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October 17, 2016 Minutes

Council of the Corporation of
The Township of Billings
Regular Meeting
October 17, 2016

PRESENT:  Mayor Austin Hunt, Councillors Sharon Alkenbrack, Tom Imrie and Brian Parker
Staff:  Kathy McDonald, Clerk Treasurer/CAO
Media: Tom Sasvari
Members of the General Public
Regrets:  Councillor Barbara Erskine
2016- 249  Parker – Alkenbrack
BE IT RESOLVED that this regular meeting of Council be opened with a quorum present at 7:30 p.m. with Mayor Austin Hunt presiding.
Carried

2016-250 Alkenbrack – Parker
BE IT RESOLVED that the agenda for the October 17, 2016 regular meeting of Council be accepted as presented.
Carried

2016-251  Parker – Alkenbrack
BE IT RESOLVED that Council accepts the minutes of the October 4, 2016 regular meeting as presented.
Carried

Councillor Parker informed Council that the Ombudsman for Hydro One would be attending an Island wide meeting on Dec 12, 2016. Details to be confirmed.

2016-252  Parker – Alkenbrack
BE IT RESOLVED that Council approves the terms of the rental agreement for the cabanas and instructs the Clerk Treasurer to proceed with advertising for the potential two new cabanas.
Carried

2016-253  Parker – Alkenbrack
BE IT RESOLVED that Council instructs the Clerk Treasurer to have LAMBAC complete the Stage II Fednor and NOHFC Applications for Phase I Construction of the Waterfront Development Project.
Carried

2016-254  Parker – Alkenbrack
BE IT RESOLVED that By-Law 2016-34, being a by-law to enter into a Grant Agreement with Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Ontario with respect to tax arrears accumulated on certain First Nation Lands, be given first, second, third reading and enacted.
Carried

2016-255  Imrie – Alkenbrack
WHEREAS recent polling, conducted on behalf of the Association of Municipalities in Ontario indicates 76% of Ontarians are concerned or somewhat concerned property taxes will not cover the cost of infrastructure while maintaining municipal services, and 90% agree maintaining a safe infrastructure is an important priority for their communities;

AND WHEREAS infrastructure and transit are identified by Ontarians as the biggest problems facing their municipal government;

AND WHEREAS a ten-year projection (2016-2025) of municipal expenditures against inflationary property tax and user fee increases, shows there to be an unfunded average annual need of $3.6 billion to fix local infrastructure and provide for municipal operating needs;

AND WHEREAS the $3.6 billion average annual need would equate to annual increases of 4.6% (including inflation) to province-wide property tax revenue for the next ten years;

AND WHEREAS this gap calculation also presumes all existing and multi-year planned federal and provincial transfers to municipal governments are fulfilled;

AND WHEREAS if future federal and provincial transfers are unfulfilled beyond 2015 levels, it would require annual provincial-wide property tax revenue increases of up to 8.35% for ten years;
AND WHEREAS Ontarians already pay the highest property taxes in the country;

AND WHREAS each municipal government in Ontario faces unique issues, the fiscal health and needs are a challenge which unites all municipal governments regardless of size;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that this Council supports the Association of Municipalities of Ontario in its work to close the fiscal gap; so that all municipalities can benefit from predictable and sustainable revenue, to finance the pressing infrastructure and municipal service needs faced by all municipal governments.
Carried

2016-256  Alkenbrack – Imrie
BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council authorizes the following accounts for payment:
General Accounts $75,297.11
And that the Mayor and Treasurer be authorized to sign cheques number 4075 to 4100 as described in the attached register.
Carried

2016-257  Imrie – Alkenbrack
BE IT RESOLVED that By-Law 2016-37, being a by-law to confirm the proceedings of Council be given first, second and third reading and enacted.
Carried

2016-258  Imrie – Alkenbrack
BE IT RESOLVED that Council adjourn from this regular meeting of November 1, 2016, or Call of the Chair.
Carried

_______________________   __________________________
Austin Hunt, Mayor                           Kathy McDonald, Clerk Treasurer/CAO

10/18/16:km

These minutes have been prepared but are not considered official until approved by Council at a subsequent meeting.