This is a regular CATCH summary of votes at committee and council meetings. This report covers the month of June 2016. The first line of each entry identifies the issue, followed by a brief description. This is followed by the location of the vote. 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. Changes to the city’s website mean it is no longer possible to provide direct links to motions and staff reports.
Transfer of City Clerk’s Division
A decision on a matter only discussed in secret session was opposed by several councillors. The approved motion transfers the city clerk’s division from the city manager to the city’s legal services division and requires a report back by the end of the year on how this works out. No other details were made public.
At General Issues Committee, June 1 Minutes p6, 20
Recorded opposed: Collins, Jackson, Pearson, Whitehead
Access and Equity Office
A proposal to “re-define and re-launch” the Access and Equity Office and its plans, and transfer the office from corporate services department to the human resources division was considered in secret session and approved. No other details were made public.
At General Issues Committee, June 1 Minutes p6, 21
Recorded opposed: Green
At City Council, June 8 Minutes p6
Recorded opposed: Green
Composting facility contract
Staff recommended retaining Maple Reindeer Construction for capital improvements to the city’s composting facility, rather than going out to tender. The company is the operator of the facility. This was approved at the May meeting of public works committee
At City Council, June 8 Minutes p4
Recorded opposed: Ferguson
Funding additional police
A proposal from the Police Services Board was approved for Hamilton to participate in a provincial shared funding program originally announced in 2005 by former Premier McGuinty under which the province will fund up to $35,000 in the first year for new police officers.
At General Issues Committee, June 1 Minutes p19
Recorded opposed: Green
At City Council, June 8 Minutes p6
Recorded opposed: Green
Pride festival funding
A Johnson proposed that the city provide $15,000 from its city enrichment funding program to the Pride Hamilton Committee, which was established the deadline for application, for its 2016 Pride Festival. An amendment reduced this amount to $7,500 because the program only funds up to 30 percent of event costs.
At City Council, June 8 Minutes p9-10
Recorded opposed to the 30% funding cap: Green
First Road West closure
A motion by Conley noted that the closure of First Road West south of Mud Street was previously anticipated in a city plan after conducting a traffic analysis which has not been done. An environmental assessment “would be required to justify a closure” and therefore the approved motion resolved that the road remain open and that reference to its closure be removed when the official plan is next updated.
At Planning Committee, June 22 Minutes p6, 10
For: Collins, Conley, Farr, A Johnson, B Johnson, Partridge, Pasuta, Pearson, Skelly
Against: none
Absent: Green
Agenda change
A motion to move up the agenda the item on pool enclosures was approved.
At General Issues Committee, June 15 Report p28-29
Recorded opposed: Ferguson
Pool enclosures
After multiple submissions, a motion by B Johnson was approved to amend the staff recommendation and not include the four-sided fence requirement for outdoor pools, but just require a fence around the backyard.
At General Issues Committee, June 15 Report p4, 36 (9-5)
For: Conley, Eisenberger, Ferguson, Jackson, B Johnson, Partridge, Pasuta, Skelly, Whitehead
Against: Collins, Farr, A Johnson, Merulla, Pearson
Absent: Green, Vanderbeek
Illegal businesses operating in rural areas
Planning committee approved a motion by B Johnson to hire an extra enforcement officer for an 18-month period to “proactively enforce illegal businesses” in the agricultural areas of ward 11. A motion by B Johnson at city council to change that to “address the list of complaints regarding illegal businesses” and approved.
At City Council, June 22 Minutes p5
Recorded opposed to the amendment: Partridge, Pasuta
Recorded opposed to the amended motion: Ferguson, Partridge, Pasuta, Whitehead
Auchmar
The general issues committee approved a staff recommendation to keep Auchmar in public ownership and direct staff to pursue a lease or managerial relationship with private parties. An amendment at council by Merulla specified those parties must be “non-profit” and that reasonable public access be maintained.
At City Council, June 22 Minutes p6-7
Recorded opposed amended motion: Ferguson
Tragically Hip concert
A motion by Green that the city live-stream at Gage Park the final concert of Tragically Hip was approved.
At City Council, June 22 Minutes p9
Recorded opposed: Skelly
Ancaster performing arts centre
A motion by Ferguson directing the mayor to seek federal funding to build an Ancaster performing arts centre at the former Memorial school was approved.
At City Council, June 22 Minutes p12-13 (8-7)
For: Farr, Ferguson, Jackson, A Johnson, Merulla, Pasuta, Pearson, Vanderbeek
Against: Collins, Conley, Eisenberger, Green, B Johnson, Skelly, Whitehead
Absent: Partridge