FINANCE & ADMINISTRATIVE
COMMITTEE
2001-06-18 - Canada Room
Meeting No. 14
Attendance
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J. Livey,
Chief Administrative Officer
A. Taylor,
Commissioner of Corporate Services
R. Robinson,
Town Solicitor
A. Brown,
Director of Engineering
B. Cribbett,
Treasurer
P.
Wealleans, Director of Taxation
S. Chait,
Director of Corporate Strategy & Quality
B. Nanninga,
Executive Assistant
J. Harrison,
Manager of Secretariat Services
D. Smith,
Committee Clerk
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The Finance
& Administrative Committee convened at the hour of 9:05 a.m. with
Councillor K. Usman in the Chair.
DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST - none
declared.
1. BLUE
JAY DEVELOPMENTS LTD. - 9 STATION LANE (10.5)
RECOMMENDATION:
That
it be recommended to Council that the Agreement between the Town of Markham and
Blue Jay Developments Ltd. ("Blue Jay") dated December 16, 1999, be
amended as follows:
1. That
the date for execution of a site plan agreement be extended to June 16, 2002,
with the sale of 9 Station Lane to Blue Jay to take place no later than August
16, 2002;
2. That
commencement of construction of the subject development occur no later than
August 16, 2003, failing which the Town will be entitled to reacquire title to
the subject property upon payment to Blue Jay of the purchase price, without
interest;
3. That
Schedule "A" (Development Proposal") to the agreement be amended
to delete any reference to medical uses, and that the security required by
section 33 of the agreement, to guarantee completion of the development
substantially in accordance with the Development Proposal, be deleted;
4. And
that Council agree in principle to a sign on Town property (Town Parking lot at
southwest corner of Station Lane and Main Street, Unionville), subject to
design being approved by Council and Heritage Markham.
Carried.
………………………………………..
At
9:15 a.m. Committee recessed in camera to discuss legal matters and reconvened
at 12:20 p.m.
………………………………………..
RECOMMENDATION:
That
the Committee rise from the In-camera session and the Chairman report.
Councillor
K. Usman reported that Item 2 was discussed at the In-camera session.
2. AMALGAMATED
HYDRO - "DAYLIGHT LOAN" (13.7)
RECOMMENDATION:
That
staff be authorized to arrange and execute an external loan of approximately
$65 million with the Royal Bank of Canada for a period of one day to implement
the capital structure set out in the Amalco Interim Financing and Capital
Structure plan for the pending amalgamated utilities as approved by Council on
May 8, 2001;
And
that the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute the by-law to facilitate such
loan.
Carried.
3. 2001
REGION OF YORK TAX POLICIES (7.3)
RECOMMENDATION:
That it be recommended that Council endorse
the Region of York Finance and Administration Committee's recommendation that
property tax increases due to the change from the 1996 to the 1999 current
value assessment not be phased-in for the Residential and Farm, Farmlands and
Managed Forest property class;
And
that Council endorse the Region of York June 14, 2001 Finance and
Administration Committee's recommendations relating to the "Rebates to
Registered Charities" tax policy;
And
that Council endorse the Region of York June 14, 2001 Finance and
Administration Committee's recommendations relating to the "Rebates to
Registered Charities and Similar Organizations" tax policy;
And
that Council endorse the Region of York June 14, 2001 Finance and
Administration Committee's recommendations relating to the "Tax Deferral
Program for Low-Income Seniors and Low-Income Disabled Persons";
And
that Council endorse the Region of York June 14, 2001 Finance and
Administration Committee's recommendation that the mandatory 5% cap on the
commercial, industrial and multi-residential property classes be funded by
withholding an equivalent amount of the available tax decreases within each of
the respective classes.
Carried.
