[00:00:03]
AND I'LL CALL OUR GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE MEETING FOR MONDAY, JULY 25, 2022, TO ORDER.
[1. Opening Statement]
AND I WILL BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIVES IS LOCATED IN CHIEF DRYGEESE TERRITORY.FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL, IT'S BEEN THE TRADITIONAL LAND OF THE YELLOWKNIVES DENE FIRST NATION.
WE RESPECT THE HISTORIES, LANGUAGES AND CULTURES OF ALL OTHER INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, INCLUDING THE NORTH SLAVE MÉTIS AND ALL FIRST NATIONS, MÉTIS AND INUIT, WHOSE PRESENCE CONTINUES TO ENRICH OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY.
[2. Approval of the agenda]
NEXT, WE HAVE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.ANYTHING FURTHER TO ADD MS. BASSI-KELLETT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST AND THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF.
DOES ANY MEMBER HAVE A PECUNIARY INTEREST TODAY? SEEING NONE.
[4. A memorandum regarding 2022 Second Quarter Forecast and Variance Report]
NEXT WE HAVE A MEMORANDUM REGARDING THE 2022 SECOND QUARTER FORECAST AND VARIANCE REPORT.MS. BASSI-KELLETT IF YOU'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE ITEM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WITH PLEASURE.
AND AS WE WORK TO EMERGE FROM COVID AND OF COURSE, CONDUCT THE BUSINESS AND DELIVER THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT THE CITY DOES, WE'RE DOING SO IN THIS CURRENT CONTEXT OF INCREASED INTEREST RATES, SO MUCH GLOBAL VOLATILITY, THE COST OF FUEL INCREASING AND SIGNIFICANT INFLATION.
SO WE'RE NOT EXACTLY RETURNING TO NORMAL POST-COVID.
HALFWAY THROUGH OUR YEAR, OF COURSE, BOTH OUR REVENUES AND EXPENSES ARE SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN BUDGETED AND WHEN TAKEN TOGETHER THESE PROJECTED 2022 SURPLUS AND OF COURSE, AGAIN, SURPLUS MEANS NOT THAT WE'RE SITTING ON BAGS OF CASH, BUT SURPLUS MEANS IT'S GROWTH IN OUR OVERALL NET WORTH.
SO WE'RE SEEING A SURPLUS FOR 2022 OF $12.7 MILLION DOLLARS PROJECTED AT THIS TIME.
THIS IS A GOOD THING BECAUSE WE HAVE TO STRESS IT IS A PROJECTION.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE IMPACTING THIS, INCLUDING FUEL COSTS, SUPPLY CHAIN AND VACANCIES.
ALL OF THESE THINGS IMPACT WHAT OUR BOTTOM LINE AND ACHIEVEMENTS WILL LOOK LIKE.
AND WE DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE BOTH FAVORABLE AND UNFAVORABLE VARIANCES THAT CAN COME INTO EFFECT.
OUR CAPITAL BUDGET DOES HAVE A LOT OF CARRY FORWARDS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS AND WE DO EXPECT THIS TO CONTINUE AS PROJECTS ARE JUST LIKE WITH O&M, THEY'RE HIT AS WELL WITH SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, SCHEDULING DEMANDS THAT OUR CONTRACTORS ARE SEEKING TO WORK AROUND.
AND AGAIN, JUST LIKE AT THE CITY, THERE IS HUMAN CAPACITY ISSUES AS WELL.
SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO PRESENT THIS TODAY.
ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS. DISCUSSION FROM COUNCIL? COUNCILLOR MORGAN. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I HAD SEVERAL QUESTIONS JUST TO UNDERSTAND BETTER WHERE WE'RE AT HERE.
THE FIRST COUPLE RELATE TO STATEMENTS IN THE INITIAL SUMMARY.
SO I GUESS FUNDING THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO RECEIVE FROM OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT RELATED TO CAPITAL EXPENSES ARE LOWER THAN BUDGET DUE TO THE AVAILABILITY OF CONTRACTORS AND DELAYS IN SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS.
CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN HOW THOSE ARE CONNECTED? IS IT THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND MONEY FIRST BEFORE WE GET GRANTS OR FUNDING AGREEMENTS? MONEY TRANSFERED TO US? YEAH, A BIT OF AN ACCOUNTING THING.
THAT'S EXACTLY IT. I'LL ASK MS. WOODWARD TO EXPLAIN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
WHEN WE ARE ADVISED THAT WE ARE GOING TO RECEIVE GOVERNMENT OR FUNDING FROM HIGHER ORDERS OF GOVERNMENT FOR A PARTICULAR PROJECT, WE KNOW WE HAVE THAT AMOUNT TO WORK WITH. BUT FROM AN ACCOUNTING STANDPOINT, WE DON'T RECOGNIZE IT IN OUR BOOK, SO TO SPEAK, UNTIL WE ACTUALLY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF SPENDING IT.
SO WHEN WE HAVE, AS MS. BASSI-KELLETT REFERRED TO A LOT OF CARRYFORWARDS BECAUSE WE'RE JUST IN MANY CASES YOU'RE FINDING IT CHALLENGING TO SPEND THE MONEY ON SCHEDULE.
SO WE'RE NOT RECOGNIZING THAT REVENUE AS WELL.
IT'S THERE. IT'S WAITING FOR US.
IT'S JUST, AS THE MAYOR POINTED OUT, AN ACCOUNTING THING.
OKAY. THANKS FOR THAT EXPLANATION.
MY SECOND QUESTION, SO LISTED UNDER INCREASED CONTRACTOR EXPENSES, ONE OF THE THINGS IS PROPERTY RELIEF ENHANCEMENTS FOR INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SPACES. I DON'T RECALL WHAT THAT IS ABOUT.
CAN ADMINISTRATION EXPLAIN OR REMIND US? THAT ONE WAS SOME COVID FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVED BUT MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SO IN PART, IT'S THE THE OUTDOOR EXPENDITURES THAT I'LL ASK MS. THISTLE TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF ELABORATION ON.
[00:05:07]
MS. THISTLE IF YOU COULD ADD TO THE DISCUSSION AROUND THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE TO SPEND MORE MONEY ON OUTDOOR PROPERTY ENHANCEMENTS.THANK YOU. YES. AS PART OF THE COUNCIL'S MOTION WITH RESPECT TO THE COVID FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVED.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND STRATEGY WORKED WITH PLANNING AND LAND TO DEVELOP A VARIETY OF INITIATIVES.
ONE WAS THE OUTDOOR SPACE PROGRAM, WHICH IS REALLY AIMED AT BUSINESSES DURING COVID, HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND THEIR SPACE, WHETHER THAT WAS RETAIL, RESTAURANT, ANYTHING IN THAT NATURE.
WE ALSO RAN THE INDOOR IMPROVEMENT SPACE GRANT WHEN IT GOT A LITTLE BIT COLDER, AND THAT ONE REVOLVED AROUND ANY ADJUSTMENTS THAT PROPERTY OWNERS MIGHT NEED TO DO TO ADJUST THEIR BUSINESS INTERIOR SO THAT THEY COULD STILL ACCOMMODATE PATRONS THROUGHOUT COVID.
AND THEN MORE RECENTLY, WE'VE LAUNCHED THE YELLOWKNIFE BUSINESS SERVICES GRANT, AND THAT IS REALLY AIMED AT HELPING BUSINESSES TRANSITION FROM IN THE PEAK OF COVID TO NOW REOPENING SUBSEQUENT TO COVID, HOPEFULLY.
BUT THAT BUSINESS SERVICES GRANT WAS AIMED AT THAT.
SO WE'RE ALMOST AT THE END OF THAT.
SO THAT WAS THE VARIETY OF PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFERED AS A RESULT OF THE COVID FUNDING THAT COUNCIL GAVE US PURSUANT TO THE MOTION AND SPRING OF I BELIEVE IT WAS SPRING OF 2021.
