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CITY OF VANCOUVER
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on
Thursday, April 18, 1996, at 12:00 Noon, 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 Owen
Councillors Bellamy, Chiavario,
Clarke, Hemer, Ip,
Kennedy, Kwan, Price
Puil and Sullivan
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: Ken Dobell, City Manager
CLERK TO THE COUNCIL: Tarja Tuominen
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Clarke,
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 the Standing Committee
on City Services and Budgets
April 18, 1996
Council considered the recommendations of the Committee, as
contained in the following clauses of the attached report:
Cl. 1: Report Back to Council -
Operations of the Gathering Place
Cl. 2: City Childcare Endowment Reserve
Operating Agreement
Cl. 3: Changes to Administrative Policies
Cl. 4: 1996 Park Board Global Budget
Report Back to Council -
Operations of the Gathering Place
Clause 1
MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,
THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clause
1 of this report, be approved.
- CARRIED
(Councillors Clarke, Hemer, Ip and Kennedy opposed to A(ii)
(Councillors Clarke, Hemer and Puil opposed to A(iii) and (iv)
City Childcare Endowment
Reserve Operating Agreements
Clause 2
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clause
2 of this report, be approved.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND
BY THE REQUIRED MAJORITY
Changes to Administrative Policies
Clause 3
MOVED by Cllr. Puil,
THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clause
3 of this report, be approved.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
1996 Park Board Global Budget
Clause 4
This item was deferred to the City Services & Budgets Standing
Committee meeting of April 25, 1996.
- deferred
RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Clarke,
THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
ADOPT REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Cllr. Clarke,
SECONDED by Cllr. Bellamy,
THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
The Council adjourned at approximately 12:05 p.m.
* * * * *
REPORT TO COUNCIL
STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
ON CITY SERVICES AND BUDGETS
APRIL 18, 1996
A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on City
Services and Budgets was held on Thursday, April 18, 1996, at 9:30
a.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall.
PRESENT: Councillor Puil, Chair
Mayor Owen
Councillor Bellamy
Councillor Chiavario
Councillor Clarke
Councillor Hemer
Councillor Ip
Councillor Kennedy
Councillor Kwan
Councillor Price
Councillor Sullivan
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE: Ken Dobell, City Manager
CLERK: Tarja Tuominen
Adoption of Minutes
The Minutes of the Standing Committee on City Services & Budgets
meeting of March 28, 1996, were adopted.
RECOMMENDATION
1. Report Back to Council - File: 4659
Operations of the Gathering Place
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report, dated March
25, 1996 (on file), in which the Director of the Gathering Place
sought approval for staff increases to the Gathering Place at an
annual cost of $119,300; the 1996 cost to be $92,500. The requested
staff increases are for positions in security, food services, the
Reading Room, and the volunteer program. The creation of a regular
full-time position in the Health Centre will be funded 100% by the
provincial government at no additional cost to the City.
The General Manager of Community Services submitted the
recommendations for consideration, stating he believes that, as
neither the Director of the Gathering Place nor he has any offsets to
offer to compensate for the proposed increases in the Gathering
Place's operating budget, the increases are contrary to Council
policy.
Diane MacKenzie, Director of the Gathering Place, reviewed the
report and provided a background to the requests for additional
positions to improve the delivery of services at the Gathering Place.
It is very difficult to know exactly how many people use the services;
people are coming and going all day. Many of the patrons are
transient; many live in hostels in the area; a significant number of
the patrons live on the streets. There is a need to coordinate and
supervise security at the Gathering Place; drug dealers and pimps are
a concern. In addition, there are not enough staff on hand to control
difficult situations.
The 24 additional weekly auxiliary kitchen staff hours will help
provide food for the very hungry community. Having the Reading Room
open one more day will put it "in synch" with the Learning Centre. An
additional volunteer program position will strengthen the volunteer
program and the facility.
