MERGED AGENDA
FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE MEETING

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

9:00 A.m. - 12:00 P.m.

SHAW AUDITORIUM, VANCOUVER ISLAND CONFERENCE CENTRE

80 COMMERCIAL STREET, NANAIMO, BC

SCHEDULED RECESS AT 10:30 A.M.

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1.

CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER:

[Note:  This meeting will be live streamed and video recorded for the public.]

2.

INTRODUCTION OF LATE ITEMS:

3.

ADOPTION OF AGENDA:

4.

ADOPTION OF MINUTES:

a.

Minutes

Minutes of the Finance and Audit Committee Meeting held in the Shaw Auditorium, Vancouver Island Conference Centre, 80 Commercial Street, Nanaimo, BC, on Wednesday, 2024-FEB-21, at 9:00 a.m.

5.

PRESENTATIONS:

a.

2025 - 2028 Project Plan

To be introduced by Laura Mercer, General Manager, Corporate Services.

6.

DELEGATIONS:

7.

REPORTS:

a.

Hosting the 2025 AVICC Conference

To be introduced by Sheila Gurrie, Director, Legislative Services.

Purpose:  To seek Council’s endorsement for hosting the 2025 Annual (April 11-13) Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC) Conference and to consider hosting the conference bi-yearly thereafter.

Recommendation:  That the Finance and Audit Committee recommend that Council:

1. Accept the invitation to host the AVICC conference at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre (VICC) in 2025 (April 11-13)
2. Approve adding a project to 2025 for $48,000 for hosting the event, to be funded within existing project funding. 
3. Extend an invite to co-host and cost share 50% of the AVICC Conference to the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) reducing the overall cost to the City to $24,000.
4. Consider hosting the AVICC conference bi-yearly at the VICC and budget accordingly.

b.

580 Fitzwilliam: Renovation Project

To be introduced by Art Groot, Director, Administrative Police Services.

Purpose:  To obtain Council approval for additional funding to complete the renovation project at 580 Fitzwilliam.

Recommendation:  That the Finance and Audit Committee recommend that Council direct Staff to increase the 2024 budget for the 580 Fitzwilliam Renovation Project by $150,000 funded from the RCMP Contract Reserve.

c.

2023 Budget Carryforwards

To be introduced by Laura Mercer, General Manager, Corporate Services.

Purpose:  To provide the Finance and Audit Committee with a summary of the 2023 budgets carried forward to 2024.

d.

2024 Property Tax and Penalty Due Dates

To be introduced by Laura Mercer, General Manager, Corporate Services.

Purpose:  To provide Council with options for the City of Nanaimo’s 2024 and future property tax penalty rates and effective dates.

Recommendation:  That the Finance and Audit Committee recommend that Council:

1. Keep the property tax due date as the first business day in July each year.
2. Set the first property tax penalty rate at 2%; applied after the property tax due date each year.
3. Set the second property tax penalty rate at 8%; applied after the last business day of August each year.

e.

Capacity Funding for Housing Initiatives

To be introduced by Jeremy Holm, Director, Planning and Development.

Purpose:  To present to the Finance and Audit Committee a proposed allocation of the $619,936 in capacity funding provided by the Province to support local government activities and projects to meet the new legislative requirements in Housing related Bills 44, 46, and 47.

Recommendation:  That the Finance and Audit Committee recommend that Council endorse the allocation of $619,936 in capacity funding provided by the Province to support the City of Nanaimo in meeting the legislative requirements in housing Bills 44, 46, and 47, as outlined in the Staff Report titled "Capacity Funding for Housing Initiatives", dated 2024-MAR-20.

f.

2024 Local Government Development Approvals Program

To be introduced by Jeremy Holm, Director, Planning and Development.

Purpose:  To obtain a Council endorsement for a grant application recently submitted to the Local Government Development Approvals Program.

Recommendation:  That the Finance and Audit Committee recommend that Council support Staff’s submission of the grant application to the Local Government Development Approvals Program for the Development Approvals Business Analysis and Process Improvements project, and direct Staff to provide overall grant management. 

g.

Parks and Open Spaces Fees and Charges Amendments

To be introduced by Darcie Osborne, Director, Recreation and Culture.

Purpose:  To amend Parks, Recreation and Culture Fees and Charges Bylaw 7336 to reflect recommended adjustments to fees and charges and provide some recommended house-keeping changes such as adding the newly completed turf fields to the Bylaw.

Recommendation:  That the Finance and Audit Committee recommend that Council:

1. Support the changes to the user rates for Parks and Open Spaces, fee implementation dates, and the Field classification changes as outlined; and
2. Direct staff to bring forward an amendment to the Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 7336 to incorporate the new Parks and Open Spaces fees, fee implementation dates, and Field classification changes. 

h.

Other Grant Request from Nanaimo Science & Sustainability Society

To be introduced by Laura Mercer, General Manager, Corporate Services.

Purpose:  To present the ‘Other Grant’ application received from the Nanaimo Science and Sustainability Society for consideration at the Finance and Audit Committee.

Recommendation:  That the Finance and Audit Committee recommend that Council direct Staff to award an ‘In-Kind’ facility rental ‘Other Grant’ to the Nanaimo Science & Sustainability Society to cover the costs of up to 105 hours for the use of outdoor City Park spaces.

i.

2024 Cultural Grant Funding Reallocation Recommendation

To be introduced by Darcie Osborne, Director, Recreation and Culture.

Purpose:  To recommend Council approval of the reallocation of declined 2024 Culture & Event Project Grant funds to Artists’ Collective Theatre (ACT Theatre) to support continued operation and programming.

Recommendation:  That the Finance & Audit Committee recommend that Council approve the reallocation of available 2024 Culture & Event Project Grant funds as follows:

• Applicant Name: 8758999 Canada Society dba Artists’ Collective Theatre (ACT Theatre)
• Recommended: $6,000

j.

Add - Report titled "Housing Accelerator Fund Update"

To be introduced by Jeremy Holm, Director, Planning and Development.

Purpose:  To provide a rationale as to why the City of Nanaimo was not selected to receive the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation - Housing Accelerator Funding. 

8.

OTHER BUSINESS:

9.

QUESTION PERIOD:

10.

ADJOURNMENT: