CITY OF FORT SASKATCHEWAN

MINUTES

REGULAR COUNCIL

Monday, November 23, 2015 - 9:00 A.M.

Council Chambers – City Hall

Present:

Members of Council:

Mayor Gale Katchur

Councillor Birgit Blizzard

Councillor Sheldon Bossert

Councillor Frank Garritsen

Councillor Stew Hennig

Councillor Arjun Randhawa

Councillor Ed Sperling

Administration:

Kelly Kloss, City Manager

Jeremy Emann, Chief Financial Officer

Troy Fleming, General Manager, Infrastructure & Community Services

Brenda Rauckman, General Manager, Corporate & Protective Services

Brenda Molter, Director, Legislative Services

Wendy Kinsella, Director, Communications & Marketing

Barb Shuman, Director, Recreation Services

Richard Gagnon, Director, Culture Services

Ian Gray, Director, Infrastructure Management

Shannon Andruchow, Senior Accountant, Budget & Reporting

Len Mueller, Senior Accountant, Budget & Reporting

Colleen Wagner, Senior Accountant, Finance

Sheryl Exley, Recording Secretary

1.   Call to Order

Mayor Katchur called the regular Council Meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.

2.   2015 Budget

R217-15

MOVED BY Councillor Blizzard that request #72-0068 – Park Summer Trails Maintenance in the amount of $19,172.00 be removed from the 2016 Budget.

In Favour:        Gale Katchur, Birgit Blizzard, Frank Garritsen

Against:            Sheldon Bossert, Stew Hennig, Arjun Randhawa, Ed Sperling

DEFEATED

Barb Shuman, Director, Recreation Services presented Implementation Plan #1 of the Recreation Facility & Parks Master Plan Update for projects starting in 2016 and 2017.

Mayor Katchur called a short recess at 9:13 a.m.

The regular Council Meeting reconvened at 9:20 a.m.

R218-15

MOVED BY Councillor Sperling that the Harbour Pool Universal Change Room in the amount of $1,000,000.00 be removed from the 2016 Budget.

In Favour:        Gale Katchur, Birgit Blizzard, Sheldon Bossert, Frank Garritsen,

                        Stew Hennig, Arjun Randhawa, Ed Sperling 

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

R219-15

MOVED BY Councillor Sperling that the High Performance Sports Field & Amenities in the amount of $7,700,000.00 be removed from the 2016 Budget.

In Favour:        Birgit Blizzard, Stew Hennig, Arjun Randhawa, Ed Sperling 

Against:            Gale Katchur, Sheldon Bossert, Frank Garritsen

CARRIED

R220-15

MOVED BY Councillor Sperling that the full revitalization of the Curling Club in the amount of $2,500,000.00 be moved from the 2017 Budget to the 2016 Budget.

In Favour:        Gale Katchur, Birgit Blizzard, Sheldon Bossert, Frank Garritsen,

                        Stew Hennig, Arjun Randhawa, Ed Sperling 

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Mayor Katchur called a short recess at 10:12 a.m.

The regular Council meeting reconvened at 10:23 a.m.

R221-15

MOVED BY Councillor Randhawa that Council allocate up to $240,000.00 on a 50/50 cost share basis for the Skateboard / BMX Park project from the Self-Financing Infrastructure Reserve, and further that Council provide $10,000.00 upfront in seed dollars to the Skateboard Park Fundraising Committee from the 2016 Budget.

In Favour:        Gale Katchur, Birgit Blizzard, Sheldon Bossert, Frank Garritsen,

                        Stew Hennig, Arjun Randhawa, Ed Sperling 

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

R222-15

MOVED BY Councillor Garritsen that request #72-0059 – Recreation Development Supervisor in the amount of $121,194.00 be removed from the 2016 Budget.

In Favour:        Gale Katchur, Frank Garritsen

Against:            Birgit Blizzard, Sheldon Bossert, Stew Hennig, Arjun Randhawa,

                        Ed Sperling

DEFEATED

Richard Gagnon, Director, Culture Services presented additional information on request #16002 – Fort Heritage Precinct Site Enhancements.

Mayor Katchur called a short recess at 11:04 a.m.

The regular Council meeting reconvened at 11:08 a.m.

MOVED BY Councillor Garritsen that effective January 1, 2016, a fee in the amount of $5.00 per billing cycling be added to the Fees & Charges Bylaw for property owners when a copy of a utility bill is mailed to the renter of the property.

Councillor Garritsen withdrew his motion.

Mayor Katchur called a recess at 11:41 a.m.

The regular Council meeting reconvened at 12:30 p.m.

Ian Gray, Director, Infrastructure Management highlighted the 2016 Utilities Budget.

Councillor Bossert vacated Council Chambers at 1:07 p.m.

Councillor Bossert re-entered Council Chambers at 1:09 p.m.

Councillor Hennig vacated Council Chambers at 1:11 p.m.

Councillor Hennig re-entered Council Chambers at 1:15 p.m.

Mayor Katchur called a short recess at 1:44 p.m.

The regular Council meeting reconvened at 1:52 p.m.

R223-15

MOVED BY Councillor Bossert that Council hereby agrees to the following:

1.    A grants-to-organizations program be established for an initial period of two years subject to a review at the end of that period;

2.    That within the 2016 Budget $75,000.00 for grants and $10,000.00 to administer the program be allocated from the Financial Stabilization Reserve; and

3.    Administration develop a policy for Council’s consideration, which will guide the implementation of the program.

In Favour:        Sheldon Bossert, Stew Hennig, Arjun Randhawa, Ed Sperling

Against:            Gale Katchur, Frank Garritsen, Birgit Blizzard

CARRIED

R224-15

MOVED BY Councillor Hennig that Council include $250,000.00 from Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) funding in the 2016 Budget for future renovations to the lower level in City Hall.

In Favour:        Birgit Blizzard, Sheldon Bossert, Frank Garritsen, Stew Hennig,

                        Arjun Randhawa, Ed Sperling

Against:            Gale Katchur

CARRIED

R225-15

MOVED BY Councillor Hennig that Council agree that the tax split between residential and non-residential property tax payers be distributed by 41% residential and 59% non-residential.

R226-15

MOVED BY Councillor Sperling that Resolution #225-15 be amended by replacing the residential property tax of 41% with 40.5% and replacing the non-residential property tax rate of 59% with 59.5%.

Mayor Katchur called a short recess at 2:44 p.m.

The regular Council meeting reconvened at 2:47 p.m.

Resolution #226-15 was brought forward, and

CARRIED

In Favour:        Gale Katchur, Birgit Blizzard, Frank Garritsen, Ed Sperling

Against:            Sheldon Bossert, Stew Hennig, Arjun Randhawa

Resolution #R225-15 was brought forward, as amended.

In Favour:        Gale Katchur, Birgit Blizzard, Sheldon Bossert, Frank Garritsen,

                        Stew Hennig, Arjun Randhawa, Ed Sperling 

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

3.   Adjournment

R227-15

MOVED BY Councillor Hennig that the regular Council Meeting adjourn at 3:02 p.m.

In Favour:  Gale Katchur, Birgit Blizzard, Sheldon Bossert, Frank Garritsen, Stew Hennig, Arjun Randhawa, Ed Sperling

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY