Council overview package for November 4, 2024

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Aerial photo of downtown area next to a river

Peterborough, ON - City Council approved the following items during its meeting on Monday, November 4, 2024:

Council agenda

The items were endorsed by General Committee on October 28, 2024 before proceeding to the City Council meeting on November 4 for consideration for final approval.

Council participation on advisory committees, boards

Council approved changes related to Council portfolios and the participation of Council members on local boards, municipal corporations, and third party organizations and corporations.

Council approved the following Co-Chair appointments for portfolios:

  • Community Services (except Homelessness): Councillor Alex Bierk and Councillor Lesley Parnell
  • Community Services (Homelessness): Councillor Alex Bierk and Councillor Keith Riel
  • Finance and Corporate Support Services: Councillor Andrew Beamer and Councillor Dave Haacke
  • Infrastructure, Planning and Growth Management: Councillor Kevin Duguay and Councillor Joy Lachica
  • Legislative Services: Councillor Gary Baldwin and Councillor Matt Crowley
  • Municipal Operations: Councillor Keith Riel and Councillor Don Vassiliadis

Councillor Lesley Parnell is appointed as the Presiding Officer for public meeting matters comprising the Planning Act at General Committee effective November 4, 2024.

The Mayor consulted with each member of Council on appointments to portfolio chair positions, advisory committees, and boards. The Mayor states in the report that the recommendations in the report are informed by that consultation and are intended to bring greater clarity to Council’s roles and responsibilities, to recognize the challenging schedule of meetings members may experience and to improve governance to foster an environment where members can focus on key initiatives involving Council’s Strategic Plan.

To improve governance, the Mayor recommended rescinding the appointments of members of Council to advisory committees and a reduction in the participation of members of Council on certain local boards, municipal corporation and third party organizations and corporations.

Advisory Committees have been created by Council to provide advice on particular issues or subjects to all of Council. When a member of Council is appointed to an Advisory Committee, they are asked to simultaneously fulfill two incompatible roles – they are both part of the body who advises Council and a member of the Council which is being advised. As a result, to improve governance and decrease the workload for Councillors, this report recommends rescinding the appointments of members of Council to Advisory Committees.

Council decided that no member of Council will sit on the following committees:

  • Accessibility Advisory Committee
  • Arenas, Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee
  • Arts and Culture Advisory Committee
  • Citizen’s War Memorial Advisory Committee
  • Community Investment Grants Advisory Committee
  • Museum and Archives Advisory Committee
  • Peterborough Architectural Advisory Committee
  • Planning Advisory Committee
  • Transit Liaison Committee

Council approved the Mayor's recommendations related to advisory committee participation by Council members, except for the Peterborough Environmental Advisory Committee, which Council directed will maintain Council representation with Councillor Kevin Duguay and Councillor Joy Lachica on the committee.

Council decided that Council representation will remain in place for advisory committees whose membership includes representation from Peterborough County Council, such as the Age-Friendly Peterborough Advisory Committee.

Council also approved the Mayor's recommendations on several changes to Council appointments to boards and organizations. In each circumstance where a member of Council would no longer be appointed by Council to the Board of a Body or recommended by Council for appointment by a Body to its Board, an individual member of Council would be free on the member’s own accord to seek to be appointed directly by the Body in that member’s personal capacity and not as a member of Council or otherwise representing the City.

Council added the following directions:

  1. Staff be directed to provide to council electronically agendas for advisory committees that staff attend; and
  2. If approved, the governance of advisory committees and council's participation on local boards, municipal corporations and third-party organizations be reviewed at the end of 2025 for possible recommendations for consideration.
  3. Beginning January 1, 2025 those committees without council membership are invited to submit a summary update memorandum to the clerk's office every six months for dissemination to all members of Council.

Citizen appointments to certain committees

Council approved the following appointments to the Downtown Business Improvement Area and the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee:

  • That the Art Gallery of Peterborough Board nomination of Voula Haliday to the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee for a term ending November 30, 2026, be approved; and
  • That the recommendation from the Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) of the following appointments: Ally Pyle, Deanna Guttman, Shelby Leonard-Watt, Shannon Mak and Matthew Couture to their Board, for a period ending November 30, 2026, be approved.

2024 Audit Plan

Council approved the City's 2024 Audit Plan.

The Municipal Act, 2001, s. 296 (5) states “The auditor of a municipality shall report to the council of the municipality”. Each year the Audit Plan is prepared by the City’s external auditors, Baker Tilly KDN LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants and provided for Council’s consideration as part of this direct reporting relationship.

Council supported:

Procurement Policy By-law

Council approved a new Procurement Policy By-law that establishes procurement practices for the purchase of goods and services by the municipality.

Section 16.1 of the current Procurement By-law requires the Treasurer to conduct a detailed review of this By-law on an as required basis, but at a minimum, a report to each Council, prior to the end of its term, with any recommended amendments.

The primary goal of the review and recommendations is to accommodate a centralized procurement framework while incorporating the City’s Strategic Plan and ensuring it is effective and efficient and continues to meet the needs of the City.

Fundamental purchasing principles in the proposed new Procurement Policy By-law remain unchanged:

  • Council retains ultimate authority over all procurement through the annual budget approval and through Council’s delegated authority outlined within the Procurement By-law; and
  • Procurement remains an open, fair, accessible, and accountable process.

Since November 1, 2022, approximately 160 bid solicitations have been awarded during the last two years, or an average of 80 solicitations per year.

According to Report CLSFS22-024 dated September 6, 2022, it was reported that approximately 216 bid solicitations were awarded under the previous By-law during a four year period, or an average of 54 solicitations per year.

Crossing Guard - Otonabee and Stewart drives

Council approved providing a crossing guard at the intersection of Otonabee Drive and Stewart Drive during the school admission and dismissal times.

In response to a request for a crossing guard from parents and school officials of St. Patrick’s Catholic Elementary School, the City undertook a warrant review to determine the need for a school crossing guard at the intersection of Otonabee Drive and Stewart Drive.

The warrant review concluded that a school crossing guard is warranted based on the criteria outlined in the Ontario Traffic Council School Crossing Guard Guide.

The implementation of a guard at this location should reduce student exposure to conflicting vehicle movements and improve pedestrian safety at the intersection during school admission and dismissal times.

The $14,000 in funding for the crossing guard service at the intersection, plus annual increases, would be included in future Operating Budgets for Adult Crossing Guards.

Site alteration by-law consultation

Council approved proceeding with public consultation on a proposed Site Alteration By-Law and returning to Council in 2025 with a final version of the by-law for Council's consideration.

A Site Alteration By-Law (SABL) is a provincially legislated tool afforded to Municipalities through the Municipal Act, 2001 to regulate the removal, placing or dumping of fill, the removal of topsoil and the alteration of the grade of land.

The SABL is intended to protect people, property and the environment from the import and export of clean and contaminated soil, including grading and drainage issues caused by the movement of soil, removal of vegetation or placement of structures.

A SABL is a standard regulatory tool used across Southern Ontario. The City of Peterborough is one of the last remaining single-tier municipalities that does not have some form of site alteration by-law.

The City’s Official Plan (Section 7.9) directs the municipality to implement a SABL.

The draft SABL exempts activities considered to be a common part of home improvement such as installing gardens, walkways and patios, sheds, fences or minor alterations to the grade of land provided the activities do not cause an exception as defined in Section 11 of the By-Law.

A final version of the Site Alteration By-law is expected to be presented to Council in 2025. Staff will engage and seek feedback with the public and stakeholders through Connect Peterborough, digital media and direct conversation, including a drop-in public information centre to answer questions and listen to the public’s feedback, over the next few months. Feedback received will inform the implementation and administration of the by-law and ensure the public and stakeholders are well informed of its implications.

Housing agreements

Council approved a Community Housing Strategic Framework for the End of Mortgage (EOM) and End of Operating Agreements (EOA) for community housing.

The City of Peterborough, as the Service Manager for Housing for the City and County of Peterborough, oversees the delivery and administration of Rent Geared to Income (RGI) housing programs by Community Housing Providers.

Community Housing Providers with Operating and Mortgage Agreements for Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) housing are nearing or have reached their expiry. As a result, new service agreements or exit agreements must be established in accordance with the recent amendments to the Housing Services Act, 2011.

Key priorities in the Community Housing Strategic Framework include maximizing available funding, meeting legislated housing targets, and preserving rent-geared-to-income (RGI) units.

The amendments to the Housing Services Act, 2011 (HSA) provide an opportunity for the City to assess the individual needs of each Housing Provider, ensuring the preservation of RGI units.

As provincially funded projects transition into the End of Mortgage period, the City’s primary objective is to support and protect them, to ensure the ongoing availability of 1,569 RGI housing units, with the goal being that the City is able to meet these contractual obligations within Council approved annual budgets.

Baseline rules for service agreements include:

  • Must have a term of at least 10 years;
  • Service Managers must provide funding for rent-geared-to-income (RGI) assistance, equal to the difference between 30% of household’s net income and the unit’s rent/housing charge;
  • Must include a minimum 5-year financial plan developed jointly by Service Manager and housing provider to address how:
    • Providers’ revenues will meet expenditures, including projected capital expenditures;
    • Unit rents/housing charges in the housing project will be set;
  • Service Managers may provide additional funding;
  • Must specify a target or range of units that will receive RGI or an alternate form of assistance; and
  • Must continue to fill RGI units through the Service Manager’s subsidized housing wait list based on existing rules.

Alternatively, if a Housing Provider and/or a Service Manager do not wish to enter a new service agreement, an Exit Agreement is required. Provincial Reformed Providers that wish to exit must continue to provide RGI to existing tenants and must continue to operate the project as an affordable housing project. For projects that are sold, the proceeds of the sale of the project must go towards affordable housing. Exit Agreements are intended to ensure that existing tenants are not displaced, and longstanding public investments are preserved.

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