Logo

 

Minutes

General Committee

February 21, 2017

Meeting Number 3

 

Finance & Administrative Issues                  Community Services Issues

Chair:              Deputy Mayor Jack Heath                            Chair:                      Councillor Alan Ho

Vice Chair:      Councillor Colin Campbell                             Vice Chair:              Councillor Alex Chiu

 

Environment & Sustainability Issues                        Building, Parks, & Construction Issues

Chair:              Councillor Valerie Burke                 Chair:                     Councillor Colin Campbell

Vice Chair:      Councillor Karen Rea                                      Vice Chair:              Regional Councillor Nirmala Armstrong

 

                                                                                                                       

                Alternate formats are available upon request.

 

 

Attendance

 

Mayor Frank Scarpitti

Deputy Mayor Jack Heath

Regional Councillor Jim Jones

Regional Councillor Joe Li

Regional Councillor Nirmala Armstrong

Councillor Valerie Burke

Councillor Alan Ho

Councillor Don Hamilton

Councillor Karen Rea

Councillor Amanda Collucci

Councillor Logan Kanapathi

Councillor Alex Chiu

 

Regrets

Councillor Colin Campbell

 

Andy Taylor, Chief Administrative Officer

Trinela Cane, Commissioner of Corporate Services

Brenda Librecz, Commissioner of Community & Fire Services

Catherine Conrad, City Solicitor and Acting Director of
Human Resources

Kimberley Kitteringham, City Clerk

Joel Lustig, Treasurer

Mary Creighton, Director of Recreation Services

Shane Mason, Senior Manager, Revenue & Property Tax

Andrea Tang, Senior Manager of Financial Planning

Mary Creighton, Director of Recreation

Alida Tari, Council/Committee Coordinator

 

 

 

 

The General Committee meeting convened at the hour of 9:05 AM with Deputy Mayor Jack Heath in the Chair and Councillor Alan Ho Chaired Community Services related items.

 

General Committee recessed at 11:01 AM and reconvened at 11:16 AM.  General Committee recessed at 12:26 PM and reconvened at 1:17 PM.

 

 

 

 

 

Disclosure of Interest

 

None disclosed.

 

 

1.         MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 6, 2017
GENERAL COMMITTEE (16.0)

            Minutes

 

Regional Councillor Nirmala Armstrong requested an update relative to the Private Member’s Bill C-323.  Staff advised that an update will be provided in the near future.

 

Moved by Councillor Alex Chiu

Seconded by Councillor Logan Kanapathi

 

1)         That the minutes of the February 6, 2017 General Committee meeting be confirmed.

 

Carried

 

 

 

2.         GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICER
            ASSOCIATION AWARDS (7.0)

            Report

 

Andrea Tang, Senior Manager of Financial Planning addressed the Committee and provided opening remarks relative to the Government Finance Officer Association Awards.

 

Mayor Frank Scarpitti on behalf of all Members of Council congratulated Andrea Tang, Senior Manager of Financial Planning and all the City staff involved in the budgeting process for again achieving the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award and the Canadian Award for Financial Reporting.

 

Moved by Councillor Logan Kanapathi

Seconded by Councillor Amanda Collucci

 

1)                  That the report dated February 1, 2017 entitled “Government Finance Officers Association Awards” be received; and,

 

2)         That the formal presentation on the receipt of the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the annual budget for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2016 and the Canadian Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the annual financial report for the year ended December 31, 2015 from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) be received.

 

Carried

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.         2017 PROPERTY TAX RATIO (7.3)

            Presentation

 

Joel Lustig, Treasurer delivered a PowerPoint presentation regarding the 2017 Property Tax Ratio Policy.

 

The Committee discussed the following with respect to the 2017 Property Tax Ration Policy:

·        Impacts to municipalities in York Region as a result of leaving the ratios unchanged and revenue neutrality

·        Consider an insert in the final 2017 property tax bill explaining tax shifts

 

The Committee suggested that staff provide an update at the March 6, 2017 General Committee meeting on the York Region report that will be considered at their Committee of the Whole meeting on March 9, 2017 that includes the 2017 - 2020 tax ratio policy.  Staff indicated that if the report is not made public prior to the March 6 General Committee meeting they will provide Members of Council with a briefing note prior to the York Region Committee of the Whole meeting.

 

Moved by Mayor Frank Scarpitti

Seconded by Councillor Amanda Collucci

 

Whereas Markham assumes that the property assessment for the residential class will continue to increase at a greater amount than that of the non-residential classes for the foreseeable future; and,

 

Whereas Markham proposes that York Region amend its current Tax Ratio Policy as follows:

1.         To maintain a relative tax burden (revenue neutral) between all property classes while ensuring a non-residential competitive advantage based on relative tax ratios amongst GTA municipalities (Peel, Halton, Durham and Toronto).

