City Services & Budgets Cttee Minutes

CITY OF VANCOUVER
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
CITY SERVICES AND BUDGETS
NOVEMBER 20, 1997
A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Thursday, November 20, 1997 at 10:10 a.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall, following the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets meeting, to consider the recommendations of the Committee.
PRESENT: Mayor Philip Owen
Councillor Don Bellamy
Councillor Nancy A. Chiavario
Councillor Jennifer Clarke
Councillor Alan Herbert
Councillor Lynne Kennedy
Councillor Daniel Lee
Councillor Don Lee
Councillor Gordon Price
Councillor George Puil
Councillor Sam Sullivan
CLERK TO THE
COUNCIL: Tarja Tuominen
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
SECONDED by Cllr. Bellamy,
THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Mayor Owen in the chair.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Report of Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets
November 20, 1997
Council considered the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in the following clauses of the attached report:
Cl.1: 1997 Cross-Cultural Initiatives Grant Allocations
Cl.2: 1997 City Childcare Endowment Reserve Allocations
Cl.3: 1998 Business License Fees and Liveaboard Fees
Cl.4: 1998 Fees for Vehicles for Hire
Cl.5: 1998 Pound Fees
Cl.6: Tourism Vancouver Agreement: APEC Funding
Clauses 1 and 2
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clauses 1 and 2 of this report, be approved.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
AND BY THE REQUIRED MAJORITY
Clauses 3 to 5
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clauses 3 to 5 of this report, be approved.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
Tourism Vancouver Agreement: APEC Funding
(Clause 6)
MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,
THAT the recommendation of the Committee, as contained in Clause 6 of this report, be approved.
- CARRIED
(Councillor Puil opposed)
RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,
THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
SECONDED by Cllr. Bellamy,
THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
ENQUIRIES AND OTHER MATTERS
1.Northwest Conference for Best Practices & Policies File: 1254
in Alcohol Management & Oversight - December 4, 1997
MOVED by Cllr. Clarke
SECONDED by Cllr. Bellamy
THAT Council authorize Cllr. Kennedy to attend the Northwest Conference for Best Practices & Policies in Alcohol Management & Oversight Conference in Portland, Oregon at a cost of $485.00 (Cdn.)
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
2.Casino Application Deadline - November 28, 1997 File: 2633

MOVED by Cllr. Clarke
SECONDED by Cllr. Kennedy
THAT the Mayor and City Manager be authorized to draft responses on behalf of Council to requests for comment on casino applications from adjacent municipalities.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
3.Leave of Absence - Councillor Puil File: 1254
MOVED by Cllr. Price
SECONDED by Cllr. Bellamy
THAT Councillor Puil be granted Leave of Absence for the period of November 20 -December 4, 1997.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
The Council adjourned at 10:15 a.m.
* * * * *
REPORT TO COUNCIL
STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
ON CITY SERVICES AND BUDGETS
NOVEMBER 20, 1997
A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on City Services and Budgets was held onThursday, November 20, 1997 at 9:30 a.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall.

PRESENT: Councillor George Puil, Chair
Mayor Philip Owen (Items 2 to 6)
Councillor Don Bellamy
Councillor Nancy A. Chiavario (Items 3 to 6)
Councillor Jennifer Clarke (Item 6)
Councillor Alan Herbert
Councillor Lynne Kennedy
Councillor Daniel Lee (Items 2 to 6)
Councillor Don Lee
Councillor Gordon Price
Councillor Sam Sullivan (Item 6)

CLERK TO THE
COMMITTEE: Tarja Tuominen
ADOPTION OF MINUTES
The Minutes of the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets meeting of October 30, 1997, were adopted as circulated.
RECOMMENDATION
1. 1997 Cross-Cultural Initiatives Grant Allocations File: 2052
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated November 3, 1997 (on file) in which the Director of the Office of Cultural Affairs recommended approval of grants to 7 of 14 organizations requesting grants for cross-cultural initiatives in the arts. The General Manager of Community Services submitted the grant requests for consideration.
The following motion by Councillor Bellamy was put and carried. The Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED

THAT Council approve Cross-Cultural Initiatives Grants totalling $32,500 to the following seven organizations, the source of funds being the $50,000 designated for Cross-Cultural grants in the 1997 Cultural Grants Budget:
(1) Art Starts in Schools $4,500
(2) Firehall Theatre $5,000
(3) I.E. Artspeak Gallery $2,500
(4) Kokoro Dance Theatre $4,000
(5) Vancouver Art Gallery $6,000
(6) Vancouver Int’l Writers Festival $4,500
(7) Western Front $6,000
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
2. 1997 City Childcare Endowment Reserve Allocations
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated November 4, 1997 (on file) in which the Director of Community Services, Social Planning provided information on start-up funding and operating subsidies paid out of the Childcare Endowment Reserve between September 1, 1995 and December 31, 1996. The Director also sought approval for the payment of 1997 infant/toddler operating subsidies for three childcare operators, and for start-up funds for infant/toddler spaces at the new Roundhouse Children's Centre.
The following motion by Councillor Kennedy was put and carried. The Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
A.THAT Council authorize payment of an operating subsidy to the Vancouver YWCA for the period January 1 - December 31, 1997 of up to $72,000 for the infant and toddler programs at the YWCA Leslie Diamond Child Care Centre. Source of funds: the City Childcare Endowment Reserve.
B.THAT Council authorize payment of an operating subsidy to the Collingwood Neighbourhood House Society for the period January 1 - December 31, 1997 of up to $51,610 for the infant and toddler programs at the Collingwood Village Child Care Centre. Source of funds: the City Childcare Endowment Reserve.
C.THAT Council authorize payment of an operating subsidy to the Vancouver Society for Children’s Centres (VSOCC) for the period January 1 -December 31, 1997 of up to $36,000 for the infant and toddler program at Library Square Children’s Centre. Source of funds: the City Childcare Endowment Reserve.
D.THAT Council authorize payment of Phase I start-up funding to the Vancouver Society of Children’s Centres (VSOCC) for the period September 1, 1997 - August 31, 1998 of up to $27,600 for the childcare programs at Roundhouse Children’s Centre. Source of funds: the City Childcare Endowment Reserve.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
3. 1998 Business License Fees and Liveaboard Fees
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated October 24, 1997 (on file) in which the Directors of Finance and Permits & Licenses sought approval for a 4.0 percent increase in business license fees and a 6.7 percent increase in liveaboard fees for 1998.
The Chair advised that representatives of liveaboard associations have requested deferral of the consideration for an increase in liveaboard fees as they did not receive adequate notification. The Committee agreed to defer consideration of Recommendations B and C of the report to the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets meeting of December 4.
Ken Bayne, Comptroller of Budgets & Research, noted the 4.0 percent increase for business license fees includes a 1.0 percent increase for wage increases and a 3.0 percent increase to offset the cost of City support services.
The following motion by Councillor Don Lee was put and carried. The Committee, therefore,

