City Council Decisions in Brief
From the November 23, 2015 meeting of City Council
8.1.10 City of Saskatoon’s Response to Refugee Crisis – Additional Information
*City Council resolved that:
-the process for privately sponsored refugees to qualify for the Leisure Access Program and corresponding Discounted Bus Pass program be approved.
-a grant of $6,000, from the Community Initiatives Grant Reserve, is approved.
-Administration report back in early 2017 regarding the process for privately sponsored refugees qualifying for the Leisure Access Program and corresponding Discounted Bus Pass Program.
9.2.1 Optimist Winter Recreation Park and Lifestyle Activity Centre
*City Council:
-approved the planned approach for donor solicitation, recognition, and offering of naming rights to the Winter Recreation Park and Lifestyle Activity Centre and surrounding amenities, subject to the Administration, in consultation with the Office of the City Solicitor, receiving and reviewing any naming rights agreements for the same.
-approved the proposed name of the facility “Optimist Hill at Diefenbaker Park”.
Additional Information:
*The Optimist Club has contracted a consultant to prepare a Capital Campaign strategy to raise funds for upgrades to the toboggan hill in Diefenbaker Park.
*The Optimist Club plans to launch the funding campaign, and in order to do so, the approval of City Council is required in terms of donor solicitation and recognition.
*In 2014, City Council approved a report recommending that Diefenbaker Park be approved, in principle, as the proposed location for the Optimist Club’s WRPLAC; approved the submission of the Optimist Club Business Plan for the WRPLAC; and approved the 2015 Capital Budget.
*In 2015, the City signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Optimist Club which is intended to set out the basic business terms upon which the Club shall proceed to refine the business plan, solicit funding for the WRPLAC, and lead to the negotiation of a lease and operating agreement for the facility.
9.4.1 North Commuter Parkway and Traffic Bridge – Procurement Complete
*City Council received the report.
Additional Information:
*The procurement for the project is complete and was a fair process.
*The procurement was competitive and based on the bid from Graham Commuter Partners; the approved funding plan will meet all financial obligations.
*The project came in under budget.
*The 30-year monthly payments are linked to performance.
9.4.2 North Commuter Parkway and Traffic Bridge – Technical Advisory Consulting Services
*City Council adopted the following motion:
-That the scope of the Engineering Services Agreement with CIMA+ for the provision of technical advisory services for the North Commuter Parkway, at a total estimated cost of $3,824,899.00 (plus G.S.T.), be increased by $2,423,276.00 (plus G.S.T.) in fees to include all Technical Advisory Consulting Services for the duration of the project, as modified from a Design-Build to a Public-Private Partnership procurement model
-That the City Solicitor be authorized to amend the Engineering Services Agreement to increase the increased scope outlined in this report.
Additional Information:
*CIMA+ was retained in 2013 to provide Technical Advisory Consulting Services for the North Commuter Parkway project.
*The original scope of services was based on a design-build delivery model for the project.
*At the time of award of the Engineering Services Agreement to CIMA+, the Administration advised that the City would negotiate a change order with CIMA+ in the event a Public-Private Partnership (P3) procurement model were adopted for the project. As such, it is now a “design build, finance, operate and maintain” project.
*The total budget of the Engineering Services Agreement with CIMA+ for provision of technical support services for the duration of the P3 project through Substantial Completion is recommended to be increased by $2,423,276.00 (plus G.S.T.).
9.6.1 North North Commuter Parkway and Traffic Bridge Project – Borrowing Bylaw
*City Council passed Bylaw No. 9325, The North Commuter Parkway and Traffic Bridge Project Borrowing Amendment Bylaw, 2015, which is the amendment required to Bylaw No. 9313 to provide for the specific financing of the North Commuter Parkway and Traffic Bridge Project now that financial close has been achieved.
Additional Information:
*Commercial and Financial Close has now been achieved with Graham Commuter Partners General Partnership. The actual borrowing and the interest rate of the borrowing are less than what was provided for in Bylaw No. 9313. This Bylaw amends Bylaw No. 9313 to reflect the financing achieved at financial close.
*Similar to a home mortgage, Bylaw No. 9325 provides for a deferred capital payment of $96,592,997.93 to be repaid over 30 years and an interest rate of 4.513% per annum. Both of these numbers are less than the maximums approved by City Council in Bylaw No. 9313.
9.6.4 Regulation of Electronic Cigarettes/Vaping
*City Council passed Bylaw No. 9334, The Smoking Control Amendment Bylaw, 2015 (No. 2).
*In addition, City Council also resolved:
-That the Administration bring forward an amendment to include an exemption for ceremonial tobacco use and vaping shops in The Smoking Control Bylaw, 2004.
-That the Administration bring forward an amendment to include an exemption for vaping shops in The Smoking Control Bylaw, 2004, including a clear definition of a "vaping shop".
-That the Administration report back should there be any regulatory changes as it relates to vaping.
Additional Information:
*In August, Council received a report recommending options for the expansion of existing smoking prohibitions under The Smoking Control Bylaw to include the use of electronic cigarettes. Council resolved that electronic cigarette use be restricted in a manner consistent with current smoking restrictions under the Bylaw and The Tobacco Control Act and that the City Solicitor prepare the necessary bylaw amendment.
9.7.1 Update on Education for Sustainable Development Partnership Program: Student Action for a Sustainable Future
*City Council received the report as information.
Additional Information:
*the report outlines the results of the 2014-2015 Student Action for a Sustainable Future program, a creation of the Education for Sustainable Development Partnership that includes the City.
*The program has led to measurable classroom, school, and household greenhouse gas reductions and sustainability benefits.
*Results of the first two years of the pilot program are now featured in a video and available on the Saskatoon.ca/studentaction website.
*The Saskatchewan Environmental Society has been contracted to coordinate the program for the 2015-2016 school year. Participating classrooms were selected in October 2015 and the program is now underway.
9.11.6 Municipal Governance Structure
*City Council adopted the following motion:
-That the following changes be implemented with respect to the City of Saskatoon’s municipal governance structure:
a. Executive Committee be renamed the Governance and Priorities Committee and remain a Committee of all members of Council; the Governance and Priorities Committee’s mandate includes: governance, strategic priorities, annual business plan and budget process, legal matters, human resource and collective bargaining issues and government relations; and, the Governance and Priorities Committee continues to meet on the third Monday of every month;
b. That City Council have the ability to extend a Regular Business Meeting past 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. upon a majority vote of the members present; and
c. That for Public Hearings, members be prohibited from voting when absent for an entire Hearing; members vote when they have missed part of a Hearing but have reviewed a summary or a recording of what was missed; and, procedural provisions be included which aid in preventing members from missing small parts of Hearings.
-That the City Solicitor be instructed to amend The Procedures and Committees Bylaw, 2014 (the “Bylaw”) to implement the changes to the governance structure.
-That the calendar which contains the Governance and Priorities Committee (Option 2) be adopted for 2016.
Additional Information:
*the report considers a number of improvements for the City’s governance structure and provides the above recommendations.