November 8, 2022 - Minutes

Date:

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Place:

Council Chambers
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair
Councillor Chak Au
Councillor Carol Day
Councillor Laura Gillanders
Councillor Kash Heed
Councillor Andy Hobbs
Councillor Alexa Loo
Councillor Bill McNulty
Councillor Michael Wolfe

Call to Order:

The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:08 p.m.

MINUTES

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Finance Committee held on October 3, 2022, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

FINANCE AND CORPORATE SERVICES DIVISION

1.

ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW UTILITY RESERVE FUNDS

(File Ref. No. 99-LAW) (REDMS No. 6886157)

It was moved and seconded

That the Flood Protection Reserve Fund Establishment Bylaw 10403, the Sanitary Sewer Reserve Fund Establishment Bylaw 10401, the Water Supply Reserve Fund Establishment Bylaw 10402 and the Solid Waste and Recycling Reserve Fund Establishment Bylaw 10417 be introduced and given first, second and third readings.

CARRIED

2.

2023 DISTRICT ENERGY UTILITY RATES

(File Ref. No. 01-0060-20-LIEC1) (REDMS No. 6952141)

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the Alexandra District Energy Utility Bylaw No. 8641, Amendment Bylaw No. 10410 be introduced and given first, second and third readings;

(2)

That the Oval Village District Energy Utility Bylaw No. 9134, Amendment Bylaw No. 10411 be introduced and given first, second and third readings; and

(3)

That the City Centre District Energy Utility Bylaw No. 9895, Amendment Bylaw No. 10412 be introduced and given first, second and third readings.

CARRIED

3.

2023 UTILITY BUDGETS AND RATES

(File Ref. No. 03-0970-01) (REDMS No. 6969692)

A brief overview of the proposed 2023 utility budgets and rates for Water, Sewer, Drainage and Diking, and Solid Waste and Recycling, was provided, noting that Metro Vancouver’s 2023 rate increases, as presented in their proposed 2023-2027 Financial Plan, are the primary drivers for the City’s 2023 utility rates for the majority of these services.

Discussion ensued with regard to (i) the City’s water metering program and its role in water conservation and controlling rising Metro Vancouver costs, (ii) requests for regular full time staff positions, (iii) mitigating costs incurred by Metro Vancouver, (iv) co-ordination with the Vancouver Airport Authority on the Sea Island dike network, and (v) increasing public awareness of the City’s utility rates and flood protection efforts.

In reply to queries from Committee, staff noted that (i) funding for the requested regular full time staffing positions in the Water Utility is already accounted for within the budget and is currently being fulfilled by temporary full time staff, and (ii) an administrative shift is being made to move the Metro Vancouver Sewer Debt Levy from a separate levy on the property tax bill to being included within the sewer utility rates.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the 2023 utility budgets, as presented in Option 3 for Water (page 9), Option 3 for Sewer (page 16), Option 3 for Drainage and Diking (page 28), and Option 2 for Solid Waste and Recycling (page 30), as outlined in the staff report titled, “2023 Utility Budgets and Rates”, dated October 18, 2022, from the General Manager, Engineering and Public Works and the General Manager, Finance and Corporate Services, be approved as the basis for establishing the 2023 utility rates and included in the Consolidated 5 Year Financial Plan (2023-2027) Bylaw; and

(2)

That the Drainage and Diking Utility be renamed the Flood Protection Utility, and that the necessary bylaws be brought forward to effect this renaming.

The question on the motion was not called as discussion ensued on the recommended option for Solid Waste and Recycling.  As a result of the discussion the following amendment motion was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

That Part (1) be amended to replace “Option 2” with “Option 3” for Solid Waste and Recycling.

The question on the amendment motion was called and it was CARRIED with Cllrs. Au and Loo opposed.

The question on the main motion, as amended, was then called and it was CARRIED with Cllr. Au opposed.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (5:20 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, November 8, 2022.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie
Chair

Lorraine Anderson
Legislative Services Associate