Jun 05, 2023 Governance & Priorities Committee

[00:00:01]

AND I'LL CALL OUR GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE MEETING FOR MONDAY, JUNE 5TH, 2023 TO ORDER.

[1. Opening Statement]

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.

AND I'D LIKE TO WELCOME THE MAYOR OF FAIRBANKS NORTH STAR BOROUGH MAYOR BRYCE WARD.

THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY.

AS WELL WE HAVE A GROUP OF RESEARCHERS HERE IN YELLOWKNIFE FOR ABOUT THE NEXT THREE WEEKS.

SO THANKS AGAIN FOR COMING AND ENJOYING A GOOD DISCUSSION OF FEES AND CHARGES AND WHAT WE'LL BE SEEING SOME HEADWINDS PERHAPS IN FOR BUDGET 2024.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT, ANYTHING FURTHER TO ADD TO THE AGENDA?

[2. Approval of the agenda.]

NOTHING ELSE TO ADD TO THOSE TWO VERY EXCITING TOPICS THAT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING TODAY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

NEXT, WE HAVE DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST AN THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF.

SEEING NONE.

NEXT, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION REGARDING FEES AND CHARGES.

[4. A presentation and discussion regarding Fees and Charges.]

SO THANK YOU TO THE CLERK FOR SHARING HIS.

AS COUNCILMEMBERS KNOW, ONE THIRD OF OUR REVENUES COME FROM FEES AND CHARGES.

AND SO IN ADDITION TO GOVERNMENT GRANTS FROM OTHER ORDERS OF GOVERNMENT AND PROPERTY TAXES, FEES AND CHARGES ARE USER BASED, AND THERE ARE ALMOST AS MANY WAYS OF APPROACHING HOW FEES ARE SET AS THERE ARE FEES THEMSELVES THAT WE CHARGE AT THE CITY.

WHILE THESE ARE PART OF EVERY PART OF THE CITY'S OPERATIONS, THEY ARE REALLY PREVALENT IN RECREATION, IN COMMUNITY AND LAND DEVELOPMENT AND IN PUBLIC SAFETY.

I WILL TURN THINGS OVER TO SHAROLYNN WOODWARD, OUR DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE SERVICES, WHO WILL PRESENT ON THE HIGH LEVEL RATIONALE BEHIND OUR FEES.

AND SHE WILL BE JOINED, OF COURSE, BY GRANT WHITE, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICES, WHO WILL SPEAK TO SOME OF THE UNIQUE APPROACHES WE HAVE TO RECREATIONAL FEES AND OF COURSE, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS THAT COME UP ON ANY OTHER PART THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM LOOKS FORWARD TO ANSWERING ANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS RELEVANT TO FEES IN THEIR DEPARTMENTS AS APPROPRIATE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND DESPITE TECHNOLOGY'S BEST EFFORTS, WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD WITH THIS PRESENTATION ON FEES AND CHARGES.

AND AS MS. BASSI-KELLETT MENTIONED, AND AS YOU WILL RECALL FROM BUDGET TIME FEES AND CHARGES ARE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE CITY'S REVENUES.

HOWEVER, THE EXPENSE, THE DIVERSITY AND THE HISTORY OF THIS REVENUE SOURCE, WE HAVE QUITE A COMPLICATED TAPESTRY.

SO THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS TO PROVIDE A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW WITH AN OPPORTUNITY FOR QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSIONS.

I'LL START THE SESSION WITH THE SURVEY OF SOME OF THE MAJOR FEES AND CHARGES AND THE ROLE THEY PLAY IN THE CITY'S FINANCIAL PICTURE.

AND THEN, AS MS. BASSI-KELLETT MENTIONED, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MR. WHITE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE COMMUNITY SERVICES RELATED FEES.

THEN I'LL COME BACK AND JUST PROVIDE SOME HIGH LEVEL POINTS FOR CONSIDERATION.

STARTING WITH SOME BACKGROUND.

OKAY, THIS IS GOING TO BE A TWO HANDED JOB HERE.

STARTING WITH SOME BACKGROUND, AS COMMITTEE IS AWARE CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES ACT STIPULATES THAT WE MUST HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET.

MONEY COMING IN MUST EQUAL MONEY GOING OUT.

A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE MONEY COMING IN IS DERIVED FROM USER FEES AND CHARGES.

IN 2023, THESE FEES AND CHARGES ARE EXPECTED TO CONSTITUTE ABOUT 24% OF THE CITY'S TOTAL REVENUES.

SO WHILE THE CONCEPT OF PAYING DIRECTLY FOR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD ON THE SURFACE, IN REALITY, IT'S ANYTHING BUT.

SO AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS TO PROVIDE SOME INSIGHT ONTO HOW MANY OF THESE ACTUAL FEES AND CHARGES REALLY DO WORK.

GOING BACK PRIOR TO 2007.

WHOOPS. THERE WE GO.

RIGHT HAND. SORRY.

PRIOR TO 2007, USER FEES WERE INCORPORATED INTO THE VARIOUS BYLAWS ASSOCIATED WITH THE NUMEROUS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE CITY.

AND I THINK BECAUSE THOSE FEES AND CHARGES WERE CONSIDERED ONLY IN THE CONTEXT OF THOSE ASSOCIATED PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, THEY REALLY REFLECTED THE UNIQUE NATURE OF

[00:05:09]

AND MAYBE THAT UNIQUENESS WASN'T REALLY APPARENT WHEN THEY WERE IN INDIVIDUAL BYLAWS.

IN 2007, ALL OF THE FEES AND CHARGES WERE CONSOLIDATED INTO ONE BYLAW, NOT A FLIMSY PACKAGE OF PAPER HERE.

THAT WAS DONE TO PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY AND TO SIMPLIFY THE ADMINISTRATION ASSOCIATED WITH MAINTAINING ALL OF THESE FEES AND CHARGES.

HOWEVER, I THINK WHAT HAPPENED THEN WAS WHEN THEY WERE ALL AMALGAMATED INTO ONE BYLAW, IT SORT OF IMPLIED THAT THERE WAS A COMMONALITY AMONG ALL OF THESE.

THE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES AND CONDITIONS STILL REMAIN JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE IN ONE BYLAW THEY'RE NOT ALL PAINTED WITH THE SAME BRUSH.

SINCE THE FEES AND CHARGES WERE ALL AMALGAMATED INTO ONE BYLAW, THEY'VE TYPICALLY BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD AT TWO POINTS DURING EACH YEAR, ONCE IN DECEMBER, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE BUDGET TO GET INTO PLACE ANY AMENDMENTS THAT CAME OUT OF COUNCIL'S BUDGET DECISIONS.

AND HISTORICALLY THEY'VE ALSO BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD IN THE SPRING, AS YOU JUST SAW, TO INCORPORATE THE CHANGES RELATED TO COMMUNITY SERVICES FEES.

IN THIS CASE, YOUR BUDGET DECISIONS LAST DECEMBER IMPLIED A 3% INCREASE.

YOU JUST RECENTLY PASSED THOSE BYLAWS.

NOW ALL DEPARTMENTS COLLECT, MANAGE AND USE FEES IN THE DIRECTION OR IN THE DELIVERY OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.

WITHIN CORPORATE SERVICES FEES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE PUBLIC FACING SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT.

FOR THE MOST PART, THE ORIGINAL DETERMINATION OF THESE FEES CAN'T REALLY BE DETERMINED WITH CERTAINTY.

BUT WE THINK THAT MANY OF THEM WERE INITIALLY ESTABLISHED ON A COST RECOVERY BASIS.

WHOOPS. BUSINESS LICENSING FEES WERE PRETTY MUCH INCREASED ACROSS THE BOARD IN 2010, BUT THEY'VE REMAINED RELATIVELY STABLE IN PAST YEARS WITH ONLY MINOR CHANGES IN 2014 THAT SAW FEES FOR NON RESIDENTS INCREASE AND ADJUSTMENTS THAT CAME FORWARD IN 2022 TO ACCOMMODATE SHORT TERM RENTALS.

THIS BYLAW IS SCHEDULED FOR A MAJOR UPDATE AND IF THOSE UPDATES REQUIRE ANY FEES AND CHARGES, AMENDMENTS, BOTH BYLAWS WILL COME FORWARD TOGETHER. WE CHARGE FOR TAX CERTIFICATES.

THOSE CHARGES WERE RAISED MARGINALLY IN 2019 AND THEN BY $15 LAST YEAR TO REFLECT INCREASED COSTS IN PROVIDING THAT SERVICE.

NSF CHARGES THEY HAVEN'T BEEN CHANGED SINCE 2007, BUT THEY'RE SLATED FOR AN UPDATE HERE PRETTY QUICK.

TAX AND UTILITY INFORMATION REQUESTS, THOSE ARE CHARGED ONLY WHEN THEY REQUIRE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF STAFF TIME.

THEY WERE UPDATED LAST YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER 15 YEARS.

THE CURRENT LOTTERY LICENSING FEES AND REVENUES ARE UNCHANGED RELATIVELY FROM WHEN THE GNWT HANDED DOWN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF LOTTERY LICENSING IN 1997 AS PART OF THEIR COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT POLICY.

THE ONLY UPDATE OF NOTE WAS MADE IN JULY OF 2014, WHICH INTRODUCED LOWER FEES FOR EVENTS THAT HAD A TOTAL PRIZE OF LESS THAN $1,000 IN AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE THOSE SMALLER EVENTS MORE COST EFFECTIVE.

THIS BYLAW IS ALSO UNDER REVIEW AND IT'S ANTICIPATED THAT AMENDMENTS WILL BE COMING FORWARD.

AND AGAIN, IF THOSE AMENDMENTS REQUIRE CHANGES TO FEES AND CHARGES, EVERYTHING WILL COME FORWARD AT THE SAME TIME.

THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT FEES ARE LOOSELY BASED ON CHARGES IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS AND ON STAFF TIME REQUIREMENTS. DEVELOPMENT PERMIT FEES INCLUDE CHARGES FOR PERMITS RELATED TO RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, ADDITIONS, DECKS, FENCES, ACCESSORY STRUCTURES, HOME BASED BUSINESSES, SIGNS, AS WELL AS CHARGES FOR SERVICES RELATED TO REQUESTS FOR DISCRETIONARY USE, CHANGE OF USE, VARIANCES, PERMIT CHANGES, COMPLIANCE LETTERS, ZONING, BYLAW AND COMMUNITY PLAN AMENDMENTS AND APPEALS.

A LONG LIST IT WAS OVERHAULED IN 2019 AND SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE IMPLEMENTED IN 2022.

THE LAND PURCHASE FEE HAS REMAINED CONSTANT FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND CHARGES RELATED TO LAND LEASES HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED INCREMENTALLY.

WITH THE LAST CHANGE BACK IN 2013, WHEN THE ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY DEPOSIT ON QUARRY USE WAS INCREASED.

[00:10:07]

THEY LAY OUT THE CHARGES FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION RENOVATIONS AND DEMOLITIONS AND ALSO INCLUDE FEES FOR MECHANICAL PERMITS, COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATES AND FILE INFORMATION REQUESTS. ALONG WITH THE RELATIVELY NEW CHARGES TO ENCOURAGE THE TIMELY SUBMISSION OF PAPERWORK.

PUBLIC WORKS FEES COVER A WIDE VARIETY OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, STARTING WITH TRANSIT.

THOSE FEES WERE INITIALLY BASED ON FEES IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BALANCED BY A FAIR AND REASONABLE ADJUSTMENT SO THAT THE RATES WOULD NOT DISCOURAGE RESIDENTS FROM RIDING THE BUS.

SINCE 2007, ONLY MINOR ADJUSTMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE.

THIS INCLUDED THE MOST RECENT ONES EFFECTIVE THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY 2019.

THEY INTRODUCED ANNUAL PASSES AND MADE SOME MINOR CHANGES FOR CONSISTENCY.

TRANSIT ADVERTISING FEES WERE ALSO INITIALLY BASED ON COMPARABLE RATES IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS.

THEY HAVEN'T CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE AT LEAST 2007, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE 2016 INTRODUCTION OF DIFFERING RATES FOR EXPRESS AND REGULAR ROUTES AND THE SWITCH FROM MONTHLY TO WEEKLY RATES FOR POSTERS.

SCFA FEES ARE INTENDED TO GENERATE REVENUE TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIRS REQUIRED IN AN AVERAGE YEAR.

THE MONTHLY FEES HAVE INCREASED MOST OF THE YEARS BETWEEN 2007 AND 2012, BUT THEY REMAIN UNCHANGED SINCE THEN.

WATER AND SEWER RATES WERE HISTORICALLY INCREASED BY A MODEST AMOUNT EACH YEAR.

BUT RECENT BUDGET DECISIONS HAVE MAINTAINED THESE WATER AND SEWER RATES AT THEIR 2020 LEVEL.

AS THE WATER AND SEWER FUND IS IN A PRETTY SOLID POSITION.

AS PER COUNCIL'S DIRECTION, THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL, THE WATER AND SEWER RATE STRUCTURE IS UNDER REVIEW AND THE RESULTS OF THIS ANALYSIS AND ENSUING RECOMMENDATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO COME FORWARD LATER THIS YEAR.

AS PER COUNCIL DIRECTION AS WELL, TIPPING AND SOLID WASTE FEES ARE BASED ON A USER PAY SYSTEM WITH RATES SET TO ACHIEVE COST RECOVERY.

THESE FEES HAVE INCREASED MOST YEARS SINCE 2007 AND WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO DO SO BECAUSE OF THE 2014 REQUIREMENT TO RECOGNIZE A SIGNIFICANT LANDFILL CLOSURE LIABILITY PUT THE SOLID WASTE FUND WAY INTO THE RED.

PUBLIC SAFETY FEES ALSO ENCOMPASS A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES, ANIMAL LICENSING, MED, FIRE DIVISION.

ANIMAL LICENSING FEES HAVEN'T CHANGED SINCE 2007.

THEY'VE BEEN DELIBERATELY KEPT LOW TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO REGISTER THEIR PETS.

PARKING METER RATES WERE LAST ADJUSTED IN 2019, AND IN MAY OF 2020, NEW FEES WERE ADDED FOR DAILY PARKING RATES AND TO REFLECT CHARGES THAT WERE BEING COLLECTED FOR PARKING IN THE CITY OWNED 50/50 LOT.

THE ORDERLY USE OF HIGHWAY PERMIT AND SNOWMOBILE LICENSE FEES WERE LAST ADJUSTED IN 2019, WHILE CHAUFFEUR'S PERMIT FEES HAVE REMAINED UNCHANGED SINCE 2007.

TAXI METER FARES WERE LAST INCREASED IN 2019.

LOOKING AT THE FIRE DIVISION.

SOME FEES LIKE THE MEDEVAC RATE, ARE BASED ON COST RECOVERY, WHILE OTHERS, SUCH AS AMBULANCE FEES, ARE TIERED TO CHARGE NON RESIDENTS MORE THAN RESIDENTS.

OTHERS, LIKE THE FALSE ALARM FEES, ARE SET TO SERVE AS DETERRENCE.

FIRE RESPONSE FEES FOR CALLS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS HAVE REMAINED UNCHANGED SINCE AT LEAST 2007, ALTHOUGH A MAXIMUM LIMIT FOR SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING RESPONSES WAS INTRODUCED IN 2011.

THERE WAS A MODEST INCREASE TO MEDICAL TRANSFER FEES WITHIN CITY LIMITS IN 2009, BUT THEY OTHERWISE REMAINED UNCHANGED UNTIL JANUARY OF 2018, WHEN THE FIRST OF THREE ANNUAL INCREASES WAS IMPLEMENTED IN RESPONSE TO DIRECTION PROVIDED BY COUNCIL DURING BUDGET DELIBERATIONS.

SIMILARLY, DURING BUDGET 2023 DELIBERATIONS, YOU AS COUNCIL, DIRECTED ADMINISTRATION TO INCREASE THESE FEES BY 15%, EFFECTIVE THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR. MEDICAL RESPONSE CHARGES ARE RESIDENCY DEPENDENT.

CHARGES FOR YELLOWKNIFE RESIDENTS INCREASED BY ABOUT 12% IN 2009 AND BY ANOTHER 15% THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR.

[00:15:01]

OUT OF TERRITORY RESIDENT CHARGES SAW THE SAME INCREASES.

FALSE ALARM CHARGES WERE INTRODUCED IN 2008 AND AT THAT TIME TOOK EFFECT WITH THE FOURTH CALL TO A PREMISE WITHIN A CALENDAR YEAR.

IN 2010, THEY WERE CHANGED TO TAKE EFFECT WITH THE THIRD CALL.

AND IN MAY OF 2018, THE CHARGE PER RESPONSE WENT FROM $1000 TO $2500.

CHARGES FOR RESPONSES OUTSIDE OF THE MUNICIPAL BOUNDARIES INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY IN 2008 .

THEN IN 2011 HOURLY AND OVERTIME CHARGES WERE ADDED AND OF COURSE 15% WAS ADDED AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR.

IN 2014, FALSE ALARM CHARGES OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS WERE IMPLEMENTED TO TAKE EFFECT AFTER THE FIRST CALL IN A CALENDAR YEAR, AND THEY WERE INCREASED TO $2,500 IN 2018.

AND THAT BRINGS US TO COMMUNITY SERVICES.

I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MR. WHITE.

I BROUGHT OLD SCHOOL JUST IN CASE.

[LAUGHTER] OKAY.

SO THIS.

THERE WE GO.

YES. AND THIS BRINGS US TO THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND OUR STARTING WITH THE MANDATE.

THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES BEHIND THE COMMUNITY SERVICES RELATED FEES ARE BASED ON THE COUNCIL ESTABLISHED MANDATE FOR THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH INCLUDES THE NEED TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A DIVERSITY OF RECREATION PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PEOPLE OF YELLOWKNIFE.

PLAN, DEVELOP, AND OPERATE A VARIETY OF FACILITIES IN A MANNER THAT WILL PROVIDE FAIR AND EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WIDE RANGE OF INTERESTS AT A MINIMUM COST TO THE TAXPAYERS AND THE PARTICIPANTS.

