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Home My WebLink AboutSpecial Council Minutes - Budget March 6, 2025 Cape Breton Regional Municipality Special Council Meeting Minutes March 6, 2025 10:02 a.m. at City Hall Council Chambers Council Mayor Cecil P. Clarke Councillor Gordon MacDonald Councillor Earlene MacMullin Councillor Esmond "Blue" Marshall Councillor Steve Gillespie Deputy Mayor Eldon MacDonald Councillor Glenn Paruch Councillor Steve Parsons Councillor Steven MacNeil Councillor Dave MacKeigan Councillor Paul Nickituk Councillor Darren O'Quinn Councillor Kim Sheppard-Campbell Staff Demetri Kachafanas, KC, Interim Chief Administrative Officer Jennifer Campbell, Chief Financial Officer Christa Dicks, Municipal Clerk Wayne MacDonald, Chief Engineer and Director of Engineering and Public Works Kirk Durning, Director of Recreation, Parks and Grounds, and Buildings and Facilities Deanna Evely, Director of Human Resources Ray Boudreau, Director of Water and Wastewater Robert Walsh, Chief of Police Mark Bettens, Fire Chief and Director of Fire and Emergency Services Tyson Simms, Director of Planning and Development Stephen MacKinnon, Deputy Chief of Police Reg Hutchings, Superintendent Craig MacNeil, Deputy Fire Chief John Phalen, Senior Manager of Engineering and Public Works Bruce MacDonald, Manager of Emergency Management Paul MacDonald, Facilities Manager Greg Campbell, Manager of Technical Support Services - Utilities Special Council Meeting - Minutes March 6, 2025 Approved April 8, 2025 Page 2 of 6 Matt Viva, Manger of Wastewater Operations Francis Campbell, Manager of Solid Waste Cory Youden, Manager Engineering Services Brandon Talbolt, Manager of Water and Wastewater Kyle Quinn, Manager Technical Support Services, Water and Wastewater Jamie Gillis, Manager of Parks, Grounds & Buildings Wil Van Hal, Manager of Recreation Sean Tobin, Chief of Staff Toni Delorenzo, Principal Secretary, Mayor's Office Tyler MacKeigan, Human Resources Manager Karen Neville, Senior Planner Jennifer Collins, Supervisor, Water and Wastewater Christina Lamey, Communications and Information Officer Desiree Magnus, CBRPS Communications and Public Relations Advisor Jenna MacQueen, Communications Advisor Kirk MacNeil, Financial Services Clerk, Engineering and Public Works Spencer Merrill, Information Technology Technician Kelly McDonald, Administrative Assistant - Clerk's Office YueCong Cao, Administrative Assistant - Clerk's Office Sharon MacSween, Senior Administrative Assistant, Recording Secretary The following does not represent a word for word record of the proceedings of this meeting. The agenda, reports, supporting documents, information items circulated, and video (if available) are online at verw.v..fir_„_c_b_rrr�..,..n_s c.. .. Mayor Cecil P. Clarke called the meeting to order. Land Acknowledgement Roll Call 1. Approval of Agenda Motion Moved by Councillor Paruch, seconded by Councillor Parsons, to approve the March 6, 2025, Special Council Agenda for Budget Deliberations as presented. Motion Carried Special Council Meeting - Minutes March 6, 2025 Approved April 8, 2025 Page 3 of 6 Mayor Clarke advised that discussion will take place in a rotating series of two minutes for each councillor as long as there are questions before proceeding to the main motion. Council agreed. 2. Operating a) Amended Policy - Low Income Tax Exemption Policy Jennifer Campbell, Chief Financial Officer, reviewed the staff report included in the Special Council agenda package. In response to a question regarding information on the CBRM website, the CFO advised that the information provided is current and that low income tax exemption rate is maintained at the current policy. She reminded that consideration is being made to amend the policy at this meeting, and the staff report specifically stated that the exemption amount would be the rate going forward into the future budget year and not the current taxation year. Motion Moved by Councillor MacMullin, seconded by Councillor Marshall, to approve the Low Income Tax Exemption Policy as amended. Motion Carried At 10:07 a.m., staff circulated to Council a summary document of the 2025- 26 capital and operating budget. b) Draft Operating Budget Presentation 2025-2026 Mayor Clarke introduced the draft Operating Budget and advised that the staff presentation was completed at the Special Council Stakeholder Session which took place last evening. The floor was then opened for questions for the Chief Financial Officer. Discussion took place on expenses, cost recovery, contracts and agreements, and various projects and initiatives. The following motion was put forward: Special Council Meeting - Minutes March 6, 2025 Approved April 8, 2025 Page 4 of 6 Motion Moved by Councillor MacMullin, seconded by Deputy Mayor Eldon MacDonald, to approve the Operating Budget for 2025-26 of $187,850,713 and associated tax rates as presented. Discussion: During discussion, it was clarified that the Police Budget is included in the Operational Budget, and that an annual grant to Destination Cape Breton will continue until a MOU is signed. Motion Carried A recorded vote took place and was carried unanimously. 3. Capital a) Debt Management Policy and Repeal of Borrowing Policy Jennifer Campbell, Chief Financial Officer, provided background on the issue as previously presented at the Audit Committee meeting of March 5, 2025. Motion Moved by Councillor Sheppard-Campbell, seconded by Councillor Paruch, to approve the Debt Management Policy and repeal of the Borrowing Policy presented. Motion Carried b) Infrastructure Prioritization Framework Matt Viva, Senior Manager Engineering Services, reviewed the staff report included in the agenda package. After discussion, the following motion was put forward: Motion Moved by Deputy Mayor Eldon MacDonald, seconded by Councillor Gordon MacDonald, to adopt the CBRM Infrastructure Prioritization Framework as the official replacement of the 2000 Infrastructure Needs Assessment Model. Motion Carried Special Council Meeting - Minutes March 6, 2025 Approved April 8, 2025 Page 5 of 6 At 12:30 p.m., the WasteWater Operating Budget was addressed. 4. DRAFT Water / Wastewater a) Waste Water Operating Budget Motion Moved by Councillor MacMullin, seconded by Councillor Gordon MacDonald, to approve the Wastewater Operational Budget for 2025/26. Motion Carried 3. Capital (Continued) c) DRAFT Capital Budget 2025-2026 Mayor Clarke introduced the Capital Budget following by an opportunity for questions for the Director of Engineering and Public Works. Discussion took place on projects and initiatives, demolitions and upgrades and the debt management plan. Motion Moved by Councillor Paruch, seconded by Councillor Gordon MacDonald, to approve the: • Capital Budget for 2025-26 • Approval of Temporary Borrowing Resolution • Transfer from Operating reserve o Parks Community Initiatives $583k o ]-Class Road Contribution $150k o Building Efficiency Upgrades $100k • Transfer from Capital Reserve o Building upgrades $160k o C200 $713k Motion Carried A recorded vote took place and was carried unanimously. Special Council Meeting - Minutes March 6, 2025 Approved April 8, 2025 Page 6 of 6 Mayor Clarke thanked Council for their engagement and facilitating bringing citizens together, and to the CFO, CAO and Directors and staff for their work and efforts during the budgetary process. S. DRAFT Water / Wastewater a) Waste Water Operating Budget This item was dealt with earlier in the meeting. Meeting adjourned at 1:24 p.m. Cecil P. Clarke Mayor Christa Dicks Municipal Clerk /SIM