I GUESS THE ASPECT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS THAT IF HOW OUR EXPENSES CAN BE HIGHER THAN BUDGETED IN THAT REGARD, I HAD THE IMPRESSION WE HAD SORT OF A FIXED BUDGET FOR THOSE THINGS AND WE WOULD YOU KNOW, OFFER THOSE GRANTS OR RELIEF ON LICENSE FEES OR WHATEVER IT WAS UP TO THE BUDGETED AMOUNT.
AND THEN IF THE MONEY RUNS OUT, THEN WE STOP OFFERING IT.
BUT HOW HOW IS IT THAT IT CAN BE THOSE EXPENSES CAN BE HIGHER THAN BUDGETED? IS IT THE REVENUE WAS RECOGNIZED IN 2021 WITH THE EXPENSES RECOGNIZED IN 2022? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IT'S CERTAINLY IN PART I'LL ASK MS. THISTLE TO ELABORATE.
YES, THAT'S DEFINITELY PART OF IT.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WE ARE NOT OVER BUDGET.
ALSO, I BELIEVE THAT STATEMENT WAS AIMED AT THE SENIORS AND PROPERTY TAX THAT THAT WAS HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED WHEN BUDGET IT NOT SO MUCH THE GRANTS THAT WERE OFFERED TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AN STRATEGY.
I THINK IT COULD BE HELPFUL IN THE FUTURE.
I SEE ON PAGE THREE OF THE GPC MEMO IT HAS THE EXPLANATION OF REVENUE VARIANCES, SAYING GRANTS AND TRANSFERS ARE HIGHER DUE TO THE RELOCATION OF VISITOR CENTER IN CANADA [INAUDIBLE]. AND THEN IN THE EXPENSES, THE COSTS ARE HIGHER BECAUSE OF THESE TWO.
SORRY COUNCILLOR MORGAN. YEAH. THANKS FOR THAT.
AND SO THEN I JUST HAD A FEW SPECIFIC QUESTIONS UNDER CAPITAL PROJECT VARIANCES MOSTLY.
WELL, A FEW THINGS THAT I WASN'T EXPECTING AND THINGS THAT ARE BEING DELAYED.
THE FIRST ONE HAS TO DO WITH SO THE LINE ITEM IS CS LAND FUND CAPITAL PROJECTS.
I'M ASSUMING THAT MEANS COMMUNITY SERVICES LAND FUND CAPITAL PROJECTS.
AND SO I WASN'T CLEAR WHICH LAND FUND PROJECTS WERE UNDER COMMUNITY SERVICES.
SO JUST CLARIFYING WHICH PROJECTS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
AND, AND THE EXPLANATION IS THAT ALL 1.9 MILLION ALLOCATED FOR THAT WAS HAS BEEN DELAYED OR PUSHED FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR DUE TO LACK OF RESOURCES.
I JUST WONDERED IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN WHAT'S HAPPENED THERE.
THAT ONE'S THE NIVEN LAKE RAVINE TRAIL.
AND SO IN OUR BUDGETS UNDER THE LAND DEVELOPMENT FUND.
AND SO THAT'S BEEN PLANNED IN THE WORKS FOR SOME TIME.
IT'S A CAPACITY ISSUE AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF MR. WHITE HAS ANYTHING HE'D LIKE TO ADD ON THAT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT REMAINS ON OUR BOOKS.
IT'S A COMMITMENT THAT WE HAVE AND WE'VE JUST BEEN A LITTLE BIT STRETCHED.
[00:10:06]
THANKS. YEAH.NO, THAT'S TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE.
PERHAPS IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, WE CAN LOOK AT YOU KNOW, REALISTICALLY, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE THE RESOURCES OR SHOULD WE? WELL, I GUESS IT'S THERE.
SO WE HAVE TO JUST KEEP LISTENING EAR TO EAR UNTIL WE OKAY. NEXT QUESTION. SO UNDER REGULAR LAND FUND PROJECTS LOOKS LIKE OUT OF ABOUT 3.5 MILLION BUDGETED, ONLY $600,000 HAS BEEN SPENT.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE THERE WAS ALSO SOME BUDGETED FUNDS IN 2021 NOT BEING SPENT.
