Minutes of Guelph City Council Emergency Meeting

Monday, March 23, 2020 at 6:00 P.m. - 10:00 P.m.

Council Chambers, Guelph City Hall, 1 Carden Street

Council:

• Mayor C. Guthrie
• Councillor P. Allt
• Councillor B. Bell
• Councillor C. Billings
• Councillor L. Caron Piper
• Councillor C. Downer
• Councillor D. Gibson
• Councillor R. Goller
• Councillor J. Gordon
• Councillor J. Hofland
• Councillor M. MacKinnon
• Councillor D. O'Rourke

Absent:

• Councillor M. Salisbury

Staff:

• S. Stewart, Chief Administrative Officer
• C. Clack, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Public Services
• K. Dedman, 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
• D. McMahon, Manager, Legislative Services / Deputy City Clerk

---

1.

Call to Order

Mayor Guthrie called the meeting to order (6:00 p.m.). 

Stephen O'Brien, General Manager, City Clerk's Office/City Clerk, outlined videoconferencing protocol for members of Council. 

2.

Open Meeting

2.1

Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof

There were no disclosures.

Mayor Guthrie and Scott Stewart, Chief Administrative Officer, expressed thanks to staff, the Executive Team and the Emergency Operations Committee for all their work and quick response during the ongoing situation related to COVID-19. 

3.

Procedural Considerations

• Moved By Councillor Billings
  Seconded By Councillor Caron Piper
  1. That by-law (2019)-20432 (the Procedural By-law) be amended as follows:

  Insert definition of Emergency City Council Meeting:

  “Emergency City Council Meeting” means any meeting of City Council called under Section 8.1 (d).

  Insert Section 4.1 (e):

  4.1 Public Notice of Meetings

  e) Section 4.1 (d) shall not apply to emergency meetings called under Section 8.1 (d). The Clerk shall give public notice for emergency meetings called under Section 8.1 (d) by inclusion on the City’s website as soon as possible after the meeting is called.

  Insert Section 8.3:

  8.3 Emergency City Council Meetings

  a) Where an emergency has been declared in all or part of the City of Guelph under Section 4 or 7.0.1 of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act:

  1. 1. 1. 1. 1. any member of City Council may participate in any open or closed City Council meeting electronically and be counted for the purpose of establishing quorum;
              2. all votes shall be by show of hands or by verbal consent (yes or no); and
              3. City Council shall have the discretion to consider any items previously considered by any committee of City Council, but not yet confirmed by City Council at the time the emergency was declared, as part of an emergency meeting called under Section 8.1 (d).
  2. That Section 4.8 of the Procedural By-law be suspended to allow the March 23, 2020 Emergency City Council meeting called under Section 8.1 (d) to proceed without delegations.

  Voting in Favour: (12)

  Councillor Billings, Councillor Caron Piper, Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Gibson, Councillor Bell, Councillor Gordon, Councillor Goller, Councillor Allt, Councillor Hofland, Councillor Downer, Councillor MacKinnon, and Councillor O'Rourke

  Carried (12 to 0)

4.

Committee of the Whole Consent Report

• Moved By Councillor Hofland
  Seconded By Councillor Gibson

  That the March 23, 2020 City Council Consent Agenda, as identified below, be adopted:

  CAO-2020-02 Smart Cities Challenge Update and Confirmation of Advisory Board of Management Governance Structure

  1. 1. That Council confirm its approval and support of the achievements to date under the Smart Cities Project, including all management, administrative, financial, and contractual aspects.
     2. That Council appoint the Mayor to the Advisory Board of Management of the Our Food Future initiative and that this appointment be reviewed twice per term as part of Council's nomination committee process.

  IDE-2020-22 Dolime Community Engagement Results for Proposed Settlement Pathway

  That the settlement pathway outlined in the report titled "Dolime Community Engagement Results for Proposed Settlement Pathway," dated March 2, 2020, be approved and staff be directed to take the first steps in implementing the settlement pathway.

