The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My Public Portal About2019-02-07_COW_Public Agenda Package (added 8.1/additions to 5.2)Page 1 of 1 of Agenda Cover Page(s) Committee of the W hole AGENDA Thursday,February 7, 2019 –8:45 a.m. Chester Municipal Council Chambers 151 King Street, Chester, NS 1.MEETING CALLED TO ORDER. 2.APPROVAL OF AGENDA/ORDER OF BUSINESS. 3.PUBLIC INPUT SESSION (8:45 A.M.–9:00 A.M.) 4.MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING: 4.1 Committee of the Whole –January 24, 2019 5.MATTERS ARISING: 5.1 Action Required -Email from Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities (NSFM) dated January 22,2019 in response to previous email discussed at the December 20, 2018 COW Meeting –Item 7.2.NSFM is interested in knowing if your Municipality would be supportive of other Municipalities using pilot programs to remove the CAP.Action is required -Replies and comments can be sent to wbrooke@nsfm.ca.Responses will be tallied Friday,March 29, 2019. 5.2 Results of January 26, 2019 Chester Village Water Poll. 6.POLICY DEVELOPMENT/REVIEW. 7.CORRESPONDENCE. 10.ADJOURNMENT. 9.IN CAMERA. 8.NEW BUSINESS: 8.1 Financial Report/Forecast – Director of Finance. 1 Cindy Hannaford Subject:FW: INTEREST IN PILOT PROGRAM TO REMOVE CAP--Action Required: Respond byMarch 29, 2019 Begin forwarded message: From:NSFM Info <Info@nsfm.ca> Date:January 22, 2019 at 11:03:49 AM AST To:Tracy Verbeke <TVerbeke@nsfm.ca> Subject:INTEREST IN PILOT PROGRAM TO REMOVE CAP--Action Required:Respond by March 29, 2019 Reply-To:William Brooke <wbrooke@nsfm.ca> January 22, 2019 TO:Mayors, Wardens, Clerks, CAOs, All Units FR:Will Brooke, Policy Advisor, Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities RE:INTEREST IN PILOT PROGRAM TO REMOVE CAP In November 2018, NSFM members passed a resolution on the capped assessment program (CAP). The resolution includes a request for the Province to work with municipalities and other stakeholders to find ways to phase out or remove the CAP, and requests that the Province allow municipalities to undertake CAP pilot projects. In December 2018, NSFM sent out an email to gauge interest in a potential CAP pilot program.We received a limited number of responses, and received feedback suggesting that a more detailed request would be of assistance to municipalities in developing their responses. NSFM is interested in finding out how many municipal units across Nova Scotia would be interested in participating in some kind of pilot program to remove or phase out the CAP. To be certain, NSFM is not aware of any opportunity to apply to be a part of a pilot program. The question is hypothetical. Because the question we are posing is to gauge general levels of interest, the question is deliberate in leaving the specifics of a pilot program undefined.NSFM can suggest that successful proposals for pilot programs would likely include (a) a spi ke protection mechanism, (b) a tax exemption or deferral mechanism for low-income homeowners, and (c) a requirement to lower tax rates as assessments rise. But beyond those basics, successful pilot programs could include, without limitation, assessment pha se-outs, increases of the CAP rate, or other options. Beyond this, NSFM would also be interested in knowing if your municipality would be supportive of other municipalities using pilot programs to remove the CAP. Please send your replies and comments to wbrooke@nsfm.ca. 2 Responses will be tallied Friday, March 29th, 2019. Thank-you for your participation. -- Will Brooke | Policy Advisor NOVA SCOTIA FEDERATION OF MUNICIPALITIES t +1.902.221.5191 nsfm.ca |facebook |twitter |linkedin |instagram <image002.png> PLEASE NOTE:If you do not want to receive communications from NSFM, please e-mail Tracy Verbeke at tverbeke@nsfm.ca,and you will be removed from the mailing list. 1 Cindy Hannaford From:William Brooke <wbrooke@nsfm.ca>Sent:Wednesday, January 2, 2019 7:08 AMTo:Cindy HannafordSubject:RE: Interest in Pilot Program to Remove CAP Dear Cindy, Thank you.MODC’s response has been tallied. Regards Will From:Cindy Hannaford <channaford@chester.ca> Sent:December-20-18 12:09 PM To:William Brooke <wbrooke@nsfm.ca> Cc:Council <council@chester.ca> Subject:Interest in Pilot Program to Remove CAP Good morning Will, During the December 20, 2018 Committee of the Whole meeting, Council agreed that the Municipality of the District of Chester (MODC) would be interested in being considered for a pilot program to remove or phase out the CAP.If selected, MODC’s final decision on participation would depend on the level of effort required by staff to take part in the pilot program.We look forward to your response. Regards, Cindy Cindy Hannaford Executive Secretary Corporate Services Municipality of Chester PO Box 369 151 King Street,Chester,NS,B0J 1J0 Office:902-275-4110 General Inquiries:902-275-3554 Web:www.chester.ca Consider the environment. Do you really need to print this email? REPORT FOR INFORMATION