CONTINUALLY ANALYZE PROGRAMS AND ASSESS FACILITIES TO ENSURE THEY MEET THE EVER CHANGING NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND COOPERATE WITH RECREATION AGENCIES TO ASSIST WHERE POSSIBLE, AN TO COORDINATE THE TOTAL COMMUNITY RECREATION SYSTEM AND TO PROVIDE AN ACCEPTABLE PROGRAM AND FACILITY FOR LIBRARY USERS. IN ESTABLISHING THIS MANDATE, THE COUNCIL OF THE DAY RECOGNIZED THAT IT WOULD BE VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SUCCEED RELYING EXCLUSIVELY ON TAXPAYER SUPPORT.

AND SO A SYSTEM OF FEES AND CHARGES WOULD HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED AS A SUPPLEMENTAL MEANS OF FINANCING DEPARTMENT OBJECTIVES.

SORRY. I LOST IT.

IT FURTHER IDENTIFIED THE FOLLOWING BASIC PRINCIPLES AS A GENERAL RATIONALE FOR THE FEES AND CHARGES A SERVICE SO VITAL TO THE BUILDING OF CHARACTER AND CITIZENSHIP AS RECREATION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN THE SAME LIGHT AS PUBLIC EDUCATION.

LIKE EDUCATION RECREATION IS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR BASIC SERVICES SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO ALL.

THE CONCEPT OF PUBLIC RECREATION AS A MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT FUNCTION JUSTIFYING TAX SUPPORT IS BASED ON THE PROVISION OF BASIC SERVICES WHICH CAN BE ENJOYED BY THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITY.

THE FINANCIAL POLICIES OF THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE SHOULD BE EVALUATED BASED ON ITS EFFECT ON ALL SEGMENTS OF THE POPULATION, RECOGNIZING THAT EXCESSIVE FEES AND CHARGES BY THE CITY WILL TEND TO RESTRICT PARTICIPATION OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES OR OTHER GROUPS WHO CAN LEAST AFFORD TO PAY.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE COUNCIL OF THE DAY ALSO RECOGNIZED THAT A FEE PLACES A VALUE ON THE ACTIVITY AND ESTABLISHES A COMMITMENT BY THE PARTICIPANT.

NO CHARGE FOR SCHOOLS TO BRING STUDENTS FOR BASIC OPPORTUNITIES AND SERVICES ABOVE A BASIC STANDARD MUST BE PAID FOR IN PART BY THE PARTICIPANT.

THIS LEADS TO THE COMMUNITY SERVICES POLICY STATEMENTS REGARDING FEES, WHICH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING, PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS, OUTDOOR RINKS, PUBLIC LIBRARY MEETING ROOMS AND COMMUNITY TENNIS COURTS ARE CONSIDERED A BASIC SERVICE AND NO RENTAL CHARGE IS ASSESSED, PROVIDED THERE ARE NO ADMISSION CHARGE BY A GROUP AND EXCLUSIVE USE IS NOT REQUIRED.

UNDER THE JOINT USE AGREEMENTS WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR DAY TIME USE OF CITY OWNED RECREATION FACILITIES BY THE SCHOOLS AND IN RETURN, THE COMMUNITY

[00:20:07]

THE CITY, IN TURN, IS THEN THE BOOKING AGENT FOR THE COMMUNITY USE OF THE SCHOOLS FOR WHICH THE CITY RETAINS THE RENTAL FEES TO OFFSET THE COSTS INCURRED BY THE CITY FOR SCHOOL USE DURING THE DAY.

FACILITY USE CHARGES ARE BASED ON THE HOURLY OPERATIONAL COSTS WITH THE INTENT THAT ADULT GROUPS PAY 100% AND YOUTH PAY 50%.

AND THE HOURLY OPERATIONAL COST CURRENTLY USED AS A BASIS FOR THE FEE CALCULATIONS DO NOT INCLUDE INSURANCE, AMORTIZATION OR ANY OF THE CARRYING COSTS.

PROGRAM REGISTRATION FEES ARE SET TO RECOVER COSTS, INCLUDING MATERIAL, FACILITY RENTAL AND FACILITATOR COSTS.

SO HOW ARE FEES DETERMINED? THE FEES AND CHARGES PROCEDURE PROVIDES GUIDING PRINCIPLES IN DETERMINING HOW FEES WILL BE ESTABLISHED.

THE BASIS FOR THE VARIOUS FEES ASSESSED IS THE COST TO OPERATE THE FACILITY, WHICH IS THEN DIVIDED BY THE COST OR SORRY, IS ARRIVED AT BY DIVIDING THE COST TO OPERATE THE FACILITY BY THE NUMBER OF HOURS THE FACILITY IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC USE.

HOWEVER, UP UNTIL THE 2000S, USER FEES INCREASED SLIGHTLY ANNUALLY BY 1 TO 2%. IN THE EARLY 2000S, THERE WAS AN UNANTICIPATED INCREASE IN UTILITIES THAT INCREASED THE HOURLY COST SUBSTANTIALLY.

WHEN WE BROUGHT THE RATE STRUCTURE FORWARD IN THE USUAL MANNER, WE WERE LOOKING AT A 12 TO 15% INCREASE AND THERE WAS BASICALLY A MARCH ON COUNCIL CHAMBERS THAT EVENING WHEN IT WAS BEING DELIBERATED BY COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION, WAS DIRECTED TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY GROUPS AND ARRIVE AT SOMETHING THAT IS A MORE PALATABLE SCENARIO FOR ALL.

AND THAT'S WHERE THE 3% INCREASE WAS ESTABLISHED.

WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY GROUPS, IT WAS THE 3% WAS SOMETHING THAT EACH ORGANIZATION CAN LIVE WITH ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, AND IT GAVE THE CITY THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK AT ESTABLISHING VARIOUS ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEASURES TO MAKE OUR OPERATIONS MORE EFFICIENT. SINCE THAT TIME, THERE HAVE BEEN ONGOING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE FACILITIES TO DECREASE THESE COSTS.

WE'VE UPGRADED LIGHTING.

WE INSTALLED PELLET HEAT, REPLACEMENT OF AN INSTALLATION OF RECOVERY SYSTEMS ON BOTH ICE PLANTS.

WE'VE UPGRADED BOILERS, UPGRADING THE AIR HANDLING UNITS HAVE ALL ASSISTED IN HELPING US REACH THESE EFFICIENT OPERATIONS.

THERE IS A POTENTIAL DRAMATIC INCREASE IN UTILITY COSTS WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CARBON TAX.

SO ONCE THERE'S BEEN A FULL YEARS OF OPERATION WITH THAT TAX IN PLACE, WE'LL HAVE A BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO EVALUATE.

WOAH. APOLOGIES.

SO WALKING THROUGH THE FEES ANALYSIS, THE RUTH INCH MEMORIAL POOL IS OUR MOST COSTLY FACILITY TO OPERATE.

OTHER THAN THE POOL BASIN ITSELF, THERE'S REALLY NO OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO OFFSET ANY OF THE OPERATIONAL COSTS.

THERE'S NO ADDED LEASE SPACE, THERE'S NO ADDED RENTAL SPACES, ETCETERA.

SO LOOKING AT THE CHART, YOU'LL SEE THAT OUR COST TO OPERATE IS $347 AN HOUR, WHICH MEANS AS PER POLICY, THE ADULT RATE WOULD BE $347 PER HOUR. HOWEVER, THE FEES AND CHARGES BYLAW INDICATES THAT THE RENTAL RATE IS $229 PER HOUR, WHICH MEANS THAT THE SUBSIDY THE CITY IS SUBSIDIZING ADULTS BY 35%.

AND THEN WORKING DOWN THE CHART, YOU'LL SEE YOUTH AND SENIORS AT 50% $114.25.

ADULT AND YOUTH. WHENEVER THERE'S SHARED USE, EQUALLY SHARED USE BETWEEN ADULT GROUPS AND YOUTH GROUPS, IT'S A 75% SUBSIDY AS PER POLICY.

AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THOSE NUMBERS VARY AWAY FROM OUR CURRENT POLICY.

THE FIELDHOUSE HOURLY RATE.

THEY'VE ALSO INCREASED ANNUALLY 3% AS PER BYLAW ON THE EXPENSE SIDE OF THE EQUATION DUE TO KEY IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING THE HEAT RECOVERY FROM THE MULTIPLEX ICE PLANT AND THE PELLET BOILER. THE ANNUAL COST TO OPERATE THE FACILITY HAS NOT INCREASED AS THE SAME RATE AS OTHER FACILITIES.

AND AS ILLUSTRATED IN THE CHART, THE USER FEE HAS ACTUALLY SURPASSED THE COST TO OPERATE.

SO $135 TO OPERATE THE FACILITIES.

SORRY, THE FEES AND CHARGES POLICY IS FEES AND CHARGES BY LAW IS $148.25, $74.25 FOR YOUTH AND SENIORS.

[00:25:04]

WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ARENAS, WE LOOK AT ALL THREE A SURFACES.

THE COST TO OPERATE THE ALL 3A SURFACES IS $268 PER HOUR.

YOU'LL SEE THE ADULT RATE AT $211.

HALF OF THAT IS THE YOUTH SENIORS RATE.

AND OF COURSE, 75% OF THAT IS THE ADULT YOUTH SHARED RATE WITH THE SUBSIDIES ON THE TWO RIGHT HAND COLUMNS.

OH, [INAUDIBLE]. SORRY.

BALL DIAMONDS AND SPORTS FIELDS ARE UNIQUE IN THAT WITH THE OTHER FACILITIES, THE OPEN HOURS CLOSELY MATCH THE BOOKING HOURS.

HOWEVER, PARKS ARE OPEN FROM 7:00 IN THE MORNING TILL 11:00 AT NIGHT AND THEY'RE AVAILABLE FOR FREE PUBLIC USE OUTSIDE ANY OF THE ACTUAL TIME BOOKED BY USER GROUPS OR EVEN CASUAL BOOKERS.

FOR THIS EXERCISE, THE HOURLY COST WAS CALCULATED UTILIZING THE ACTUAL COST FOR THE SEASON, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY MAY TO SEPTEMBER, MAYBE APRIL TO SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR.

UTILIZING THE PARKS BYLAW HOURS OF 7 A.M.

TO 11 P.M.

AND OF COURSE, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

SO ALSO UNIQUE TO THE OUTDOOR FIELDS IS THERE IS AN HOURLY CHARGE AS WELL AS A PER SEASON PER TEAM CHARGE.

HOWEVER, FOR THIS EXERCISE WE'VE STUCK JUST TO THE HOURLY COST.

SO YOU'LL SEE THE BALL DIAMONDS COST THE CITY APPROXIMATELY $71 AN HOUR TO OPERATE.

THE FEES AND CHARGES BYLAW IS $45.

SO YOU SEE THE SUBSIDIES AS IT CARRIES THROUGH TO THE RATE.

YOUTH AND SENIORS ARE HALF OF THAT AT $22.50, AND THEN THE ADULT SHARED IS 75% OF THAT.

AND YOU'LL SEE THE SUBSIDIES TO THE RIGHT OF THAT AS WELL.

SPORTS FIELDS. SO THE CITY OWNS AND OPERATES SPORTS FIELD ADJACENT TO SAINT JOE'S SCHOOL.

THE RANGE LAKE SCHOOL FIELD IS OWNED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

HOWEVER, AGAIN, MUCH LIKE THE INDOOR FACILITIES, WE ARE THE BOOKING AGENT FOR THAT FACILITY AND WE RETAIN THOSE FEES FOR ALL THE RENTAL USE THAT GOES ON THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

THE CITY ALSO CARRIES OUT THE MAJORITY OF THE MAINTENANCE ON THE SCHOOL FACILITY.

AND OF COURSE, LIKE I SAID, SAINT JOSEPH'S OURS, AS WE CALL IT, SAINT JOE'S.

BUT IT'S REALLY NOT SAINT JOE'S.

THE ONE ADJACENT TO SAINT JOE'S IS OURS, AND WE MAINTAIN THAT 100%.

CURRENTLY, THE WILLIAM MCDONALD FIELD IS NOT BEING UTILIZED DUE TO THE POOR CONDITION OF THE FIELD.

THE CURLING CLUB.

THE CITY AND THE CURLING CLUB ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT IN 2009 THAT THE CITY, OR THAT INCLUDES THE CITY PAYING ALL THE FACILITIES, UTILITIES, MAJOR MAINTENANCE, SNOW REMOVAL, GARBAGE COLLECTION AND WE COLLECT NO USER FEES FROM THE CLUB.

HOWEVER, IT COST THE CITY $163,600 ANNUALLY.

THE CLUB, MUCH LIKE OTHER USER GROUPS, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN SPECIFIC OPERATIONS WITH ONE DIFFERENCE IS THAT THE CURLING CLUB MAINTAINS THEIR OWN ICE.

SO I KEEP USING MY MOUSE.

THE SIDE DOOR LEASE OF THE MINE RESCUE BUILDING.

THE CITY ENTERED INTO AN ARRANGEMENT BACK IN THE EARLY 19 OR SORRY, THE LATE 1990S, AND OVER TIME THE ARRANGEMENT HAS MOVED FROM A CONTRIBUTION AGREEMENT TO A LEASE TO BETTER REFLECT THE NATURE OF THE USE IN THE ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE SIDE DOOR.

CURRENTLY, THE FULL OPERATIONAL COST OF THE CITY IS $36,700, OF WHICH $33,300 ARE THE UTILITIES AND IN RETURN THE CITY HAS ANNUAL RENT FROM THE SIDE DOOR IN THE AMOUNT OF JUST OVER $55,000.

FOR THEIR PART OF COURSE, THE SIDE DOOR LOOKS AFTER ALL THE INTERNAL PROGRAMING AS WELL AS LOOKING AFTER MAINTAINING THE GROUNDS, WHICH DOES INCLUDE LITTER CONTROL.

LETTERS OF UNDERSTANDING.

SO THESE ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN IN PLACE FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND SERVED BOTH THE CITY AND THE ORGANIZATION WELL.

MEN'S FASTBALL CARRIES OUT ALL THE MAINTENANCE ON TOMMY FORREST BALL DIAMOND AND IN EXCHANGE THEY HAVE ZERO FEES FROM THE CITY.

IT'S A CITY OWNED AND OPERATED CITY OWNED FACILITY, AND THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO CITY OPERATIONAL RESOURCES THAT ARE ALLOCATED TO THAT FACILITY.

YELLOWKNIFE SLO-PITCH CARRIES OUT THE INFIELD MAINTENANCE AT BOTH FRITZ THIEL AND THE PARKER PARK BALL DIAMOND FACILITIES.

AS A TRADE OFF THERE ARE NO FEES FOR THEIR USE AT THE FRITZ THIEL DIAMOND.

[00:30:04]

SO THIS ARRANGEMENT DECREASES THE CITY'S RESOURCES TO PARKER PARK.

THAT WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE REQUIRED IF WE WERE TO MAINTAIN IT TO TO OUR STANDARD.

THE YELLOWKNIFE TENNIS CLUB MAINTAINS SOMBA K'E RESERVOIR AND MCNIVEN BEACH TENNIS COURTS, AS WELL AS ENSURING THEY ARE LOCKED FROM AT 11 P.M.

AND OPENED UP AT 7 A.M..

AND THIS ARRANGEMENT DECREASES THE CITY'S RESOURCES THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO ALLOCATE TO THOSE DUTIES.

THE RAGGED RIDERS.

THEY MAINTAIN THE SNOWBOARD FACILITY AT BRISTOL PIT IN EXCHANGE FOR THE CITY PROVIDING NOT PROVIDING SNOW FROM BRINGING SNOW OVER FROM THE AIRPORT.

WE ALSO DO GARBAGE REMOVAL AND POWER COSTS.

MAKE SURE I'M ON THE RIGHT SPOT.

SO THE ARTS AND CULTURE SPACE, THE LIBRARY SPACE IS APPROXIMATELY 3,170FT².

AND OF COURSE, IT'S ADJACENT TO THE LIBRARY AND IT'S CURRENTLY UNDER LEASE TO THE NACC FOR USE AS A REHEARSAL AND FOR AN OFFICE SPACE.

THE LEASE FEE TO THE CITY IS $1 DOLLAR ANNUALLY AND THE OPERATING COST TO THE CITY IS JUST OVER $55,000.

THE LIBRARY OFFICE SPACE IS APPROXIMATELY 330FT².

ALSO ADJACENT TO THE LIBRARY AND IT'S UNDER LEASE TO FOLK ON THE ROCKS FOR THEIR OFFICE USE.

AND AGAIN, THERE'S NO INCOME RECEIVED FROM FOLK ON THE ROCKS.

AND OUR COST IS JUST ABOUT $5,700.

EACH OF THESE SPACES DOES HAVE A POTENTIAL LOST REVENUE OPPORTUNITY IF THE CITY WERE TO RENT IT OUT AT MARKET VALUE AND THAT'S THE $82,450 FOR THE LARGER SPACE AND THE 86 HUNDRED FOR THE SMALLER SPACE.

FUNDING PROVIDED TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE COMMUNITY GRANT PROCESS CAN BE GROUPED LARGELY INTO THESE BROAD CATEGORIES SPORT AND REC, ARTS AND CULTURE, AND SOCIAL.

FUNDING VARIES FROM CATEGORY TO CATEGORY ON A REGULAR OCCURRENCE, WITH A MAJORITY BEING ALLOCATED TO ARTS AND CULTURE OR SOCIAL ACTIVITIES.

I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT ON ANY TYPICAL YEAR, IT'S NOT UNUSUAL TO SEE SOME OF THE FUNDS UNSPENT.

BUT OF COURSE, 2020 WAS AN UNUSUAL YEAR WITH OVER $69,000 OF THE $466,000 WAS UNSPENT DUE TO THE COVID ISSUES.

OVER THE PAST MANY YEARS, COUNCIL HAS PARTNERED WITH A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAS ADDED TO THE SCOPE OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY, INCREASE THE CAPACITY FOR THE VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, AND ALLOWED THE CITY TO CONTRIBUTE TO SERVICES IN A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE MANNER.

THE CITY HAS PARTNERED WITH THE CLIMBING CLUB, FOLK ON THE ROCKS, MEN'S FASTBALL, MOUNTAIN BIKE GROUP, YELLOWKNIFE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS, AND D&D FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF VARIOUS CAPITAL PROJECTS.

