THE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY OF MUSKOKA
ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE COMMITTEE
:MEETING NO.. AF-3-96
PLACE: District Chairs Office
DATE: February 19, 1996
TI:ME: 6:30 p.m.
PRESENT: Committee Chair, B. Betts; District Chair, G. Adams; Members, M. Kennedy; J Young; T. Pinckard; R. Black
ABSENT: R. House
OFFICIALS PRESENT: B. Calvert, ChiefAdministrative Officer & Clerk; 1. McRae, Commissioner ofFinance and Administration
OTHERS PRESENT: District Councillors, T. McFadden; 1. Brownlee; S. Northmore; M. Duman, Director ofFinance; G. Plummer, Director Computer Centre; N. Cox-Godfrey, Administrative Services Manager; P .. Peltomaki, Administrative Assistant
MINUTES
Moved by R. Black and seconded by T. Pinckard
THAT the minutes ofthe Administration and Finance Committee meeting ofFebruary 2, 1996 be approved.
Carried.
FLEET TENDER
Moved by R. Black and seconded by T. Pinckard 10/96
THAT the Administration and Finance Committee recommends to District Council that three year leases, including maintenance, be awarded to the following: II
To Gordon Motor Sales, Bracebridge One Chevrolet Lumina Van at a cost not to exceed $30055 per month plus taxes; One Chevrolet Cavalier compact at a cost not to exceed $282.13 per month plus taxes; One Chevrolet 4X4 1/2T pickup at a cost not to exceed $574.31 per month plus taxes; One Chevrolet extended cab fullsize 1/2T pickup at a cost not to exceed $369. 10 per month plus taxes; and,
To Cavalcade Ford, Bracebridge Ten Ford Fl50 fullsize 1/2T pickups less three trade-in vehicles at a cost not to exceed $348.39 per vehicle per month plus taxes.
Carried.
'f:<-Ht- COMMUNITY ACCESS PROJECT
Councillor Young felt this was a good initial step and questioned ifone or more municipalities could coordinate and submit a joint proposal. Mr.. Plummer confirmed that partnerships between municipalities was an option.
Councillor McFadden wondered if Muskoka would be more successful in its attempt to receive a grant ifa number ofapplications were submitted rather than just one.
Moved by M. Kennedy and seconded by R. Black 11/96
THAT the Administration and Finance Committee recommends to District Council that a steering committee, composed ofDistrict and Area staffrepresentatives, be established to investigate all options associated with the Federal Government sponsored grant "Community Access Project." Carried.
~_~ REQUEST TO CONSIDER DISTRICT SYMBOL IN A PUBLICATION
Moved by T. Pinckard and seconded by M. Kennedy 12/96
THAT the District consent to the inclusion ofthe District symbol in the publication proposed by David C. Fowler and that the District Clerk be authorized, directed and empowered to provide to Fowler all such background information as may be desirable.
Carried. INFORMATION ITEMS
'f1-?~ a) Address to the Empire Club
Councillor Black questioned ifthere was any interest in reconsidering the restructuring proposal that was presented to District Council a year ago in light ofthe comments made in Mr. Tonk's address ..
Councillor Pinckard felt that the governance issue had to be settled before any further discussions can take place regarding restructuring.
b) Resolution from City ofToronto Clerk's Department
NEW BUSINESS
'fj9-60 a) Interim Levy By-law
Moved by R. Black and seconded by J. Young 13/96
THAT the Administration and Finance Committee recommend to District Council the adoption ofBy-law 96-7 to requisition from the Area Municipalities before the adoption ofthe estimates for 1996.
Carried. ADJOURNMENT
Moved by J. Young and seconded by M. Kennedy
THAT we do now adjourn until March 15, 1996 at 9:00 a.m, or the call ofthe chair.
Carried.
Chair District Clerk Administration & Finance Committee THE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY OF MUSKOKA
PINE STREET, POBOX 1720, BRACEBRIDGE, ONTARIO Pl L 1N3 -*-----TELEPHONE (705) 6452231 • FAX (705) 6~5·5319
February 15, 1996
TO: Chairman and Members of the Administration and Finance Committee
FROM: Nancy 1 Cox-Godfrey, Administrative Services Manager
SUBJECT Quotations 1996-01, -02, -03, -04 and -05, Lease of District Vehicles
RECOMMENDATION
THAT the Administration and Finance Committee recommend to District Council to award the following with three-year leases including maintenance contracts:
To Gordon Motor Sales, Bracebridge; One Chevrolet Lumina Van at a cost not to exceed $30055 per month plus taxes; One Chevrolet Cavalier compact car at a cost not to exceed $282 .. 13 per month plus taxes; One Chevrolet 4X4 lI2T pickup at a cost not to exceed $57431 per month plus taxes; One Chevrolet extended cab fullsize l/2T pickup at a cost not to exceed $369 .. 10 per month plus taxes. and;
To Cavalcade Ford, Bracebridge; Ten Ford F150 fullsize l/2T pickups less three trade-in vehicles at a cost not to exceed $34839 per vehicle per month plus taxes
ORIGIN
As requested in the "Acquisition ofLeased Vehicles for 1996" report of January 26, 1996.