  IDE-2020-24 2019 Water Services' Annual and Summary Report

  1. 1. That Guelph City Council approves the 2019 Water Services' Annual and Summary Report.
     2. That Guelph City Council endorse the updated Organizational Structure of the Operational Plan as defined in section o) of the 2019 Water Services' Annual and Summary Report and shown in Attachments 2 and 3.

  Voting in Favour: (12)

  Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Allt, Councillor Bell, Councillor Billings, Councillor Downer, Councillor Gibson, Councillor Goller, Councillor Gordon, Councillor Hofland, Councillor MacKinnon, Councillor O'Rourke, and Councillor Caron Piper

  Carried (12 to 0)

5.

Chief Administrative Officer Delegated Authority

• Moved By Councillor Downer
  Seconded By Councillor Allt
  1. That, given the declaration of a global pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020 and an emergency declaration by the Province of Ontario on March 18, 2020 in relation to COVID-19, the CAO be directed, further to and in accordance with the authority outlined in Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) By-law (2019)-20425 and the Emergency Management Program and Emergency Response Plan By-law (2019)-20358, to take such action(s) as may be deemed to be required by the CAO to protect the property and the health, safety and welfare of the citizens and visitors to the City of Guelph while managing budgetary considerations, both revenue and expenditure.
  2. That this authority be authorized for the period of the global COVID-19 pandemic as determined by the World Health Organization or the emergency period as declared by the Province of Ontario.
  3. That a full reporting of the financial impacts and costing of this emergency be provided to Council upon the end of the COVID-19 pandemic as determined by either the World Health Organization or the declaration of emergency declared in the Province of Ontario.

  Voting in Favour: (12)

  Councillor Billings, Councillor Caron Piper, Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Gibson, Councillor Bell, Councillor Gordon, Councillor Goller, Councillor Allt, Councillor Hofland, Councillor Downer, Councillor MacKinnon, and Councillor O'Rourke

  Carried (12 to 0)

6.

Fiscal Relief Measures (Council Memo)

• Moved By Councillor Hofland
  Seconded By Councillor O'Rourke
  1. That the parking permit fee be waived to assist downtown businesses and employees for the month of April, 2020.
  2. That the waiving of Guelph Transit fees continue for the month of April, 2020.
  3. That property tax relief be provided to businesses and residents for the month of April, 2020 through:
     • The waiving of interest and penalties that would be applied May 1, 2020; and
     • The waiving of NSF charges through to April 30, 2020; and
     • Ceasing all progressive collection activities until April 30, 2020; and
     • Waiving of tax statement fees related to mortgage deferral requirements; and
     • Option to defer monthly Pre-authorized Debit (PAD) plans for the month of April, 2020 upon written request (email: [e-mail]) of at least ten days prior to withdrawal date; and

  That the waiving of these fees be done by providing a grant under section 107 of the Municipal Act that offsets the amount in full for each of the above; and

  That delegated authority be given to the CAO and DCAO of Corporate Serviced to extend the above dates, or expand the scope of waiving of interest or fees, as required. 

  Voting in Favour: (12)

  Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Allt, Councillor Bell, Councillor Billings, Councillor Downer, Councillor Gibson, Councillor Goller, Councillor Gordon, Councillor Hofland, Councillor MacKinnon, Councillor O'Rourke, and Councillor Caron Piper

  Carried (12 to 0)

7.

By-laws

• Moved By Councillor Allt
  Seconded By Councillor Billings

  That By-law Numbers (2020)-20479 to (2020)-20480 and (2020)-20487 to (2020)-20488 are hereby passed. 

  Voting in Favour: (12)

  Councillor Billings, Councillor Caron Piper, Mayor Guthrie, Councillor Gibson, Councillor Bell, Councillor Gordon, Councillor Goller, Councillor Allt, Councillor Hofland, Councillor Downer, Councillor MacKinnon, and Councillor O'Rourke

  Carried (12 to 0)

8.

Adjournment

• Moved By Councillor Allt
  Seconded By Councillor Gibson

  That the meeting be adjourned (6:23 p.m.). 

  Carried