AND WE'VE PARTNERED WITH THE GREAT SLAVE SNOWMOBILE ASSOCIATION, THE YELLOWKNIFE ROTARY CLUB AND D&D FOR ONGOING WORK ON TRAIL DEVELOPMENT.

SO IN RESEARCHING AND DISCUSSING USER FEES WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, WE'RE NOT UNIQUE.

MANY UNDERTAKE THE SAME APPROACH.

THE USE OF GUIDING PRINCIPLES IS STANDARD AMONGST OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.

OF COURSE, THEY'RE UNIQUE TO EACH COMMUNITY, BUT THEY'RE NOT THAT DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER.

THE COST OF OPERATIONS IS PREDOMINANTLY THE STARTING POINT, DETERMINING FEES, BUT NOT ALWAYS IN LARGER CENTERS.

THE MARKET DICTATES THE PRICES, AND ALTHOUGH QUITE A RANGE AND LEVEL OF SUBSIDIES, THERE IS A COMMON THREAD IN PROVIDING SUBSIDIES TO YOUTH AS WELL AS OFF PEAK HOURS AND YOUTH.

JUST A POINT OF INTEREST.

YOUTH SUBSIDIES RANGE FROM 3% AS LOW AS 3% AND UP TO 50%.

AND WE'RE NOT THE ONLY MUNICIPALITY THAT HAS A 50% SUBSIDY TO YOUTH.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

SO THAT WAS A BRIEF, DEEP DIVE INTO SOME OF THE COMPLEXITY AND SOME OF THE COMPLICATIONS AND THE UNIQUENESS OF THE FEES, ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

AND SO BUT IN GENERAL, OUR FEES AND CHARGES COVER A REALLY DIVERSE SPECTRUM OF PROGRAMS AND

[00:35:04]

BUT WHEN WE BRING THINGS UP TO THE LEVEL WHERE YOU AS ELECTED OFFICIALS SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THEM, WHAT ARE THE FUNDAMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS WHEN EVALUATING WHAT ROLE THESE FEES AND CHARGES PLAY AND HOW THEY ARE DETERMINED? FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE COULD ARGUE FINANCIAL.

SIMPLY PUT, THESE CHARGES GO A LONG WAY TO TOWARDS FUNDING THE ASSOCIATED PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.

BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS, ALONG WITH THE POLITICAL PALATABILITY OF ANY DECISIONS SURROUNDING THE FEES AND CHARGES.

STARTING WITH FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS.

I JUST HAD TO GET THIS SLIDE IN FRONT OF YOU ONE MORE TIME.

THE CITIES, TOWNS, AND VILLAGES ACT STIPULATES A BALANCED BUDGET.

MONEY COMING IN EQUALS MONEY GOING OUT.

SO OF COURSE, THIS MEANS THAT THE CITY'S REVENUES, THE THREE MAIN SOURCES BEING PROPERTY TAXATION, USER CHARGES AND GOVERNMENT GRANTS HAVE TO MATCH THE CITY'S EXPENDITURES, WHICH ARE IN TURN DETERMINED BY THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES INHERENTLY DEFINED IN THE BUDGET.

IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT IF THE USER FEES AND CHARGES OR ANY PIECE OF THAT PIE IS CHANGED THAT MUST BE BALANCED ELSEWHERE.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE'RE TO LOOK AT DECREASING USER CHARGES.

WE WOULD HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO BALANCE THOSE THREE CIRCLES THAT YOU SEE IN FRONT OF US.

AND REALLY, THE OPTIONS ARE LIMITED.

WE COULD INCREASE PROPERTY TAXATION TO KEEP EXPENDITURES AND PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AT THE SAME LEVEL OR WE COULD WORK WITH A REDUCED PIE, MEANING WE WOULD HAVE TO REDUCE EXPENDITURES AND ALSO REDUCE THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES PIE.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ADMINISTRATIVE CONSIDERATIONS, GIVEN THAT MANY OF THE FEES AND CHARGES ARE ON A COST RECOVERY BASIS, IDEALLY, ADMINISTRATION WOULD CALCULATE THE EXACT COST OF EVERY SINGLE PROGRAM AND SERVICE AND THEN SET THE ASSOCIATED CHARGES TO EXACTLY MATCH THOSE COSTS.

HOWEVER, THIS IS RARELY REALISTIC AS THE TIME AND EFFORT REQUIRED TO COLLECT, ANALYZE AND UPDATE SUCH DETAILED DATA ARE SIMPLY PROHIBITIVE.

SIMILARLY, IF THERE ARE TOO MANY DIFFERENT FEES AND CHARGES THAT CHANGE TOO FREQUENTLY, THEY CAN BE TOO DIFFICULT AND TOO TIME CONSUMING TO MANAGE.

COMPLEXITY NOT ONLY INCREASES THE OVERHEAD, IT CAN LEAD TO ERRORS, NOT TO MENTION FRUSTRATION FOR CLIENTS.

FINALLY, FEES AND CHARGES ARE A MECHANISM FOR GENERATING REVENUES FROM THE USERS OF THE ASSOCIATED PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.

WHILE SOME RESIDENTS VIEW THIS USER PAY APPROACH AS EQUITABLE, OTHERS SEE IT AS ESSENTIALLY ANOTHER TAX.

CONSIDERATION HAS TO BE GIVEN AS TO HOW REDUCTIONS OR INCREASES WILL BE PERCEIVED.

IS THE CITY UNFAIRLY SUBSIDIZING ONE GROUP OVER ANOTHER? ARE SOME CITIZENS BEING IGNORED? PREDICTABILITY IS IMPORTANT.

IF WE LOOK AT USER GROUPS THAT CONSUME LARGE AMOUNTS OF FACILITY TIME AND EVEN SMALL PER UNIT COST CAN QUICKLY BECOME SIGNIFICANT WHEN SPREAD OUT OVER AN ENTIRE SEASON.

AND MR. WHITE ALREADY ALLUDED TO THE EVENTS THAT TRANSPIRED WHEN THE CITY TRIED TO INCREASE FEES TOO QUICKLY TO MAKE UP FOR INCREASED FUEL COSTS.

EVEN FOR INDIVIDUALS, PREDICTABILITY IS IMPORTANT.

I NEED TO KNOW HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST ME TO PLUG THAT METER FOR THE EXTRA LONG DENTIST APPOINTMENT.

HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST TO TAKE THE FAMILY SWIMMING ON SUNDAY? HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO TAKE COST TO TAKE THAT LOAD OF JUNK OUT TO THE SOLID WASTE FACILITY.

THESE POLITICAL ASPECTS OF THE QUESTION REALLY ARE IN THE REALM OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS.

SO THIS SUMMARY OF HOW FEES AND CHARGES ARE APPLIED TO HELP FUND CITY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.

THE INSIGHT INTO THEIR BACKGROUND AND HISTORY AND THE OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE KEY CONSIDERATIONS SURROUNDING THIS IMPORTANT REVENUE STREAM HAVE ALL BEEN INTENDED TO INFORM YOUR DISCUSSION AS ELECTED OFFICIALS OF FEES AND CHARGES.

SO NOW I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR TO THIS DISCUSSION, BEGINNING WITH QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU.

ALWAYS A THOROUGH PRESENTATION.

I'M SURE WE HAVE NO QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR THOUGH.

[LAUGHTER] COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

THANKS, MADAM MAYOR.

FIRST QUESTION, DO WE HAVE DATA ON WHAT THE USAGE OF OUR FACILITIES LOOKS LIKE? WHICH ONES ARE UNDERUTILIZED?

[00:40:01]

SO I CAN CERTAINLY ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT WHEN I STARTED AT THE CITY IN 2017, WE HAD A GREAT LINE OF DATA RIGHT UP UNTIL 2020.

AND THEN AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WE ARE TOTALLY SKEWED IN THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.

I'LL ASK MR. WHITE TO ANSWER THIS, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT OUR CURRENT SWIMMING POOL IS OVERSUBSCRIBED AND OUR OTHER FACILITIES HAVE A LOWER CAPACITY UTILIZATION. BUT I'LL TURN IT TO MR. WHITE TO SPEAK TO THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GATHER SINCE AS WE'VE COME BACK FROM COVID, RECOGNIZING THAT LONG TERM TRENDS ARE REALLY DIFFICULT TO TELL AT THIS POINT IN TIME. YEAH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOT HAVING A WHOLE LOT OF TIME TO DELVE INTO THIS, I'M GOING MOSTLY BY MEMORY ON PAST QUESTIONS.

AS MS. BASSI-KELLETT MENTIONED, THE POOL IS THE WAY THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROGRAM IT IS OVER 100% CAPACITY WHERE WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, A LANE SWIM GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME AS LESSONS OR SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT.

SO THAT ALLOWS US TO INCREASE OUR CAPACITY THAT WAY.

OUR FIELDHOUSE USE IS QUITE LOW.

I THINK WE'RE INTO THE 30% RATE, 30% RATE DURING OUR PEAK SEASON AND SOMEWHAT LESS THAN THAT DURING OUR OFF PEAK SEASON.

ARENAS I THINK THEY OPERATE AT AROUND 75% CAPACITY AND SORRY, I DON'T RECALL THE FIELDS, THE INDOOR FIELDS.

I DON'T WANT TO HAZARD A GUESS ON THAT.

OH, SORRY. THOSE WERE THE 31%.

YEAH. SO I GUESS THAT IN A NUTSHELL, THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS AND GIVEN TIME WE CAN PROVIDE MORE, I GUESS, ROBUST ANSWER, BUT THAT WILL TAKE SOME TIME AND THE LUCK OF A BOOKING SYSTEM THAT IS ON ITS LAST LEGS.

THANKS. THANKS FOR THAT.

AND WHAT HAVE WE DONE AS A CITY TO EXPERIMENT WITH WAYS TO INCREASE THE USAGE OF UNDERUTILIZED, I GUESS MAINLY THE FIELD HOUSE? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

I THINK THERE'S A FEW THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE.

CERTAINLY AS WE LOOK AT THE REPLACEMENT OF THE FLOORING RIGHT NOW, THAT'S GOING TO BE A BIG TICKET ITEM FOR US TO LOOK AT MAXIMIZING THE FLEXIBILITY OF HOW THAT USE CAN BE, HOW THAT SPACE CAN BE UTILIZED.

WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF VERY PASSIONATE SOCCER PLAYERS OUT THERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT USED SOLELY FOR THAT REASON.

THERE'S A LOT OF COMPETITIONS FOR PEAK HOURS DURING THE WINTER MONTHS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOCCER PLAYERS HAPPEN THERE.

BUT WE DO LOOK AT SEEING IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE MORE FLEXIBILITY FOR THE USE.

I'LL ASK MR. WHITE TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THIS.

THANK YOU. AND OF COURSE, THE RUTH INCH MEMORIAL POOL IS THE BEST EXAMPLE WHERE WE HAVE FIVE LANES OR WE ONLY HAVE FIVE LANES, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU LOOK AT IT.

AND WE'RE ABLE TO PUT MULTI USES IN THOSE FIVE LANES WE HAVE LOWERED NOT IN THE TOO DISTANT PAST, WE HAVE INSTITUTED A OFF SEASON RATE FOR USE OF THE INDOOR FIELDS.

NOT A HUGE UPTAKE ON THAT.

AND OF COURSE WE HAVE OUR PRIME AND NON PRIME HOURS.

WE'VE DISCUSSED FROM TIME TO TIME ABOUT REDUCING THOSE THE PRIME HOURS FROM FOUR TO MIDNIGHT, MAYBE FROM LIKE 4 TO 10 OR 10:30 TO SEE IF THERE'D BE ANY USE FOR THE 10:30 TO MIDNIGHT, WHICH REALLY THERE ISN'T A WHOLE LOT OF DEMAND, BUT WE THOUGHT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO TO MAKE A DEMAND AND WE REALLY HAVEN'T MOVED ON THAT.

BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THOSE ARE THE THOSE ARE THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING INTERNALLY AS WELL AS WITH OUR VARIOUS USER GROUPS.

THANKS. THANKS.

AND HAVE WE EVER SOUGHT FEEDBACK ON THE FEE STRUCTURE OR THE BOOKING PROCESS FROM RESIDENTS OR USER GROUPS? AND MAYBE JUST AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT NEW BOOKING SOFTWARE? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND I THINK WE HEAR A LOT FROM USER GROUPS REGULARLY ON THE BOOKING STRUCTURE AND HOW TO MAKE IT MORE USER FRIENDLY.

CERTAINLY WITH THE REPLACEMENT THAT WE'VE JUST, BOY, WE JUST REPLACED OUR BOOKING SOFTWARE TO FIND THAT IT'S NO LONGER GOING TO BE SUPPORTED.

SO WE HAVE TO GO OUT AGAIN TO GET A NEW PLATFORM THAT'S GOING TO ENABLE US TO HAVE A BETTER AND ACTUALLY, FRANKLY, MORE CUSTOMER FOCUSED USE FOR THE BOOKING SYSTEM.

SO THAT'S NOT WHILE WE WERE PRETTY DISMAYED THAT WE HAD TO REPLACE IT AS QUICKLY AS WE HAVE, WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING THAT PERHAPS IT'S NOT A BAD THING SINCE THE EXISTING ONE IS NOT MEETING THE USER NEEDS AS MUCH AS WE HAD HOPED.

I'LL ASK MR. WHITE IF HE CAN SUPPLEMENT THAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. BASSI-KELLETT. YEAH. THE SYSTEM THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS MORE ROBUST.

IT'S GOING TO ALLOW FOR THE COMMUNITIES TO HAVE A LOOK, NOT ONLY HAVE A LOOK AT WHAT'S AVAILABLE, BUT ALSO BOOK FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS. WHEN WE REVIEWED THE ICE ALLOCATION POLICY, THAT WAS ACTUALLY DONE IN CONSULTATION WITH THE ICE USER GROUPS, THAT WAS

[00:45:09]

THAT SYSTEM SEEMS TO BE WELL IN PLACE.

AND OF COURSE, FROM TIME TO TIME WE DO GET FEEDBACK AND AS MUCH AS WE CAN OR AS MUCH AS WE'RE ABLE, WE'LL GRAB THAT OR USE THAT FEEDBACK AND PUT IT INTO OUR SYSTEM TO IMPROVE IT.

THANK YOU. AND IS THERE A TIME FRAME FOR THE THE NEW SOFTWARE? AND I THINK I'VE ASKED THIS BEFORE, BUT JUST TO REITERATE THAT NEW SOFTWARE WOULD ALLOW US TO DO SOMETHING LIKE A DAY PASS FOR FAMILIES WHERE THEY CAN USE ALL OF THE FACILITIES PAYING ONE FEE FOR THE DAY.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'RE CERTAINLY WE'RE CURRENTLY IN PROCESS WITH THE REPLACEMENT.

I'LL ASK MR. WHITE TO SPEAK TO THE LEVEL OF DETAIL AROUND WHAT COULD BE SUPPORTED THROUGH THAT NEW SYSTEM.

THANK YOU. WE ARE 6 TO 9 MONTHS AWAY FROM HAVING THAT UP AND RUNNING.

IT REALLY DEPENDS ON OUR STAFF ALLOCATIONS AND HOW MUCH AVAILABLE STAFF WE HAVE FROM PRETTY MUCH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS SITTING HERE TO HAVE INPUT INTO THAT.

AND WE ARE LOOKING AT MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MEET MANY, MANY NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THAT SYSTEM.

THANKS. THANK YOU.

AND HAVE WE CONSIDERED KEEPING ONE ICE SURFACE IN, IN THE SUMMER? DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE COST WOULD BE? COULD WE SORT OF PREPAY OR PRE-BOOK THOSE HOURS IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THE SOME SORT OF COST RECOVERY? HAS THAT SORT OF BEEN CONSIDERED? IT'S A FAIR AMOUNT. BUT MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

WE FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE VERY LITTLE DEMAND OVER THE SUMMER.

WE TAKE THE THE ICE OUT TYPICALLY AT THE END OF APRIL, GOES BACK IN.

I'M ACTUALLY ALWAYS SURPRISED TO HEAR HOW EARLY IT GOES IN.

I THINK IT GOES IN, IN JULY FOR SOME OF THE CAMPS THAT START UP IN AUGUST.

BUT OUTSIDE OF THOSE HOURS, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF UPTAKE OR DEMAND.

MR. WHITE, DO YOU WANT TO ELABORATE? THANK YOU. MS. BASSI-KELLETT. I WILL JUST ADD THAT THE PREVIOUS MENTIONED ICE ALLOCATION POLICY THAT WAS COMPLETED WITH THE ICE USER GROUPS, THERE IS WORDS IN THERE THAT GUIDE HOW MUCH TIME HAS TO BE ALLOCATED BEFORE WE ACTUALLY PUT IN ANY SURFACE.

AND IT'S ABOUT IT'S NOT ABOUT IT'S 75% OF THE PRIME TIME ICE HAS TO BE PRE-BOOKED OR ALLOCATED THROUGH CONTRACTS BEFORE WE WOULD CONSIDER PUTTING THE ICE IN.

AND AS MS. BASSI-KELLETT MENTIONED, WE DO PUT IT IN JULY, AUGUST, DEPENDING ON THE VARIOUS HOCKEY CAMPS, SPEED SKATING CAMPS AND FIGURE SKATING CAMPS THAT ARE SCHEDULED.

THANK YOU. OH, AND AS PER THE COST, WE'VE NEVER REALLY ALLOCATED A COST TO SUMMARIZE.

BUT OF COURSE 30 ABOVE AND TEN BELOW ARE QUITE DRAMATIC.

SO IF WE NEEDED TO, I MEAN WE COULD PUT SOME OUR MINDS TO THAT, BUT IT WOULD TAKE SOME TIME.

THANK YOU. THANKS.

YEAH, IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THE 75% PRE-BOOKING IS A YEAH.

SEEMS LIKE A GOOD SYSTEM.

AND ONE CLARIFICATION JUST ON THE PROCEDURE.

LIKE THE POLICY, THE NUMBER OF HOURS OR THE COST DIVIDED BY THE NUMBER OF HOURS, THAT'S ASSUMING 100% USAGE.

