LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for June 28, 2017

Published on by Adam A. Donaldson

Tonight there are two special council meetings, as in shareholder meetings for Guelph Junction Railway and Guelph Municipal Holdings Inc. You can click here for the amended agenda from City Hall, and you can click here to read Politico’s preview of tonight’s meeting. For the complete blow-by-blow of tonight’s council meeting, you can follow me on Twitter, or follow along below via Storify.

by
Adam A. Donaldson
Wed, Jun 28 2017 23:27:39

Guelph City Council Meeting – June 28, 2017

Live blog from the special meeting starting at 5 pm

  1. The agenda for tonights meetings. Yes plural! https://t.co/xNYAvwxhC5 https://t.co/jv79UlfjGA

    The agenda for tonights meetings. Yes plural!  http://guelphpolitico.blogspot.ca/2017/06/city-council-preview-whats-on-agenda_20.html … pic.twitter.com/jv79UlfjGA
    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 21:01:58

  2. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Mayor Guthrie calls the meeting to order. First up, shareholders meeting for Guelph Junction Railway.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 21:02:38

  3. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Minutes from last meeting approved.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 21:03:25

  4. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Regrets tonight from Andy Van Hellemond, @ward6mark and @thatjamesgordon.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 21:03:53

  5. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Ian Brown, chair of GJR is making his presentation. The railway is “healthy, and growing, and capital and safety issues been addressed.”

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 21:05:22

  6. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    2 sets of improvements on the Eramosa Bridge this year costing $131K. The total was $1.83M over time.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 21:06:32

  7. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    If you can move trains more faster and more safely you increase revenue, says Brown. Reasons for improvements.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 21:07:33

  8. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    The bridge can also do larger loads now, plus the bridge won’t collapse on itself!

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 21:08:11

  9. Typo on the fifth motion. The wrong date, it's meant to say 2018 not 2017. https://t.co/vpG0ZXGIw7

    Typo on the fifth motion. The wrong date, it’s meant to say 2018 not 2017. pic.twitter.com/vpG0ZXGIw7
    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 21:13:43

  10. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    All referrals approved by council 10-0.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 21:14:07

  11. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    The GJR meeting is adjourned. Next up is the GMHI share holders meeting at 5:30.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 21:15:02

  12. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    It’s 5:30 and that means time to start the Guelph Municipal Holdings Inc. shareholder meet.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 21:31:42

  13. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Okay, so we’re going into closed meeting. Open meet starts at 6:30.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 21:32:18

  14. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    So until 6:30, smoke ’em if you got ’em.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 21:32:42

  15. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    I know it’s 6:30, but the closed session seems to be running late. Stay tuned.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 22:32:01

  16. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Okay so councillors are starting to arrive now.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 22:32:55

  17. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    From Mayor Guthrie: The open session will start in a couple of minutes.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 22:34:26

  18. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Closed meeting: direction given to staff on Envida Asset Review.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 22:36:18

  19. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    First, a presentation with GMHI director (and City of Guelph CAO) Derrick Thomson.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 22:36:55

  20. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    GMHI and Hydro have spent the last 9 months reviewing Envida assets.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 22:38:52

  21. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Recommendations tonight incl. turning over Eastview generator and solar assets to Guelph Hydro & sell 8 solar microFIT programs 2 City

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 22:41:08

  22. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Recommendations tonight incl. turning over Eastview generator and solar assets to Guelph Hydro & sell 8 solar microFIT programs 2 City

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 22:41:08

  23. First slate of recommendations passes 10-0. https://t.co/JaVN8M0rap

    First slate of recommendations passes 10-0. pic.twitter.com/JaVN8M0rap
    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 22:42:35

  24. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Just a reminder from the GJR potion of tonight’s meet: MacKinnon, Gordon and Van Hellemond send regrets.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 22:43:10

  25. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Now Hydro CEO Sardana taking council through Envida Asset Review.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 22:43:41

  26. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    “The story isn’t as positive” with remaining District Energy assets, says Sardana.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 22:45:36

  27. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Billings aks $1.8M loan that has to be paid back, where is the cash coming from?

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 22:48:25

  28. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    It’s coming from GMHI. On Aug 5, the cash balances will be drained, and dividends from GHESI will make up overdraft balance.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 22:49:33

  29. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    tl;dr – it’s math ninjutsu.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 22:50:33

  30. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Mayor Guthrie clarifies that there will be a reserve update coming back in fall. Can they bring back policy update at the same time?

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 22:56:43

  31. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    They can.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 22:57:06

  32. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Billings: D.E. assets written down to noting?
    Sardana: Yes.
    Billings: Like zero?
    Sardana: Technically, still a liability on the books.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 22:58:16

  33. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Sardana expecting the cost of tying off Downtown D.E. will be another $1M more.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 22:59:31

  34. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Billings asks if this council has been transparent.
    Sardana: We’ve tried to be as transparent as possible. A priority when Guthrie joined.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 23:01:27

  35. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Sardana: Technically it was and Billings thanks Sardana and Thomson for “stopping the bleeding.”

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 23:02:57

  36. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Gibson confirms that with Guelph buying Eastview and the solar assets they might see dividends down the road.
    Thomson: Possibly

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 23:04:48

  37. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Gibson says they’ve been handed a challenging file and thanks Thomson and Co for the support.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 23:05:29

  38. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Salisbury asks why the split of solar assets?
    Sardana: City takes over solar on city buildings, Hydro gets the rest.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 23:06:17

  39. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    No further Qs from council.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 23:06:58

  40. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Guthrie glad that his concerns have been validated tonight. Looks forward to the future moving forward.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 23:07:25

  41. Council votes 10-0 in favour of recommendations. https://t.co/IL1zODuZ25

    Council votes 10-0 in favour of recommendations. pic.twitter.com/IL1zODuZ25
    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 23:07:59

  42. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Now the Guelph Hydro year in review. Sardana says it’s nice to talk about something that’s positive.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 23:08:56

  43. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Guelph peak use is just below the provincial average fyi.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 23:11:10

  44. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Guelph is also in the “lower end of the pact” for cost per customer, says Sardana.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 23:15:39

  45. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Guelph is exceeding Ontario’s conservation targets, most utilities hovering around 20%, Guelph is around 60.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 23:21:13

  46. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Gibson asks about oncoming benefits of high consumption for electric vehicles. Are we ready?

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 23:22:31

  47. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Sardana says we’re not ready tomorrow, but will likely be ready in time.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 23:22:49

  48. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Vote to receive the report passes 10-0

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 23:24:34

  49. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Thomson closes by thank Hydro and noting how Guelph is fortunate to have high quality service & reliability in GHESI.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 23:25:13

  50. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Motion to adjourn. And that’s a wrap for this special meeting.

    Wed, Jun 28 2017 23:25:41

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