ANALYSIS
On Thursday, February 15, 1996, there were quotations opened for three-year lease agreements with maintenance contracts on 1 stationwagon, 1 compact car, 1 4X4 pickup, 10 fullsize trucks and 1 extended cab pickup Attached are the results ofeach quotation. In each area, the lowest tender is being recommended.
Several dealers were contacted to get their opinions on leasing vehicles for 4 or 5 years. It was verified that extending the lease longer than 3 years increases the cost of the lease. The older the vehicle and the more kilometers driven will increase repairs and service. As well, the older the vehicle the more difficult it becomes to sell. These variables are factored into the final monthly cost resulting in a 4-year lease with a slightly higher monthly rate and a 5-year lease being considerably higher than the 3-year lease ~ Nancy J x- / John McRae Administrati e Services Manager Commissioner of Finance and Administration We received 6 quotes for 1996-0I The quotations are: Type Cost per Month (not including taxes) Cavalcade Ford. Bracebridge Taurus Wagon $46893 Muskoka Chrysler Sales, Bracebridge Plymouth Voyager Van 46200 Greavette Pontiac Buick Cadillac. Bracebridge Pontiac Transport Van 35900 Gordon Motor Sales. Bracebridge Chevrolet Lumina Van 30055 Arrowhead Motors.. Huntsville Chevrolet Lumina Van 41589 Westend Motors. Huntsville Dodge Caravan Van 44925 Gordon Motor Sales' submission meets the District's specifications for the wagon or minivan
We received 6 quotes t996-02 The quotations are: Type Cost per Month (not including taxes) Cavalcade Ford. Bracebridge 96 Ford Contour or 97 Ford Escort $368.21 Muskoka Chrysler Sales. Bracebridge Neon Highline 41300 Greavette Pontiac Buick Cadillac. Bracebridge Pontiac Sunfire 43600 Gordon Motor Sales. Bracebridge Chevrolet Cavalier 282 13 Arrowhead motors. Huntsville Chevrolet Cavalier 410.92 Westend Motors. Huntsville Neon Highline 40605 Gordon Motor Sales' submission meets the District's specifications for the compact car
We received 5 quotes for 1996-03 The quotations are: Type Cost per Month (not including taxes) Cavalcade Ford. Bracebridge Ford F150 4X4 $584 .. 00 Muskoka Chrysler, Bracebridge Dodge 1500 4X4 76900 Greavette Pontiac Buick Cadillac. Bracebridge GMC TKI0903 669.00 Gordon Motor Sales, Bracebridge Chevrolet 4X4 57431 Arrowhead Motors. Huntsville Chevrolet 4X4 86995 Gordon Motor Sales' submission meets the District's specifications for the 4X4 lI2T truck
We received 5 quotes for 1996-04. The quotations are: Type Trade-in of Final Cost per Vehicle Three Vehicles per Month (not including taxes) Cavalcade Ford, Bracebridge Ford F150 $14,500 $34839 Muskoka Chrysler Sales, Bracebridge Dodge 1500 12,960. 46400 Greavette Pontiac Buick Cadillac. Bracebridge GMC TL10903 10,000 470.00 Gordon Motor Sales, Bracebridge Chevrolet 150 13,300. 367.50 Westend Motors, Huntsville Dodge 1500WS 11,700. 54235 Cavalcade Ford's submission meets the District's specifications for the ten lI2T fullsize trucks.
We received 5 quotes for 1996-05. The quotations are: Type Cost per Month (not including taxes) Cavalcade Ford. Bracebridge Ford F150 SIC $432.00 Muskoka Chrysler Sales, Bracebridge Dodge 1500 Club Cab 54900 Greavette Pontiac Buick Cadillac, Bracebridge GMC Extend Cab 496.00 Gordon Motor Sales. Bracebridge Chevrolet Extend Cab 369 10 Arrowhead Motors. Huntsville Chevrolet Extend Cab 508.63 Gordon Motor Sales' submission meets the District's specifications for the lI2T Extend Cab truck
~I DATE: February 12,1996
TO: Chair and Members of the Administration and Finance Committee
FROM: Geoff Plummer, Director Muskoka Computer Centre
SUBJECT: Community Access Project
Recommendation: It is recommended that the Administration and Finance Committee adopt the following resotution.
THAT the Administration and Finance Committee recommend to District Council that a steering committee, composed of District and Area staff representatives, be established to investigate all options associated with the Federal Government sponsored grant "Community Access Project"
Origin: An initiative by Industry Canada to help provide rural communities with affordable public access to the Internet, as well as the skills to use it effectively Municipalities may submit proposals on behalf of their community.
History: This initiative was started in 1995 and is scheduled to run for three years. Funding for this program is on a 50/50 basis and restricted to areas that either have limited or no accessibility to the Internet. After the expiry of this initiative the projects originators are to assume the financial responsibility for the on-going operating costs.
Analysis: This project is attempting to establish up to 300 centres across Canada per year for three years that will be connected to the Intemet. The centres will be selected through a competitive process and applications for 1996 must be submitted by October 31. The local access pointor points must be convenient for users, appropriate for electronic network training and transactions, and safe and secure.