IS THAT CORRECT? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

YEAH, IT IS.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST US TO OPERATE DIVIDED BY WHAT ARE THE HOURS THAT WE KNOW THAT THE THE UPTAKE WILL BE THERE BY USER GROUPS? MR. WHITE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD? YEAH. FOR EXAMPLE, WE AT THE ICE ALLOCATION MEETINGS, WE INDICATE THAT THE PRIME TIME IS AVAILABLE MONDAY TO FRIDAY FROM 4:00, MAYBE 3:30 TO MIDNIGHT.

AND LIKE I SAID, MAYBE 75% OF THAT ICE TIME IS BOOKED.

SO IT'S ON THE ICE THAT IS AVAILABLE, NOT THE ICE THAT IS BOOKED.

OKAY. THANK YOU. SO THIS IS THE CITY SUBSIDY IS ACTUALLY PROBABLY HIGHER THAN LISTED ON THOSE SLIDES, CORRECT? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. IF YOU COULD ELABORATE FOR ME, SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.

THANK YOU. I THINK THE FORMULA IS TOTAL COST DIVIDED BY BILLABLE HOURS VERSUS TOTAL COST DIVIDED BY 24 HOURS.

WE WOULDN'T INCLUDE 3:00 A.M.

AS A BILLABLE HOUR, THEREFORE.

AND WOULD THAT? AND THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THE PRESENTATION SHOWS, IS THE HOURS THAT WE'RE OPEN THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR RENT.

THANK YOU. YEAH, YEAH, THAT'S UNDERSTOOD.

JUST THE HOURS FOR RENT.

MY QUESTION IS JUST OR JUST CLARIFICATION IS JUST LOOKING TO UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF THOSE HOURS FOR RENT THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND OPEN ARE NOT RENTED AND THEREFORE SIT HEATED

[00:50:01]

TRUE, IF ONE HOUR IS NOT RENTED, THEN THE TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING FOR THAT VERSUS.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT. MR. WHITE, ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT? THANKS. I WILL TRY.

SO, WHAT WE'RE NOT CLEAR ON IS WHAT THAT SUBSIDY WOULD BE.

FOR EXAMPLE, YOUTH GET ACCESS TO THE ICE FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE PRIME TIME, WHICH IS 3:30 OR 4:00, AND I THINK IT'S THE 8 OR 9:00 IS YOUTH GET FIRST CRACK AT THAT ICE.

IF THEY DON'T WANT IT, THEN ADULT GROUPS CAN GO IN THERE.

SO IF IT'S NOT USED UNTIL 4:00 OR 4:30, THEN I GUESS THERE WOULD BE SOME HOURS THAT THE CITY IS PAYING FOR AT THE YOUTH RATE.

AND THEN IF IT'S THE 10:30 TO MIDNIGHT HOUR, THEN IT WOULD BE THE CITY WOULD BE COVERING THAT COST.

I GUESS YOU WOULD YOU COULD, I GUESS, DO THE MATH AND SAY THAT IT IS SUBSIDIZING IT AT THE ADULT RATE.

I GUESS TO CHANGE THE FORMULA WOULD BE TOTAL EXPENSE DIVIDED BY BILLABLE HOURS TIMES THE VACANCY RATE TO GET A BETTER COST ON.

YEAH. IF THAT WAS COUNCIL'S WISH TO YEAH. JUST SORT OF CURIOUS IF WE'VE EVER DONE LIKE LOOKED BACK AT 2022 OR I GUESS COVID WHATEVER, 2028 OR 2018 AND SEEING LIKE WHAT REVENUE WE ACTUALLY TOOK IN VERSUS WHAT WE ACTUALLY SPENT TO RUN THE FACILITY.

HAVE WE EVER DONE THAT SORT OF MATH? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. MAYBE MRS. WOODWARD'S TEAM HAS DONE SOMETHING.

YEAH. NO, WE DON'T DO THIS AS A REGULAR THING BECAUSE WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD THE CAPACITY TO DO IT.

WE DO LOOK AT REGULARLY THE 3% INCREASE HAPPENS FOR THE RECREATION FACILITIES ANNUALLY.

MISS WOODWARD, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING? THANK YOU. JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLARIFY.

WE DO NOT BRING IT FORWARD, PERHAPS IN EXACTLY THE FORMAT THAT THE COUNCILLOR IS ASKING FOR.

BUT WE DO BRING FORWARD VARIANCE REPORTS WHERE WE CAN SEE WHAT THE BUDGET WAS AND WHAT WAS ACTUALLY EXPENDED AS OF THAT DAY AND WHAT WE'RE FORECASTING AS OF THE END OF THE YEAR.

AND WE DO THAT FOR BOTH REVENUES AND EXPENSES.

SO THE COMPARISON IS THERE IN THAT FORMAT.

OKAY. AWESOME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND ONE MORE QUESTION FOR MY FIRST ROUND.

ARE THERE ANY PROJECTS UNDERWAY TO REDUCE OUR OPERATIONAL COSTS? ARE THERE ANY REC FACILITIES OR OTHER FACILITIES WE COULD PUT ON PELLET BOILERS, SOLAR PANELS, ANY OTHER SORT OF REDUCTION IN OPERATIONAL COSTS? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

YEAH, WE'RE ALWAYS WORKING TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO ENHANCE AND STREAMLINE AND CREATE NEW EFFICIENCIES WHEN IT COMES TO OUR OPERATIONAL COSTS.

SO ALL OF OUR REC FACILITIES, PLUS THE FIRE HALL, PUBLIC WORKS GARAGE ARE ALL ON PELLET BOILERS.

THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING A WATER PELLET BOILER THERE.

WE ARE LOOKING AT THE EFFICIENCY OF THE PELLET BOILER THAT IS CURRENTLY SERVING THE REC FACILITIES AND THE FIRE HALL AND THE PUBLIC WORKS GARAGE.

AND OF COURSE, WE ARE LOOKING AT IN THE AQUATIC CENTER, WE ARE DESIGNING THAT TO ENSURE THAT IT MEETS NATIONAL ENERGY BUILDING CODE AND IT EXCEEDS IT BY APPROXIMATELY 17%. SO LOTS OF WORK UNDERWAY ON THAT.

WE HAD WANTED TO DO A DISTRICT ENERGY SYSTEM HERE FOR CITY HALL, BUT IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEEK THE PARTNERSHIP OF RCMP AND D&D WITH THE MUSEUM AND THE LEDGE.

THERE WERE SOME DISCUSSIONS ON THAT IT WASN'T FEASIBLE TO DO AND WE REDIRECTED THOSE FUNDS TOWARDS THE PELLET BOILER FOR THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT AT THIS TIME.

BUT HAVING SAID THAT, WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT WHERE THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO BE ABLE TO STREAMLINE EFFICIENCIES.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

COUNCILLOR COCHRANE. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.

AND THANKS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION FOR THE PRESENTATION.

GREAT WORK AS ALWAYS.

I GOT A FEW QUESTIONS THOUGH.

WHEN WE SPOKE WITH PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, WE SAID THAT WE BASE THE FEES UPON OTHER JURISDICTIONS.

DO WE HAVE JURISDICTIONS THAT WE USE REGULARLY IN COMPARISON, OR DO WE JUST FORMULATE A LIST EVERY SO OFTEN? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE DO LOOK AROUND FOR BEST PRACTICES AND THE MOST THE JURISDICTIONS THAT ALIGN MOST CLOSELY WITH US.

I'LL ASK MS. WHITE IF SHE'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I BELIEVE THE MOST RECENT SUMMARY WAS ACTUALLY PRESENTED TO COUNCIL LAST YEAR.

IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE ONES WHO ARE THERE.

BUT YES, WE LOOK AT MUNICIPALITIES THAT PROVIDE SIMILAR SERVICES TO US, SO THEY HAVE TO BE COMPARABLE WORK IN A SIMILAR PLANNING ENVIRONMENT TO US.

SO THE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT SYSTEM AS WELL AS SIMILAR POPULATION SIZE AND I WILL FIND THAT DATE WHEN THAT WAS BROUGHT TO COUNCIL LAST YEAR, YOU WILL SEE THAT WE ARE NOT COST RECOVERY AND WE'VE OUTLINED WHERE EXACTLY WE ARE FOR EACH OF THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.

[00:55:06]

IT'S GRANT BROUGHT UP THAT THERE IS POOR CONDITION AT THE WILLIAM MACK FIELD.

WHY HASN'T THE SCHOOL BOARD BROUGHT THAT UP TO A USABLE STANDARD? I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE IF THAT WOULD BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY OR THEIRS IN THE FIRST PLACE.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

AND WE CERTAINLY WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH THE SCHOOL BOARDS ON OUR RECIPROCAL AGREEMENTS BECAUSE IT'S A WIN WIN WHEN WE'RE BOTH ABLE TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE EACH OTHER'S OWNED ASSETS. I'LL ASK MR. WHITE IF HE CAN SPEAK TO ANYTHING SPECIFIC AROUND WILLIAM MAX FIELDS? THANK YOU, MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

WE WERE APPROACHED TWO MAYBE THREE YEARS AGO TO ASK IF THE CITY WAS GOING TO FIX IT, AND WE SUGGESTED AT THE TIME THAT MUCH OF THE DAMAGE OR ALL THE DAMAGE WAS DONE THROUGH NOT CITY FORCES.

AND IF THERE'S ANY APPETITE TO PARTNER ON IT, THEN PERHAPS A PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL SHOULD BE GIVEN TO SEE IF THERE WOULD BE SOME CAPITAL MONEY THAT MIGHT BE FORTHCOMING.

IN THE PAST, I THINK IN MY TIME WITH THE CITY, WE HAVE PARTNERED TWICE ON THAT FIELD.

THREE TIMES IF YOU INCLUDE THE ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION.

THANKS. OKAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. I, FOR ONE, WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE SOME INTEREST IN HAVING THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE PARTNERSHIP TO GET THAT UP TO USABLE BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE MISSING OUT.

FOR NACC NORTHERN ARTS AND CULTURAL CENTER.

I'M A BIG SUPPORTER OF THE ARTS AND CULTURAL PROGRAMS, BUT I'M CURIOUS WHY THE GNWT HASN'T THROWN ANY SORT OF FUNDING OUR WAY FOR CONTINUING THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM AS IT IS, AGAIN, THE NORTHERN ARTS AND CULTURAL CENTER AND NOT THE YELLOWKNIFE ARTS AND CULTURAL CENTER.

THEY DO GET FUNDING FROM THE GNWT AND THE FEDS.

BUT MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT.

SO I KNOW THAT THEY WORK TO FIND AS MUCH FUNDING AS THEY CAN FROM AS MANY DIFFERENT PARTNERS AS THEY CAN.

SO OUR CONTRIBUTION OF IN-KIND OFFICE SPACE, ALONG WITH SOME OF THE COMMUNITY GRANTS THAT COME HELP THEM DELIVER PROGRAMING THAT WHILE IT IS THE NORTHERN ARTS AND CULTURAL CENTER, IT'S CERTAINLY THERE IS A BENEFIT TO YELLOWKNIFE WHEN IT'S ON THE GROUND HERE.

I'LL ASK MR. WHITE IF HE HAS ANYTHING HE'D LIKE TO ADD.

NOTHING SPECIFIC ON THE NACC.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH, GUYS.

COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN.

THANK YOU, MAYOR ALTY.

YEAH, JUST SOME HIGH, VERY HIGH LEVEL FLYING QUESTIONS HERE.

BUT BACK TO MS. WOODWARD. AT THE START OF THE PRESENTATION, YOU NOTED THAT WHEN THE SYSTEM WAS ORIGINALLY SET UP YEARS AGO, IT WAS MOST LIKELY BASED ON A COST RECOVERY MODEL.

SO AND I KNOW HAVING WORKING IN SIMILAR TYPES OF ROLES, I GET THAT HISTORY IS LOST A LOT OF THE TIMES.

BUT BEST GUESS FROM ADMINISTRATION OF WHERE DID THINGS START TO GO AWAY FROM THAT OVER TIME, FROM COST RECOVERY INTO A MORE OF A SUBSIDIZED SYSTEM.

AND I'M NOT SAYING IT SHOULD BE WHAT OR WHATEVER.

I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A FEEL FOR WERE THEY CONSCIOUS DECISIONS OF COUNCIL? WAS IT THAT WE HAD AN EMERGENCY SOMEWHERE AND WE WENT, WE NEED TO PLUG A HOLE AND RAISE TAXES TO COVER THIS FROM A MORE FAIR PERSPECTIVE? I'M JUST TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND IT AS WE HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS AND WE DECIDE WHERE WE WANT TO BE OVER THE COURSE OF THIS COUNCIL, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT HISTORY A LITTLE BIT MORE SO THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T REPEAT THE SAME ERRORS.

SO I'M JUST TRYING TO GET AS BEST AS I CAN AN UNDERSTANDING OF SORT OF HOW THINGS HAVE EVOLVED FROM A SYSTEM THAT SEEMED TO BE COST RECOVERY FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVES TO SOMETHING THAT HAS A HUGE VARIATION IN TERMS OF THE LEVEL OF SUBSIDY THAT PROVIDES FROM 10% TO YOU KNOW 10% WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY NOT SUBSIDIZING TO 66%, I THINK IN SOME CASES WHERE WE ARE PROVIDING SUBSIDY.

THANK YOU. MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU FOR THAT. BEFORE I HAND IT OVER TO MS. WOODWARD, I WILL SAY THAT PART OF OUR INTENT IN PROVIDING THIS TODAY IS THE FOOD FOR THOUGHT TO COUNCIL AROUND THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THIS AND THAT WE DO SEE THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS THAT FEES AND CHARGES HAVE EVOLVED.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF PARTNERSHIPS.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME TO THE CITY.

WE SEE THAT WITH A NUMBER OF THE DIFFERENT RECREATION GROUPS.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT CONTEXTS THAT MAKE IT A VERY IT ISN'T ALWAYS CONSISTENT ACROSS THE BOARD, AND THAT'S IN LARGE PART DUE TO THE VERY UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT PRESENT THEMSELVES TO THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR RESIDENTS IN YELLOWKNIFE THROUGH A NEW OR INNOVATIVE KIND OF WAY OF DOING BUSINESS.

I WILL ASK MS. WOODWARD, THOUGH, IF SHE'D LIKE TO RESPOND MORE.

THANK YOU. AND I THINK YOU'VE PRETTY MUCH COVERED IT ALL.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT. BUT IT GOES BACK TO THE FACT THAT SOME FEES, FOR EXAMPLE, A LOT OF THE ONES THAT WERE CHARGED BY CORPORATE SERVICES WERE PRETTY MUCH OBVIOUSLY SET OUT

[01:00:02]

IF YOU'RE ASKING FOR A TAX CERTIFICATE, THE UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT THAT REQUEST SHOULD BE AT NO COST TO THE REST OF THE TAXPAYERS.

HOWEVER, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE COMMUNITY SERVICES FEES, I THINK THERE'S A GENERAL UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CITY SHOULD BE SUBSIDIZING SO THAT ALL TAXPAYERS ARE CONTRIBUTING A LITTLE BIT TO MAKE SURE ALL OUR KIDS CAN SWIM, THAT TYPE OF THING.

SO THE FACT THAT, YES, SOME ARE INTENDED TO BE FAIRLY CLOSE TO COST RECOVERY, SOME AREN'T.

THAT JUST REFLECTS THE DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THE TYPE OF PROGRAM OR THE TYPE OF SERVICE THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THAT FEE.

I'M PRETTY SURE THAT IF WE SAW THE EXACT COST RECOVERY FOR A SWIMMING LESSON, THERE WOULD BE NOBODY HERE WHO COULD SWIM.

SO THERE IS A BALANCE THERE.

AND IT'S RIGHT NOW IN A SITUATION WHERE MANY OF THE FEES TAKE INTO EFFECT OR INTO CONSIDERATION A GREAT DEAL MORE THAN JUST THE COST OF PROVIDING THAT SERVICE. THANK YOU.

PERFECT. THANKS FOR THAT. THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THE ANSWER I WAS KIND OF WANTING AND HOPING TO GET ON THE RECORD BECAUSE I KNOW INEVITABLY THIS CONVERSATION WILL GET OUT INTO THE ETHER AND IT'LL BE CITIES LOOKING AT COST RECOVERY.

AND IT'S LIKE, NO, THERE ARE LOGICS OF WHY WE DO THIS AND WHY AS A SOCIETY WE THINK CERTAIN THINGS ARE IMPORTANT AND SUPPORTED.

SO THANKS FOR FOR PUTTING THAT OUT THERE.

JUST A PRACTICAL QUESTION WITH AROUND THE POOL, LIKE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE PRIME AND NON PRIME HOURS.

I MEAN, WE KNOW THAT BASICALLY EVERYTHING IS PRIME.

SO I GUESS ONE THING IS, IS SHOULD WE CHANGE THAT FOR THE INTERIM WHILE RUTH INCH IS STILL THE PRIMARY POOL? BUT FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, FROM ADMINS PERSPECTIVE, IS THAT A CHANGE THAT YOU WOULD SEE AS VALUABLE? AND I GUESS QUESTION TWO IS I'M HOPING THE ANSWER IS YES.

AND IF NOT, CAN WE BE THINKING ABOUT A NEW FEE STRUCTURE AROUND THE NEW POOL AND HOW WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WHILE NOT COST RECOVERY, DO FEES NEED TO RISE? ARE WE CONTEMPLATING THAT? I KNOW WE SORT OF HAD A BIT OF THAT CONVERSATION IN BUDGET 2023, BUT ARE WE SORT OF STARTING TO LAY THE GROUNDWORK AND THINK ABOUT WHAT DOES THAT FEE STRUCTURE NEED TO BE? HOW ARE WE GOING TO DEAL WITH THAT IN THE WIDER BUDGET WHEN THE NEW POOL COMES ONLINE? THANKS, MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'LL HAND THIS OVER TO MR. WHITE IN A SECOND, BUT PERHAPS I'LL SPEAK TO YOUR SECOND QUESTION FIRST.

WE KNOW THAT THE OPERATING COSTS OF THE NEW AQUATIC CENTER ARE GOING TO BE HIGHER THAN THE COSTS OF RUTH INCH THAT WE'VE MADE THAT CLEAR SINCE WE STARTED THE PROCESS OF EXPLORING WHETHER OR NOT AS A COMMUNITY, WE WANTED TO GO WITH AN AQUATIC CENTER THAT INCLUDES BOTH AN EIGHT LANE LANE POOL PLUS A RECREATIONAL POOL, TWO BASINS DOUBLING WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE, PLUS SOME OTHER AMENITIES.

SO WE KNOW THERE ARE GOING TO BE HIGHER OPERATIONAL COSTS AND WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO LOOK AT FINDING THE MOST OPTIMAL BALANCE BETWEEN WHAT IS IT THAT REFLECT THE THE PHILOSOPHY THAT WE HAVE TO DATE IN TERMS OF THE OVERALL OPERATING COSTS BY THE HOURS.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHAT IS AFFORDABLE.

AND IF WE WE COST THE AQUATIC CENTER OUT OF THE BUDGETS OF THE RESIDENTS OF YELLOWKNIFE, THAT'S NOT DOING ANYONE ANY FAVORS.

SO DEFINITELY A LOT OF THOUGHT WILL BE GOING INTO THAT.

IN TERMS OF PRIME HOURS I'LL TURN THAT OVER TO MR. WHITE. AND HE MAY HAVE A LOT OF OTHER THOUGHTS ON THE AQUATIC CENTER AS WELL.

THANK YOU MS. BASSI-KELLETT, REGARDING THE AQUATIC CENTER, YES, IT IS DOMINATING NOT ONLY THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE ON MY DESK, BUT CERTAINLY THE ONE THAT GOES ON IN MY HEAD ALL THE TIME. SO WE HAVE WE HAVE BEEN KICKING AROUND THE RATE STRUCTURE AND HOW THAT'S GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED WITH NOTHING CONCRETE.

RIGHT. YET IN TERMS OF PRIME AND NON-PRIME HOURS FOR THE CURRENT RUTH INCH MEMORIAL POOL, I'D HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE DEMAND AND RIGHT NOW THERE REALLY IS NO DEMAND.

AND SECONDLY, THE STAFFING.

SO OUR CURRENT STAFFING MEETS OUR EXISTING HOURS.

SO IF WE WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT AT A NON PRIME THAT IS OVER AND ABOVE THAT, WE WOULD BE I DON'T THINK WE COULD ACTUALLY DO IT.

SO WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT PRIME TIME OR SORRY, PRIME AND NON PRIME WITHIN OUR EXISTING HOURS.

AND LIKE I SAID, THERE'S REALLY NOT NOT A WHOLE LOT OF DEMAND ON ON THAT.

THAT APPLIES TO A RENTAL RATE AND THERE IS NO RENTAL RATE THAT TIME OF THE EVENING.

THAT IS MOSTLY OUR WELL THAT IS OUR ADULT [INAUDIBLE] SWIM AND OUR ADULT TIME FOR DROP IN.

THANKS. COUNCILLOR MCGURK.

THANK YOU. I'VE GOT A GUESS A FEW QUESTIONS.

I THINK GENERALLY AROUND HOW WE PROVIDE, SORT OF NOT LIKE EXEMPTIONS TO THESE STRUCTURES, I GUESS.

I'M FIRST OFF, I THINK IS IT JUST THE SENIORS PARKING THE LETTERS OF UNDERSTANDING?

[01:05:03]

SO EACH SECTION WOULD HAVE LIKE IF YOU'RE A BUSINESS THAT'S A YELLOWKNIFE RESIDENT VERSUS AN EDMONTON BUSINESS, YOU HAVE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

SAME WITH PUBLIC SAFETY.

SO THOSE WOULD A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WOULD CREATE THE KIND OF TWO TIER SYSTEM, IF YOU WOULD.

YEAH. OKAY. THAT'S YEAH WHAT I THOUGHT I THINK.

AND IS THE SENIORS PARKING SUBSIDY.

WHAT IS IT. WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT.

IS THAT WITHIN THE FEES AND CHARGES BYLAW? FREE PARKING FOR SENIORS.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT. I AM GOING TO HAVE TO GO BACK AND SEE WHERE THAT IS LOCATED.

BUT THERE IS A BASIS IN BYLAW RIGHT NOW AROUND SENIORS ARE ABLE TO HAVE FREE PARKING OVER THE AGE OF 60.

I'LL ASK MR. MCLEAN IF HE KNOWS OFF THE TOP OF HIS HEAD.

THANK YOU. THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.

THAT WOULD BE IN OUR PARKING BYLAW THAT WOULD OUTLINE THE ACCESS FOR SENIORS.

AND IS THAT ATTACHED TO? IS THAT A CHOICE, THAT SPECIFIC BYLAW IS THAT'S LIKE A CHOICE THAT WE'VE MADE AS A MUNICIPALITY.

ARE WE HELD TO IT BY ANYTHING? NO, THAT'S OUR CHOICE AS COUNCIL.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT. YEAH, BECAUSE THEN THE OTHER THING FROM A SENIOR'S PERSPECTIVE WOULD BE THE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF AND FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

VERY PROVOCATIVE QUESTION BECAUSE WE KNOW WE OH BOY.

THERE'S AS MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO DEFINE SENIORS AS WELL.

IT'S NOT JUST AT A CERTAIN AGE.

WE KNOW SOME PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED BY THE PUBLIC SECTOR, AS WELL AS THE PRIVATE SECTOR WILL SAY 55, SOME WILL SAY 60, SOME WILL SAY 65.

SO THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS OF QUANTIFYING THAT.

BUT WE DO KNOW THAT THERE IS THE PARKING BENEFIT FOR FREE PARKING WITH A CITY CERTIFICATE IN THE WINDOW OF YOUR VEHICLE, THERE IS THE PROPERTY TAX REBATE.

AS MAYOR, AS CHAIR ALTY HAS MENTIONED, THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENT FEE STRUCTURES THAT ARE IN PLACE.

FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WAS ONE COUNCIL DRIVEN, COUNCILLOR DRIVEN INITIATIVE AROUND FREE ACCESS TO THE WALKING TRACK ON CERTAIN MORNINGS OF A WEEK THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED.

BUT OTHER THAN THAT, WE DO TRY TO FOLLOW, OF COURSE, ALL OF THE BYLAWS AND THE LAWS, BUT SEEKING TO SUPPORT SENIORS IN A HEALTHY WAY.

BUT FRANKLY, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR US IS TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE, IF WE ARE PROVIDING A SUBSIDY, I WOULD LIKE TO THINK AND WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL THAT ANY SUBSIDY TO ANY GROUP IS BASED ITS MEANS TESTED NOT BASED ON AGE OTHER THAN THE YOUTH BENEFIT, OF COURSE, BUT CERTAINLY GIVING BENEFITS TO SENIORS, MANY OF WHOM ARE QUITE COMFORTABLY OFF, IS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY DO WANT TO THINK ABOUT.

MEANS TESTING IS DEFINITELY THE WAY TO GO IN MY RECOMMENDATION.

THANK YOU. YES, GREAT.

SIMILAR FEELINGS.

BUT AS I'M ASKING.

BUT ANOTHER QUESTION, DIFFERENT TOPIC, I GUESS, IS ON THE BOOKING SOFTWARE, WE SAID THAT IT WILL MAYBE START TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN A FEW WEEKS.

DOES THAT MEAN THAT WE'VE SELECTED THIS FEW MONTHS? HAVE WE SELECTED THE SOFTWARE? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

MR. WHITE. I'M A LITTLE RELUCTANT TO COMMENT ON THAT RIGHT NOW.

I'M JUST NOT SURE OF THE STATUS, TO BE HONEST.

OKAY. NO, I APPRECIATE THAT.

I GUESS I MAYBE IT'S A GENERAL COMMENT AND NOT SO MUCH A QUESTION, BUT I HOPE THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE BOOKING SOFTWARE, WE'VE CONSIDERED THAT WE'RE MOVING INCREASINGLY TO A DIGITAL REALM WITH LOOKING AT PROVIDING CITY SERVICES.

SO I'M HOPING THAT THAT CAPACITY IS CONSIDERED IN THE SELECTION OF THE BOOKING PROCESS.

IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO LOG IN AND PAY MY TAXES ON THE SAME ACCOUNT AND IN THE SAME PORTAL AS BOOKING SOMETHING LIKE A RENTAL FROM THE CITY.

AND I KNOW THAT THAT MIGHT I'M OBVIOUSLY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TABLE, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD CONSIDER AS WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO GO THAT DIRECTION EVENTUALLY ANYWAY. YEAH.

AND TO SEE HOW COMPATIBLE THE SOFTWARE'S ARE.

BUT I KNOW WAY BACK IN THE LATE 90S, EARLY 2000S, YOU USED TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT WAS AVAILABLE AND IT WAS ALWAYS HANDY TO BE ABLE TO SEE WEDNESDAY, 6 P.M..

SO GOING BACK TO THAT TYPE OF A SOFTWARE.

SOUNDS GOOD, BUT ALWAYS, CHALLENGING TO SEE WHAT THE SOFTWARE PROVIDERS HAVE.

COUNCILLOR PAYNE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

JUST A QUESTION.

DO WE HAVE LIKE THE 50% SUBSIDY THAT WE HAVE FOR YOUTH AND SENIORS?

[01:10:05]

SO IF I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION, IT IS AROUND DO WE HAVE SCHEDULED TIMES IN THE AGENDAS? YEAH, LIKE AS AN EXAMPLE AND I'M JUST THROWING THIS OUT, I'M NOT PICKING ON ANY SPORTS.

WATCH OUT FOR FACEBOOK POSTS ABOUT THIS, BUT AND I'M NOT AFRAID OF THAT.

YK MINOR HOCKEY? SO YOU HAVE YK MINOR HOCKEY THEY HAVE QUITE A FEW SLOTS AVAILABLE AT 50%.

YK MINOR HOCKEY IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT ANY KID CAN PLAY.

THEN WE HAVE DEVELOPMENT HOCKEY AND THAT IS MORE ALONG THE LINES OF THE MORE ELITE PLAYERS AND IT'S EXTRA ICE TIMES.

SO DO WE HAVE THE SAME WAGE SUBSIDY FOR THAT OVER AND ABOVE EXTRA ICE TIME, OR DO WE CHARGE MAYBE HAVE A HIGHER RATE FOR THAT EXTRA OVER AND ABOVE? I MEAN, WE ARE ASKING THE TAXPAYERS TO PAY MORE FOR THE BETTER THE KID IS IN HOCKEY OR IN SOCCER OR CURLING OR WHATEVER. MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THAT WILL GO STRAIGHT TO MR. WHITE. [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU, MS. BASSI-KELLETT. SO GOING BACK TO THE ICE ALLOCATION POLICY, WHICH I'VE MENTIONED HAS BEEN DEVELOPED WITH SITTING DOWN WITH THE ICE USER GROUPS, THERE ARE HOURS AVAILABLE FOR YOUTH TIME AND THERE'S HOURS AVAILABLE FOR ADULT TIME.

SO ALL OF THE YOUTH TIME, WHETHER IT'S YELLOWKNIFE MINOR HOCKEY OR SPEED SKATING OR FIGURE SKATING OR DEVELOPMENT TEAM, IT ALL GOES INTO A REQUEST POT.

AND THEN THE PROGRAM MANAGER WORKS OUT WITH THE GROUPS WHO'S GOING TO GET WHAT FOR THAT SEASON? SAME THING WITH THE ADULT GROUPS FROM SORRY, I DON'T HAVE THE TOP OF MIND.

IT'S EITHER 8:00 TO MIDNIGHT OR 9:00 TO MIDNIGHT ON MONDAY TO FRIDAY IS ALL ADULT TIME AND THE SAME THING ALL THE TIME GOES ALL THE REQUESTS GO INTO THE REQUEST POT AND THE PROGRAM MANAGER WORKS OUT FROM THERE WHAT GROUP IS GOING TO GET, WHAT ICE SLOT.

IF THERE ARE ADULT? NO, SORRY. IF THERE ARE YOUTH HOURS AVAILABLE, THEN ADULT GROUPS CAN BOOK IT AND IT'S STILL, OF COURSE, AT THE ADULT RATE.

DOES THAT ANSWER THE QUESTION? LOOSELY.

SO IF THERE'S ADULT SLOTS OPEN AT NIGHT, THE YOUTH CAN BOOK THOSE AS WELL? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. AT THE YOUTH RATE OR ADULT RATE? MR. WHITE. THANK YOU.

IF THERE ARE ADULTS TIMES THAT ARE TYPICALLY ADULT TIMES THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND A YOUTH GROUP SIGNS UP, THEY GET IT AT THE YOUTH RATE.

NOW, TO COMPLICATE IT JUST A LITTLE BIT.

USUALLY WHEN THAT HAPPENS, IT'S AN ADULT TEAM PLAYING ONE OF THE HIGHER CALIBER YOUTH TEAMS, AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THAT ADULT YOUTH RATE.

OKAY, PERFECT. AND JUST ONE MORE QUESTION.

HAVE WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION WHEN IT COMES TO OUTDOOR FIELD SPORTS FIELDS, BALL DIAMONDS, THE SORT OF CLOSE THAT GAP IN WHAT WE CHARGE? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. SO JUST TO CLARIFY, SO SAME THING THAT WE USE ON RINKS FOR OUTDOOR FIELDS AND FOR FIELD USE.

YEAH. LIKE RIGHT NOW, I MEAN THE FEE CATEGORY FOR ADULT AT THE BALL DIAMONDS IS $71 AN HOUR.

ACTUAL RENTAL IS $45 AN HOUR.

SO I MEAN WE'RE RIGHT OFF THE BAT WE'RE SUBSIDIZING.

AND THEN WHEN THE YOUTH AND SENIORS, THEY GET A 50% DISCOUNT ON THAT ACTUAL RENTAL.

SO IF IT COSTS $71 AND TO OPERATE PER HOUR AND WE'RE CHARGING YOUTH AND SENIORS $22.50.

HAS THERE BEEN ANY CONVERSATION ABOUT TRYING TO CLOSE THAT GAP INTO CLOSER TO THE ACTUAL INSTEAD OF CHARGING $45, AS AN EXAMPLE, MAYBE CHARGED $55 TO GET THAT MUCH CLOSER TO THE $71 THAT IT'S ACTUALLY COSTING? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

THAT WAS HELPFUL. WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSING ON THE 3% PER YEAR JUST FOR THE PREDICTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY.

SO EACH OF THE RATES FOR RECREATION FACILITIES GOES UP BY THAT AMOUNT.

I'LL ASK MR. WHITE TO EXPAND ON THAT.

THANK YOU. MS. BASSI-KELLETT THAT REALLY IS IT.

IT'S THE FAIRNESS OF THE ANNUAL INCREASE.

MUCH CAN BE THE SAME FOR THE INDOOR FIELDS.

THERE'S A RECOVERY RATE OF 10% ON THAT.

AND SO IF WE WERE TO LOOK AT SOMETHING FOR THE THE FIELDS AND THE BALL

[01:15:09]

IN THE PAST, THIS WAS FOR THE CEMETERY CHARGES.

WE DID TAKE IN AN AGGRESSIVE FIVE YEAR APPROACH AND OVER THAT AND THIS WAS ADOPTED THROUGH THE FEES AND CHARGES BYLAW IS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME THERE IS A MORE INTENSIVE RATE INCREASE TO BRING IT UP TO A CERTAIN STANDARD.

SO IF THERE'S ANY APPETITE FROM COUNCIL, I GUESS WE CAN DO THAT.

WE CAN BRING THAT FORWARD NEXT YEAR WHEN WE DO OUR FEES AND CHARGE POLICY.

THANKS. OKAY.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE NOW. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

HOLD IT OFF FOR ROUND TWO.

COUNCILLOR WARBURTON.

JUST A QUICK JUST SO I'M ON THE SAME PAGE HERE.

SO FOR SENIORS TAX RELIEF OR SENIORS THING, WE DO FREE PARKING ACCESS TO FACILITIES AT DISCOUNT.

DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE A SENIORS TAX SUBSIDY? JUST REFRESH MY MEMORY ON THAT, PLEASE.

YES, WE DO.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

YES, THERE IS A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES HAS PASSED CALLED THE SENIORS AND DISABLED PERSONS PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT, WHICH MEANS THAT THROUGH A COLLABORATION WITH THE GNWT AND THE MUNICIPALITY, WE WILL PROVIDE A HALF THE SORRY, THERE'S A SUBSIDY OF TAX RELIEF THAT'S GIVEN UP TO A CEILING OF, I BELIEVE, $2,000.

AND AS FOR PEOPLE OVER 65, EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE HAS TO BE OVER 65.

SORRY. EVERYONE WHO OWNS HAS TO BE OVER 65 TO BE ABLE TO QUALIFY FOR THAT.

SO A CHALLENGE THAT WE FIND IS THAT MANY, MANY MORE PEOPLE ARE STAYING IN THE NORTH AND OWNING THEIR HOMES.

AND THAT IS CERTAINLY AN AREA OF FORCED GROWTH THAT WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING LATELY, WHERE OUR PORTION OF THE SUBSIDY HAS CERTAINLY BEEN INCREASING, BUT THAT IS UNDER LEGISLATION.

AND SO WE LOBBY QUITE A BIT ON THE SENIORS AND DISABLED PROPERTY TAX REBATE ACT TO SEE ABOUT GETTING SOME CHANGES MADE TO THAT BECAUSE IT WAS MADE IN A DIFFERENT TIME WHEN THERE WEREN'T AS MANY SENIORS THAT WERE STAYING IN THE NORTH.

THANK YOU. YEAH, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT FIELDS, THE FIELD ALLOCATION POLICY.

DO WE HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THE ICE HOCKEY POLICY? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. MR. WHITE. I SCRATCHED MY HEAD FOR A REASON.

THE PRINCIPLES IN THE ICE ALLOCATION POLICY ARE THE SAME PRINCIPLES USED IN BOTH INDOOR AND OUTDOOR ALLOCATIONS AS WELL. OKAY.

I DO KNOW IT'S AN INTERESTING POLICY AND NOT NECESSARILY ONE FOR THIS YEAR, BUT MAYBE ONE FOR NEXT YEAR BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF THAT GRANDFATHERED SYSTEM.

SO THE OLDEST CLUB GETS FIRST PRIORITY AND THE NEW PERSON ON THE BLOCK IS LAST IN LINE.