RECOMMENDED
A. THAT business license fees be increased by 4.0 percent for 1998 as outlined in the Administrative Report, dated October 24, 1997 and detailed in Appendix A of the report, representing a general increase of 1.0 percent and an additional 3.0 percent increase to cover the cost of city support services, except for those fees for non-profit activity as listed in Appendix B.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
4. 1998 Fees for Vehicles for Hire
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated October 24, 1997 (on file) in which the Directors of Finance and Permits & Licenses sought approval for increasing the Vehicles for Hire license fees for 1998 by 2.5 percent, rounded to the nearest dollar with a minimum increase in any category of $1.
Ken Bayne, Comptroller of Budgets & Research, advised the 2.5 percent increase represented an inflationary increase.
The following motion by Councillor Bellamy was put and carried. The Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
A.THAT license fees for Vehicles for Hire, contained in Schedule "A" of By-law No. 6066, be increased for 1998 by 2.5 percent rounded to the nearest dollar with a minimum increase in any category of $1.
B.THAT the Director of Legal Services be instructed to prepare the necessary By-law to implement the revised Fee Schedule on January 2, 1998.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
5. 1998 Pound Fees
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report, dated October 24, 1997 (on file) in which the Directors of Finance and Permits & Licenses summarized key financial and operational data for the Pound. The Directors also proposed fees under the License and Pound By-laws not be increased for 1998 pending a full review of Pound operations.
The General Manager of Community Services commented in the report that full cost recovery at the Pound cannot be achieved through fee increases, as it may result in a reduced number of license sales.
The following motion by Councillor Kennedy was put and carried. The Committee, therefore,

RECOMMENDED
THAT Council receive the Administrative Report, dated October 24, 1997, for information, noting that dog license and impoundment fees will not be increased in 1998 to allow for a full review of Pound operations and recommendations for Council’s consideration on how the Pound can improve cost recovery in 1999.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
6. Tourism Vancouver Agreement: APEC Funding
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated November 14, 1997 (on file) in which the City Manager recommended approval of a long-term agreement between the City and Tourism Vancouver for Tourism Vancouver to provide tourism publications and operate an InfoCentre, wholly at Tourism Vancouver's cost in lieu of further APEC contributions. The City Manager also recommended approval of a Statement of Intent on the allocation of the 2 percent hotel tax to Tourism Vancouver.
Dave Rudberg, General Manager of Engineering Services, representing the City Manager, briefly reviewed the intent of the recommendations.
The following spoke in support of the recommendations:
·400·Mark Andrew, Chairman of the Board of Tourism Vancouver·400
·400·Ian Powell, Chairman of the Vancouver Hotel Association·400
·400·Michael Lambert·400
The speakers' points are summarized as follows:
·400·approval of the recommendations will help with the funding of APEC and save the City's taxpayers a considerable amount of money;·400
·400·the 2 percent hotel tax was originally put in place to be used for market development, not to fund future infrastructure costs;·400
·400·approval of the recommendations will reinstate the spirit of the agreement established in 1988;·400
·400·use of the 2 percent hotel tax for purposes other than market development would seriously reduce the industry's ability to market effectively;·400
·400·the need for ongoing market development has never been more pronounced;·400
·400·the 2 percent hotel tax is a model of public/private partnership.·400
The following motion by the Mayor was put and carried. The Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
A.1)THAT Council accept Tourism Vancouver’s proposal to provide the tourism publications and operate an InfoCentre; this agreement is envisaged as continuing indefinitely, but in any event is firm, on a continuing basis for ten years, and is wholly at Tourism Vancouver's cost in lieu of further APEC contributions (Attachment A of the Administrative Report dated November 14, 1997).
2)THAT Council approve the principles set out in the Statement of Intent regarding the additional 2% hotel tax and that this Statement of Intent supersede (or rescind) prior resolutions regarding other uses of the hotel tax (Appendix B of the Administrative Report dated November 14, 1997). It should be noted that Council has the legal responsibility to ensure that these funds are used in a manner that is consistent with the Statement of Intent on an annual basis.
3)THAT Council authorize the Director of Legal Services to enter into the Agreement and Statement of Intent generally as attached to the Administrative Report dated November 14, 1997.
B.THAT Council advance $600,000 from Revenue Surplus for APEC costs, to be repaid from 1998, 1999, and 2000 revenue budgets at $200,000 per year.
- CARRIED
(Councillor Puil opposed)
The Council adjourned at 10:10 a.m.
* * * *

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