It is suggested that a steering committee be established to review the viability of this project,
One of the prerequisites for acceptance into this program is that the selected communities have limited or no accessibility to the Internet. This stipulation may cause our application to be rejected as the three towns currently have good access, The three townships however, do not have the same accessibility hence are possible communities meeting the eligibility requirements It is also understood that the Town of Huntsville has already applied for and received a grant from this program, (ommunity ACCESS rrojEtt
Il('. r,qll(i ('I1l('I';('I1
WiJrliIik'all':>1'''-111:>. DJ lIlI:;"of, r.~:!'I"lIi .." Canada's schools ·librarl 'f. ~~~t'l;' ;;~~;Ut)~\ilYp~:!·;'·l\~';,\l.-;'I·.. . T~T -~"l:J."1""~.I~""" /~.;:r:., ,~ ,~".:\,.!r'·~'I.' !.~ti' .•..;".:. , e.'s'iciollege·s·...... ari'd ' '"I'''. ~W" Cf,,,'" '''':'<''T':1!''''''''I;' '~f ~,~.it v",~ ·'''ll!;',f·'''·'''·'''',·",'j''''\I;\.. .. .,<.,.!lI:'~"'I"....{.. ulllverSllles to the'Information HIghway.. ',' I\·r.'~,?\k.;~<,!';" . ·.I.l~~;k~·~:,i d~~.,,)lf~· I ·il .. ;:( ..n J.. ' ~J.tJ',..,,< ;,,~,,!;~'~~';i"':~)V·Vr·~f,·'l;;r._ ',: ':i'!\\li':';~;;~\_ .. ..:i~;~ "'."'~:I'··~; "~. "~''', ,',,~: ;:f:;l::'¥',~.f"i.·,t,t·':\~:fJ\:',,?~r:~.\·.::,'Y~"\ :'~·;~=;~.~~r' . .k~·~~f.~ f~"~h;~:J':'".I,,:;::' ;>,:.',. : '1;"" J.;"'!""t!:'~,',:<\ ",:,"" I,;.~'·\~t:::'I:' ;;:'.':': <1i~~:>'.':: ':.. .[rj.":'y.~~\f~~J.,~~r f;.~~bt";t.;'(~'{11\:~.!~~;~'.{?:. '.+.~ .'''iV.l.;
I"" .in "iJnv(' ,1verage uncrnplovment rale The ':lppliCll l1 l c, ell!) .uqunr- lu.ivv I?flfrcpl('!1t'll1<", 111 the .omnuuut v ;lIC nigibility wh« iJ has hcpn persistently well above (J h)(ll site which IS ,. Ol1vClllcnl inl USCI < 111,,,11.' in U~(' fhe l1uhlil dt tt'<::,s 10PINESTREET. BRACEBRIDGE. ONTARIO P1L 1N3 -*----TELEPHONE (705)645-2231 • FAX(705)645-5319 MEMORANDUNf TO Chair & Members of Administration and Finance Committee FROM D Royston RE Request to consider District symbol in a publication DATE. February 9, 1996 RECOMNtENpATION THAT the District consent to the inclusion of the District symbol in the publication proposed by David C Fowler and that the District Clerk be authorized, directed and empowered to provide to Fowler with all such background information as may be desirable. ORIGIN Request for David C Fowler for information on the District's flag, seal or coat ofarms or municipal symbol (copy ofrequest attached) ANALYSIS Mr. Fowler appears to be researching and cataloguing the history ofthe municipal symbols across Canada and the US His ultimate goal appears to be to prepare a book on the subject In the correspondence, he undertakes not to use the symbol to endorse anything. It is difficult to judge the book that might result as Mr Fowler is not known to us and he is just in the planning and compilation ofinformation stages. However, so long as we make it clear that the use ofthe information is limited, there probably isn't a great deal ofrisk. The District symbol or logo is readily available to everyone, h appears at the top ofalmost all correspondence) To provide Mr Fowler with the information together with a letter restricting the use prevents him from just taking it from the top ofwhatever reply we might send and using it without restriction All in all, I am ofthe view that there is merit in assisting Mr Fowler with his research Respectfully submitted, !J}cu;:) D Royston DGRJaa .,. \.J recycled paper David C. Fowler Ch ~et: Ad 1V\,'f\. ~\ler 336 Third Avenue, 12 Mvsko~ D~sh,C+ MV(\I'cif~ I;~ Troy, NY L2l82 lO P:"e. s+ 8('acebr;cl3~ ON ~q Pl L IN3 Dear S ,'r-/ Me. cJOyy"I: Please forgive the impersonal nature of this letter. Unfortunately, the relatively large scope of the below-described project that I am working on demands the use of this form-type letter. o,'sJ.det':s I am wr~ting to request il.:'l.ist;:ations of :,7Q'l:' ~s f l.ag and seal/coat of arms. Also useful would be any information regarding their symbolism, colors and dates of adoption. Please be specific about the design of the flag, and the colors of the seal/ coat of arms; if you do not have a flag, be sure to note that. I am researching and cataloging the civic symbols of cities and counties of the United States and Canada, and I would appreciate very much your assistance. Finally, I would like to request permission to illustrate your community's symbols in a book or article that I am planning (presently in the early research stage). The purpose of this project is only to catalog items of municipal heraldry across North America, and describe their history and symbolism. Your community's symbol would not be used in any way to endorse anything, and the ulti.mate aim of this is to produce an educational and informational product. Thank you for your assistance. /? By Metro Toronto Chairman Alan Tonks January 25, 1996 OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN Thank you David, and good afternoon ladies and gentlemen .. I wonder. when was the last time you snuggled up with your little son or daughter or grandchild and read them their favourite bed-rime story? I had this experience a few weeks ago And guess what? Just by chance. the Dr Seuss story my daughter Alison chose bore a remarkable resemblance to the situation I have been consumed with as a result of the GT.-\ Task Force recort It goes like this Two Zax are walking. in opposite directions. across the prairie of Prax. One IS heading north. the ocher south. They bump intoeach other There they stand vfoor to fool. Face to face" Each accusing the other of blocking his path. And each strenuously objecting ':.0 the idea of stepping aside LO let the other pass. As Dr. Seuss puts it. and I quote , Look here now!' the North-Going lax said. 