Ted Droettboom, General Manager of Community Services, and Eileen
Stewart, General Manager of Human Resources Services, responded to
questions on the implications of filling positions with contract,
temporary or regular employees.
Jeff Brooks, Director of Community Services, Social Planning
Department, described the Youth Resource Centre, which has been
established at St. Paul's Hospital on a very temporary basis. The
Centre will be a safe place to get off the street for a meal, shower
and get information, such as referral to a safe house. The Centre may
be serving many of the same young people who also go to the Gathering
Place.
Beau LeDrew, President, Gathering Place Association, supported
the recommendations in the report. The Gathering Place may get as
many as 1000 people per day during the summer. It is important to get
the requested security position in place as soon as possible. The
Centre will also need more in-service programs in place.
During discussion, the Committee supported the request for the
regular full-time security position and the position in the Health
Centre. Some members questioned whether there were other ways to
provide the requested services in the kitchen, volunteer program and
Reading Room. Several members noted they would have liked
quantifiable numbers and demographic information to help decide where
resources are needed at the Gathering Place. It was also suggested a
police perspective on the security issues would be valuable; the
kitchen operation should be reviewed and assistance in funding the
provision of meals to the residents of the New Continental looked at;
and possible linkages with the Youth Resources Centre examined.
The following motion by Councillor Kwan was put and carried. The
Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
A. THAT Council approve, without offsets, the following at
an annual cost of $119,300. The 1996 cost of $92,500
is to be provided from the 1996 operating budget.
i) In order to improve the security function of the
Gathering Place, a regular full-time position to
supervise security at an estimated annual cost of
$40,667, a one time furnishings cost of $1,500,
and funding for 18 additional weekly auxiliary
security staff, hours at an estimated annual cost
of $16,140.
ii) In order to strengthen the Gathering Place food
services, 24 additional weekly auxiliary kitchen
staff hours at an estimated annual cost of
$20,671.
iii) In order to open the Gathering Place Reading Room
one additional day per week, funding for 8 weekly
auxiliary library staff hours at an estimated
annual cost of $7,755.
iv) In order to strengthen the Gathering Place
volunteer program, the creation of a position to
assist volunteer programming at an estimated
annual cost of $34,123 plus a one time furnishing
cost of $1,500.
v) The creation of a regular full-time position in
the Gathering Place Health Centre, to be funded
100% by the Provincial Government at no additional
cost to the City.
- CARRIED
(Councillors Clarke and Hemer opposed to A[ii],
[iii] and [iv];
Councillors Ip and Kennedy opposed to A[ii]; and
Councillor Puil opposed to A[iii] and [iv])
The following motion by Councillor Price was put and carried.
The Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
B. THAT staff meet with Family Services to discuss
linkages with the operation of the Youth Resources
Centre and the Gathering Place.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
The following motion by Councillor Kennedy was put and carried.
The Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
C. THAT staff be directed to gather information in a
systematic way as to who the Gathering Place serves and
ascertain if the original intent of the Gathering Place
is being met.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
2. City Childcare Endowment File: 2001-3/4102-5
Reserve Operating Agreements
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated April
2, 1996 (on file), in which the Director, Community Services Division,
Social Planning, sought approval to put the Childcare Endowment Funds
into an interest bearing account and establish a Childcare Endowment
Reserve. The Director also sought approval for childcare operating
agreements with the Vancouver YWCA, Collingwood Neighbourhood House
and the Vancouver Society of Children's Centres to provide infant and
toddler programs, and to provide start-up funding for the Vancouver
Society of Children's Centres.
The General Manager of Community Services recommended approval of
placing the Childcare Endowment Funds into an interest bearing account
and submitted the other recommendations for consideration.
Ms. Penny Coates, Childcare Coordinator, and Mr. Jeff Brooks,
Director, Community Services Division, Social Planning, were present
to answer questions. Ms. Coates reviewed the report and the
recommendations. In response to a question, she stated she was very
aware that by drawing on the funds of the Childcare Endowment Reserve
to provide subsidies to the three organizations, less interest would
be paid into the Reserve. However, these centres cannot exist
without this kind of subsidy. Eventually, the Reserve is anticipated
to have $5 million from contributions.
