Minutes

For the Finance and Administration Committee Meeting

-
Tom Davies Square
Present (Mayor and Councillors)
  • Councillor Signoretti, 
  • Councillor Brabant, 
  • Councillor Fortin, 
  • Councillor Parent, 
  • Councillor Lapierre, 
  • Councillor Labbee, 
  • Councillor Sizer, 
  • Councillor McIntosh, 
  • Councillor Cormier, 
  • Councillor Leduc, 
  • and Councillor Landry-Altmann 
Absent
  • Councillor Benoit 
  • and Mayor Lefebvre 
City Officials
  • Ed Archer, Chief Administrative Officer, 
  • Kevin Fowke, General Manager of Corporate Services, 
  • Tony Cecutti, General Manager of Growth and Infrastructure, 
  • Steve Jacques, General Manager of Community Development, 
  • Joseph Nicholls, General Manager of Community Safety, 
  • Marie Litalien, Director of Communications & Community Engagements, 
  • Meredith Armstrong, Director of Economic Development, 
  • Jeff Pafford, Director of Leisure Services, 
  • Kelly Gravelle, Deputy City Solicitor, 
  • Ron Foster, Auditor General, 
  • Stefany Mussen, Director of Corporate Security & By-Law Service, 
  • Ed Landry, Senior Planner, 
  • Dawn Noel de Tilly, Chief of Staff, 
  • Brigitte Sobush, Manager of Clerk's Services/Deputy City Clerk, 
  • Regina Sgueglia, Clerk's Services Assistant, 
  • Srijana Rasaily, Clerk's Services Assistant, 
  • and Rory Whitehouse, Clerk's Services Assistant 

Councillor McIntosh, In the Chair


1.

  

The meeting commenced at 6:00 p.m.

2.

  

A roll call was conducted prior to the commencement of moving into closed session.

3.

  
  • The following resolution was presented:

    FA2024-01
    Moved ByCouncillor McIntosh
    Seconded ByCouncillor Cormier

    THAT the City of Greater Sudbury moves to Closed Session to deal with one (1) Personal Matters (Identifiable Individual(s)) item regarding a performance review in accordance with the Municipal Act, 2001, par. 239(2)(b).

    CARRIED

    At 6:02 p.m., the Finance and Administration Committee moved into Closed Session.


4.

  

At 8:20 p.m., the Finance and Administration Committee recessed.

5.

  

At 8:31 p.m., the Finance and Administration Committee commenced the Open Session.

6.

  

A roll call was conducted.

Councillor Labbée declared a conflict of interest in relation to Item 12.3. as she is employed by one of the agencies receiving an annual grant, although the grant is in the form of non-monetary agreement.

Councillor Cormier, as Chair of the Closed Session, reported that the Committee met in Closed Session to deal with one (1) Personal Matters (Identifiable Individual(s)) item regarding a performance review in accordance with the Municipal Act, 2001, par. 239(2)(b). No resolutions emanated from the meeting.

9.

  

Rules of Procedure

Councillor McIntosh seeked concurrence from the committee to forgo the electronic presentation. 

CARRIED

Ed Archer, Chief Administrative Officer, provided a brief verbal overview the 2023 CAO Performance Objectives and Fourth Quarter Performance for information only.

10.

  
  • The following resolution was presented:

    FA2024-02
    Moved ByCouncillor McIntosh
    Seconded ByCouncillor Cormier

    THAT the City of Greater Sudbury approves the 2024 performance objectives in accordance with the annual process established for managing the Chief Administrative Officer’s performance as outlined in the report entitled “2024 CAO Performance Objectives”, from the Chief Administrative Officer presented at the Finance & Administration Committee meeting on March 26, 2024.

    CARRIED
  • The following resolution was presented:

    FA2024-03
    Moved ByCouncillor McIntosh
    Seconded ByCouncillor Lapierre

    THAT The City of Greater Sudbury directs staff to proceed with a public hearing on the proposed Zoning By-law Amendments, as outlined in the report entitled “Short-Term Rental Review – Proposed By-laws”, from the General Manager of Growth and Infrastructure, presented at the Finance and Administration Committee meeting of March 26, 2024.

    CARRIED
  • The following resolution was presented:

    FA2024-04
    Moved ByCouncillor McIntosh
    Seconded ByCouncillor Sizer

    THAT The City of Greater Sudbury directs staff to prepare an amendment to the “Registration of Certain Businesses” By-law, as outlined in the report entitled “Short-Term Rental Review – Proposed By-laws”, from the General Manager of Growth and Infrastructure, presented at the Finance and Administration Committee Meeting of March 26, 2024.

    CARRIED

11.