'I say: You are blocking my path. You are right in my way I'rn a North-Going lax and I always go north. Get out of my way, now. and let me go forth!' Who's in whose way?' snapped the South-Going lax. I always go south. making south-going tracks. So you're in MY way! And I ask you to move and let me go south In my south-going groove." One of them cells the other: 'I never take a step co one side And 1'!I prove to you that I won' t change my ways if I have co keep standing here fifty-nine days..' The ocher lax. of course. ups the ante and says he'll not budge for fifty-nine years And so It goes. Eventually, the South-Going lax sums up the artirude of both by declaring: I live by a rule that I learned as a boy back in South-Going school. Never budge! That's my rule Never budge in the least! Nor an inch. to the west! Nor an Inch to the east! I'Il stay here, not budging I I can and I will if it. makes you and me and the whole world stand still" So, how does Dr Seuss wrap things up? As follows "Well. Of course the world didn't stand still. The world grew In a couple of years. the new highway came through and they built right over those two stubborn lax and left them t~ere. '0 ,..." I" stancing un-oucgec In rnerr tracxs. Ladies 2..ad gentlemen, the story of the lax is fun.. It's entertaining. And there's a great deal that we can learn from it.. The scary is about resistance co change and the tension between stability and change It s about the need for stability in the face of inevitable and unremitting change. It can serve as a parable for all of us who have a stake in the future of Greater Toronto. The future of Greater Toronto was the focus of the GTA Task Force which issued its final report on January 16. The report deals with many complex and important issues economic competitiveness. assessmenr. end property taxation. municipal finance. municipal serv ices and service delivery models and. or course. municipal governance The reports analysis of rhe issues - irs diagnosis of [he problems confronting the city region....: is written in a fairly pure and. [ believe. objective way After all. the role of the Task Force was ,0 document and put inca a coherent argument what others have been saying for years. The Empire Club of Canada ·· .Alan Tonks January 25 [996 In stark contrast. the Task Force approached the development of its 51 recommendations in a highly political manner The recommendations are transparent in their search for compromises and in their anticipation of what different stakeholders may be prepared co live with I mention this not to criticize the Task Force's approach It was, after all, a ver; pragrnanc approach" Rather, I mention it because I think it illustrates that the real challenge - a challenge that Anne Golden and her Task Force recognized from the scan - is co find a way [0 reconcile the competing forces of change and stability. If we get the relationship right. between change and stability - if we make change and stability complementary forces - we can flourish as a city region. If we get it wrong, we end up like the two Zax, head co head, toe co roe, bickering our lives away while the real world rolls right over us In so many ways, our Greater Toronto region epitomises change This area has experienced massive, rapid and continuous population growth throughout the post-war period" Vie' ve gone from more chan a million people after the war co over four million today. And we'll grow by 3. further rwo million in [he next 25 years, All these people need places co live, work and go to school. They need places for entertainment and recreation. They need water, sewer, waste disposal, roads. transit. police and cornmuruty services These activities consume land, so our physical envrronment has been subjected co continuous and demanding change" And it will continue to be so. The make-up of our population has changed, coo Our population is ageing and it has become one of the most cosmopolitan in the world. As we approach the third millennium, our social stability, aUf quality of life, our economic competitiveness all depend on how we manage change. Geeting the relationship between change and stability right will determine how close we get to the GTA Task Force's vision of being the CIty region where people and businesses that could be anywhere in the world Want to be, Over the past few decades we have got the relationship right and this region has thrived. \V'e got it right with our two-tier model of metropolitan and local area municipal government, Think about it In 1953, Leslie Frost's Conservative government passed legislation to create the Municipality of .Y[ecropolitan Toronto Metro was born into a rapidly changing environment and its mandate was to manage and accommodate change" It was empowered to plan and build infrastructure for the entire city region. It pooled resources by levying a charge on the local municipalities 10 proportion [0 their share of the region's assessment base This ensured that no pan: of the city region was deprived of essential basic infrastructure and services because it happened to have a relatively poor assessment base It worked. We lived. worked and played in a well managed urban area with seamless services As the Metro area matured. the Metro model adapted co new needs and demands, particularly the social infrastructure of community social services. policing, ambulance and public transit The Empire Club of Canada .. Alan Tonks 2 January 25 1996 We had an effective mechanism to anticipate change. and manage It in an orderly and remarkably undisruptive manner This maintained social stability in our region. It set us acart from so manv American cities, catapulted us onto the world stage and gave us a competitive'edge in the global economy The Boston Consulting Group's study for the GT.4.. Task Force confirmed that the Toronto area is attractive because of its quality of life and social stability This is a safe place m the league of big cines We have managed co draw strength from the diversity of our population rather