I ASSUME THIS IS, AGAIN, THE CAPACITY ISSUE, MAYBE MORE IN THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SIDE, BUT I WONDERED IF I COULD ALSO GET AN EXPLANATION FOR WHY WE'RE STILL STRUGGLING ON THE REGULAR LAND FUND PROJECTS.
MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF CONTRIBUTION OR A NUMBER OF REASONS BEHIND THIS, BUT A BIG ONE FOR US.
WE'VE GOT FUNDS THAT WILL BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE SURVEYING COSTS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR ANY OF THE LANDS THAT WE GET FROM THE GNWT AS COUNCIL DIRECTION HAS BEEN, THAT WE SEEK THE TRANSFER OF ALL VACANT COMMISSIONERS LAND.
AND IN ORDER TO DO SO, WE DO NEED TO HAVE THAT SURVEYED.
THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE BUDGET AND CERTAINLY WE'RE WAITING ON THE GNWT TO FINALIZE THE MOU.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON WITH THEM FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
I'LL ASK MS.. WHITE IF SHE CAN EXPAND ON THIS.
THERE'S A BUNCH OF PIECES THAT ARE TIED TO THAT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
HAVE WE GOTTEN ANY COMMITMENT FROM THE GNWT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE LAND SURVEYING? MS. BASSI-KELLETT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE GNWT DEPARTMENT OF LANDS ON AN MOU THAT WOULD OUTLINE THE COMMITMENT FOR THE TRANSFER OF VACANT COMMISSIONERS LAND WITHIN THE MUNICIPAL BOUNDARY TO THE CITY.
THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY. I KNOW WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO MOVE A LITTLE FASTER.
WOULDN'T WE ALL LIKE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN? IN THE MEANTIME, WE CONTINUE TO BRING FORWARD LAND APPLICATIONS THAT ARE MEETING THE PRIORITY SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE SET UP INTERNALLY.
FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S SOME NO BRAINERS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CLEAR OFF, LIKE MUNICIPAL ROADS.
SOME ARE STILL OWNED BY THE GNWT.
WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH FOR THOSE, BUT FOR THE ACTUAL DEVELOPMENT OF LAND, WE WANT TO REALLY SEE THE TRANSFER OF THAT VACANT COMMISSIONERS LAND HAPPEN SO IT CAN BE SURVEYED, AND THAT'S BEEN HELD UP A LITTLE BIT.
I'LL ASK MS. WHITE IF SHE HAS ANYTHING SHE'D LIKE TO ADD.
NO. NOTHING TO ADD AT THIS TIME.
THANKS FOR ADMINISTRATION'S CONTINUED EFFORTS ON THAT ONE.
I DON'T REMEMBER HEARING ABOUT THAT BEFORE, BUT I WONDERED IF WE COULD GET AN EXPLANATION WHAT THAT WAS ABOUT? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. OH, THIS WILL BE FUN WITH MR. GREENCORN OFF SICK TODAY.
[LAUGHTER] SO THIS IS CERTAINLY FOR PART OF OUR WORK ON THE REMEDIATION OF DIFFERENT AREAS OUT OF THE SOLID WASTE FACILITY THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S GROUNDCOVER THAT GOES ON TO AREAS WHERE WE ARE CAPPING OFF VARIOUS CELLS.
THANK YOU. OK AND WELL, THE NEXT TWO QUESTIONS ARE ALSO PUBLIC WORKS. SO I UNDERSTAND OUR DIRECTOR'S AWAY, BUT I WAS WONDERING WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH THE LAGOON CONTROL STRUCTURE AND THE SLUDGE REMOVAL PROJECT.
BUT I WONDERED IF ADMINISTRATION COULD EXPLAIN WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'LL TRY MY BEST, BUT APOLOGIES IN ADVANCE.
