling $364,765, as outlined in Table 1 of the staff report titled “Additional Information on the 2021 One-Time Expenditures” from the Acting Director, Finance dated February 9, 2021, be approved with funding from the Rate Stabilization Account and included in the Consolidated 5 Year Financial Plan (2021-2025).

was called and it was CARRIED.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (5:17 p.m.).

CARRIED

Certified a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the meeting of the Finance Committee of the Council of the City of Richmond held on Tuesday, February 16, 2021.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie
Chair

Evangel Biason
Legislative Services Associate