This is a regular CATCH summary of votes at committee and council meetings. This report covers the month of May 2014. The first line of each entry identifies the issue, followed by a brief description. This is followed by the location of the vote in the third line. Multiple votes on the same issue are reported together. Absentees are only listed where reported in the minutes and where the missing councillors are members of that committee or decision-making body. Links are provided to source documents. Note that the vast majority of council decisions are unanimous and the votes are not officially recorded.
Reptile zoo
In response to council direction from last fall, staff recommended amending the city’s Responsible Animal Ownership Bylaw to permit facilities such as Little Ray’s Reptile Zoo provided no animals were for sale, the building is secure and the business is accredited by Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums. Councillors received correspondence and heard from a number of delegations. They added clauses requiring separation from any residential unit, an annual Board of Health random inspection, and signage warning the public before approving the amended package 4-3. The decision directed staff to report back by the time of the city council meeting on a clause requiring the business to be “self-contained”. At City Council an amendment with a requirement that the facility be “self-contained” was approved 12-4, and the amended recommendation was adopted 11-5.
At Planning Committee, May 6 Minutes p7-8, 16-19 (4-3)
For: Collins, Farr, Johnson, Pearson
Against: Clark, Partridge, Pasuta
Absent: Ferguson, Whitehead
At City Council, May 12 Minutes p6-7 (12-4) (11-5)
For the amendment: Bratina, Collins, Duvall, Farr, Ferguson, Jackson, Johnson, Merulla, Morrow, Pearson, Powers, Whitehead
Against: Clark, McHattie, Partridge, Pasuta
For the amended motion: Collins, Duvall, Farr, Ferguson, Jackson, Johnson, Merulla, Morrow, Pearson, Powers, Whitehead
Against: Bratina, Clark, McHattie, Partridge, Pasuta
McMaster biomedical facility
Staff recommended providing $4 million to McMaster for the Fraunhofer Project Centre for Biomedical Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing with a portion coming from the sale of 16.5 acres of former CP Rail lands now owned by the city. Councillors heard from a McMaster and a Fraunhofer representative before approving the staff recommendation 15-0.
At General Issues Committee, May 7 Minutes p3-4, 13-15 (15-0)
For Bratina, Clark, Collins, Duvall, Farr, Ferguson, Jackson, Johnson, McHattie, Merulla, Morrow, Partridge, Pasuta, Pearson, Whitehead
Against: none
Absent: Powers
Civic gateway sign
In response to earlier council direction, staff recommended spending $230,000 for a civic gateway sign near the intersection of Highway 6 and Highway 403. A motion to refer the staff report to the 2015 budget process lost 4-8 and the staff recommendation was subsequently approved 8-4. At city council, a motion to refer the matter to the June 4 general issues committee and direct staff to provide information was approved 9-7.
At General Issues Committee, May 7 Minutes p4, 15-16 (4-8) (8-4)
For referral to the budget process: Collins, Merulla, Partridge, Pasuta
Against: Bratina, Duvall, Farr, Ferguson, Jackson, Morrow, Pearson, Whitehead
Absent: Clark, Johnson, McHattie, Powers
For approval: Bratina, Duvall, Farr, Ferguson, Jackson, Morrow, Pearson, Whitehead
Against: Collins, Merulla, Partridge, Pasuta
Absent: Clark, Johnson, McHattie, Powers
At City Council, May 12 Minutes p8 (9-7)
For referral: Bratina, Duvall, Farr, Ferguson, Jackson, McHattie, Morrow, Pearson, Whitehead
Against: Clark, Collins, Johnson, Merulla, Partridge, Pasuta, Powers
Illegal dumping pilot
General issues committee approved an extension to Dec 2015 of the illegal dumping enforcement pilot project approved in April 2012. This was ratified at city council 15-1.
At City Council, May 12 Minutes p9 (15-1)
For referral: Bratina, Collins, Duvall, Farr, Ferguson, Jackson, Johnson, McHattie, Merulla, Morrow, Partridge, Pasuta, Pearson, Powers, Whitehead
Against: Clark
Bernie Morelli Centre
A standing recorded vote of 16-0 ratified the naming of the new Ward 3 senior’s centre as the Bernie Morelli Centre.
At City Council, May 12 Minutes p9 (16-0)
For referral: Bratina, Clark, Collins, Duvall, Farr, Ferguson, Jackson, Johnson, McHattie, Merulla, Morrow, Partridge, Pasuta, Pearson, Powers, Whitehead
Against: none
Airport business
Recommendations from the Airport Implementation Task Force were approved at the May 7 general issues committee. Council added two amendments. Subsection (j) received and took no action on a request by the Wasserman family to purchase their lands. That subsections was adopted 15-1.
At City Council, May 12 Minutes p9-10 (15-1)
For referral: Bratina, Clark, Collins, Duvall, Farr, Jackson, Johnson, McHattie, Merulla, Morrow, Partridge, Pasuta, Pearson, Powers, Whitehead
Against: Ferguson
One-way conversions
A motion by Collins to convert Rebecca Street to two-way traffic between John and Wellington and to ask staff to provide an accelerated conversion strategy for eight other downtown conversions previously approved was adopted by general issues committee. At council an amendment by Ferguson to remove the word “accelerated” was adopted 13-3.
At City Council, May 12 Minutes p10 (13-3)
For: Bratina, Clark, Collins, Duvall, Ferguson, Jackson, Johnson, Merulla, Morrow, Pasuta, Pearson, Powers, Whitehead
Against: Farr, McHattie, Partridge
Lincoln Alexander art piece
Staff recommended commissioning a public art piece in honour of Lincoln Alexander at a cost of $300,000. This item was tabled at the May 7 general issues committee and reintroduced at city council which amended the recommendation to remove the funding and seek contributions from the federal and provincial governments, the federal Conservative Party, and crowd funding sources, and to involve his son in the process. Both the amendments and the amended motion were approved 15-1.
At City Council, May 12 Minutes p11-12 (15-1)
For: Bratina, Clark, Collins, Duvall, Farr, Ferguson, Jackson, McHattie, Merulla, Morrow, Partridge, Pasuta, Pearson, Powers, Whitehead
Against: Johnson
Value for money audits
Staff recommended allocating $436,355 to continue an auditing program started in 2012 aimed at finding potential savings or additional revenues. The recommendation was approved by the audit, finance and administration committee. It was ratified at city council by a 15-1 vote.
At City Council, May 12 Minutes p13 (15-1)
For: Bratina, Clark, Collins, Duvall, Farr, Jackson, Johnson, McHattie, Merulla, Morrow, Partridge, Pasuta, Pearson, Powers, Whitehead
Against: Ferguson