AND SO IF YOU'RE TRYING TO START WITH FIVE YEAR OLDS, ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU GET THE 8:00 P.M.

SLOT, WHICH MEANS YOUR TEAM'S NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO START.

SO, YEAH, I THINK IT WOULD BE AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION.

AND WE KNOW THAT FIELDS ARE IN A HEAVY DEMAND AND THERE'S MORE USERS THAN FIELD USERS.

AND SO LOOKING AT THOSE CREATIVE OPTIONS TO OF SPLITTING FIELDS IN TWO BECAUSE IF YOU'RE RUNNING A PRACTICE, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY NEED THE WHOLE PITCH.

AND SO IF THERE IS THAT OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO THEN DECREASE THAT GAP, AS COUNCILLOR PAYNE WAS NOTING, AND INCREASE THE USAGE RATE BUT NOT OF THIS YEAR DISCUSSION BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT ON OUR PLATE BUT SOMETHING TO PERCOLATE ON FOR NEXT YEAR.

SURE. LET'S CONTINUE FOR THREE MORE MINUTES AND THEN WE'LL TAKE OUR 90 MINUTE BREAK.

COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT PARKING.

HOW MUCH DOES THE CITY GET IN PARKING REVENUE EACH YEAR? ROUGHLY? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. PARKING IS ANOTHER INTERESTING ONE THAT OF COURSE DURING COVID EVERYTHING GOT SKEWED, BUT WE'RE AROUND 450 TO $500,000 A YEAR ON AVERAGE.

THANK YOU. AND DOES THAT INCLUDE FINES OR IS THAT JUST PAID RATES? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

JUST PAID RATES FOR PARKING.

THANK YOU. AWESOME.

THANK YOU. HAS THE CITY EVER CONSIDERED SUMMER AND WINTER RATES FOR PARKING METERS? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

I'D SAY NO IN THE PAST TEN YEARS, BUT.

YEAH, NO, WE REALLY HAVEN'T.

AND WE'RE REALLY, REALLY PLEASED NOW THAT WE'VE GONE TO THE MACKAY PAY APP.

SO UTILIZING THAT, WE NEED TO BE PROGRAMING METERS.

IT WOULD ADD A LAYER OF COMPLEXITY.

PERHAPS I'LL ASK MR. MCLEAN IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS.

THANKS. THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.

NO, WE HAVEN'T AT THIS POINT IN TIME CONTEMPLATED SUMMER VERSUS WINTER RATES.

BUT AS YOU MAY REMEMBER FROM OUR ADMINISTRATION PRESENTATION A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, PARKING METERS ARE A PART OF OUR PROJECTED WORK.

[01:20:01]

AND THERE'S COMPARATORS SIMILAR TO, YOU KNOW, OUR CLIMATE AND OUR SIZE AND OUR CAPACITY TO DELIVER THAT SERVICE DEFINITELY WILL LOOK AT THAT.

THANKS. AWESOME.

THANK YOU. YEAH, I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE A DIFFERENTIAL THERE JUST TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BIKE OR WALK OR SCOOTER OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO IN THE SUMMER.

UNDERSTAND THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES GETTING AROUND IN THE WINTER HERE, BUT YEAH, I'LL LOOK FOR SOME INFO AND TRY AND PASS THAT ALONG.

AND DOES THE CURRENT PARKING APP ALLOW US TO SHOW RESIDENTS WHICH SPOTS ARE AVAILABLE AT A CURRENT TIME? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

THE MACKAY PAY APP RIGHT NOW IS PURELY FOR PAYING FOR THE PARKING SPACE.

IT DOESN'T. IT'S PURELY TRANSACTIONAL FOR PAYMENT.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

THANK YOU. AND A COUPLE QUESTIONS AND A COMMENT ON ACCESS FOR ALL IS TO FOLLOW UP ON COUNCILLOR MCGURK'S QUESTION.

IS THE ACCESS FOR ALL THE ONLY MEANS TESTING WE DO IN TERMS OF FEES AND CHARGES? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

AT THIS POINT IT IS.

THANK YOU. THANKS.

AND I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A LOT GOING ON, BUT I WAS DISCUSSING MY PROPOSAL TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM.

A FEW WEEKS AGO. JUST WONDERING IF ADMIN HAD ANY TIME TO HAVE ANY REVENUE LOSS ESTIMATES FOR MY PROPOSAL.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.

THIS HAS BEEN THE ACCESS FOR ALL POLICY HAS BEEN A BIG TOPIC OF INTEREST.

MY RECOLLECTION IS THAT COUNCIL HAD TABLED THAT UNTIL THE DISCUSSION ON FEES AND CHARGES HAD HAPPENED.

SO TO BE ABLE TO FACTOR IN SORT OF THE OVERALL HOW FEES AND CHARGES ARE DEALT WITH COMPREHENSIVELY.

SO AT THIS POINT, NO, WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO PROVIDE COST ESTIMATES ON ALTERNATIVE WAYS OF DEALING WITH THINGS.

AND SO IF COUNCIL DOES WANT TO GO DOWN THAT PATH, THEN WE WOULD CERTAINLY LOOK AT BEING ABLE TO DO SO.

THE COSTS ARE REALLY HARD TO QUANTIFY IN TERMS OF IF WE RAISE THE THRESHOLD, WHAT IS THE IMPACT ON THE CITY.

WE DO KNOW INTUITIVELY THAT INCREASING THE THRESHOLD MEANS THERE WILL LIKELY BE MORE PEOPLE TAKING ON THE ACCESS FOR ALL PROGRAM AND BEING ELIGIBLE UNDER IT, THEREFORE REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF FEES THAT WE COLLECT.

BUT THE ACTUAL AMOUNT OF UPTAKE WE DON'T KNOW BECAUSE OF COURSE ONCE SOMEONE COMES AND GETS AN ACCESS FOR ALL PASS, WHEN THEY GO TO USE IT AT A REC FACILITY OR THEY USE IT TO GET ON PUBLIC TRANSIT, WE DON'T SAY, AHA, YOU'RE AN ACCESS FOR ALL CLIENT.

THEY ARE A CLIENT JUST LIKE ANYONE ELSE.

SO THE UTILIZATION RATES ARE REALLY HARD FOR US TO IDENTIFY.

I MEAN, IF WE WANT TO LOOK AT IT FROM A PURELY THEORETICAL POINT OF VIEW, IF WE LOOKED AT THE COST OF A TWO YEAR BUS PASS AND THE COST OF A TWO YEAR FLEXI PASS, THOSE OVERALL WOULD BE ABOUT $2,800, GIVE OR TAKE.

SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AT THAT TIME.

BUT AT THIS POINT, WE ARE WAITING FOR THE DISCUSSION TO COME BACK ONCE THE POLICY ISN'T TABLED.

THANK YOU. AND IT WOULD BE TOUGH TO SAY THAT'S LOST REVENUE BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY IS ACTUALLY USING IT RIGHT NOW.

BUT.

YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO JUST A COMMENT.

SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, I'VE BEEN SEEKING TO EXPAND THE ACCESS FOR ALL PROGRAM.

JUST A HEADS UP TO EVERYONE, STAFF AND FELLOW COUNCILMEMBERS AS A TIME FRAME FOR NEXT STEPS.

SOME EXCELLENT ADVICE ON TIMING PROCEDURAL FROM MADAM MAYOR.

SO I'M PLANNING TO TAKE THE ACCESS FOR ALL POLICY OFF THE TABLE AT COUNCIL NEXT WEEK ON THE 12TH AND MOVE FOR IT TO GO BACK TO G.P.C.

FOR A FINAL DISCUSSION ON JUNE 19TH.

AT THIS TIME, I'LL REITERATE THE SPECIFIC CHANGE I'M PROPOSING.

I'LL DEMONSTRATE THAT THIS CHANGE WILL NOT INCREASE STAFF'S WORKLOAD.

ALSO DEMONSTRATE WHY THIS CHANGE IS NEEDED IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE STATED POLICY GOALS.

AND I'LL PROVIDE A RATIONALE SO FUTURE COUNCILS AND STAFF CAN UNDERSTAND THIS EXPANSION.

I'VE ALSO DONE SOME REVENUE CALCULATIONS, REVENUE LOSS, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, ROUGH ESTIMATES, AND I'LL SHARE THESE AS WELL AS THE POTENTIAL NUMBER OF NEW USERS THAT COULD COME ON WITH MY PROPOSED EXPANSION.

I ALSO HAVE SOME IDEAS TO RAISE REVENUE ELSEWHERE THAT I'LL SHARE.

I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR DISCUSSION ON THE PROPOSED EXPANSION AND HEARING EVERYONE'S THOUGHTS IN LIGHT OF OUR CONVERSATION TODAY REGARDING FEES AND CHARGES AS WELL AS THE BUDGET COMING UP. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

COUNCILLOR COCHRANE.

THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.

I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ON THE CURLING CLUB.

WHAT I WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE CAME TO THIS AGREEMENT AND WHEN THE AGREEMENT IS UP FOR REVIEW? BECAUSE I HAVE TO SAY, OUT OF ALL THE FACILITIES TO SUBSIDIZE 100%, THE CURLING CLUB SEEMS LIKE AN ODD ONE.

[01:25:04]

MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

AND THIS WAS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN FLAGGED BY ADMINISTRATION BEFORE WITH A CERTAINLY WITH AN INTEREST.

OH GOSH. A FEW YEARS BACK AND DURING BUDGET DELIBERATIONS TO STAY THE COURSE BY COUNCIL.

I'LL ASK MR. WHITE IF HE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS IN ANY WAY.

THANK YOU, MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

GLADLY. SO THE COUNCIL AT THE TIME DIRECTED ADMINISTRATION TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH ALL THE STIPULATED THINGS THAT I RAN THROUGH ON MY PRESENTATION IN 2009.

IT IS A 20 YEAR AGREEMENT WITH THE ABILITY TO CHANGE, ALTER OR CANCEL WITH 12 MONTHS NOTICE.

THANK YOU. AND TO FOR A BIT MORE INFORMATION.

YES, IT COST THE CITY $163,600.

HOWEVER, IF THE CITY WAS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING THE ICE STAFFING IT ETC.

IT WOULD BE AN EXTRA COST, WHICH IS WHERE I BELIEVE BACK IN THE DAY USED TO SAY EVERY COMMUNITY GETS A CURLING CLUB, A HOCKEY RINK AND SOMETHING ELSE. AND SO YOU GET THIS LEGACY FACILITY.

AND THIS WAS A WAY TO KIND OF LIKE ALMOST LIKE P3 IT WITH ANOTHER ORGANIZATION IS RUNNING IT.

SO WE'RE ONLY PAYING FOR THIS COST.

YES. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR MCGURK.

THANKS. I IN TERMS OF THE LETTERS OF UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE WITH GROUPS, HOW DOES A COMMUNITY GROUP APPROACH THE CITY? IS IT THAT THEY WOULD COME TO COUNCIL OR DO THEY SEEK SORT OF SOMETHING OUT WITH ADMINISTRATION FIRST? BOTH WAYS HAVE BEEN DONE.

SOMETIMES THEY FILL THE ROOM AT BUDGET TIME AND COUNCIL DIRECTS ADMINISTRATION TO DRAFT A LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THEM.

OTHER TIMES THEY WORK THROUGH ADMIN.

BUT MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THAT'S EXACTLY IT.

AND IT'S AGAIN, IT'S ALWAYS AN INTERESTING SITUATION BECAUSE OFTEN THERE WILL BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY WHERE A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON A BIKE CLUB OR A SNOWBOARD HILL OR OTHER THINGS, AND THEY FIND THAT THEY ARE DOING GREAT, EXCEPT THEY NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE OOMPH BECAUSE JUST RELYING ON VOLUNTEERS CAN SOMETIMES BE VERY DRAINING. AND THAT'S TYPICALLY WHEN THEY COME FORWARD AND ASK FOR A DEGREE OF SUPPORT FROM THE CITY.

SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THIS HAS MANIFESTED ITSELF WITH MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF SUPPORT BEING REQUESTED.

BUT MR. WHITE, I'LL ASK HIM IF YOU'D LIKE TO ELABORATE IN ANY WAY.

I GUESS I'LL JUST ADD THAT SOME OF THESE PREDATE MY TIME WITH THE CITY.

AND AS MS. BASSI-KELLETT AND THE MAYOR HAVE INDICATED, SOME HAVE GONE THROUGH YOU FOLKS AND OR YOUR PAST FOLKS.

AND THERE ARE SOME LIKE THE TENNIS CLUB, FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH IS LIKE IT JUST MAKES SENSE RESOURCE WISE TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT SO LONG STANDING VARIOUS APPROACHES AND THEY'RE ALL BENEFICIAL TO ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

THANKS. IT DOES CREATE THE APPLES AND ORANGES FRUIT BASKET OF LOOKING AT ALL THE PROGRAMS. BUT YEAH. YEAH, I'M JUST THINKING, I THINK FOR THE MOUNTAIN BIKE CLUB SPECIFICALLY IS THE ONE ON MY MIND.

THEY, I THINK, ARE STILL SUPPOSED TO BE LEASING FROM THE CITY AND THEY MAINTAIN THEIR SPACE ENTIRELY, BUT THEY'RE NOT ON THAT LIST, OBVIOUSLY.

I THINK.

OKAY. AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE NACC, YOU SAID THE CURLING CLUB, THIS IS A TEN YEAR, OR 20 YEAR AGREEMENT.

IS THE NACC SPACE DO THEY HAVE ANY IS THERE ANY IT'S $55,000 IS QUITE A BIT OF MONEY THAT IT COST TO US.

AND I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY SORT OF RESULTS THAT WE EXPECT FROM THEM OR IF THERE'S A TIME FRAME FOR OR WHAT THAT AGREEMENT LOOKS LIKE? MS. BASSI-KELLETT IS IT A LEASE RENEWAL COMING UP? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

SO WE HAVE A LEASE WITH NACC.

THERE ARE PROVISIONS IN IT FOR US TO NEGOTIATE WITH THEM IF WE WANT CHANGES TO THAT OR ALWAYS A TERMINATION CLAUSE OF COURSE.

THE SPACE IS USED FOR A LOT OF THEIR SUPPORTING DEVELOPING ARTISTS WHO ARE COMING UP EITHER PERFORMING OR VISUAL ARTISTS.

I'LL ASK MR. WHITE IF HE'D LIKE TO ELABORATE IN ANY WAY.

THANK YOU, MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

I GUESS I'LL ADD IT WAS RECENTLY RENEWED AND ONE OF THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE SURE THAT WAS IN THERE WAS THAT IT'S ALSO AVAILABLE FOR A BROADER ARTS AND CULTURE USE, NOT SPECIFICALLY JUST FOR THE NACC USE.

AND AGAIN, THERE IS A ONE YEAR CLAUSE IN THERE THAT IF THEY WANT OUT OR WE WANT TO CHANGE THE PARAMETERS OF THE AGREEMENT, THAT IT'S

[01:30:07]

THANKS. THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR.

THE SECOND SPACE IS REALLY GREAT.

IT'S A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY, BUT IT'S OFTEN, I THINK, QUITE UNDERUTILIZED.

SO IT'S GOOD TO HEAR THAT WE'VE WORKED IN MORE USE OF THE SPACE.

THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ANYTHING FURTHER ON FEES AND CHARGES? A GOOD NATURAL BREAK.

THEN WE WILL TAKE A TEN MINUTE BREAK.

WELL, LET'S TAKE 11 MINUTES JUST TO MAKE IT ODD AND EVEN.

AND WE'LL COME BACK AT 1:50 P.M.

FOR BUDGET AT 2024 DISCUSSIONS.

AND WE'LL CALL OUR MEETING BACK TO ORDER.

AND NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS A PRESENTATION REGARDING BUDGET 2024.

[5. A presentation regarding Budget 2024.]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I WOULD IF YOU'D JUST GIVE ME TWO SECONDS.

THERE WE GO. OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.

SO, DEVELOPMENT AND BUDGET 2024.

BELIEVE US ON THIS WHEN WE SAY THE WORK ON THIS HAS BEEN UNDERWAY FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS ON THIS.

WE DON'T START THIS IN JUNE.

WE START THIS, FRANKLY, IN JANUARY OF EACH YEAR FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.

THE CYCLICAL PROCESS EVERY YEAR INCLUDES AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF WORK WITHIN ADMINISTRATION, INCLUDING ENGAGEMENT ON KEY AREAS WITH COUNCIL AND ALSO WITH THE PUBLIC BEFORE WE FINALLY PRESENT COUNCILMEMBERS WITH A DRAFT BUDGET IN EARLY NOVEMBER OF EACH YEAR.

NOW THE. COUNCIL'S STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS ARE VERY CLOSE TO BEING FINALIZED THEY WILL BE USED TO INFORM PRIORITIES FOR FUNDING ALLOCATION.

TOGETHER, OF COURSE, WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES, OUR CORE AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES, ASSET MANAGEMENT AND OTHER FUNDAMENTALS THAT DRIVE THE OVERALL DIRECTIONS OF THE CITY. I'M VERY HAPPY TO TURN THIS OVER AGAIN TO MS. WOODWARD, OUR DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE SERVICES, WHO WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE ARE AT WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF BUDGET 2024.

THANK YOU. SORRY.

WE ARE HAVING SOME TECHNICAL ISSUES.

I DIDN'T CHANGE ANYTHING.

YEAH. I'LL CHANGE THE SLIDES.

HERE WE GO. IT WAS ALL FINE BEFORE THE BREAK.

OH, DID YOU RIGHT CLICK.

YEAH. THANK YOU.

OH, THANK GOODNESS FOR TECHNICAL EXPERTS.

GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M BACK THIS TIME TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT BUDGET 2024.

IT MAY SEEM LIKE YOU JUST DELIBERATED BUDGET 2023, BUT AS MS. BASSI-KELLETT MENTIONED, ADMINISTRATION HAS ALREADY BEEN WORKING HARD BEHIND THE SCENES FOR SEVERAL WEEKS TO CREATE THE FOUNDATIONS OF BUDGET 2024, AND IN 154 DAYS YOU WILL RECEIVE THE DRAFT BUDGET 2024 DOCUMENT.

IN PREPARATION FOR THIS TODAY, I'M GOING TO TRY TO START LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR THIS IMPORTANT POLICY DOCUMENT.