The following motions by Councillor Price were put and carried.
The Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
A. THAT Council authorize the Director of Finance to
establish the Childcare Endowment Reserve as an
interest bearing fund.
B. THAT Council approve the childcare operating agreement
with the Vancouver YWCA (see Appendix I of the
Administrative Report dated April 2, 1996) and
authorize payment of an operating subsidy for the
period January 1 - December 31, 1996, 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.
C. THAT Council approve the childcare operating agreement
with the Collingwood Neighbourhood House Society (see
Appendix II of the Administrative Report dated April 2,
1996) and authorize payment of an operating subsidy for
the period of September 1, 1995 - December 31, 1996, of
up to $96,000 for the infant and toddler programs at
the Collingwood Village Child Care Centre. Source of
funds: the City Childcare Endowment Reserve.
D. THAT Council approve the childcare operating agreement
with the Vancouver Society of Children's Centres (see
Appendix III of the Administrative Report dated April
2, 1996) and authorize payments of start-up funding of
up to $48,900 and an infant/toddler operating subsidy
for the period September 1, 1995 - December 31, 1996,
of up to $48,000 for the childcare programs at Library
Square Children's Centre. Source of funds: the City
Childcare Endowment Reserve.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND
BY THE REQUIRED MAJORITY
3. Changes to Administrative Policies File: 1000
The Committee had before it a Policy Report dated March 1, 1996
(on file), in which the Corporate Management Team sought approval on
updates to present administrative policies, on two new policies
dealing with the acceptance of gifts which have a value of over $50.00
by Council, Board Members and staff, and a recommendation to
strengthen the notification to City suppliers on employee
discounts/rebates.
Ken Stoke, General Manager of Corporate Services, reviewed the
recommendations and responded to questions.
Following discussion, the Committee agreed the recommendations
dealing with the receipt of gifts be amended by increasing the value
of the gifts from $50.00 to $80.00.
The following motions by Councillor Bellamy were put and carried.
The Committee, therefore,
RECOMMENDED
A. THAT gifts presented to City Council, Board Members or
staff by visiting dignitaries and/or delegations, which
have a value of over $80.00, be turned over to the
appropriate City Official for safekeeping, or
disposition by sale or auction, with the sale proceeds
credited to the City's general revenues.
B. THAT gifts presented to staff being paid to represent
the City on speaking engagements, technical
presentations or other related activities, which have a
value of over $80.00, be turned over to the appropriate
City Official for safekeeping, or disposition by sale
or auction, with the sale proceeds credited to the
City's general revenues. Gifts in the form of cash
honorariums or other monetary compensation made in
similar circumstances, regardless of amount, are to be
deposited with the City.
C. THAT, in order to strengthen the City administrative
practices around tendering for supplies and services,
the general conditions of the City's tendering
documents be amended to put existing and potential
suppliers on notice that discounts/rebates cannot be
offered to City employees unless those same
discounts/rebates are offered to the public at large,
or those discounts/rebates are offered to employees of
other large employers (public and private) on a
no-strings-attached basis to the employer.
D. THAT Council approve the changes to the administrative
policies discussed in the Policy Report dated March 1,
1996 and outlined in the report Appendices. These
policies deal with the following items:
- Conflict of Interest - Staff;
- Political Involvement - Staff;
- Business Travel; and,
- External Training - Staff.
E. THAT Council request the Park, Library and Police
Boards to adopt the above policies as well.
- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
INFORMATION
4. 1996 Park Board Global Budget File: 1601-3/3102-3
As the Administrative Report dated April 14, 1996, on the 1996
Park Board Global Budget (on file), had been circulated late, and some
members of the Committee had not received it prior to the meeting, the
item was deferred to the April 25 meeting.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 12:00 Noon.
* * * * *