Meeting #1/12
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Budget/Audit Advisory Board Meeting #1/12 Chair: Gerri Lynn O'Connor Vice Chair: Members: Maria Augimeri David Barrow Bob Callahan Dave Ryan April 13, 2012 IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING - APPROX. 10:30 A.M. WESTON ROOM B, BLACK CREEK PIONEER VILLAGE AGENDA Pages BAAB1. MINUTES OF MEETING #2/11, HELD ON OCTOBER 14, 2011 (Minutes Enclosed herewith on YELLOW) BAAB2. BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES BAAB3. DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST AND THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF BAAB4. DELEGATIONS BAAB5. PRESENTATIONS BAAB5.1 A presentation by Jim Dillane, Director, Finance and Business Development, in regard to item BAAB7.1 - 2012 Budget, Operating and Capital. BAAB6. CORRESPONDENCE BAAB7. SECTION I - ITEMS FOR AUTHORITY ACTION BAAB7.1 2012 BUDGET, OPERATING AND CAPITAL 3 BAAB8. SECTION IV - ITEMS FOR THE INFORMATION OF THE BOARD BAAB8.1 2011 YEAR END FINANCIAL PROGRESS REPORT 82 1 BAAB8.2 2011 AUDIT PLANNING Initial Communication From Grant Thornton, LLP 85 BAAB9. NEW BUSINESS NEXT MEETING OF THE BUDGET/AUDIT ADVISORY BOARD TO BE HELD ON JUNE 22, 2012 Brian Denney Chief Administrative Officer /ks 2 Item BAAB7.1 TO: Chair and Members of the Budget/Audit Advisory Board Meeting #1/12, April 13, 2012 FROM: James W. Dillane, Director, Finance and Business Services RE: 2012 BUDGET, OPERATING AND CAPITAL ______________________________________________________________________________ KEY ISSUE Recommends approval of the 2012 operating and capital budget. RECOMMENDATION THE BOARD RECOMMENDS TO THE AUTHORITY THAT WHEREAS the Conservation Authorities Act (CA Act) provides that a conservation authority, in establishing its annual levy, shall have the power to determine the proportion of total benefit of any project afforded to all participating municipalities that is afforded to each of them; THEREFORE LET IT BE RESOLVED THAT, subject to such regulations under the Conservation Authorities Act as may be approved by the Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council: (i) all participating municipalities be designated as benefiting for all projects included in the 2012 Operating Budget; (ii) Toronto and Region Conservation Authority's (TRCA) share of the cost of the programs included in the 2012 Operating Budget shall be raised from all participating municipalities as part of the General Levy; (iii) the 2012 General Levy be apportioned to the participating municipalities in the proportion that the modified current value assessment of the whole is under the jurisdiction of TRCA, unless otherwise provided in the levy or a project; (iv) the appropriate TRCA officials be directed to advise the participating municipalities, pursuant to the Conservation Authorities Act and the regulations made thereunder, and to levy the said municipalities the amount of the Total General Levy set forth in the 2012 Operating Budget, including property tax adjustments and non-Current Value Assessment (CVA) levy, and to levy the said municipalities the amount of the Capital Levy set forth in the 2012 Capital Budget and in the approved projects of TRCA; THAT, subject to finalization of the participating municipalities' apportioned levy amounts, the 2012 Operating and Capital Budget, and all projects therein, be adopted; THAT staff be authorized to amend the 2012 Operating and Capital Budget to reflect actual 2012 provincial grant allocations in order to determine the amount of matching levy governed by regulation; 3 THAT, except where statutory or regulatory requirements provide otherwise, staff be authorized to enter into agreements with private sector organizations, non-governmental organizations or government agencies for the undertaking of projects which are of benefit to TRCA and funded by the sponsoring organization or agency; THAT the cost of property taxes imposed by municipalities on conservation lands owned by TRCA be charged as additional levy to the respective participating municipalities; THAT, as required by Ontario Regulations 139/96 and 231/97, this recommendation and the accompanying budget documents, including the schedule of matching and non-matching levies, be approved by recorded vote; AND FURTHER THAT authorized TRCA officials be directed to take such action as may be necessary to implement the foregoing, including obtaining needed approvals and the signing and execution of documents. RATIONALE Enclosed is the recommended 2012 Budget, Operating and Capital. The budget will be presented to the Authority at its meeting scheduled to be held on Friday, April 27, 2011. Municipal Approval Status As the members are aware, staff prepare preliminary estimates in the summer and fall of each year for submission to TRCA's municipal funding partners. Staff meet with municipal staff as required by the budget processes and budget schedules followed by each major participating municipality. Presentations are made to municipal finance staff and the committees and councils of the funding partners as required. In the case of Peel Region, TRCA works closely with staff at Credit Valley and Halton conservation