LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for September 26, 2017

Published on by Adam A. Donaldson

This year’s #GuelphBudget process begins with a staff presentation tonight! You can click here for the agenda from City Hall. 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
Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:37:21

Guelph City Council Meeting – September 26, 2017

Live blog from the meeting starting at 6 pm

  1. Your city, your money

     

     

    City of Guelph
    ·

    Tue, Nov 08 2016 16:54:24

  2. Okay, so #GuelphBudget 2018 process begins tonight.... https://t.co/xb0L8kwEHK

    Okay, so #GuelphBudget 2018 process begins tonight…. pic.twitter.com/xb0L8kwEHK

     

     

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:18:30

  3. Here's what we've missed so far... https://t.co/S2HRLD60RO

    Here’s what we’ve missed so far… pic.twitter.com/S2HRLD60RO

     

     

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:18:55

  4. https://t.co/bI1otVAC2y

    pic.twitter.com/bI1otVAC2y

     

     

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:19:09

  5. https://t.co/LIcTyIlpI2

    pic.twitter.com/LIcTyIlpI2

     

     

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:19:22

  6. https://t.co/o8WPY9AnAJ

    pic.twitter.com/o8WPY9AnAJ

     

     

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:19:41

  7. https://t.co/zUXcZMAWVH

    pic.twitter.com/zUXcZMAWVH

     

     

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:19:55

  8. https://t.co/WhAg5PCIKK

    pic.twitter.com/WhAg5PCIKK

     

     

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:20:14

  9. https://t.co/XmIABfSmEf

    pic.twitter.com/XmIABfSmEf

     

     

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:22:15

  10. https://t.co/tCrYtHyKsB

    pic.twitter.com/tCrYtHyKsB

     

     

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:22:51

  11. https://t.co/iE0ZXo3d51

    pic.twitter.com/iE0ZXo3d51

     

     

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:23:05

  12. https://t.co/4OjqVSxWnO

    pic.twitter.com/4OjqVSxWnO

     

     

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:23:25

  13. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Reminder: the annual budget process does not allow for exact taxes to be calculated at budget time.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:24:06

  14. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    In 2017, taxation represented about 52% of Guelph’s $431.9 Mn revenue.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:24:49

  15. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Greg Clark, program manager for capital planning, will now present the capital budget overview.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:27:32

  16. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    City going to one capital budget instead of tax and non-tax. This is consistent with the value of Corporate Asset Mgmt says Clark.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:28:36

  17. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Another change this year is re-categorizing things on service delivery instead of asset type.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:29:36

  18. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Also new, the direct operating impacts will be presented. Operating impacts will be presented as part of base budget in 2019, not expansion

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:31:07

  19. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Infrastructure renewal vs growth. Renewal means no expansion of service. Growth does.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:32:40

  20. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Clark: As long as we have a gap, the backlog is going to continue to grow.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:34:01

  21. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Clark says the current 9 year capital forecast is not funded and not sustainable. Step in right direction with 1% levy last year.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:36:05

  22. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    City Treasurer Tara Baker back to wrap up the presentation. Encourages council and community to get involved.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:39:37

  23. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Downer is chairing on behalf of Mayor Guthrie and opens floor to questions.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:40:14

  24. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Hofland asks about the budget simulator.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:40:39

  25. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Baker says they’re not using the simulator this year. Public didn’t use it much and didn’t get a lot of good feedback

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:41:11

  26. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Hofland agrees, and now asks about “corporate pressure”

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:42:00

  27. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Corporate pressures not expansions, says Baker. It’s energy, compensation, base things city is “struggling” with that are not new additions.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:42:41

  28. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Allt appreciates Baker saying this not a forum for surprises, but does she just mean new spending, or new cuts too?

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:45:01

  29. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Baker: Yes, a lot of work goes into budget, and and there are lots of opportunities to being ideas forward before budget night.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:45:50

  30. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    CAO Thomson: Tonite is an educational opp. How did budget come together, and what’s coming forward with capital?

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:48:32

  31. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Allt wonders if relative to Guelph, other municipalities are looking for solutions to infrastructure deficit.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:51:45

  32. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Baker: Main theme of treasurer conference she attended was the gap. Lots of different strategies being approached.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:52:16

  33. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Baker: last couple of years it’s been a “non-funded” forecast b/c council hasn’t been able to fund any of its needs…

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:53:11

  34. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    …the result is that the 9 year forecast may become a 15-20 year forecast when affordability determined.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:53:42

  35. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Bell, Q on operating impacts: What ways are staff going to portray the impact of a capital decision?

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:56:05

  36. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Baker: Examples incl. per new km or trail or road. In some cases, they’ll be identifiable. (New car = new operator, for example).

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 22:57:19

  37. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr MacKinnon asks about the unfunded forecast does that include debt funding?

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:05:09

  38. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Baker: City staff looks at how much funding is available, and the impacts moving items around to achieve funding. Case by case, basically

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:06:47

  39. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    MacKinnon: If a project is eligible for $20 Mn in develop. charges, and it’s $20 Mn short, is it unfunded?

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:08:05

  40. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Staff: We’re just talking about the tax portion that the City is responsible for.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:08:26

  41. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Salisbury: Wants specific projects that would fall under “city building”

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:10:01

  42. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Clark: New main library, needs significant funding for renos or new building. Library looking to enhance services = city building.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:10:59

  43. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Upgrading a park is another example, as is adding a bike lane to an existing road.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:11:57

  44. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Salisbury says “so the skatepark is city building”? A pointed comment given the mayor’s pride of the park.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:12:53

  45. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Wettstein: Funding is not a guaranteed of priority, still up to the whim of council, right?

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:13:40

  46. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Baker says yes, and Wettstein adds that he’s not sure that’s a good situation.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:13:57

  47. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Billings gets some confirmation on days and times. Capital in November, Operating in December. There’s a link so why separate?

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:18:54

  48. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Baker says early time on capital is to get tendering out early & get better pricing.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:20:15

  49. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Hofland concerned about delegations speaking to both capital and operating on the same night.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:21:24

  50. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Baker: Delegations for capital can come on Oct 26. Then the vote will be on Nov 2.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:21:58

  51. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Cllr Gibson: Asks for for clarification on “1% compounded levy” when he thinks is means “10% compounded” over 10 years.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:26:25

  52. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Gibson interpretation correct. City needs 1%/year and will be sustainable by 2022

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:27:08

  53. The red is the difference in funds, the blue represents when Guelph can start addressing backlog. https://t.co/pG6zofeEEK

    The red is the difference in funds, the blue represents when Guelph can start addressing backlog. pic.twitter.com/pG6zofeEEK

     

     

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:28:03

  54. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Wettstein also wants to understand levy. In order to meet 2032 deadline, so addition going to be necessary beyond 1%?

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:32:48

  55. Baker: the 1% last year is the base. If council did nothing else, the forecast looks like this... https://t.co/870L7GwwTe

    Baker: the 1% last year is the base. If council did nothing else, the forecast looks like this… pic.twitter.com/870L7GwwTe

     

     

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    ·

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:34:20

  56. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    In other news Wettstein understands compounding “extremely well”

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:35:29

  57. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    No more Qs. Bell moves to receive the report.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:35:48

  58. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Council votes 11-0 to receive the report.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:36:03

  59. adamadonaldson

    Adam A. Donaldson@adamadonaldson
    Meeting adjourned. Thank you and good night.

     

     

    Tue, Sep 26 2017 23:36:15

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