What Odds at City Hall 27 February 2023

Absent from today’s Council meeting are Cllrs Maggie Burton and Ian Froude.

Council voted to approve a request from Air-Flow Mechanical 2013 Ltd. for sheet metal fabrication and storage in an accessory building at 136 Groves Road. 

Cllr Jamie Korab said the business will be owner-operated and employ two employees. Hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and parking is provided on site.

Next up, a townhouse at 99 Cabot Street got parking relief for one spot.

The applicant argued that since the home is in the downtown, it would be marketed as without parking. It’s also located so people can walk or take public transport, and that it would encourage a green or low-carbon lifestyle, said Cllr Korab.

Council then voted to approve the 2023 Capital Out of Revenue Listing.

“The City’s Capital out of Revenue program is determined on an annual basis and funded primarily from an allocation from the City’s annual operating budget, as well as other sources,” said Cllr Ron Ellsworth. 

“This program is different from the City’s larger cost-shared capital arrangements with the Federal Government and Provincial Governments, for which the City borrows its share of the cost.”

He noted the total capital out of revenue funding is $25,448,987 and the total capital out of revenue for this year is $17,329,041.

Cllr Ravencroft was pleased to see the nearly $3 million investment in pedestrian infrastructure.

Cllr Ellsworth, closing the debate, said Council has taken a balanced approach in how funds are allocated, looking at the community’s needs and trying to be responsible to the community.

“We are going to be challenged as we move further and further ahead. We have a growing City. We’re adding more streets. We have aging infrastructure,” he said.

He then pointed to the snow we’ve been getting and freezing snow, meaning they’re seeing more damage to the City’s equipment. They are also investing in the environmental side and moving towards being net zero.

Council then voted to approve project additions to the multi-year capital works program – but alas, no details were in the agenda on this item.

Tenders Approved

NARL Marketing LP was awarded a contract valued at $940,849.81 per year (HST not included) to provide regular unleaded gasoline to various departments for vehicles and equipment.

The contract is for one year, with a possible two one-year extensions.

The other bid came from Western Petroleum ($965,091.89).

Microsoft Canada also secured a contract for $204,003.36 (plus HST) and are the sole supplier so it was awarded without an open call.

Das Capital

Council gave its approval of the 2023 Capital Grant allocations.

“The City of St. John’s Capital Grant Program makes available limited financial resources to non-profit groups and organizations whose programming supports the City’s Strategic Directions,” said Deputy Mayor Sheilagh O’Leary.

“The Capital grant applications were reviewed by an internal grants committee and key considerations included the association’s current financial status The program’s alignment with the City’s strategic directions and the impact on the overall community. “

She said the budget is $500,000 for this year and the recommendation comes to $482,000, but in conjunction with that permit fees are being waived which comes to 51,194.77.

If you go to the City’s website to see which organizations and people received money and how much.

Moving on, Council then signed off on the recommended 2023 Community Grant allocations.

Deputy Mayor O’Leary declared a conflict of interest because she was invited to give a talk to Dark NL, so she’d abstain from voting and asked Cllr Debbie Hanlon to handle this item.

Then Cllr Sandy Hickman said his wife works with one of the organizations, so he was stepping aside on this matter as well.

Cllr Ophelia Ravencroft said one of the grants was written by her partner, though she no longer works for that group. City Solicitor Cheryl Mullett clarified this issue around conflicts, saying if it’s past employment, it’s probably not a concern but that Councillors are responsible for investigating their own potential conflicts. Ultimately, Cllr Ravencroft said she’ll assume there’s no conflict since it’s about past employment.

“The City of St. John’s grants and subsidies program makes available limited financial and other resources to non-profit groups, organizations and individuals whose programming supports the City’s Strategic Directions,” said Cllr Debbie Hanlon.

The categories are; Community Groups and Organizations, Special Events and Festivals, Sport Groups and Organizations, Youth Travel Sport and Non-Sport, and Artist and Arts Organizations.

“When reviewed in their entirety there is $31,325 remaining in the overall grants. And it’s recommended that Council retain this  – ‘cause you never know what could come up – for situations where a decision is pending or other items which may arise before the end of the year,” said Cllr Hanlon.

To name a few artistic organizations getting funding, there’s Artistic Fraud of Newfoundland ($10,000), Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra ($4500) and Wonderbolt Productions ($13000), to name just a few.

Under ‘organizations’ there’s Beagle Paws ($2,500) and Bridges to Hope ($15,000).

And finally, individual artist grants. In the name of full disclosure, yours truly will receive $1500 towards a book I’m writing about the history of NL comix, which is being published by Engen Books!

Cllr Ravencroft also cheered the number of queer artists getting financial support from the City.

Cllr Ellsworth said this funding supports their partners in the community, “It’s money well invested by us. A lot of these organizations are doing the work we would have to do if they weren’t the ones doing it.” He added it makes their community a better one.

Up next, Council approved the assessment rates for 2023. 

Deputy City Manager of Planning, Engineering & Regulatory Services Jason Sinyard explained each year they calculate the new assessment rates for the coming constriction season. They are also based on the construction cost they received last year for various projects.

Sinard added there was an increase of about 28% from the previous year, but that is in line with the prices they paid in 2020, adding prices fluctuate between years.

Council voted to give their approval for City Manager to attend the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators Conference and AGM in Huntsville, Ontario.

Council gave travel authorization for the members of Council interested in attending the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Conference in Toronto from May 25 – 28, 2023

According to the agenda, Mayor Breen and Cllrs Ravencroft, Hanlon, Hickman and Burton had all said they wanted to attend.

In Council, Mayor Breen and Cllrs Hanlon, Ravencroft and Hickman were selected to go – Cllr Burton attended last year.

For once, the agenda actually broke down the travel costs, and per person it’s approximately $3165. So looking at that per item, it includes four days per diem ($400), flights (estimated $500), hotel accommodations for four nights ($1280) and early bird conference registration ($985).

The Go Round

Deputy Mayor O’Leary started off congratulating those who had received arts grants, adding she wanted to acknowledge what these groups do for the community.

However Mayor Breen interjected, asking if she could talk about the recently awarded grants seeing as she’d had to abstain from voting. She seemed momentarily perplexed – she couldn’t talk about grants that had been approved? – but she did back off.

Instead, she then spoke about the recent Kiwanis Music Festival’s Rose Bowl competition, which the City is a sponsor of. So the Deputy Mayor was at the event and handed out awards. She congratulated all of the winners.

This fall the City will be hosting the Creative City Network summit, happening from October 3-5, she said. And the group is also hosting an event on March 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Foran Room in City Hall for cultural resilience training. It’s free and she encouraged artists and organizations to sign up.

Cllr Hanlon said the deadline for Applause Award nominations have been extended to March 2.

Cllr Jill Bruce thanked those who came out to Thursday’s for the Love of St. John’s, which was hosted by Clean St. John’s.

She also thanked the public works staff for their work in February, and hoped March is kinder.

Cllr Ravencroft also thanked public staff for their recent work, noting this February has been a particularly harsh weather-wise.

And she also reminded listeners that this Friday is also International Sex Workers’ Rights Day.

She also sent out a congrats to all those who received grants and that she’s looking forward to seeing what they create.

Cllr Korab said that the latest City Guide should be out, and it’s filled with important information like recycling and garbage schedule, as well as events. It’s also on the City’s website.

Finally, Mayor Breen spoke on a recent funding announcement supported by the Federal government for the Safe City Strategy, to the tune of  $1.83 million for prevention programs.