Minutes of Guelph City Council

Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at 5:30 P.m. - 10:00 P.m.

Council Chambers

Guelph City Hall, 1 Carden Street

Council:

• Mayor C. Guthrie
• Councillor P. Allt
• Councillor C. Billings
• Councillor L. Busuttil
• Councillor L. Caron
• Councillor E. Caton
• Councillor K. Chew
• Councillor C. Downer
• Councillor R. Goller
• Councillor C. Klassen
• Councillor D. O'Rourke
• Councillor M. Richardson

Absent:

• Councillor D. Gibson

Staff:

• S. Stewart, Chief Administrative Officer
• C. Clack-Bush, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Public Services
• J. Holmes, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise Services
• T. Lee, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Corporate Services
• T. Baker, General Manager, Finance/City Treasurer
• S. O'Brien, General Manager, City Clerk's Office/City Clerk
• J. da Silva, Council and Committee Coordinator
• G. Meades, Council and Committee Coordinator
• C. Murray-Sprague, Council and Committee Coordinator

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1.

Call to Order

Mayor Guthrie called the meeting to order. (5:43 p.m.)

2.

Authority to move into closed meeting

• Moved By Councillor Goller
  Seconded By Councillor Klassen
  1. That the Council of the City of Guelph now hold a meeting that is closed to the public, pursuant to Section 239(2) (b) and (d) of the Municipal Act relating to personal matters about an identifiable individual, including municipal or local board employees and labour relations or employee negotiations.

  Voting in Favour: (12)

  Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Goller, Councillor Allt, Councillor Downer, Councillor O'Rourke, Councillor Billings, Councillor Caron, Councillor Caton, Councillor Klassen, Councillor Richardson, Councillor Busuttil, and Councillor Chew

  Carried (12 to 0)

  The following items were considered:

  
  

2.1

Call to Order (closed meeting)

2.2

Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof (closed items)

2.3

Confirmation of Minutes for the closed Council meeting held April 25, 2023.

2.4

June 2023 Public Appointments to the Guelph Police Services Board

2.5

Memorandum of Agreement between the City of Guelph and the Ontario Public Service Employees’ Union Local 231 - 2023-209

3.

Open Meeting - 6:30 p.m.

Mayor Guthrie called the meeting to order. (6:30 p.m.)

3.5

Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof

None.

4.

Confirmation of Open Minutes

• Moved By Councillor Downer
  Seconded By Councillor Allt
  1. That the minutes of the open Council meetings held April 18, 25 and 26, 2023, and the open Committee of the Whole meeting held April 4, 2023, be confirmed as recorded and without being read.

  Voting in Favour: (12)

  Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Goller, Councillor Allt, Councillor Downer, Councillor O'Rourke, Councillor Billings, Councillor Caron, Councillor Caton, Councillor Klassen, Councillor Richardson, Councillor Busuttil, and Councillor Chew

  Carried (12 to 0)

5.

Committee of the Whole Consent Report

The following item was extracted from the Committee of the Whole Consent Report:

2022 Year-end Capital Budget Monitoring Report - 2023-154

• Moved By Councillor Busuttil
  Seconded By Councillor Caron
  1. That the remainder of the May 31, 2023 Committee of the Whole Consent Report identified below be adopted.

5.1

2022 Year-end Capital and Operation Budget Monitoring and Long-term Financial Statement Reporting

5.1.1

2022 Year-end Operating Budget Monitoring and Surplus Allocation Report - 2023-157, 2023-172

• 1. That the 2022 operating surplus of 13,698,567 be allocated to or funded from the City’s reserve and reserve funds or grants as follows:

  1. 1. Transfer $841,703 from Safe Restart Funding Transit Reserve Fund (344) to Transit Services to fully utilize this Grant in 2022.
     2. Transfer $155,862 from Safe Restart Funding Transit Phase 4 to Transit Services to fully utilize this Grant in 2022.
     3. Transfer the Guelph Public Library surplus of $140,000 to the Library Capital Reserve Fund (157).
     4. Transfer $540,000 to the WSIB Reserve (330) in accordance with the request from the Guelph Police Board.
     5. Transfer $790,000 to the Police Operating Contingency Reserve (115) in accordance with the request from the Guelph Police Board.
     6. Transfer $840,000 to the Police Capital Reserve Fund (158) in accordance with the request from the Guelph Police Board.
     7. Transfer $1,300,000 to the Tax Operating Contingency Reserve (180) to partially build back one-time funds used in the 2023 approved budget.
     8. Transfer $976,000 to 100RE Reserve Fund (355) for savings from corporate utilities.
     9. Transfer $1,200,000 to Environment and Utility Reserve (198) for revenue surplus for sale of recycled goods.
     10. Transfer $587,000 to the City Building Reserve Fund (159) to mitigate future tax impacts related to inflation.
     11. Transfer $1,370,000 to the Growth Reserve Fund (156) to mitigate future tax impacts related to inflation and growth revenue shortfalls associated with Bill 23.
     12. Transfer $4,569,092 to the Infrastructure Renewal Reserve Fund (150) to mitigate future tax impacts related to inflation.
     13. Transfer the Water Services surplus of $1,814,411 to the Water Capital Reserve Fund (152).
     14. Transfer the Wastewater Services surplus of $1,542,519 to the Wastewater Capital Reserve Fund (153).
     15. Transfer the Stormwater Services surplus of $55,385 to the Stormwater Capital Reserve Fund (165).
     16. Transfer the Building Services surplus of $124,305 to the Building Services OBC Stabilization Reserve Fund (188).
     17. Transfer $476,876 from the Safe Restart Operating Stream Grant held in the Tax Operating Contingency Reserve (180) to parking services to fund COVID-related revenue shortfalls.
     18. Transfer $786,877 from the Parking Operating Contingency Reserve (106) to fund COVID-related revenue shortfalls.
     19. Transfer the Court Services surplus of $111,172 to the Court Capital Reserve Fund (120).

          

5.1.2

2022 Long-term Financial Statement - Reserves and Debt - 2023-159

• 1. That the 2022 Long-term Financial Statement: Reserves and Debt be received for information.

5.2

E-scooter - Councillor Goller Motion

• 1. That staff be directed to bring a report and draft bylaw/bylaw amendment to the Traffic Bylaw to the July 5th, 2023 Committee of the Whole meeting to permit the operation of personal use e-scooters, meeting all Provincially required conditions and regulations, and including any other recommended conditions.
  2. That due to the Provincial e-scooter Pilot ending on January 1st 2025 and the opportunity to regulate e-scooters in 2023, City Council acknowledges that the City will not undertake the normal public pre-consultation. City Council encourages the public to provide feedback to Council directly, and to delegate at the July Committee of the Whole or City Council meetings.
  3. That City Council requests that Guelph Police Services provide input into the July staff report related to enforcement of the proposed bylaw, impacts for provincial reporting requirements concerning crash data, and recommendations regarding an e-scooter public education campaign.

  Voting in Favour: (12)

  Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Goller, Councillor Allt, Councillor Downer, Councillor O'Rourke, Councillor Billings, Councillor Caron, Councillor Caton, Councillor Klassen, Councillor Richardson, Councillor Busuttil, and Councillor Chew

  Carried (12 to 0)

6.

Council Consent Agenda

The following item was extracted from the Council Consent Agenda:

Guelph Police Service Downtown Initiative - 2023-181

7.

Items for Discussion

7.2

2022 Year-end Capital Budget Monitoring Report - 2023-154

• Moved By Councillor Downer
  Seconded By Councillor Caron
  1. That the funding adjustments as detailed in Table 5 of Attachment-2 of the 2022 Year-end Capital Budget Monitoring Report dated May 2, 2023, be approved.
  2. That $375,000 be approved for RD0449 Wildlife Crossing – Maltby Road and be funded from the Infrastructure Renewal Reserve Fund (#150) to install permanent wildlife crossing and fencing on Maltby Road between Gordon Street and Victoria Road South.

  Voting in Favour: (12)

  Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Goller, Councillor Allt, Councillor Downer, Councillor O'Rourke, Councillor Billings, Councillor Caron, Councillor Caton, Councillor Klassen, Councillor Richardson, Councillor Busuttil, and Councillor Chew

  Carried (12 to 0)
• Moved By Councillor Downer
  Seconded By Councillor Caron
  1. That $500,000 be approved for PL0076 Heritage Initiatives and be funded from the Growth Reserve Fund (#156) to expedite the timing of the Ward West Cultural Heritage Study and assist with heritage initiatives tied to changes to the Heritage Act and the associated deadlines contained in Bill 23

  Voting in Favour: (12)

  Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Goller, Councillor Allt, Councillor Downer, Councillor O'Rourke, Councillor Billings, Councillor Caron, Councillor Caton, Councillor Klassen, Councillor Richardson, Councillor Busuttil, and Councillor Chew

  Carried (12 to 0)

7.3

Guelph Police Service Downtown Initiative - 2023-181

• Moved By Councillor Goller
  Seconded By Councillor Allt
  1. That the Guelph Police Service Downtown Initiative - 2023-181 Report dated May 31, 2023 be received.  

  Voting in Favour: (12)

  Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Goller, Councillor Allt, Councillor Downer, Councillor O'Rourke, Councillor Billings, Councillor Caron, Councillor Caton, Councillor Klassen, Councillor Richardson, Councillor Busuttil, and Councillor Chew

  Carried (12 to 0)
• Moved By Councillor Goller
  Seconded By Councillor O'Rourke
  1. That the Guelph Police Services Board request dated April 20, 2023, to utilize $260,000 of the Police Operating Contingency Reserve (115) be approved.

  Voting in Favour: (12)

  Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Goller, Councillor Allt, Councillor Downer, Councillor O'Rourke, Councillor Billings, Councillor Caron, Councillor Caton, Councillor Klassen, Councillor Richardson, Councillor Busuttil, and Councillor Chew

  Carried (12 to 0)

8.

By-laws

• Moved By Councillor Billings
  Seconded By Councillor O'Rourke
  1. That By-laws numbered (2023) - 20797 as amended and (2023) - 20803, are hereby passed.

  Voting in Favour: (12)

  Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Goller, Councillor Allt, Councillor Downer, Councillor O'Rourke, Councillor Billings, Councillor Caron, Councillor Caton, Councillor Klassen, Councillor Richardson, Councillor Busuttil, and Councillor Chew

  Carried (12 to 0)

9.

Mayor’s Announcements

Mayor Guthrie noted that this week is National Accessibility week and there was a flag raising ceremony earlier this week. 

10.

Adjournment

• Moved By Councillor Caron
  Seconded By Councillor Klassen
  1. That the Council meeting be adjourned. (7:04 p.m.)

  Voting in Favour: (12)

  Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Goller, Councillor Allt, Councillor Downer, Councillor O'Rourke, Councillor Billings, Councillor Caron, Councillor Caton, Councillor Klassen, Councillor Richardson, Councillor Busuttil, and Councillor Chew

  Carried (12 to 0)