chan let it rear us apart, Metro managed co protect and nurture one of the most vibrant central cities in :.lorth America Just compare what has happened to the City of Toronto with what has happened co its Arnencan central city counterparts over the past forty years Vias it luck? No it wasn't: Metro made it happen! The local area municipalities are the ocher part of our two-tier system of municipal government, Whereas the regional level is geared to managing change. the local municipalities are, necessarily mward looking and more focussed on stability They are intent on preserving the status quo The strength of the local municipalities is in confirming and trying to protect the good things that already exist It is an essentially "small c'' conservative orientation Tnis inward focus. this conservatism of the local area municipalities counterbalances the outward. change focus of the regional level - keeps it honest, if you will. The dynamic orientation of the regional level and the status quo orientation of the local level are necessarily going to be in tension with each other And mat is nor, a bad thing I am convinced that this tension is one of the great strengths of our two-tier system because it provides balance However. the natural conservatism of the local cities can easily be used as a shield against change a means of pretending that each local municipality has firm borders. But in reality, as the Task force confirms, people in the GTA are mobile" The borders are imaginary Walled communities illustrate me thinking mat one can put up curtains to keep out change. But change is the real world. You can't keep it out. Wiehout a region-wide perspective chat acknowledges. manages and adapts to change - without ChIS counterbalance - change creeps up on us and suddenly and unexpectedly tears our curtains aside The bottom line is that, for much of the post-war period, we got it right. All chose things that needed a regional perspecti ve to get done, got done. All those things mac benefitted from a more local community perspective, and could vary according to [he preferences of specific communities without harming ochers, also got done" We got the job done. We got the job done because the responsibilities of the regional and local levels of government were clearly demarcated And because both levels were reasonably strong. The essential ingredient in the successful two-tier system has been char each level has had the capacity co fulfil its mandated responsibilities .. ThIS has been part of the balance - part: of getting !c right And. ladies and gentlemen. we muse consider carefully what the GT..l... Task Force recommendations do co this balance of power between the region as a whole and the VarIOUS pam of it I cannot stress strongly enough chaco if we diminish our capacity to chink. act and invest as a city region. thirty sets of curtains will come swishing closed in a flurry of Zax-like activity and we will not gee the job done The Empire Club of Canada - Alan Tonks January 25 \996 I said that, for much of the post-war period, we have got it right in the Toronto area.. Recently, however, our municipal institutions have been under strain. First, our assessment system is antiquated and unfair Property assessments across Greater Toronto, from one municipality to the next, even within the same municipality, are based on different years and different methods. The same type of buildings, being used for the same purposes, are assessed at different values even when they may be across the street from one another The assessment system must be overhauled, Properties across the city region must be assessed fairly and consistently and by a method that everyone understands. In fact, if we don' efix finance there's no point in talking about governance because we will not be able to afford services like policing, community services and education. Services that make our community liveable and internationally competitive. Secondly, there are the "legislative barriers" In a nutshell. for reasons that are no longer valid, the province over-regulates municipalities. This limits municipalities' flexibility and responsiveness to a fast changing environment. The Association of Municipalities of Ontario has called for a new, simpler and more stable provincial-municipal relationship. One that gives municipalities more autonomy within broad provincial guidelines. We know that legislative reform is coming. But we know, too, that greater autonomy is accompanied by massive cuts to transfer payments .. More than ever we must ensure, chen, chat we don't lose our ability to make decisions. one voice that speaks for the region, that ensures we have equity and liveability in our community We cannot afford co lose the strong structural foundation that we spent the past forty years building. And that brings me to the third area of strain. Simply put, the Toronto region has outgrown Metro's statutory boundaries of January I, 1954 Today, our regional level responsibilities are fragmented among five separate and often competmg regional governments. Not to mention various provincial ministries and special purpose bodies This is inefficient, prevents accountability and carves up services that should be seamless. And it's unfair because it leaves some parts of the region paying the bill for infrastructure and services that benefit the entire region. Tne two-tier system must be modernized. These strains raise questions about our ability to create and renew the infrastructure chat we require co compete as a city region .. We must not lose the competitive advantage that our envied quality of life bestows on us We must remain nimble. flexible and prepared to compete as a region. Because. as you all know with increasingly barrier-free international trade, and increasingly mobile trans-national corporanons. city regions are. more and more, the locus and generators of