4. ASSESSMENT APPEALS
- PAYMENT OF INTEREST ON REFUNDS (7.1)
RECOMMENDATION:
That
it be recommended to Council that the Town of Markham pay interest on refunds
for successful assessment appeals under the authority contained in the Municipal Interest and Discount Rates Act based
on the following criteria:
1) The
rate of interest be determined annually at the average of the rate paid by the
six major Canadian chartered banks on a deposit with a one year maturity at the
beginning of the calendar year;
2) Interest
be applied after 60 days of the receipt of the Notices of Decisions by the Town
of Markham from the Assessment Review Board or the date of final billing,
whichever is later;
3) That
the interest not be retroactive but that for appeals not yet processed but on
hand, interest be applied based on the date the Notices of Decision were
received;
4) Interest
would be applicable only for successful appeals starting with the 2001 tax
year;
5) That interest be paid from the day the
by-law is enacted;
6) That the Province of Ontario be
requested to amend legislation to permit for the payment of interest on
successful assessment appeals from the date of payment of taxes for the year
under appeal;
7) And that (a) the Province of Ontario be
requested to fund the amount of interest until the date that the municipality's
interest policy is effective OR (2) that the amount of interest foregone due to
the full year payment of property tax be eligible to be deducted from the
Ontario portion on an Income Tax return.
Carried.
5. CONTRACT
AWARD PROCESS - JULY 11 - AUGUST 26, 2001 (7.12)
RECOMMENDATION:
That it be
recommended to Council that the Chief Administrative Officer be authorized to
award any required contracts greater than $350,000 for the period July 11 to
August 26, 2001, which are in compliance with the Town's Purchasing By-law and
which are within budget as approved by Council;
And that the
Treasurer report back to the September 4th Finance & Administrative
Committee as to the awards made by staff during the period.
Carried.
6. BUTTONVILLE
AIRPORT COMMUNITY COMMITTEE (5.15.1)
RECOMMENDATION:
That
the minutes of the May 2, 2001 meeting of the Buttonville Airport Community
Committee be received;
And
that the Town send a letter to the Federal Minister of Transportation
requesting that he ensure that the contract between the Greater Toronto Airport
Authority (GTAA) and Toronto Airways not result in any increase in late night
aircraft traffic (i.e., midnight to 6:00 a.m.) at Buttonville;
And
that the communication from David Cohen, Councillor Ward 3, Town of Richmond
Hill, expressing safety concerns for persons residing close to Buttonville
Airport, be received.
Carried.
7. AWARD
OF RFP - CONSULTING SERVICES
PROPOSAL 115-R-01 STRATEGIC
PLANNING CONSULTANT
PROPOSAL 116-R-01 SURVEY
RESEARCH FIRM
ENGAGE 21ST CENTURY MARKHAM
(12.0 & 7.12)
RECOMMENDATION:
That it be recommended to Council that staff
be authorized to negotiate a contract with the consulting firm of Johnston
Smith International in association with Personus at a cost not to exceed
$60,000 inclusive of all deliveries, taxes and disbursements to facilitate the
Strategic Planning process;
And
that staff be authorized to negotiate a contract with the survey research
company Environics Research Inc. at a cost not to exceed $125,000 inclusive of
all deliveries, taxes and disbursements to provide a multi-service satisfaction
and values survey;
And
that these costs be funded from the Council approved Corporate Quality
Initiative 1999 capital budget account number 043-6900-003-005 and the 2001
Strategic Growth Management capital budget account number 080-5399-3522-005;
And
further that the Town enter into individual agreements for these services with
each of the companies.
8. PENNSYLVANIA
GERMAN FOLKLORE SOCIETY (12.2.6)
RECOMMENDATION:
That
space be reserved on the Bicentennial Monument at the Markham Civic Centre for
the York Chapter of the Pennsylvania German Folklore Society of Ontario to
place a plaque in 2004 to honour the Pennsylvania German Mennonite families who
migrated to Markham, Vaughan and Whitchurch Townships beginning in 1803/4.
Carried.
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9. PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM UPDATE (11.0)
RECOMMENDATION:
That
the report on Performance Management System Update be received for information.
Carried.
10. STAFF
AWARD OF CONTRACTS - MAY 2001 (7.12)
RECOMMENDATION:
That
the report entitled "Staff Award of Contracts for the month of May 2001 be
received for information only;
And
that the Commissioner of Community Services prepare a report on the status of
renovations to the Rouge River Community Centre.
Carried.
11. ENGAGE
21ST CENTURY MARKHAM: STRATEGIC
PLANNING PROCESS UPDATE - MINUTES (12.0)
RECOMMENDATION:
That
the minutes of the first two meetings of the Strategic Planning Committee held
on May 15 and 22, 2001 be received.
Carried.
ADJOURNMENT
The Finance
& Administrative Committee meeting adjourned at the hour of 12:30 p.m.