REGULAR COUNCIL FOR WORKSHOP
AGENDA

Monday, November 25, 2024 at 1:00 P.m. - 2:00 P.m.

Meeting held in Council Chamber

Second Floor, City Hall

We recognize and respect that New Westminster is on the unceded and unsurrendered land of the Halkomelem speaking peoples. We acknowledge that colonialism has made invisible their histories and connections to the land. As a City, we are learning and building relationships with the people whose lands we are on.

 

LIVE WEBCAST: Please note City Council Meetings, Public Hearings, Council Workshops and some Special City Council Meetings are streamed online and are accessible through the City’s website at http://www.newwestcity.ca/council  

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1.

CALL TO ORDER AND LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

 

The Mayor will open the meeting and provide a land acknowledgement.

2.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

 

As circulated or as amended (urgent/time sensitive matters only)

3.

PRESENTATIONS

3.1

Budget 2025: Proposed 2025 Utility Budgets and Rates

a.

Presentation

b.

Report

The purpose of this report is to provide Council with detailed information on the 2025 Proposed Utility Fund Budgets. This report also provides the proposed 2025 Utility rate increases for the Electric, Water, Sewer and Solid Waste Utilities and Five Year Financial Plans (2025 – 2029). The expectation is that Council will provide staff with feedback at the November 25th Utility Budget Workshop that will set the direction for staff to prepare the necessary bylaws to amend the City's 2025 Utility Rates which will be in effect as of January 1, 2025.

• Recommendation:
  1. THAT the 2025 Utility Rates for the Electric, Water and Solid Waste Utilities be approved;
  2. THAT direction be provided to staff on which of the three Sewer Rates scenarios to use for 2025;
  3. THAT the Utility Fund 2025 – 2029 Capital Plans and the 2025 Utility Fund and Climate Action Team Service Enhancement Requests in Attachment #1 to #5 be approved; and
  4. THAT staff prepare the necessary bylaws to amend the City's utility rates for 2025 as outlined in this report.

3.2

Budget 2025 - Council Workshop: Strategic Priorities Plan Implementations Strategy

a.

Presentation

b.

Report

The purpose of this report is to provide Council with refined submissions for the five Priority Focus Areas (Draft 2)

The purpose of this report is to present Council with key information and analyses to support the 2025 Budget deliberation process.

• Recommendation:
  1. THAT the staff report titled “2025 Budget – Council Workshop: Strategic Priorities Plan Implementation Strategy” dated November 25, 2024 from the Senior Management Team, be received for information; and
  2. THAT the funding requests and financial implications presented in the Attachments 1 to 15 of the staff report titled “2025 Budget – Council Workshop: Strategic Priorities Plan Implementation Strategy” dated November 25, 2024 from the Senior Management Team form components of the December 2^nd General Fund Five Year Capital Plan and Funding Strategy; General Fund Service Enhancements, Funding Strategy and Property Tax Rates setting.

3.3

Update to the Social Planning Work Program, 2025-2026

The purpose of this report is to seek Council endorsement in principle for the Social Planning Work Program for 2025 and 2026.

• Recommendation:

  THAT Council endorse in principle the proposed Social Planning Work Program for 2025 and 2026.

4.

CLOSURE OF THE COUNCIL MEETING TO THE PUBLIC & COMPLIANCE WITH THE COMMUNITY CHARTER CLOSED MEETING CRITERIA

 

THAT the meeting held immediately following the Workshop meeting at 1:00 pm on November 25, 2024 is to be closed to the public and that the basis of this closure is that the following items on the agenda comply with Section 90 of the Community Charter:

Item 4.1 - 90 (1) (k) negotiations and related discussions respecting the proposed provision of a municipal service that are at their preliminary stages and that, in the view of the council, could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the municipality if they were held in public; and 

Item 4.2 - 90 (1) (c) labour relations or other employee relations.

5.

ADJOURNMENT

 

 

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