IT MAY BE A LITTLE HIGH LEVEL.
SO THE LAGOON DESLUDGING, I LOVE THAT WORD, IS A VERY IMPORTANT PROJECT FOR US TO DO.
IT HASN'T BEEN DONE IN OUR SEWAGE LAGOON FOR A NUMBER OF DECADES, WE'LL PUT IT THAT WAY.
FOR THIS DESLUDGING TO TAKE PLACE.
WE'VE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF COMPLEXITY WITH THE LAND USE TO GET ACCESS SO THAT THIS ROAD CAN BE BUILT THAT CAN THEN ENSURE THAT THE DESLUDGING IS ABLE TO PROCEED.
[00:15:01]
SO THESE ARE BIGGER PROJECTS THAN JUST THE DESLUDGING THEMSELVES AND WE'RE REALLY HOPING TO EXPEDITE THEM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.THANK YOU. AND MY LAST QUESTION IS AROUND THE SUBMARINE WATER LINE.
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S ALSO DELAYS AROUND THAT ONE.
SO I WONDERED IF WE COULD GET AN UPDATE? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
AND THIS, OF COURSE, IS A MASSIVE PROJECT, A VERY EXCITING PROJECT FROM AN ENGINEERING POINT OF VIEW AS WE LOOK TO RECONSTRUCT AND INSTALL A NEW PIPELINE FROM THE MOUTH OF THE YELLOWKNIFE RIVER AT THE WELEDEH SITE, ALL THE WAY THROUGH YELLOWKNIFE BAY, UP TO OUR WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
WE'VE GOT THE ENGINEERING CONSULTING CONTRACTS ARE OUT, THE DESIGN WORK IS UNDERWAY.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE SOME THINGS THAT WE NEED TO WORK THROUGH RIGHT NOW THAT THE ENGINEERS ARE CONTEMPLATING AROUND HOW THE PIPELINE WILL EITHER GO UNDER THE BRIDGE AT THE YELLOWKNIFE RIVER OR WHETHER OR NOT IT WILL HAVE TO GO OVER LAND .
AND THESE ARE PARTS OF THE PROJECT THAT WE'RE NAVIGATING THROUGH.
WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE WITH THE DMAF FUNDING WE HAVE THAT FUNDING IT NEEDS TO BE SPENT BY 2028, IF I RECALL THAT, BOY THE WAY, YEARS FLY BY THAT IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF TIME IT'S NOT.
SO WE'RE WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY TO KEEP THIS ON TRACK AS MUCH AS WE CAN, AND ALSO, OF COURSE, TO SEEK OUT THE REMAINING 25% OF THE FUNDING FOR THIS $34 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT, $34 MILLION DOLLARS BEFORE COVID.
SO WE ARE WATCHING QUITE CAREFULLY WITH THE ENGINEERING WORK THAT'S UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW TO SEE WHAT THEIR PROJECTIONS WILL BE OF THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION COSTS, BECAUSE WE KNOW VOLATILITY IS EVERYWHERE.
THANKS FOR THOSE UPDATES. I APPRECIATE IT.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? SEEING NONE.
LET ME JUST SLIDE UP TO THE TOP SORRY.
THAT ONE IS JUST FOR INFORMATION SO THAT WON'T BE BROUGHT FORWARD TO COUNCIL.
NEXT MATTER IS IN CAMERA MATTER STILL UNDER CONSIDERATION.
[5. IN CAMERA]
IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO MOVE IN CAMERA.MOVE BY COUNCILLOR SMITH, SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR KONGE.
ANYBODY OPPOSED SEEING? NONE. WE CAN GO IN CAMERA.
YEAH. AND WE HAVE NO BUSINESS ARISING FROM IN CAMERA.
IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
MOVE BY COUNCILLOR MUFANDAEDZA.
ANYBODY OPPOSED? SEEING NONE WE CAN BE ADJOURNED.
SEE EVERYBODY MONDAY, AUGUST 8TH AT 12:05 P.M..
THAT'S OUR NEXT GPC.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.