AGENDA
FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE MEETING

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

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

SHAW AUDITORIUM, VANCOUVER ISLAND CONFERENCE CENTRE

80 COMMERCIAL STREET, NANAIMO, BC

SCHEDULED RECESS FOR 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

The minutes of the Special Finance and Audit Committee Meeting held in the Shaw Auditorium, Vancouver Island Conference Center, 80 Commercial Street, Nanaimo, BC, on Wednesday, 2023-NOV-22 at 9:00 a.m.

b.

Minutes

The minutes of the Special Finance and Audit Committee Meeting held in the Shaw Auditorium, Vancouver Island Conference Center, 80 Commercial Street, Nanaimo, BC, on Wednesday, 2023-NOV-29 at 9:00 a.m.

c.

Minutes

The minutes of the Special Finance and Audit Committee Meeting held in the Shaw Auditorium, Vancouver Island Conference Center, 80 Commercial Street, Nanaimo, BC, on Wednesday, 2023-DEC-01 at 9:00 a.m.

d.

Minutes

The minutes of the Finance and Audit Committee Meeting held in the Shaw Auditorium, Vancouver Island Conference Center, 80 Commercial Street, Nanaimo, BC, on Wednesday, 2023-DEC-13 at 9:00 a.m.

5.

PRESENTATIONS:

6.

DELEGATIONS:

7.

REPORTS:

a.

Central Vancouver Island Japanese Canadian Legacies Society, Heritage and Reconciliation Grants Social Centre - Room 6

To be introduced by Richard Harding, General Manager, Community Services/Deputy CAO.

Purpose:  To update the Finance and Audit Committee on the Central Vancouver Island Japanese Canadian Society (7 Potatoes) grant application to the Japanese Canadian Legacies Society (JCLS) for renovation of Room 6 (the room) at Beban Social Centre into a Cultural / Performing Arts Space.

Presentation:

1. Tami Hirasawa and Brian Sugiyama, Central Vancouver Island Japanese-Canadian Society

Recommendation:  That the Finance and Audit Committee recommend that Council approve a five-year Licence of Use Agreement (with option for three subsequent renewals) with 7 Potatoes for use of Room 6 in the Beban Social Centre, conditional upon approval of the Japanese Canadian Legacies Society grant application and subsequent renovation.

b.

Japanese Canadian Heritage Site Proposal for the Nanaimo Waterfront

To be introduced by Richard Harding, General Manager, Community Services/Deputy CAO.

Purpose:  To provide information and request support for a collaborative funding application to the Japanese Canadian Legacies Society for the establishment of a Japanese Heritage Site along Nanaimo’s waterfront.

Presentation:

1. Charlotte Davis, Manager, Parks Operations, Facility and Parks and Kirsty MacDonald, Parks and Open Space Planner, Facility and Parks

Recommendation:  That the Finance and Audit Committee recommend that Council support a joint grant application between the City of Nanaimo and the Central Vancouver Island Japanese Canadian Heritage Society for funding up to $400,000 from the Japanese Canadian Legacies Society to create a Japanese Canadian Heritage Site along the Nanaimo waterfront.

c.

Funding for Assistive Hearing Devices

To be introduced by Richard Harding, General Manager, Community Services/Deputy CAO.

Purpose:  To determine the funding source for the Assistive Hearing Devices pilot project previously approved by Council.

Recommendation:  That the Finance & Audit Committee recommend that Council approve the Assistive Hearing Devices pilot project to be funded up to $10,000 from the Parks/Facility Accessibility and Inclusivity project budget.

d.

Seventh Street Pump Station

To be introduced by Bill Sims, General Manager, Engineering and Public Works.

Purpose:  To seek Council direction to increase the budget for the Seventh Street Pump Station project.

Recommendation:  That the Finance and Audit Committee recommend that Council increase the budget for the Seventh Street Pump Station project in 2024 by $450,000 from $573,887 to $1,023,887 funded by $288,000 from the Sewer DCC Reserve Fund and $162,000 from the Sewer Asset Management Reserve Fund. 

e.

Heritage Façade Grant - 200 Commercial Street

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

Purpose:  To present a Heritage Façade Grant application for the Halse Block at 200 Commercial Street.

Recommendation:  That the Finance and Audit Committee recommend that Council approve a $7,770 Heritage Façade Grant for the Halse Block building located at 200 Commercial Street to repaint the building’s exterior. 

f.

Heritage Façade Grant - 403 Fitzwilliam Street

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

Purpose:  To present a Heritage Façade Grant application for the S&W Apartments building at 403 Fitzwilliam Street.

Recommendation:  That the Finance and Audit Committee recommend that Council approve a $12,230 Heritage Façade Grant for the S&W Apartments building located at 403 Fitzwilliam Street to install replicated wood siding on the upper portion (parapet) of the building’s exterior facing onto Fitzwilliam Street and replace the building’s roof. 

g.

Permissive Tax Exemption Application and Other Grant Request

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

Purpose:  To present a Permissive Tax Exemption application and 2024 cash grant request from the Nanaimo Men’s Resource Centre to the Finance and Audit Committee for consideration.

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

1. Award a Permissive Tax Exemption commencing with the 2025 taxation year to the Nanaimo Men’s Centre for the property that it leases at 418D Fitzwilliam Street; and 
2. Award a 2024 Cash Grant to the Nanaimo Men’s Centre to a maximum amount of $3,600 for the 2024 property taxation year for the portion of the property that it leases at 418D Fitzwilliam Street. 

h.

Quarterly Budget Transfer Report

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

Purpose:  To advise the Finance and Audit Committee of any budget transfers requiring disclosure for the period 2023-OCT-01 to 2023-DEC-31. 

i.

Quarterly Purchasing Report (Single and Sole Source, Purchases in Excess of $250,000 and Instances of Non-Compliance Purchases)

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

Purpose:  To provide information in compliance with the City’s Procurement Policy (COU-209) regarding single and sole source purchases, awards in excess of $250,000 and policy non compliance for the period 2023-OCT-01 to 2023-DEC-31.

j.

2023 Surplus Allocation

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

Purpose:  To provide the Finance and Audit Committee with information pertaining to the allocation of the 2023 operating surplus.

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

1.  Approve the allocation of the 2023 operating surplus as follows:

1. General Fund

1. RCMP Contract Reserve                      1,700,000
2. General Financial Stability Reserve      1,200,000
3. Special Initiatives Reserve                    2,870,000
4. Property Acquisition Reserve                   500,000
5. General Capital Reserve                       2,443,706
6.  Total:                                                  $ 8,713,706

2. Sewer Fund

1. Sewer Reserve                                    419,078
2. Sewer Financial Stability Reserve       100,000
3. Total:                                                 $ 519,078

 3. Water Fund

1. Water Reserve                                      345,639
2. Water Financial Stability Reserve           48,945 
3. Total:                                                   $ 394,584

2.  Amend the 2024-2028 Financial Plan for final to increase the 2024 budget for the South    End Community Centre Land project by $1,500,000.                                                       

k.

Active Communities Grant Program

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

Purpose:  To advise the Finance and Audit Committee that the City has submitted two grant applications to the Active Communities Grant Program. 

8.

OTHER BUSINESS:

9.

QUESTION PERIOD:

10.

ADJOURNMENT: