City council meets on March 14 with a continuation on March 16, plus there is a city council public hearing on March 15 as well as the city manager and city auditor performance evaluation committee. Audit committee will meet on March 18. Here are some of the key items on the agenda this week:
- The city is reporting a surplus for 2021 of $51.9 million or 1.7% of the roughly $3 billion tax-supported operating budget. About 43% of the surplus was the result of lower than budgeted personnel costs thanks to vacancies and delayed hiring. A surplus in the snow and ice control program and lower than budgeted fuel costs also helped. On the negative side, transit fare revenue was $10.5 million lower than budgeted and revenue from recreation centres was $5.8 million lower than expected.
- The Edmonton Police Service spent $488.9 million last year and ended 2021 with a deficit of $7.389 million, thanks in part to decreased revenue as a result of an 11.8% decrease in the number of tickets issued compared to 2020. The EPS Operating Reserve, used to cover the deficit, now has a deficit itself of $2.895 million.
- The city spent about $1 billion on capital projects in 2021, the lowest annual amount since 2016. At the end of the year, the city reported that 99.9% of all capital projects were within an acceptable tolerance for budget and 80.4% were within an acceptable tolerance for schedule. The city's debt increased by about $140 million in 2021 to reach $3.5 billion, which is 59% of the Municipal Government Act debt limit. Total debt is projected to peak at $4.92 billion in 2025.
- The Edmonton Metro Transit Services Commission (EMTSC) is targeting 2023 to roll out transit services delivered under its authority. This year the organization is moving into new offices, completing brand development work, and will start to pursue new sources of funding for transit. EMTSC member municipalities include Beaumont, Devon, Edmonton, Fort Saskatchewan, Leduc, St. Albert, Spruce Grove, and Stony Plain.
- The 122 Street medium-rise apartment project proposed by Footprint Developments would be a six-storey building at the corner of 122 Street and 101 Avenue NW with a maximum density of 100 units. Administration supports the rezoning application.
- Council is also expected to consider two bylaws to replace the repealed mask bylaw.
Here are some of the other notable agenda items:
- A number of committee recommendations will be considered, including: that the Vehicle for Hire Bylaw be amended to require more accessibility training for drivers to all drivers; that the work plan for the Vehicle for Hire program in 2022 and 2023 be reviewed and potentially reprioritized; that the Business Licence Bylaw be amended to require designated drivers to obtain an annual police information check; and that the municipal and provincial property tax bills be circulated as separate documents starting with the 2023 tax year.
- Bylaw 20045 would amend the Edmonton Police Commission Bylaw to increase the maximum number of commissioners from 11 to 12. Coun. Erin Rutherford proposed the change as a way to improve oversight.
- An amendment to the Public Notification Bylaw, to allow edmonton.ca to serve as the primary method for legally required advertisements, is ready for second and third readings.
- An audit of the city's use of contracted IT resources found that between 2018 and 2020, the city spent $23.3 million on 89 resources through the corporate IT staff augmentation contract (a way of sharing procurement across the organization). Two recommendations from the auditor related to documentation have both been accepted by administration.
- An audit of the 2021 municipal election found that all planning and voting was conducted in accordance with provincial bylaws and city legislation. During advance voting and on election day last year, staff from the office of the city auditor visited 151 of 240 voting stations.
- A number of borrowing bylaws are ready for second and third reading, for projects including the Lewis Farms Community Recreation Centre and Library, the 50 Street CPR Grade Separation, and Valley Zoo - Nature's Wild Backyard Phase II. Some are ready for first reading only, including for the 103A Avenue Pedway and Edmonton EXPO Centre Rehabilitation.
- A rezoning application submitted on behalf of The Mustard Seed would facilitate the conversion of the former Days Inn Edmonton South hotel to a new supportive housing development in Strathcona Junction at 10333 University Avenue NW. The hotel closed permanently on Jan. 10 after 14 years in operation and was sold to The Mustard Seed.
There are also a series of private committee meetings this week in which council members will shortlist applicants for the city's various boards and committees.
Meetings are streamed live on city council's YouTube channel.
Photo: The 122 Street medium-rise apartment project proposed by Footprint Developments would be a six-storey building at the corner of 122 Street and 101 Avenue. (Supplied)