Prepared By:Malcolm Pitman, CPA, CA, Director of Finance Date February 4, 2019 Reviewed By:Dan McDougall, CAO Date February 4, 2019 Authorized By:Dan McDougall,CAO Date February 4, 2019 CURRENT SITUATION The Operating Fund financial forecast, based upon results for the nine months ended December 31, 2019, shows a surplus forecast for the year ended March 31, 2019 of $642,881 versus a balanced budget. Capital Fund forecast shows that expenditures on capit al project will be $1,588,222 versus a budget of $8,428,425. RECOMMENDATION Forecast for information. BACKGROUND Council should be cautioned that a forecast is an estimate of the most likely results and as a result is subject to change as actual results occur. The assumption used in the preparation of the forecast are noted below. Adjustments made to the forecast for the #2 and #3 assumptions below were determined through consultation with program Directors on their revenues and expenditures. Assumptions Made 1.The revenues and expenses forecast used actuals in first nine months (end of December) and then assumed they will continue at same rate in the remaining three months. The 3rd quarter included accruals for payables. 2.Adjustments were made to #1 for any known one-time revenues/expenditures in first nine months. 3.Adjustments were made to #1 for any known future changes in rate of accumulation of revenues or expenditures in the remaining three months. DISCUSSION Two operating fund statements have been provided for your information. One categorized by program and the other is categorized by object. The surplus of $642,881 in the “statement by program”can be explained by a few major variances as follows: $(54,064)–Deed transfer tax trending to be under budget 30,877 -Fire Protection tax 52,000 –administration salaries $25k;ISO $10k; minor assets $17k 63,401 –Return on investments trending to be overbudget 37,583 –Municipal properties –capital out of revenue exp underbudget REPORT TO:Council SUBMITTED BY:Finance Department DATE:February 7,2019 SUBJECT:3rd Qtr. 18/19 Financial Report/Forecast ORIGIN:Quarterly Report 2 Report For 40,606 –Building inspection –capital out of revenue exp underbudget 23,486 –Roads –road maintenance municipal roads underbudget 14,081 –Planning –planning review exp underbudget 42,000 –Economic development –REN $26k; marketing & promotion $16k (89,874)–Eco park –anerobic digestion exp not budgeted 714,367 -landfill revenues up due to high volumes 157,502 –landfill expenditures down due to: 602,598 Sustane fees down as not forecast to start until Feb vs. Aug; (209,589)landfill closure costs up due to higher volume/less diversion (218,229)Landfill fire costs were not budgeted (435,303)–landfill tfr to reserve/surplus paid to Valley,re:higher net revenue (34,664)-higher landfill tfr to opr.Res.due to higher host fee re:higher volumes Total $561,998 Other 80,883 Variance $642,881 per statement The surplus of $642,881 in the “statement by object”can be explained by a few major variances as follows: $(10,931)–Taxes –deed transfer tax $(54,064), fire protection tax $30,877 448,596 -Service to other gov’t –Landfill –higher volumes 136,176 -Sales of Services –Landfill –higher volumes 129,596 -Other Rev Own Sources –Landfill –host fees up due to higher volumes 206,580 –Admin expenses –relates to various programs’ admin expenses (227,592)–Operating expenses –i.e.Anaerobic digestion $(89,871), landfill fire $(218,229),landfill transportation costs re: Annapolis $(27,176) 562,815 –Contracts for municipal services –Sustane fees down $602,598 due startup delay (209,589)–Landfill closure costs up -higher volume & less diversion to Sustane (459,710)–Transfers to Reserves –re: landfill surplus $(435,345) (due to Valley Waste, landfill host fees $(34,664), sewer surplus $22,800 and wind energy surplus $(16,310). 87,043 –capital funded out of revenue –projects under budget therefore funding underbudget Total $662,984 Other (20,103) Variance $642,881 per statement The capital project variances of $6,840,203 include: Project Variance Comment Ortho photography $100,000 Project delayed -To be done in 2019-20 VOC water system design 465,784 Project delayed Anaerobic digestion 5,000,000 Project cancelled Industrial park development 339,319 Project on hold Flood plain modeling 100,000 Project delayed –may be spent this year Joint building inspection software 115,000 Project delayed -To be done in 2019-20 Highway 3 streetscape 372,800 Only phase 1 completed –phase 2 in 2019-20 $6,492,903 3 Report For IMPLICATIONS Policy –n/a Financial/Budgetary No impact as the forecast is that MODC will be within budget. Continue to monitor results . Third quarter forecast will be used in preparing the 2019 -20 budget. Environmental –n/a Strategic Plan –n/a Work Program Implications -n/a OPTIONS n/a ATTACHMENTS Operating Fund forecast by program Operating fund forecast by object Capital Fund forecast COMMUNICATIONS (INTE RNAL/EXTERNAL) Internal –n/a External-n/a