global economic activity The importance of city regions in the emerging world order cannot be underestimated .. China, for example. plans to create fifty new cities of five million people each in the next ten years. The Empire Club of Canada . Alan Tonks January 25 1996 ~I Our opportunities as a region and as a province are going to rise or fall to the extent chat Greater Toronto can compete as a city region. All of which brings me back co the GTA Task Force report. To say that the report and its subject matter are timely would be a huge understatement. We should all welcome ChIS report for placing [he issues out in [he open for public debate. Furthermore. the interest and momentum coward reform that the report has stimulated can serve as a launch pad for action. But we should nor. be lulled into accepting the wisdom of every recommendation as written. I'm sure chat Joseph Wong would be the first to agree that the Task Force lacked the time to analyze all the issues thoroughly .. \V~ need a vigorous and informed public debate about the Task Force's proposals. I am pleased that Minister Leach announced last week that there will be an opportunity for public input before the government responds [0 the report. At this point, I would like to make a few observations on its recommendations. Right off the bat. there are rwo ideas that I think should be supported. The first is the concept of a single Greater Toronto regional council This reinforces the recognition chat we are a single, unified city region and ends me five-way split [hat now exists. The second is the package of financial reforms that will work in tandem with me organizational change. Here the Task Force has recommended GTA-wide pooling of commercial and industrial assessment for education. the removal of welfare from the property [ax. base. and an actual value assessment system. These two proposals - a single region and financial reform - are fundamental to the furore of me present Metropolitan Toronto and the entire Greater Toronto region. But it is not a foregone conclusion that they will be acted upon. I remind you that, a few months ago. when Metro proposed the single region concept to the Task Force, we were told chat it was coo bold. But. mer intense investigation. the Task Force reached the inescapable conclusion that it was the only way to go Also bear in mind the rocky and unfruitful journey of previous attempts at assessment reform and provincial-municipal disentanglement. I can hear the Zax girding for battle as I speak co you. But we should not be deterred. If we are serious about responding to the challenges of the global economy. If we are serious about sustainable growth and about nurturing the quality of life for ourselves and future generations to this region. then the GTA Task Force report is a good place to start. This does not mean and, in fact, must not mean that we abandon our first principles We need benchmarks to measure the Task Force's recommendations We must cake care co ensure that the recommendations do not reinforce the trends chat threaten to prevent us from being [he place of choice for people and businesses Anne Golden offered some benchmarks herself at the Task Force's press conference last week. She said that the critical issues chat the Task Force tried co address are: duplication; [he complexity of government in the GTA; and how co use scarce resources efficiently The Empire Club of Canada » Alan Tonks 5 January 25. 1996 Well, a single region in place of Metro, Halton. Peel. York and Durham regions ends duplication at that level. On the other hand. remember that community services like welfare, day care', hostels and homes for the aged are currently regional level responsibilities So, pushmg these down co t.he local area municipalities. as the Task Force proposes, increases duplication to my mind. It means replacing five community services operauons with thirty operations Thirty new administrations. Today, Metro runs a single ambulance service for the whole of Metropolitan Toronto The Task Force proposes replacing chis single Metro ambulance service with SIX new administrations ThIS increases duplication to my mind. Recently. the Metro government hired the firm of Ernst and Young co compare the costs of delivering a small sample of services at the vletro versus local municipal levels. This srudv found that. even using the most conservative and cautious assumptions, devolution of ambulance and community services to the CIties will add 40 million dollars co the cost in Metro alone. That's ~o million dollars each and every year. A billion dollars in additional costs over the next 25 vears rn Metro alone. And that's just ambulance and community services. . We need to examine these sorts of cost implications as we assess the details of the Task Force report. We need to make more efficient use of scarce resources. The GTA Task Force report comes inca greatest conflict with its own objective of making government more simple" This, of course, has implications for accountability - a cornerstone of our democratic tradition" In proposing a confusing and complicated array of overlapping "service districts" the report sets up a rigid, inflexible, confusing and. ultimately. unaccountable bureaucratic nightmare. Service districts are proposed for just about every regional responsibility - water, transportation. waste. etc. These service districts cover different geographic areas depending on the service. They would be overseen by special purpose boards appointed by various combinations of rnunicipalities. They would presumably be answerable to all of their appointers and have to have their budgets approved by their service board. their local government and the regional council. which would also set broad policy Ladies and gentlemen. chis is not simple. This is not accountable The buck would soon be red hot from being passed around so much