 

2.         This policy will ensure that the property taxes collected year over year will be the same in each class as long as York Region maintains the lowest tax ratios of GTA municipalities;

 

Now therefore be it resolved that:

 

1)         The presentation entitled "2017 Property Tax Ratios Policy" be received; and,

 

2)         Council support setting the Region-wide tax ratios to “revenue neutral" such that the relative tax burden of each property class in York Region is the same after the reassessment as it was before the reassessment; and,

 

3)         This resolution be forwarded to the Regional Municipality of York; and,

 

4)         That staff be directed to provide an update at the March 6, 2017 General Committee meeting regarding the York Region report that will be considered at the York Region Committee of the Whole meeting on March 9, 2017 relative to the 2017 – 2020 tax ratio policy; and further,

 

5)         Staff be authorized to and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.

 

 

Carried

 

DEPUTATIONS

 

There were no deputations.

 

 

COMMUNICATIONS

 

There were no communications.

 

 

PETITIONS

 

There were no petitions.

 

 

 

4.         MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 18, 2017
ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ACCESSIBILITY (16.0)

            Minutes

 

Moved by Regional Councillor Jim Jones

Seconded by Regional Councillor Nirmala Armstrong

 

1)         That the minutes of the January 18, 2017 Advisory Committee on Accessibility meeting be received for information purposes.

Carried

 

5.         MINUTES OF THE DECEMBER 19, 2016
PUBLIC REALM ADVISORY COMMITTEE (16.0)

            Minutes

 

Moved by Regional Councillor Jim Jones

Seconded by Regional Councillor Nirmala Armstrong

 

1)         That the minutes of the December 19, 2016 Public Realm Advisory Committee meeting be received for information purposes.

Carried

 

 

6.         STAFF AWARDED CONTRACTS FOR
THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2017 (7.12)

            Report

 

There was brief discussion relative to 262-T-16 Curb Box Rehabilitation Program.

 

Moved by Regional Councillor Jim Jones

Seconded by Regional Councillor Nirmala Armstrong

 

1)         That the report entitled “Staff Awarded Contracts for the Month of January 2017” be received; and,

 

2)         That Staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.

 

Carried

 

 

7.         VACANT UNIT PROPERTY
TAX REBATE PROGRAM (7.0)

            Report

 

Shane Manson, Senior Manager, Revenue & Property Tax addressed the Committee and summarized the details outlined in the report.

 

The Committee discussed the following relative to the vacant unit property tax rebate program:

·        Need to understand the impact if the program is eliminated

·        If eliminated or modified how it will affect future commercial and industrial development

·        Ensure the consultation process includes developers of commercial and industrial buildings; the City's Economic Development Department ; business community and the individuals who have applied for the rebate program in previous years

 

The Committee suggested that staff do an analysis of how the elimination or modification of the vacant unit property tax rebate would affect the Cineplex Cinemas Markham and VIP in Markham Centre, AVIVA Insurance Building and the former AMEX building.

 

There was discussion regarding the three dates that York Region in consultation with the lower tier municipalities have been given to provide a Council resolution to the Minister of Finance being: March 1, 2017; April 1, 2017 or July 1, 2017.  It was suggested that staff draft a resolution for York Region to request that the Minister of Finance provide an extension to November 30, 2017 to submit their Council resolution.

 

Moved by Regional Councillor Nirmala Armstrong

Seconded by Regional Councillor Jim Jones

 

1)                  That the report entitled Vacant Unit Property Tax Rebate Program be received; and,

 

2)         That Council authorize Staff to undertake a business consultation process with the local business community to discuss the vacancy rebate program; and,

           

3)         That Staff be directed to participate in ongoing discussions with the Region of York and area municipalities; and,

 

4)         That Staff report back to Council on the final recommendations that will be made to Regional Council; and,

 

5)         That staff be directed to draft a resolution for York Region requesting that latest deadline to provide a Council resolution to the Minister of Finance be extended to November 30, 2017; and further,

 

6)         That staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to these resolutions.

Carried

 

 

 

8.         ICE ALLOCATION - REQUEST FOR
EXPANSION OF HOCKEY LEAGUE
BY THORNHILL COMMUNITY
HOCKEY LEAGUE AND MARKHAM
ISLANDERS (6.1)

            Report

 

Moved by Deputy Mayor Jack Heath

Seconded by Regional Councillor Jim Jones

 

1)         That the report entitled "Ice Allocation - Request for Expansion of Hockey League by Thornhill Community Hockey League and Markham Islanders" be received for information; and,

 

2)         That Council approve Staff recommendation to not support the request by Thornhill Community Hockey League (TCHL) to expand to include a competitive hockey program; and,

 

3)         That Council approve Staff recommendation to not support the request by Markham Islanders Hockey League to expand to include a house league hockey program; and further,

 

4)         That Staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.

Carried

 

 

MOTIONS

 

There were no motions.

 

 

NOTICES OF MOTIONS

 

There were no notices of motions.

 

 

NEW/OTHER BUSINESS

 

 

9.         RICHMOND HILL BOUNDARY IN LANGSTAFF (8.0)

 

Deputy Mayor Jack Heath advised that he Chaired a meeting to begin the discussion relative to the boundary in the Langstaff area between City of Markham and Town of Richmond Hill.  He will provide further information at a future meeting.

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENT

 

There were no announcements.

 

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

 

Adjournment

 

Moved by Councillor Alan Ho

Seconded by Councillor Valerie Burke

 

That the General Committee meeting adjourn at 1:20 PM.

 

Carried

 

 

 

No Item Selected