Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability Committee

Approve the 2017 operating budget including any budget amendments approved by the Committee of the Whole – Budget to be applied against the proposed net tax levy amount of $152,794,527.

Remove $550,000 in funding from the base budget for strategic plan initiatives and direct the City Manager to bring forward specific strategic plan implementation funding requests for council's consideration throughout 2017, to be funded from the Tax Rate Stabilization Fund, or other appropriate funding source as may be recommended by staff.

Remove $300,000 in funding from the base budget for strategic plan initiatives.

Increase parking fine revenue by $200,000.

Implement free transit for seniors during off-peak hours (10-3, Monday to Friday) and direct the Director of Transit to report back on any changes to ridership by the 2018 budget.

Add $25,000 one time funds from the Tax Rate Stabilization Fund in anticipation of a plan to resolve errors, omissions and other challenges with the cenotaph.

Eliminate two (all) editions of City Talk.

Eliminate one edition of City Talk.

Reduce $100,000 provision for cultural initiatives to $50,000.

Increase the $5.3M budget for investment earnings by $200,000.

Add $50,000 from the Tax Rate Stabilization Fund to the Friends of Freeman Station to finish the work related to the basement concrete floor and a fire door.

Install two temporary trailer type portable washrooms similar to those in use at City View Park at the west end of Burloak Park and the east end of Spencer Smith Park in time for summer 2017 using existing capital funding for works currently in progress at these parks. Include on-going operating funding of $80,000 for the annual maintenance costs of these washrooms with the capital cost of $14,000 to be accommodated within existing capital budget.

Include $200,000 of on-going funding towards the partial implementation of the playfields strategy in 2017.

Increase funding to $500,000 for playfields strategy in 2017.

Direct the City Manager to explore options for how the Freeman Station will be managed once renovations are completed and report back to Council with a recommendation, including associated costs.

Direct the Director of Roads and Parks Maintenance to investigate the addition of contracted resources and report back to Council on the budget impact of reducing the leaf collection program to 5 weeks and adjusting the program start and end dates to two weeks later from November 6 to December 9, 2017. Further the program be adjusted to ensure areas that are most impacted by the warming effect of Lake Ontario, receive their last collection in the final 2 weeks of the program.

Direct the Director of Transportation Services to examine and report on the feasibility of converting the Lakeshore Road westbound curb lane to an exclusive right turn lane at Brant Street and converting the eastbound curb lane to an exclusive right turn lane at Maple Avenue.

Direct the Director of Transit to identify the costs, operational impacts and potential sponsorship opportunities to deliver transit service on December 25 and January 1 and provide options for council consideration during the 2018 budget discussions.

Direct the Manager of Community Development to develop criteria for supporting ongoing events. If appropriate can be combined with the outstanding staff direction to review the Burlington Sound of Music Festival funding.

Direct the Executive Director of Capital Works to defer the public engagement process of the General Brock School site to 2018.

Direct the City Manager to review City Talk as a communication tool and report back.

Direct the City Manager to review the City grant to the Museum in light of the decision to close the Joseph Brant Museum for 2017 and report back to Council on the recommended changes to the grant.

Receive and file the following seven items, having been given due consideration by the Committee of the Whole.