I'LL BEGIN BY OUTLINING THE KEY PILLARS THAT ESTABLISH THE FOUNDATION FOR THE BUDGET.

THEN I'LL LOOK AT SOME OF THE HIGH LEVEL OR TAKE A HIGH LEVEL LOOK AT SOME OF THE MAJOR FACTORS THAT ARE INFLUENCING BUDGET 2024 AND THE ASSOCIATED DECISIONS. THEN END WITH A LOOK AT THE NEXT STEPS.

COMMITTEE MAY RECALL THAT BUDGET 2024.

WELL, THE CITY'S BUDGET IN ANY YEAR IS BUILT ON FOUR PILLARS.

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD BUDGET PROCESS, KEY PLANNING PRINCIPLES, THE FUNDAMENTALS THAT PRIORITIZE CORE SERVICES WILL ACKNOWLEDGING CURRENT ECONOMIC REALITIES AND PUBLIC CONSULTATION.

THESE PILLARS FORM THE FOUNDATION, AS THEY ALWAYS DO FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

LET'S QUICKLY REVIEW THEM, STARTING WITH THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD BUDGET PROCESS.

THE GFOA'S NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL ON STATE AND LOCAL BUDGETING DEFINES A GOOD BUDGET PROCESS AS ONE THAT TAKES A LONG TERM PERSPECTIVE.

ONE THAT LINKS TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN, REMEMBERING, OF COURSE, THAT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SOME ITEMS THAT ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO BE FUNDED TO SUSTAIN A COMMUNITY, BUT THAT ANY ITEMS OUTSIDE OF THESE CORE FUNDAMENTAL SERVICES MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN OBJECTIVES.

[01:35:03]

WHAT DOES THE CITY HAVE TO PROVIDE IN THE WAY OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, AND WHAT DOES COUNCIL WANT TO ACCOMPLISH AND ACHIEVE? THE EMPHASIS SHOULDN'T REALLY BE ON HOW MUCH TAXES MAY GO UP OR DOWN, BUT REALLY ON WHAT IS BEING ACCOMPLISHED.

SO THERE'S A LITTLE WINDOW.

I WANT IT TO GO AWAY. [LAUGHTER] A GOOD BUDGET PROCESS ALSO EDUCATES AND INVOLVES STAKEHOLDERS.

AND IN DOING SO, IT ESTABLISHES BUY IN ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION A SHARED COMMITMENT TO A VISION, AS IT WERE.

THE SECOND PILLAR IS THE FRAMEWORK OF NINE KEY PLANNING PRINCIPLES THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE DAY ADOPTED IN EARLY 2020, WHEN THE REALITIES OF COVID WERE EMERGING AND CREATING THE CHALLENGE OF MITIGATING THE IMMEDIATE FISCAL IMPACTS WHILE PROTECTING THE CITY'S FINANCIAL FUTURE.

ALTHOUGH THE INITIAL PURPOSE OF THESE WAS TO CREATE SOME STRUCTURE AND CLARITY WITHIN THE COVID CONTEXT, THEY STILL REMAIN VALID AND WILL CONTINUE TO HELP ENSURE LOGICAL AND CONSISTENT DECISION MAKING.

THEY RECOGNIZE, OF COURSE, THE PARAMOUNT NEED TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS AND STAFF, SOMETHING THAT WE WERE REMINDED OF IN SPADES DURING THE COVID EPIDEMIC. THE PLANNING PRINCIPLES OUTLINE AND RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO FOLLOW THE RULES.

CONTINUED COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL AND TERRITORIAL LEGISLATION, CITY BYLAWS AND POLICIES AND THE PROVISIONS OF OUR COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS CONTINUE TO BE FOUNDATIONAL IN ALL DECISION MAKING.

THE PRINCIPLES CONSIDER THE IMPORTANCE OF ALLOWING EACH ORDER OF GOVERNMENT TO STAY IN ITS LANE AND FOCUS ON ITS OWN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY WHILE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY AND COOPERATIVELY TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S THE BEST POSSIBLE USE OF SCARCE RESOURCES ACROSS THE BOARD.

THE PLANNING PRINCIPLES RECOGNIZE THAT OUR CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES MAY ALSO BE EXPERIENCING FINANCIAL STRESS OR CHALLENGES, AND THEY SUPPORT, THEREFORE COUNCIL'S VALUE OF BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE PUBLIC.

THE PLANNING PRINCIPLES EMPHASIZE THE DESIRE TO MAINTAIN THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT RESIDENTS OF YELLOWKNIFE HAVE COME TO EXPECT.

CRITICAL TO COUNCIL'S THEME OF PEOPLE FIRST.

THE PRINCIPLES EMPHASIZE THE LONG TERM REQUIREMENT TO PRESERVE THE CITY'S ASSETS SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROVISION OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. THAT'S THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL COMPONENT OF ASSET MANAGEMENT.

BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMAIN MINDFUL OF THE NEED TO NOT ONLY ADDRESS THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS, BUT TO DO SO IN A MANNER THAT CONSIDERS THE FUTURE AS WELL.

AND THIS SUPPORTS COUNCIL'S FOCUS ON ENSURING THE CONTINUITY OF DEFINED SERVICE LEVELS.

THE PRINCIPALS IDENTIFIED A NEED TO REMAIN VIGILANT ABOUT THE CITY'S FINANCIAL HEALTH.

WHILE THE CITY CURRENTLY BENEFITS FROM A GOOD LIQUIDITY POSITION AND PERHAPS STRONG CASH BALANCE.

CONTINUED PRUDENT DECISION MAKING WILL BE NEEDED TO ENSURE THE CITY IS ABLE TO CONTINUE PROVIDING SERVICES AND PROGRAMS AND TO SUPPORT COUNCIL'S FOCUS ON A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.

THE PRINCIPALS ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSIDERING THE BROADER COMMUNITY ECONOMY SPEAKS TO COUNCIL'S VALUE OF AMPLIFYING OTHERS.

AND FINALLY, THE PRINCIPLES RECOGNIZE THAT USING DATA AND EVIDENCE TO MAKE DECISIONS IS ESSENTIAL.

WHILE EMOTIONS OR OPINIONS MAY RUN HIGH AT TIMES, IT IS STILL IMPORTANT TO REVIEW AND ANALYZE DATA AND EVIDENCE TO GUIDE STRATEGIC AND EFFECTIVE DECISION MAKING.

A KEY COMPONENT OF COUNCILS' RESPONSIBLE DECISION MAKING PRINCIPLE.

THESE PRINCIPLES ARE ALL RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD WHEN CONSIDERED IN ISOLATION, BUT WHEN TAKEN TOGETHER, THEY CREATE COMPETING PRIORITIES.

BUDGET RELATED DECISION MAKING IS ALL ABOUT BALANCING THESE PRIORITIES.

THE THIRD PILLAR INCORPORATES THE FUNDAMENTAL UNDERPINNINGS UPON WHICH ADMINISTRATION BASES ITS APPROACH TO BUDGET DEVELOPMENT.

THEREFORE, BUDGET 2024 IS PREDICATED FIRST AND FOREMOST ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE FOCUS WILL CONTINUE TO BE ON CORE SERVICES.

WITHIN THIS CONTEXT THAT THE CITY WILL PROVIDE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN YELLOWKNIFE.

AND THEN THERE'S THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, THE CURRENT ECONOMIC REALITIES.

IN RECENT YEARS, THIS FUNDAMENTAL HAS FOCUSED ON THE IMPACTS OF COVID.

AND I THINK I'D MENTIONED EARLIER THAT WHILE THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME SMUGNESS THIS TIME LAST YEAR THINKING, OH, WE'RE THROUGH COVID, THIS IS OVER.

[01:40:06]

AND SO BUDGET 2024 HAS TO TAKE THESE INTO CONSIDERATION.

AND THIS BRINGS US TO THE FOURTH PILLAR, CONSULTATION.

THE BUDGET IS ONE OF COUNCIL'S KEY POLICY DOCUMENTS, SO DECISIONS TO IT SHOULD NOT BE MADE IN A VACUUM.

THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST DIRECTLY IMPACTED NEED TO BE HEARD.

THERE ARE THREE KEY COMPONENTS TO THIS YEAR'S CONSULTATION PLAN.

FIRST, THERE'S THE OPEN DOOR POLICY THAT INVITES STAKEHOLDERS TO DISCUSS THE CITY'S BUDGET WITH ADMINISTRATION AT ANY TIME DURING THE YEAR AND ENCOURAGES ELECTED OFFICIALS LIKE YOU TO REACH OUT TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS TO HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.

THERE'S ALSO THE COUNCIL MEETING THAT WILL BE HELD IN SEPTEMBER WHERE THE PUBLIC WILL BE INVITED TO MAKE PRESENTATIONS ABOUT WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE BUDGET.

AND FINALLY, THERE'S A SPECIAL GPC MEETING SLATED IN NOVEMBER TO HEAR PUBLIC FEEDBACK ON THE ACTUAL DRAFT DOCUMENT.

SO BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE FOUR PILLARS THAT FORM THE FOUNDATION ON WHICH BUDGET 2024 IS BEING BUILT.

LET'S LOOK NOW AT THE MAJOR INFLUENCES AND IMPACTS THAT WILL FUNDAMENTALLY SHAPE THE PLAN.

EVERY YEAR THE CITY ENCOUNTERS NUMEROUS INFLUENCES AND UNCERTAINTIES AS IT WORKS THROUGH ITS BUDGET PROCESS AND BUDGET 2024 IS CERTAINLY NO EXCEPTION.

THERE IS THE COURSE ONE MORE TIME.

THE ONGOING NEED ARISING FROM THE CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES ACT TO PRODUCE A BALANCED BUDGET.

THIS REQUIREMENT IN AND OF ITSELF IS ALWAYS CHALLENGING, BUT NOW IT'S COMPLICATED BY THE REALITIES OF OUR POST COVID WORLD.

SO EVERYONE'S AWARE COVID CREATED SOME PRETTY DRAMATIC CHANGES IN OUR ECONOMY, INCLUDING INCREASED COSTS OF MATERIALS DELIVERY DELAYS AND SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, ALONG WITH LABOR CHALLENGES, BOTH IN TERMS OF CITY STAFF AND THE CONTRACTORS.

THESE IN TURN HAVE LED TO PROJECT DELAYS AND THE PROJECT DELAYS IN TURN HAVE RESULTED IN INCREASING AMOUNTS OF CARRY FORWARD.

MONEY THAT HAS NOT BEEN SPENT BUT HAS BEING CARRIED FORWARD BECAUSE PROJECTS JUST SIMPLY DIDN'T GET COMPLETED.

THESE INFLUENCES AND THE ENSUING IMPACTS AREN'T UNIQUE TO YELLOWKNIFE.

FOR EXAMPLE, CBC JUST REPORTED THAT THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE CARRIED OVER 75% OF ITS 2022 CAPITAL INTO THIS YEAR BECAUSE PROJECTS JUST DIDN'T GET DONE, AND THEY CITED LACK OF STAFF, CONTRACTORS AND SUPPLIES.

BUT AS MUCH AS THERE MIGHT BE COMFORT IN KNOWING WE AREN'T ALONE, WE STILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THESE REALITIES.

AND THEY WILL BE REFLECTED IN BUDGET 2024.

STARTING WITH THE GOOD NEWS.

THE DESIGN BUILD APPROACH UTILIZED FOR THE AQUATIC CENTER COMES WITH A FIXED PRICE, SO THERE HAVEN'T BEEN AND AREN'T EXPECTED TO BE ANY COST CHANGES THERE.

HOWEVER, OTHER UNDERTAKINGS HAVE SEEN SOME RATHER DRAMATIC COST INCREASES AS MORE REFINED DESIGNS ARE COMPLETED AND ESTIMATES ARE UPDATED TO REFLECT THE CURRENT ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT.

AND SO COUNCIL WILL BE SEEING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR EXISTING PROJECTS IN BUDGET 2024.

IN PARTICULAR, THE FIRE HALL EXPANSION IS NOW COMING IN AT OVER $17 MILLION DOLLARS.

LIFT STATION ONE IS EXPECTED TO COST IN THE BALLPARK OF $15.3 MILLION DOLLARS AND THE SUBMARINE WATER INTAKE LINE PROJECT COSTS HAVE BALLOONED TO ABOUT $80 MILLION DOLLARS.

AS WELL WATER LICENSE COSTS REMAIN SOMEWHAT OF A MOVING TARGET AS ADMINISTRATION WORKS TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE REQUIREMENTS AND TO MATCH RESOURCES WITH THEM.

SO AS COMMITTEE IS VERY AWARE, EXISTING RESOURCES ARE STRETCHED VERY THIN.

SO BUDGET 2024 WILL INTRODUCE VERY LITTLE IN THE WAY OF NEW PROJECTS AND IT WILL PRESENT AN ADJUSTED SCHEDULE OF PREVIOUSLY RECOMMENDED PROJECTS.

IT'S TELLING THAT OF THE 27 CAPITAL PROJECTS CURRENTLY BEING CONTEMPLATED FOR 2024, THE PRIMARY DRIVERS BEHIND 21 OF THEM ARE MAINTAINING CURRENT SERVICE LEVELS.

REGULATORY, COMPLIANCE AND RISK REDUCTION.

[01:45:02]

SIMILARLY, ONLY THREE OF THOSE 27 PROJECTS REFLECT ACQUISITIONS.

22 OF THEM ARE EITHER RENEWAL OR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE.

SO MOVING ON, LET'S REVIEW WHAT'S BEEN DONE SO FAR TO GET BUDGET 2024 UNDERWAY.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE'LL LOOK AHEAD AT THE NEXT STEPS.

SO WHERE ARE WE IN THE BUDGET 2024 PROCESS? HERE'S WHAT THE BASIC CYCLICAL PROCESS OF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET PROCESS LOOKS LIKE.

AS ALWAYS, ADMINISTRATION STARTED THE PLANNING PROCESSES EARLY IN THE YEAR.

PLANNING CONTINUED THROUGHOUT APRIL, AND THAT MONTH, COUNCIL ADOPTED THE AMENDMENTS TO THE FEES AND CHARGES BYLAW TO IMPLEMENT THAT 3% INCREASE IN COMMUNITY SERVICES RELATED FEES THAT WAS INHERENT IN BUDGET 2023.

NORMALLY ADMINISTRATION WOULD ALSO BRING THE PRIOR YEAR'S AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FORWARD IN APRIL.

BUT THIS YEAR THE LABOR DISRUPTION, STAFFING CHALLENGES AND AUDITOR AVAILABILITY HAVE DELAYED THAT PROCESS AND WE'RE NOW LOOKING AT THIS BEING COMPLETED IN Q3.

LAST MONTH, ADMINISTRATION BROUGHT FORWARD THE RECOMMENDED 2023 MILL RATES, WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACROSS THE BOARD TAX INCREASE OF 4.04%, WHICH COMMITTEE WILL RECALL, IS DOWN SOMEWHAT FROM THE 4.37% ANTICIPATED WHEN YOU CONCLUDED BUDGET 2023 DELIBERATIONS.

THIS WAS DUE TO A LITTLE HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED GROWTH IN OUR ASSESSMENT BASE.

THOSE MILL RATES BOUGHT US WERE THE LAST PIECE THAT ADMINISTRATION NEEDED TO GO AHEAD AND CALCULATE THE 2023 FINAL TAX LEVY, WHICH WILL ENABLE IT TO GENERATE THE TAXATION REVENUES THAT WERE ANTICIPATED IN BUDGET 2023.

AND THOSE ASSOCIATED NOTICES WILL GO OUT AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.

NOW, WHILE ALL OF THIS WAS GOING ON, YOU AS COUNCIL WERE WORKING ON YOUR 2023 TO 2026 STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS.

AND AS YOU RECALL, LAST MONTH YOU APPROVED THEM FOR PUBLIC REVIEW AND ENGAGEMENT.

ONCE FINALIZED, THESE STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS WILL GUIDE ADMINISTRATION'S RECOMMENDATIONS, PARTICULARLY AROUND BUDGET, AS WELL AS INFORM YOUR DECISION MAKING OVER THE LAST OF YOUR TERM.

ALSO IN MAY, ADMINISTRATION PROVIDED A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF ITS 2023 WORK PLAN, AND THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM TOOK A LONG, HARD LOOK AT THE REQUIREMENTS AROUND FUTURE CAPITAL PROJECTS AND STAFFING NEEDS.

AND THEY REVIEWED AND PRIORITIZED THE CAPITAL PROJECTS AND NEW STAFFING PROJECTS CURRENTLY BEING CONSIDERED FOR THE UPCOMING THREE YEAR BUDGET.

THIS MONTH PLANNING WILL CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS OF OPERATING BUDGETS, AND THESE NUMBERS WILL BE FINALIZED ALONG WITH THE NUMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH CAPITAL PROJECTS AND STAFFING RECOMMENDATIONS.

LOOKING AHEAD OVER THE SUMMER, CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT WILL RAMP UP WITH ONGOING OPEN INVITATIONS FOR STAKEHOLDERS TO DISCUSS BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS WITH ADMINISTRATION AND COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION WILL BRING FORWARD THE Q2 VARIANCE AND FORECAST REPORT.

ADMINISTRATION ALSO PLANS TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON BUDGET 2024 INITIATIVES AND NUMBERS IN AUGUST.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION WILL CONTINUE.

AND IN SEPTEMBER THERE WILL BE THAT SPECIAL MEETING THAT I REFERRED TO EARLIER FOR COUNCIL TO HEAR FINAL PUBLIC REQUESTS FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS TO BE INCLUDED IN BUDGET 2024.

I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE FINAL, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF LEAD TIME IF THINGS ARE GOING TO BE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET.

SO IF THEY MISS THIS SEPTEMBER, WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO GIVE IT A THOROUGH ANALYSIS AND SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS.

IN OCTOBER, ADMINISTRATION WILL PROVIDE COMMITTEE WITH A SUMMARY OF WHAT PUBLIC INPUT AND FEEDBACK WE'VE RECEIVED SO FAR, ALONG WITH THE QUARTER THREE VARIANCE.