Instead of simplifying government and making gains by folding five regional governments into one Greater Toronto Council, and leaving it at that. we would be dragged backwards by the creation of potentially 150 or 160 fragmented and ponderous quasi-governments .. And. make no mistake, that's what service districts will become I am also concerned by the proposed composition of the Greater Toronto Council The Task force recommended that it be made up essentially of mayors from some but not all of the local area municipalities. and chat [he real power be concentrated in the hands of a regional chairman. appointed by the province. and five or six mayors first. of all. [hIS approach falls to meet elementary principles of democracy, for it leaves many residents of the GTA unrepresented at the regional level. \Vhac the Task force has proposed for the regional counci I amounts co no more than a sub committee of GT.-\ rnavors. This is reallv. a committee of Zax accountable to Individual 10c:J.l The Empire Club or Canada " Alan Tonks 6 January 25 1996 councils with no overall sense of regional purpose. The mayors, as I've pointed our, do nor approach things from a region-wide perspective .. They are - indeed should be - champions of their local municipalities. So, my second concern with a council dominated by mayors is chat rt may not have the ability to make the tough regional interest decisions and set region-wide priorities. If the regional level is weakened to the point that tt cannot be effective in setting [he regional course and carrying out its mandated responsibilities, the Task Force's vision will not and cannot be achieved, I mean, do we really Want thirty Zax making regional decisions? If we weaken me regional level in our two-tier system, we will upset the balance between meetmg change and preserving what we already have The very balance that has allowed us to get [he Job done for so many years. Any new Greater Toronto Council and the councillors who sit on it must have their own constituency and clearly defined and mandated responsibilities Democratic accountability must guide the regional council as it engages the issues with input from an involved and informed cinzenry. There can be no shying away from this principle of democratic accountability Regional government in Metropolitan Toronto began in 1954 with an appointed chair and a group of mayors" It evolved, through representanon by population. [,0 direce representation. There can be no turning back from the evolution of democratic governance in this region. So, in my mind, there is no option but (0 proceed with reform. It is essential and I think chat the GTA Task Force members would agree .. You and everyone else in the GTA will be getting some very mixed messages over the next few months, and they will be hard to decipher Everyone will be coming forward with their own spin on ehe Task Force recommendations, Don't let them fool you: What you are going to hear when you cut through the rhetoric is that they don't wane change. The four mayors' proposal on Tuesday was exactly that. If you get tOO caught up in the detail of the competing proposals, you could end up chinking this is a vet». complex.. matter. It isn't. I don't. agree with many of the Task Force's recommendations because I think they tried [,00 hard co satisfy all those mayors out mere - they lose sight of what we really need for the region. In my mind, its prerty simple: - Yes, we are a single, integrated economic and social entity And mat means we need a boundary change to reflect that. - We need a real regional government that can actually make real decisions and set regional pnormes. -Sound cost benefit analysis and common sense should make ie obvious which services are regional and which aren' L -The regional government needs J. revenue source co do its Job -And the regional government must be directly accountable to you, the citizens of the region. r know of what I speak I've been [he Mayor of York I' ve been an indirectly appointed councillor representing the City of York on Metro Council. And since 1988. I' ve been Chairman of a directly elected Metro Council. Believe me, you as business people need a directly elected regional voice. It's important .to your future as business people It's important [0 your families and your children who want co live in a decent community The Empire Club of Canada .. Alan Tonks 7 January 25 1996 I simply don' t buy this business of 30 mayors saying that bringing our regional boundaries and finance systems up to date is so hard to accomplish. You know. sometimes I imagine Leslie Frost sitting with the thirteen Zax of his day and saymg to himself, "How am I ever going to get these people out of their grooves?" Well, ladies and gentlemen, he did get them out of their grooves in 1953 And we can do it again today! Thank you very much. ,, The Empire Club of Canada - Atan Tonks 8 January 25. [996 C t r 'f 0 F TORONTO City Clerk's Department Barbara G. Caplan City Hall City Clerk Office of the Clerk 100 Queen St IN Sydney K. Baxter Toronto. Ontario Fi\a # Deputy City Clerk ,\i15H 2N2 G~J ;.Ii.... -" I Chairrr.an 0 I [] I CAO I ~ 0 I Cler!< [J ! Tr~::'::IJ;~r \ 0 Ci .1 Reply CO;'1'1p~~:;r 0 LJ P~r::Q;,nel U Christine Dodds C L=ti::! t1 ~l Ref: 9606C030.let c.~,..,: ... ,,~ ~ '--' HU:T·' ,1 ...;.... ' .. , U ,--' 0,. ".I;!", \~: :~.3 L.,; U ... -":..... I:'i ,_., C~j 1 i I .. - Telephone: (416) 392-7031 3;;n L-: 0 I UI,; "I- Fax: (416) 392-1879 r::.>~ U • ..: .J .- ,- TDD: (416) 392-7354 \ e:--; -: --' '--', r-r- " . ." ... ~ I ..» - ,- January 30. 1996 ~ ICv~r:,;' ,; .