  
  • The following resolution was presented:

    FA2024-05
    Moved ByCouncillor Lapierre
    Seconded ByCouncillor Parent

    WHEREAS the City of Greater Sudbury employs 2263 full time employees and on average 550  contract, part time and seasonal staff;

    AND WHEREAS Council would like to better understand why the staffing levels differ from other Municipalities of similar size, how many new positions have been created since 2010 and the purpose of these new positions;

    THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Greater Sudbury directs staff to prepare a report with a presentation to the Finance and Administration Committee before the 2025 budget review process, which includes the following:

    • The current level of staffing for each separate service
    • The number of Union and Non-Union staff, including the management level (e.g.  director, manager supervisor)
    • A comparator of staffing levels and change year per year since 2010 (including union and non-union)
    • A comparator of varying levels of service to other similar municipalities (example the number of WWW treatment plants, the number of services provided by single tier governments versus lower tier or upper tier towns, cities, regions or districts, # of lane Km’s to service etc…)
    • Based on the comparisons, options for service changes that could be undertaken to reduce headcount and the overall net budget for 2025 (for example, service options from the core service review).
    CARRIED
  • The following resolution was presented:

    FA2024-06
    Moved ByCouncillor McIntosh
    Seconded ByCouncillor Cormier

    WHEREAS staff provided an update to City Council on the status of opportunities for change identified in the 2020 Core Service Review at its February 21, 2023 meeting;

    AND WHEREAS although several changes were completed at that time, the update identified a number of potential service changes that were subject to further review;

    AND WHEREAS City Council is interested in the progress of these reviews to understand whether, or how, adjustments could be incorporated into 2025 service plans that reduce the anticipated 7.3% property tax change;

    THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Greater Sudbury directs staff to produce an update at the May 2024 Finance and Administration Committee meeting describing the status of the remaining change opportunities first identified in the Core Service Review.

    CARRIED
  • The following resolution was presented:

    FA2024-07
    Moved ByCouncillor Fortin
    Seconded ByCouncillor McIntosh

    WHEREAS low-income seniors and low-income residential property owners with disabilities are experiencing a period of high inflation and increased municipal taxation at the same time as minimal increases to their income;

    AND WHEREAS the City has a tax deferral policy  (By-Law 2003 – 96F) which provides tax relief in the form of a deferral of tax increases greater than $100, while other municipal tax deferral policies allow for the deferral of the total amount of current property taxes;

    THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Greater Sudbury directs staff to produce a report describing amendments to the existing policy which could allow for deferral of the total amount of property taxes in any given year, and that this report be published during the third quarter of 2024 so that a revised program of tax deferral could be available for the 2025 tax year.

    CARRIED
  • Rules of Procedure

    Councillor Parent presented a motion and moved that the notice provisions be waived and that the Motion be dealt with due to time constraints.

    CARRIED BY TWO-THIRDS

    The following resolution was presented:

    FA2024-08
    Moved ByCouncillor Parent
    Seconded ByCouncillor McIntosh

    WHEREAS in City Council directed staff to amend By-law 2015-87 being a by-law of the City of Greater Sudbury to Create the Position of Chief Administrative Officer, that delegates authority to the Chief Administrative Officer for adjusting non-executive, non-union compensation so it remained within the desired market position described in the Council-approved Salary Administration Policy, subject to an annual review of benchmarks during a quarterly CAO performance presentation; 

    AND WHEREAS Council has previously been presented with information that provides comparisons for both union and non-union positions with other Ontario municipalities;

    AND WHEREAS the Salary Administration Policy hasn’t been amended since 2004;

    AND WHEREAS a review of salary administration policies are good practice to ensure alignment with best practices and the corporation’s desire to be an employer of choice;

    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to produce a review of the corporation’s Salary Administration Policy for non-union positions to a Finance & Administration Committee meeting in the third quarter of 2024 that, at a minimum, includes:

    • An assessment of the suitability of comparator municipalities and the basis for identifying them;
    • The method for determining how the corporation’s positions are compared with other jurisdictions;
    • Clearly defined principles that guide the policy’s scope and its application and alignment with Council’s strategic priorities; 

    AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chief Administrative Officer engage the Auditor General to analyze the results of this review and any recommended policy changes with the objective of providing independent assurance on the process steps taken during the review. 

    CARRIED

12.

  

Rules of Procedure

Direction was brought forward from the floor regarding this Item.

  • The following resolution was presented:

    FA2024-09
    Moved ByCouncillor Lapierre
    Seconded ByCouncillor McIntosh

    That staff be directed to find an alternate service provider for after hours youth programming in the downtown following the City's procurement processes;  and redirect the funds allocated for the Sudbury Action Centre for Youth (SACY) to the alternate provider once selected.

    CARRIED

13.

  

No Addendum was presented.

15.

  

Please visit: https://www.greatersudbury.ca/agendas to view questions asked.

16.

  

Councillor McIntosh moved to adjourn the meeting. Time: 9:25 p.m.

CARRIED