authorities to align budget information and requirements. A similar process occurs with York Region where TRCA works closely with the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority. In Durham Region, the process is more complicated because five conservation authorities work to align budgets and financial submissions to meet the Region of Durham budget requirements. TRCA's submissions to the City of Toronto for capital and operating levy are reviewed with senior Finance and Toronto Water staff. The 2012 Preliminary Estimates were approved by the Authority in October, 2011, as the basis for submissions to TRCA's municipal funding partners. The funding identified in the apportionment of the levy reflects the amounts that the municipal funding partners have approved in their 2012 budgets for capital and operating. The following summarizes the status of the discussions and submissions as of April 2, 2012: City of Toronto The capital and operating funding included in the TRCA budget has been approved by City Council. Regional Municipality of Peel The capital and operating funding included in the TRCA budget has been approved by Regional Council. 4 Regional Municipality of York The capital and operating funding included in the TRCA budget has been approved by Regional Council. Regional Municipality of Durham The capital and operating funding included in the TRCA budget has been approved by Regional Council. Township of Adjala-Tosorontio The Township has been advised of TRCA's levy request. Approval of the TRCA levy is anticipated. Town of Mono The Town has been advised of TRCA’s levy request. Approval of the TRCA levy is anticipated. MNR Transfer Payments The provincial funding which is matched with levy has not been confirmed. The Minister of Natural Resources has advised Conservation Ontario that transfer payment funding for all conservation authorities is likely to be reduced. No time line has been given for the announcement of 2012 grants. Provincial Legislation By regulation, TRCA has provided 30 days written notice to its member municipalities of the date of the meeting at which the Authority will approve the municipal levy. At the April 27, 2012, Authority meeting, a recorded vote on the budget recommendation including the non-matching municipal levy is required. The weighted voting procedure prescribed by regulation will be used if necessary. Operating Budget - Overview of Key Issues Salary/Wage Adjustment The largest segment of the operating budget is salaries, wages and benefits, about 76% of gross operating expenditures. The Authority was advised in October, 2011, when the preliminary estimates were approved, that staff was recommending an increase of 3%, effective at the first pay in April, 2012. TRCA salary and wage adjustments over the period 2009 (0%), 2010 (2%), 2011 (0%) and 2012 (3%) will total 5%, or an average increase of 1.25% per year. Staffing The TRCA full time equivilants (FTE) are projected to be 396.6 FTE's for 2012. This is an increase of 8.5 FTE's from 2011. Refer to page 7 of the operating budget document (Attachment 1) for an explanation of the year-over-year changes, by division. Expenditures/Operating Revenues The 2012 operating budget has expenditures of $1.6 million more than 2011, an increase of 4.7%, and additional revenues (non-levy) of $1.4 million, a 6.1% increase. Expenditure increases are mainly due to COLA ($430,000), OMERS ($280,000) and annualizations and increments ($400,000). 5 The Living City Foundation The Living City Foundation (LCF- formerly The Conservation Foundation of Greater Toronto ) continues to enjoy success in attracting funding and donations for many capital and special TRCA projects. However, the LCF continues to have difficulty raising funds for unrestricted purposes and, therefore, the TRCA budget does not provide for any unrestricted funds 2012. The LCF has embarked on a new door-to-door individual donor acquisition program in 2011 which continues into 2012. Upon completion of this campaign staff will make a determination on whether to continue the program. Deficit Management The 2011 audited financial statements will not be available until the June meeting of the Board. The projected cumulative deficit for the end of 2011 is anticipated to be in the range of $2.1 million, a decrease of about $300,000 from 2010. Of the projected cumulative deficit totalling $2.1 million, about $924,000 relates to the construction of the new Petticoat Creek pool and the balance to past operating deficits. The details of the 2011 net results are available elsewhere on the agenda, in the report titled "2011 Year End Financial Progress Report". In 2012, there is provision for a $75,000 surplus within the operating accounts. This amount is the first installment from Parks and Culture Division for the repayment of the amounts spent over available funding to complete the Petticoat Creek pool. The 2012 capital budget, as recommended, is a balanced budget. Municipal Funding Arrangements Each of TRCA's participating municipalities has its own unique budget requirements and annual budgetary pressures. TRCA has met each the individual participating municipality requirements within the context of the CA Act.