THE DRAFT BUDGET DOCUMENT WILL BE UNVEILED ON NOVEMBER 6TH, AND THREE WEEKS LATER, COUNCIL WILL HEAR PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS RELATED TO THE DOCUMENT. NOW, ONCE AGAIN, AS YOU AS COUNCILLORS REVIEW THE BUDGET DOCUMENT, WE ANTICIPATE QUESTIONS.

SO TO ENSURE THAT OUR ANSWERS ARE ACCURATE AND FULSOME, ADMINISTRATION WILL ONCE AGAIN ENCOURAGE COUNCILLORS TO SUBMIT WRITTEN QUESTIONS, AND WE WILL PROVIDE WRITTEN ANSWERS AND POST THOSE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.

THEN COMES DECEMBER AND BUDGET DELIBERATIONS, JUST IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE SO.

DECEMBER 4TH, 5TH AND 6TH SHOULD BE MARKED ON YOUR CALENDARS AS THOSE EVENINGS ARE SET ASIDE FOR DELIBERATIONS WITH DECEMBER 7TH RESERVED, JUST IN CASE YOU NEED EXTRA

[01:50:04]

AND IF YOUR DECISIONS REQUIRE ANY FEES AND CHARGES AMENDMENTS, THEY'LL BE ADOPTED AT THIS TIME.

AND THEN THE CYCLE WILL BEGIN AGAIN.

QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.

YEAH. FCM WAS A BIG DISCUSSION ABOUT THE FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK OF MUNICIPALITIES AND A LOT OF TALK OF THE BALDWIN ACT IN 1849, WHICH IS WHEN MUNICIPALITIES WERE DELEGATED THE AUTHORITY SO THEY COULD RAISE TAXES AND ENACT BYLAWS.

AND JUST HOW MUCH LIFE HAS CHANGED FROM 1849 TO NOW.

HOWEVER, OUR FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK HASN'T.

AND PROPERTY TAXES WERE DESIGNED AS A TAX TO SERVICE PROPERTIES.

BUT NOW RESIDENT EXPECTATION IS THAT MUNICIPALITIES PROVIDE SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST ROADS, WATER AND SEWER.

AS YOUR PRESENTATION HAS DEMONSTRATED AND I KNOW BIG DISCUSSIONS WHEN WE GET TO THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PART.

SO OPENING IT UP TO QUESTIONS.

COMMENTS. COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM MAYOR, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

DO WE HAVE AN ESTIMATE ON THIS YEAR'S CARRY FORWARDS, OR IS IT JUST TOO EARLY? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

WE'RE BALLPARKING IT TO BE AROUND 35 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT 78% OF OUR 2022 BUDGET AND CARRY FORWARDS.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU.

LET ME SEE.

SO THE THE COST ESTIMATES IN THE PRESENTATION FOR THINGS LIKE THE FIRE HALL AND THE SUBMARINE LINE, PRESUMABLY THOSE ESTIMATES HAVE CHANGED AS MORE DETAILED ESTIMATES HAVE COME IN.

WHAT LEVEL OF ACCURACY ARE THOSE NUMBERS WE JUST SAW BASED ON? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.

SO TYPICALLY, HOW OUR PROCESS WORKS IS THAT WE'LL HAVE AN ESTIMATE THAT'S DONE THROUGH OUR PLANNING STUDY FOR WHATEVER THE PROJECT IS.

AND THEN AS WE ENTER INTO DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CONTRACTOR ON A PROJECT, WE'LL GO FROM CLASS WITH OUR ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS.

WE'LL GO FROM CLASS D TO CLASS A.

I'LL SEE IF MISS WOODWARD WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO WHERE THOSE EXACT FIGURES CAME FROM.

SOME OF THEM ARE VARYING, AND CERTAINLY AS COUNCILMEMBERS KNOW, THE WATER SUBMARINE LINE ESTIMATES THAT WE HAD FROM THE DEVELOPMENT OF BUDGET 2023 IN THE LATE SUMMER OF LAST YEAR CHANGED RADICALLY BY THE TIME THAT THE BUDGET DOCUMENT WAS FINALIZED WHEN WE HAD AN ESTIMATE IN DECEMBER. BUT I WILL ASK MISS WOODWARD IF SHE COULD SPEAK TO AT WHAT STAGE IN THE ESTIMATE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS SOME OF THOSE ESTIMATES ARE AT.

THANK YOU. I'M AFRAID I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

BUT PERHAPS THE OTHER DIRECTORS COULD SPEAK TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS.

I THINK THEY MAY BE AT DIFFERENT STAGES.

THANK YOU. SO PERHAPS I'LL ASK MR. MCLEAN IF HE COULD SPEAK TO THE FIRE HALL STUDY.

AND I WILL NOT PUT MR. RIVERS ON THE SPOT TO SPEAK TO ESTIMATES OF UNLESS HE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.

BUT I'LL TURN TO MR. MCLEAN FIRST.

THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.

THE CURRENT ESTIMATE OF $70 MILLION WAS BASED ON A CLASS D ESTIMATE BY OUR CONSULTANT PROVIDED ON DECEMBER 3RD OR 4TH OF 2022. WHEN THE PROJECT WAS FIRST CONCEPTUALIZED, WE HAD A CLASS D ESTIMATE THAT WAS PROVIDED IN 2020 AS A SCOPE OF THE OVERALL PROJECT.

WHEN WE FINALIZED SOME OF THE FLOORPLAN DESIGNS AND SOME OF THE REQUIRED NEEDS OF THE FACILITY, WE ASKED TO PROVIDE A SECOND CLASS D BUDGET, WHICH WAS ABOUT A 60% OF THE COST, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE CONTEMPLATING IN EXCESS OF $70 MILLION DOLLARS.

CURRENTLY WE'RE WAITING ON A CLASS A ESTIMATE, WHICH IS BASED ON 95% COMPLETE OF THE DRAWINGS THAT SHOULD BE HERE.

I'M HOPING, IF NOT THIS WEEK, BY THE FIRST OF NEXT WEEK, SOME OF THE I'M KEEPING MY FINGERS CROSSED.

BUT SOME OF THE PROJECTED COST OF THE CLASS D, JUST WITH INFLATION CONTROLS AND THINGS LIKE THAT STARTING TO KIND OF COME INTO SOME SENSE OF NORMALCY, IF YOU WANT TO USE THAT TERM.

OUR CONSULTANT IS I GUESS I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT WORD WOULD BE, BUT HE'S HOPING THAT THE CLASS D FROM DECEMBER MIGHT HAVE BEEN OVERINFLATED AS COMPARED TO WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE CLASS A COME IN, IN JUNE HERE.

THANK YOU. THE CLASS D TO CLASS A CAN BE PLUS OR -30%.

[01:55:05]

THEN THANK YOU. I THINK I'LL ASK MR. RIVERS WHO IS INVOLVED INTEGRALLY IN A LOT OF THE OPERATIONS FOR PUBLIC WORKS, BUT ALSO DEFINITELY IS INVOLVED IN A LOT OF THE PLANNING SIDE.

OVER TO YOU, MR. RIVERS.

ALL RIGHT. JUST WONDERING IF I GOT TO HOLD IT OR JUST PRESS IT ONCE.

OKAY. YEAH.

LIFT STATION ONE.

I WOULD SAY THAT'S NO FURTHER THAN CLASS D RIGHT NOW.

THERE'S A LOT OF CONSIDERATIONS FOR GROWTH IN THE DENSITY OF DOWNTOWN AND ENSURES WE HAVE ADEQUATE REDUNDANCY AND ALSO THE SITE LAYOUT DOWN THERE.

THERE'S A FEW OTHER THINGS THAT I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO INCORPORATE IN THAT PARKING LOT.

SUBMARINE LINE I KNOW MR. GREENCORN SPOKE ABOUT THAT PROBABLY TWO WEEKS AGO, AND HE MENTIONED THAT CLASS D STAGE, WHICH IS LIKE COULD VARY LIKE 25 TO 50%. SO WOULDN'T LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS WITH TOO MUCH.

YOU KNOW, THOSE NUMBERS COULD CHANGE.

AND THE WATER LICENSE IS JUST SO IT KEEPS GROWING IN SCOPE.

THERE'S EVERYTHING FROM WATER GOING INTO LIKE FROM THE STORM SYSTEM OR LAGOON DESLUDGING ROADS TO ACCESS SAMPLE POINTS, DOCKS TO ACCESS SAMPLE POINTS.

ENVIRONMENTALLY, THERE'S A LOT MORE THINGS COMING AT US THAT WE NEED TO TRACK AND THEREFORE, TO BE DETERMINED IS ABOUT AS ACCURATE AS WE CAN GET ON THAT ONE.

AWESOME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.

ONE MORE, JUST A VAGUE.

WHAT IS THE CITY'S CURRENT STAFF VACANCY RATE? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.

SO WE'RE PROBABLY RIGHT NOW AROUND 13 TO 15%.

AND OF COURSE, THAT IS WE'VE HAD TRANSITION.

WE ALSO ARE GOING THROUGH THINGS WITH SOME LONG TERM LEAVES FROM EMPLOYEES WITH EITHER A FAMILY LOSS, BEREAVEMENT LEAVE.

WE'VE HAD SOME LONG TERM ILLNESS.

WE'RE VERY PLEASED.

BUT ALSO GRITTING OUR TEETH OVER THE NUMBER OF PARENTAL LEAVES.

IT'S A WONDERFUL THING TO SEE.

SO WHAT WE SEE WITH THAT VACANCY IS THAT THERE IS ADDITIONAL PRESSURE THAT'S PUT ONTO A LOT OF OUR STAFF IN TERMS OF OVERTIME, IN TERMS OF SUPPORT TO ENSURE THAT THE CORE SERVICES CAN BE MAINTAINED.

SO LOTS OF THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND CERTAINLY WORKING ON THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AROUND OUR TALENT MANAGEMENT STRATEGY TO WORK ON THESE ISSUES.

I MUST SAY, COMING BACK FROM A MEETING OF CITY MANAGERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY LAST WEEK, IT'S COLD COMFORT, BUT IT IS COMFORT THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE IN SOME OF THE PRESSURES THAT WE'RE SEEING AROUND STAFFING OUR VACANCIES.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR WARBURTON.

THANK YOU. SO IN THE SLIDE DECK THERE, YOU SAID FEWER PROJECTS.

SO I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR.

SO IS THAT RECOMMENDATIONS COMING OF THINGS WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO OR THINGS YOU RECOMMEND PUTTING OFF? WHAT DOES FEWER PROJECTS MEAN? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE COMMENTS.

SO THE PROJECTS THAT ARE IN PROCESS RIGHT NOW, THE COUNCIL HAVE SEEN IN BUDGET 2023 ARE GOING AHEAD.

WE WILL WE WILL COME FORWARD WITH RECOMMENDATIONS ON THEM.

THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS THAT WE WERE PLANNING OR ANTICIPATING THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN COMING FORWARD IN BUDGET 20, 24 AND 25 THAT END UP GETTING PUSHED FURTHER DOWN IN OUR LONG TERM CAPITAL PLANNING PROCESS.

BUT WE DON'T SEE A REDUCTION OR A CANCELLATION OF EXISTING PROGRAM PROJECTS THAT ARE IN PLACE RIGHT NOW.

MS. WOODWARD ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? THANK YOU. BUT I THINK YOU CAPTURED IT ALL.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS. COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN.

THANK YOU. MISS WOODWARD MADE MENTION OF THE CORE SERVICES OF THOSE MUST HAVES VERSUS THE NEED TO HAVES.

SO AS PART OF THE PART OF 2024, BUDGETING IS ADMIN REVIEWING THOSE PROGRAMS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS MEET COUNCIL'S DRAFT STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS? BECAUSE AS I HAD MENTIONED LAST YEAR, THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN, IS MAKING SURE THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE BUDGET FOR 2024, WE KNOW THERE'S SOME HEAVY COSTS COMING OUR WAY.

SO WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT, I DON'T LIKE TO USE THE WORD CUT, BUT WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING ANYMORE THAT WE CURRENTLY DO NOW? AND IS ADMIN TAKING A GOOD LOOK AT THAT AS WE'RE PLANNING FOR BUDGET 2024? THANKS. SERVICE LEVEL RECOMMENDATIONS PERHAPS.

MS. BASSI-KELLETT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YEAH, WE DEFINITELY COME TO THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS WITHOUT ROSE COLORED GLASSES ON.

LET'S BE BLUNT. AND WE DO LOOK AND IT WAS VERY TIMELY THAT MISS WOODWARD CONTINUES TO DEMONSTRATE THE NINE PILLARS THAT WERE APPROVED DURING COVID.

[02:00:04]

SORRY, LET ME REPHRASE THAT.

THE ABSOLUTE THING WE HAD TO FOCUS ON WERE OUR CORE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, THE CORE AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES.

AND WHILE IT'S GREAT FOR US TO DO ALL THE MYRIAD OF THINGS WE WERE DOING PRE-COVID, IT WAS VERY FUNDAMENTAL FOR US TO SUSTAIN THE UNINTERRUPTED SERVICE OF THOSE CORE AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES.

SO AS WE COME FORWARD NOW IN THE CONTEXT THAT'S BEEN LAID OUT THAT MISS WOODWARD SPOKE TO IN THE PRESENTATION, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE CAPABLE OF DOING WITHIN THE CITY, REALISTIC ABOUT THE KIND OF TAX BURDEN THAT RESIDENTS CAN HANDLE.

WE DO NOT COME AT THAT LIGHTLY.

WE ARE VERY, VERY AWARE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PRESSURES ON PEOPLE AND WE DON'T COME FORWARD WITH FRIVOLOUS ASKS.

ARE THERE WAYS FOR US TO STREAMLINE? BOY, IF I HAD ENDLESS RESOURCES AND ENDLESS HUMAN RESOURCES WITHIN THE CITY, WE'D PUT A LOT MORE ENERGY AND ATTENTION ONTO THAT.

BUT WE CERTAINLY DO PUT THAT LENS ONTO THINGS AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR ALTY ONE FOR THE FINESSING THE LANGUAGE THERE OFF THE BAT.

BUT ALSO JUST IF THERE IS ANYTHING I WOULD ASK, I WOULD HOPE AND ASK THAT ADMIN BRINGS THOSE AS PART OF THE SEPTEMBER DISCUSSION BECAUSE THAT WILL GIVE RESIDENTS THE CHANCE TO SORT OF DIGEST ANYTHING, THINK ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, BRING BACK THAT FEEDBACK.

I KNOW IT'S A HOPE OF MINE THAT THAT CAN HAPPEN AT THAT TIME RATHER THAN DECEMBER.

IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING COMES IN DECEMBER THAT WILL LEAD TO PANIC FOR PEOPLE.

SO JUST THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THIS QUESTION NOW JUST TO THINK THROUGH THESE THINGS.

BUT THANKS FOR ADMIN FOR YOUR RESPONSE AS WELL.

THANK YOU. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU.

COUNCILLOR COCHRANE. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR THE ADMINISTRATION FOR THIS PRESENTATION.

I LOOK FORWARD TO GOING THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS WITH YOU THIS TIME.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE COMMENT AND THE COMMENTS ACTUALLY MORE DIRECTED AT ANY OF THE M [INAUDIBLE] OR EXECUTIVE STAFF THAT ARE LISTENING IN HERE.

CTV STIPULATION ON BALANCED BUDGET IS ABSURD.

IT IS ANTIQUATED AND OVERLY RESTRICTIVE.

AND AS THEY GO ABOUT IN THE 20TH ASSEMBLY TO AMEND THE CTV ACT TO THE MUNICIPALITIES ACT, I WOULD URGE YOU TO GET YOUR MINISTERS TO REMOVE THAT, PLEASE AND THANK YOU.

IT'S ALSO A DIRECT COMMENT TO ANY TERRITORIAL CANDIDATES.

I ASSUME. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THAT IN YOUR PLATFORM THAT AND THE MUNICIPAL FUNDING BECAUSE YEAH, IT'S IT HURTS THE HEAD AND THE STOMACH TO SEE THE NUMBERS.

IT'S LIKE YOU CAN'T JUST BE LIKE, OH, LET'S DEFER LIFT STATION NUMBER ONE BECAUSE THE COST HAS DOUBLED.

IT'S WE HAVE TO PROVIDE CLEAN DRINKING WATER, SEWAGE, ALL THAT STUFF.

SAME WITH A FIRE HALL EXPANSION.

RESIDENTS EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO GET AN AMBULANCE AND THEIR HOUSE PROTECTED AGAINST FIRE.

SO NOT FRIVOLOUS ASKS THAT'S FOR SURE.

ANYTHING FURTHER? FOR MYSELF, THE ONE THING THE OTHER LENS I'D LIKE TO SEE WHEN IT COMES TO THE PY'S IS LOOKING AT STUFF IN THE, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE ENOUGH STAFF TO BE ABLE TO EITHER ACCELERATE OR STAY ON, REDUCE THE TIME ON DEVELOPMENT PERMITS.

WE ALL KNOW THAT IT'S A HOUSING CRUNCH, SO BEING ABLE TO HAVE ENOUGH STAFF TO DO THE AREA DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR BOTH THE RESIDENTIAL AS WELL AS THE INDUSTRIAL TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THESE QUICK TURNAROUNDS.

AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT ALWAYS ON OUR TEAM.

IT'S A CHALLENGE FOR OTHER FOLKS TO GET COMPLETED DEVELOPMENT PERMITS AND BUILDING PERMITS.

AND BUT I'M HOPING TO SEE BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE DELAYING OR NOT ABLE TO GET TO THE DEVELOPMENT PERMITS IN A TIMELY WAY, THEN THAT IMPACTS THE TAX ASSESSMENTS.

AND SO, YES, IT MAY MEAN A TAX INCREASE ONE YEAR.

HOWEVER, WITH THE ASSESSMENT BASE THAT CAN GROW THE NEXT YEAR CAN HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT.

SO AS COUNCIL, WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR HAVING THAT LONG TERM VIEW.

BUT THAT'S SOMETHING I'LL BE LOOKING FOR IN 2024.

ANYTHING FURTHER? SEEING NONE.

IT'LL BE ROCKING AND ROLLING HERE WITH THESE FIGURES ALREADY LOOKING AS THEY ARE.

WITH THAT, IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

MOVE BY COUNCILLOR COCHRANE.

SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR MCGURK.

ANYBODY OPPOSED? SEEING NONE. WE CAN BE ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.