Vancouver City Council |
REPORT TO COUNCIL
STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
ON CITY SERVICES AND BUDGETSMARCH 27, 2003
A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on City Services and Budgets was held on Thursday, March 27, 2003, at 9:30 a.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall.
PRESENT:
Councillor Tim Louis, Chair
*Mayor Larry Campbell
Councillor Fred Bass
Councillor David Cadman
*Councillor Jim Green
Councillor Peter Ladner
*Councillor Raymond Louie
Councillor Anne Roberts
*Councillor Tim Stevenson
*Councillor Sam Sullivan
Councillor Ellen Woodsworth, Vice-ChairCITY MANAGER'S OFFICE:
Brent MacGregor, Deputy City Manager
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE:
Denise Salmon, Meeting Coordinator
*Denotes presence for a portion of the meeting.
ADOPTION OF MINUTES
The Minutes of the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets meeting of February 13, 2003, were adopted.
RECOMMENDATION
1. 2003 Property Tax Options: Three-Year Land Averaging for Property Tax Calculations (File 1551)
The Committee had before it a memorandum dated March 18, 2003, from the Director of Financial Planning and Treasury which highlighted related recommendations approved by Council at its meeting on February 25, 2003, and provided additional information which addressed the effect of the distribution of the tax levy among classes and the land averaging effect on high-valued and low-valued properties.
Ken Bayne, Director of Financial Planning and Treasury, was present to respond to questions.
MOVED by Councillor Bass
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
THAT Council receive for information the memorandum dated March 18, 2003, from the Director of Financial Planning & Treasury entitled "2003 Property Tax Options: Three Year Land Averaging".
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Councillors Louie, Stevenson, Sullivan and the Mayor absent for the vote.)
2. Approval of 2003-2004 Business Improvement Area (BIA) Budgets (File 8300)
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated March 14, 2003, in which the Director of City Plans, in consultation with the Director of Finance, sought Council's approval of the 2003-2004 budgets for fifteen BIAs, and to instruct staff to prepare appropriate rating by-laws. The General Manager of Community Services recommended approval.
Peter Vaisbord, Planner, BIA Program, provided details of the current distribution of BIAs across the city and in response to a question from Council, suggested it may be useful to facilitate a gathering of BIA's to compare budgets and discuss cooperative programs.
MOVED by Councillor Cadman
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
THAT Council approve the BIA Business Promotion Schemes and Budgets for the 2003-2004 year listed below and instruct staff to bring forward the appropriate rating by-laws:
BIA LEVY
Downtown $1,800,000
Robson 316,827
Kerrisdale 245,000
Mount Pleasant 170,000
Gastown 304,000
Davie Village 74,379
South Granville 350,000
Yaletown 201,133
Chinatown 119,970
Commercial Drive 110,250
Marpole 100,000
Strathcona Area 250,000
Collingwood 92,000
Hastings North 250,000
Kitsilano Fourth Avenue 100,000
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
3. 2003 Police Civilian Support Staffing Request (File 1376)
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated February 7, 2003, in which the Chief Constable provided a summary of civilian staffing needs in the Vancouver Police Department and sought approval of the civilian support staffing positions which would allow new civilian positions to be filled rapidly to address workload and public safety issues. The City Manager recommended Council receive this report for information and refer the decision on Police civilian staffing to April 8, 2003, in conjunction with the 2003 Interim Budget Report.
Chief Constable Graham, Inspector Doug LePard, and Inspector Bob Rich, provided an overview of the report and noted challenges such as the sharp increase in FOI requests and need for transcription of documents for court cases. The Chief Constable and Inspectors also responded to questions related to details of the percentage of civilian versus sworn staff in terms of budget allocation, percentage of minorities employed in the Police Department, union issues related to possible contracting out for transcript services and the lack of sufficient clerical resources to fully support successful court cases. The role of police in public relations was also discussed. Ken Bayne, Director of Financial Planning and Treasury, in response to questions from Council, noted the City Manager will provide comments and recommendations to Council on staffing and other funding requirements prior to the April 8th Council meeting.