• .. ..,l TO: All Ontario Municipalities with a Populationover 10.000 At its meeting on January 22.1996. City Council adopted the following motion of Councillor Ellis respecting the Provincial cutbacks of Crown Attorney positions: Whereas the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General is. today.January 22.1996. about to explain to the Management Board of Cabinet how it intends to cut thirty percent from its Budget; and Whereas the City of Toronto has been well served by the Crown Attorneys assigned to the Courts in our City; and Whereas ninety percent of the budget in the Criminal ProsecutionSection is for salaries and. if a thirty percent cut is implemented. up to one-third of the existing Crown Attorneys in Ontario would be eliminated. the bulk of which being cut from the City of Toronto and vicinity: and Whereas the smooth administrationof justice in the City of Toronto would be seriously impaired as a result of budget measures which will seriously reduce the number of Crown Attorneys; PECEIVEO - 2 - Therefore beit resolved that: 1. the City of Toronto express its deep concern to Premier Mike Harris and his Cabinet. with respect to the devastating impact of cutting the Crown Attorney positions; 2. the City of Toronto is adamantly opposed to any significanteliminationof Crown Attorneys in Toronto; 3. this resolution be conveyed to the Premier of Ontario, the Cabinet, and the Chair of the Board of the Management. assoon as possible; and 4. this resolution besent to all communities in Ontario, with a populationover ten thousandpeople. Yours truly, ~ ~kr IR The Honourable Mike Harris, Premier of Ontario, LegislativeBuilding,Room 281, Queen's Park, Toronto M7AlAI The HonourableDave Johnson, Chair, ManagementBoard of Cabinet, 12thFloor, FergusonBlock, Queen's Park, Toronto M7A 1N3 The Honourable Ernie Eves, Deputy Premier, Fmance and GovernmentHouse Leader, 7 Queen's Park Crescent, 7th Floor, Frost BuildingSouth, Toronto ON M7A 1Y7 The HonourableJohn Snobelen, Minister of Education and Training, 22nd Floor, Mowat Block, 900 Bay Street, Toronto M7A 1L2 The HonourableAI Leach. Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing,n7 Bay Street, 10th Floor, Toronto ON MSG 2E5 The Honourable Dave Tsubouehi, Minister of CommunityandSocial Services, 6th Floor, Hepburn Block, 80 GrosvenorSt, Toronto M7A 1E9 The Honourable Bob Runciman, Solicitor General and CorrectionalServices, 25 GrosvenorSt. Toronto ON M6A 1Y6 The Honourable Chris Hodgson, Ministerof NaturalResources, NorthernDevelopmentandMines, Room 6301, Whitney Block, 99 WellesleyStreet W., Toronto ON M7A 1W3 The HonourableCharles Harnick, Attorney General of Ontario,720 Bay Street, 11thFloor Toronto ON M5G 2K1 The Honourable Norman Sterling, Ministerof Consumer and CommercialRelations, 555 Yonge Street, 9th Floor, Toronto ON M7A 2H6 - 3 - The Honourable Marilyn Mushinski. Minister of Citizenship. Culture and Recreation 5th Floor, 77 BloorStreetWest.Toronto ON M7A 2R9 The Honourable Brenda Elliott. Minister of Environment and Energy, 12th Floor, 135 St Clair Avenue West. Toronto ON M4V IP5 The Honourable Jim Wilson. Minister of Health. 10thFloor, Hepburn Block. 80 Grosvenor St. Toronto ON M7A 2C4 The Honourable Elizabeth Witmer. Minister of Labour, 400 University Avenue. 14th Floor, Toronto ON M7A IT7 The Honourable Noble Villeneuve. Minister of Agriculture. FoodandRural Affairs. 801 BaySt. Toronto ON M7A 2B2 The Honourable Dianne Cunningham. Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs. 6th Floor. Mowat Block.900 BayStreet.Toronto ON M7A lC2 The Honourable William Saunderson. Minister of Economic Development. Trade andTourism. Legislative Building, Queen's Park. Toronto ON M7A 1AI The Honourable AI Palladini, Minister of Transportation. 3rd Floor. Ferguson Block. 77 Wellesley StreetW.• Toronto ON M7A 128 The Honourable CamJackson. Minister Without Portfolio, Legislative Building, Queen's Park.Toronto ON M7A 1Al THE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY OF MUSKOKA BY-LAW 96-7 A by-law to requisition from the Area Municipalities before the adoption of the estimates for 1996. WHEREAS The District Municipality of Muskoka Act, R.SO, 1990, Chapter 0,14, and amendments thereto, provide that the District Council may, in any year before the adoption of estimates for that year, requisition by by-law from each of the Area Municipalities a sum not exceeding fifty percent of the amount in the district rating by-law for the preceding year specified to be raised in a particular area municipality and may by by-law provide for the number and due dates for payment of amounts due for payments in lieu of taxes and telephone taxes. NOW THEREFORE the Council of the Corporation of The District Municipality ENACTS AS FOLLOWS: 1. THAT the Treasurer of each Area Municipality shall pay to the Treasurer of the Corporation of The District Municipality of Muskoka, the specific amounts shown on or before the is" day of March, 1996 as follows: Area Municipality Amount of Requisition Town of Bracebridge $1,269,361 Town of Gravenhurst 1,264,345 Town of Huntsville 1,834,733 Township of Georgian Bay 651,319 Township of Lake of Bays 588,645 Township of Muskoka Lakes 1,810,935 $7,419.338 2. THAT the Treasurer of each Area Municipality shall pay to the Treasurer of the Corporation of The District Municipality of Muskoka fifty percent of last year's amount for Payments in Lieu of Taxes and Telephone and Telegraph Taxes on or before the is" day of March, 1996 3. THAT the Treasurer of each Area Municipality shall pay to the Treasurer of the Corporation of The District Municipality of Muskoka the balance of the current year's total of Payments in Lieu of Taxes and Telephone and Telegraph Taxes on the due date for the final payment of District levies as established by the current year's District Rating By-law. 4. THAT this by-law shall come into force and takes effect immediately upon receiving third reading. READ A FIRST TIME. READ A SECOND TIME: THE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY OF MUSKOKA By _ Chair By _ Clerk READ A THIRD TIME AND FINALLY PASSED: THE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY OF MUSKOKA By ---:. _ Chair By _ Clerk