Special Meeting

 

Ottawa Police Services Board

 

Minutes 5

 

Monday, 7 March 2011, 9:00 a.m.

 

Champlain Room, 110 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa

 

 

 

Present:          Councillor E. El-Chantiry (Chair), A. Doyle, Councillor J. Harder, H. Jensen, J. MacEwen, C. Nicholson, Mayor J. Watson

 

CEREMONIAL ACTIVITIES / ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

a)        Absence of Member MacEwen at 28 February 2011 Meeting

Chair El-Chantiry advised that Member MacEwen was unable to attend the 28 February 2011 Board meeting as he was attending the Police Association of Ontario’s Annual Labour Conference, representing the Ontario Police Arbitration Commission on which he serves.

 

 

ITEMS OF BUSINESS

 

1.        2011 DRAFT OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET

a)         Chief’s report dated 2 March 2011

b)        2011 Draft Operating & Capital Budget book previously distributed

c)         Presentation

 

Mr. J. Mui, Executive Director, Corporate Support, made a presentation on the supplementary information to the 2011 Draft Operating and Capital Budgets contained in the Chief’s report dated 2 March 2011. (A copy of the presentation will be kept on file with the Board’s Executive Director) 

 

Responding to a question from Chair El-Chantiry, Director General D. Frazer explained the presentation included a revised Capital Budget Forecast for 2011 to 2020 for the Board’s consideration and approval, and will require the Budget to be approved as amended. 

 

Member Watson asked what budget increases the Service experienced over the past four years.  The Director General responded that annual budget increases were approximately:  5.5% in 2010; 5% in 2009; 5% in 2008; and 0% in 2007.

 

Referencing the line item for Career Advertising on page 93 of the Budget document, Member Watson asked why the budget was being reduced from $40,000 to $3,000.  Director General Frazer explained that one of the Service’s strategies is to use the website to attract more candidates for both internal and external job postings for sworn and civilian positions, thereby reducing the costs of paper advertising.

 

Member Harder indicated she would like to submit a Notice of Motion asking for a review of the by-law prohibiting revenue generation by the Ottawa Police Service.  She noted that opportunities exist for revenue generation, such as child car seat clinics, that could be run in partnership with the Board of Health.  The OPS will be facing a maximum budget increase of 2.5% for each of the next four years and she believes this could only be sustained by utilizing revenue generating programs.  With budget cuts such as those to the future South end facility, she wondered how else to accomplish the Chief’s operational priorities and still remain accountable to taxpayers. 

 

Chief White explained his 19 January 2011 budget presentation included revenue generation as a strategic decision, as numerous opportunities exist to generate revenue streams that would allow things to get done while reducing the taxpayer’s burden.  Staff will be working on this initiative over the next six months and will bring forward a detailed report containing their ideas. 

 

When the Motion is considered at the next Board meeting, Chair El-Chantiry suggested a friendly amendment that would include gathering best practices in Ontario and across the country.  Member Harder was willing to accept that amendment.

 

Chair El-Chantiry inquired what estimated gas price was used in the 2011 budget estimates.  Executive Director Mui indicated that the OPS used the same estimate of $1 per litre of gasoline used by the City of Ottawa.  Director General Frazer added that approximately $2.6M is spent on fuel annually and the price of fuel has already exceeded their estimate. 

 

Member Watson asked what was to become of the OPS 2010 estimated budget surplus.  Director General Frazer responded that the estimated 2010 surplus would be approximately $1.7M.  Discussions have already occurred with the City Treasurer to use the surplus funds toward OPS capital projects that were to be debt financed, but are not eligible for debt financing.  The City Treasurer will be including that recommendation in her presentation to Council tomorrow.  A year-end report detailing which projects will be funded is being prepared for the Board. 

 

Chair El-Chantiry asked when the revised Facilities Plan report would be presented to the Board.  Director General Frazer responded that a full report, including the revisions from today and future steps to be taken, will be presented to the Board at the May meeting.

 

Chair El-Chantiry asked if there were any members of the public who wished to speak to the Budget.  There were no public delegations on the 2011 Draft Budget.

 

Chief White took the opportunity to thank staff for their hard work over the past several months; they worked under tremendous pressure to adjust the budget to this final product.

 

On behalf of the Board, Chair El-Chantiry thanked the Chief and his staff for all their work on the 2011 Budget.  He asked that staff be mindful in future when using acronyms in reports; the full name should be included so that those unfamiliar with OPS terms know what they stand for.

 

The Board then considered the following recommendation.

 

That the Ottawa Police Services Board receive the supplementary report for information.

 

                                                                                                     RECEIVED

 

Board members then considered the recommendation before them:

 

That the Ottawa Police Services Board and the City of Ottawa Council approve:

 

1.  The 2011 Draft Operating Budget; and

 

2.  The 2011 Draft Capital Budget , as amended by the revised Capital Budget Forecast for 2011 to 2020.

 

                                                                                                            CARRIED as amended

 

 

NOTICE OF MOTION (FOR CONSIDERATION AT NEXT MEETING)

 

That the Ottawa Police Services Board consider revising the By-Law prohibiting revenue generation. 

 

 


ADJOURNMENT

 

The meeting adjourned at 9:25 a.m.

 

 

 

      ____________________________                      _____________________________

      W. Fedec                                                               E. El-Chantiry

      Executive Director                                                Chair