MOVED by Councillor Green
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
That Council receive for information the Administrative Report dated February 7, 2003 entitled "2003 Police Civilian Support Staffing Request" and refer the decision on Police civilian staffing to the Regular Council meeting on April 8, 2003, in conjunction with the 2003 Interim Budget Report.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
4. 2003 Police Sworn Staffing Request for the Downtown Eastside (File 3701/1601)
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated March 18, 2003, in which the Chief Constable requested Council approval for an increase of $2.3 million to the Vancouver Police Department overtime budget to fund an interim staffing strategy to address the crime and disorder problems in the Downtown Eastside. The City Manager recommended Council receive the report for information and refer the decision on the Police staffing request for the Downtown Eastside Initiatives to April 8 2003, in conjunction with the 2003 Interim Budget Report.
Chief Constable Graham, Inspector Doug LePard, and Inspector Bob Rich, provided an overview of the report and responded to questions from Council related to the Department's priorities in regard to sworn staff versus civilian staff, if their requests could not be fully funded. Police staff referred to the need for extra bodies in the DTES to address the crisis in that community, without which the project cannot be sustained. The civilian staffing was noted as a long-term need. Council members suggested the need for a workshop to further discuss the operations of the Department.
The following delegations spoke against the Vancouver Police Department's request for sworn staffing overtime budget of $2.3 million to fund the intermediate term enforcement initiatives for the DTES:
John Richardson, Pivot Legal Society
Dean Wilson, LINES
Thia Walter, Co-ordinator LINES
David Cunningham, Housing Action Committee
Mark Hill, Housing Action Committee
Jill Chettiar, Housing Action Committee
Points raised included the following:
· current levels of policing routinely violate rights of many DTES residents;
· injection of more policing resources will leave DTES residents exposed;
· the only discernable impact of two officers 24/7 at Main and Hastings has been the displacement of people a block down the street away from the needle exchange;
· increased law enforcement drives drug users into higher risk environments - away from safe settings;
· increased investment must be made in the other three pillars of the four pillar approach to the drug problem;
· policing alone does not work - 44 new detox beds, treatment spots, safe injection sites, etc. would be more beneficial to those who want to get out of the open drug market;
· keep the pawn shops open - if closed down, muggings will increase;
· the four pillar approach cannot work being championed by one huge pillar;
· the staff report lacks community opinion, the community needs to be brought into the discussion; and
· the real issues are health and poverty - money for enforcement is not the way to support these issues.
MOVED by Councillor Green
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
THAT Council receive for information the Administrative Report dated March 18, 2003, entitled "2003 Police Sworn Staffing Request for the Downtown Eastside" and refer the decision on Police staffing request for the Downtown Eastside Initiative to the Regular Council meeting on April 8, 2003, in conjunction with the 2003 Interim Budget Report.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(The Mayor absent for the vote.)
5. Additional Funding to Open One Week in August (File 4004)
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated March 23, 2003, in which the Acting Director, Vancouver Public Library, sought Council approval for an increase in the Library's operating budget to remain open the one week it currently closes in August. The City Manager recommended that Council received the report for information and refer the decision on providing additional funding to the Library to the April 8, 2003, Council meeting in conjunction with the 2003 Interim Budget Report.
Eric Smith, Acting Director, VPL and Joan Andersen, Chair, Library Board, were present and responded to questions related to changes in the Library's budget over the last three years.
Audrey Fennema, President, CUPE Local 391, VPL Workers, spoke in support of the addition of $152,000 to the Library's 2003 base operating budget to allow the library to remain open all year. Ms. Fennema advised keeping the Library open for the August week would reduce the resulting three week backlogs that create stress for both library workers and patrons, as well as address the single biggest issue the library faces, which impacts 100,000 users.
MOVED by Councillor Green
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
THAT Council receive for information the Administrative Report dated March 20, 2003, entitled "Additional Funding to Open One Week in August" and refer the decision on providing additional funding to open the Library to the Regular Council meeting on April 8, 2003, in conjunction with the 2003 Interim Budget Report.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Councillor Stevenson and the Mayor absent for the vote.)
6. Impact of Provincial Cuts on Women's Advocacy Groups (File 4102)
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated March 13, 2003, in which the Director of Social Planning responded to Council's request for information on the implications of cuts in provincial funding of women's advocacy groups, and on activities of women's organizations in Vancouver. The City Manager noted the report provides important commentary on the impacts of the Provincial Government's realignment of its priorities and services, and further noted staff will continue to liaise with the relevant ministries and report further details as they become available. The General Manager of Community Services submitted the report for Council's information.
Anne Kloppenborg, Social Planner, provided an overview of the staff report and drew Council's attention to minutes of a meeting held January 28th (previously circulated and on file in the City Clerk's Office) wherein Social Planning facilitated discussions with Vancouver based women's groups on the future impact of Provincial funding cuts. Ms. Kloppenborg also noted recommendations related to grant reconsiderations will before Council in late April.
The following representatives of women's groups offered details of the various activities, social services and programs their organizations offer, and the impact the Provincial Cuts will have on these services. Note was also made that the role of independent women's groups is crucial to the health and well being of Vancouver.
Caryn Duncan, Vancouver Women's Health Collective
Suzanne Jay, Vancouver Rape Relief and Women's Shelter
Margi Blamey, Hospital Employees Union
Terrie Hendrickson, BC Health Coalition
Shelagh Day, Poverty and Human Rights Project
Cecilia Diocson, Phillippine Women's Centre
Patricia O'Hagen, Director, The Eating Disorder Resource Centre of BC (materials filed)
Bernie Whiteford, Executive Director, and Valerie Dudoward, Helping Spirit Lodge Society
Joyce Jones, Seniors Network
Council discussion ensued on the failure of the Provincial Government to fulfill obligations under the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (BC CEDAW report to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women - January 23, 2003), and noted it may be useful for Council to endorse this report. The need for a Task Force on Women's Issues was also discussed as was the need to further examine increased funding for women's groups.
MOVED by Councillor Roberts
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
THAT Council receive for information the Administrative Report dated March 13, 2003, entitled "Impact of Provincial Cuts on Women's Advocacy Groups".
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Councillor Green on Civic Business and Councillor Sullivan absent for the vote.)
The Committee adjourned at 1:40 p.m.
* * * * *
|
CITY OF VANCOUVER REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
MARCH 27, 2003 |
A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Thursday, March 27, 2003, at 1:41 p.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 Larry Campbell
|
ABSENT: |
Councillor Jim Green (Leave of Absence - Civic Business)
|
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: |
Brent MacGregor, Deputy City Manager |
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE: |
Denise Salmon, Meeting Coordinator |
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Councillor Cadman
SECONDED by Councillor Stevenson
THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Mayor Campbell in the Chair.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Report of Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets
March 27, 2003
Council considered the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in the following clauses of the foregoing report:
Cl. 1: 2003 Property Tax Options: Three-Year Land Averaging for Property Tax Calculations
Cl. 2: Approval of 2003-2004 Business Improvement Area (BIA) Budgets
Cl. 3: 2003 Police Civilian Support Staffing Request
Cl. 4: 2003 Police Sworn Staffing Request for the Downtown Eastside
Cl. 5: Additional Funding for Library to Open One Week in August
Cl. 6: Impact of Provincial Cuts on Women's Advocacy Groups
MOVED by Councillor Louis
THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clauses 1-6 of this report, be approved.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Councillor Stevenson
THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Councillor Cadman
SECONDED by Councillor Roberts
THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
BY-LAWS
MOVED by Councillor Bass
SECONDED by Councillor Ladner
THAT Council enact the by-law listed on the agenda for this meeting as number 1 and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to sign and seal the enacted by-law.
CARRIED
(Councillor Louis opposed.)
1. A By-law to average Land Assessments for 2003 (By-law No. 8658)
NEW BUSINESS
1. Leave of Absence - Councillor Green (File 1254)
MOVED by Councillor Cadman
SECONDED by Councillor Ladner
THAT Councillor Green be granted Leave of Absence for a portion of the City Services and Budgets meeting of March 27, 2003 for Civic Business.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
ENQUIRIES AND OTHER MATTERS
1. Guest Fees - Residential Tenancy Act (File 4657)
Councillor Green requested a memorandum back on the effects of guest fees being allowed under the Residential Tenancy Act to residents of SRO's in Vancouver.
The Council adjourned at 1:45 p.m.
* * * * *
