Special Council Minutes

Monday, May 13, 2024 at 5:30 P.m. - 7:00 P.m.

Council Chambers

Whitby Town Hall

Present:

• Mayor Roy
• Councillor Bozinovski
• Councillor Cardwell (Virtual Attendance)
• Councillor Leahy (Left at 6:51 p.m.)
• Councillor Lee
• Councillor Lundquist
• Councillor Mulcahy (Virtual Attendance, In-Person Attendance at 6:47 p.m.)
• Councillor Shahid
• Councillor Yamada (Virtual Attendance, In-Person Attendance at 6:24 p.m.)

Also Present:

• M. Gaskell, Chief Administrative Officer
• M. Hickey, Fire Chief
• S. Klein, Director of Strategic Initiatives
• J. Romano, Commissioner of Community Services
• F. Santaguida, Commissioner of Legal and Enforcement Services/Town Solicitor
• R. Saunders, Commissioner of Planning and Development
• F. Wong, Commissioner of Financial Services/Treasurer
• M. Dodge, Executive Advisor to the Mayor
• C. Harris, Town Clerk
• K. Douglas, Sr. Legislative Specialist (Recording Secretary)

---

1.

Call To Order: The Mayor

2.

Call of the Roll: The Clerk

3.

Declarations of Conflict of Interest

There were no declarations of conflict of interest. 

4.

Closed Session

This portion of the minutes are closed to the public. [Refer to the Closed Minutes - Town Clerk has control and custody.]

• Moved by Councillor Shahid
  Seconded by Councillor Lee

  That Council move in-camera in accordance with Procedure By-law # 7462-18, Closed Meeting Policy G 040, and the Municipal Act, 2001, Section 239 (2)(c) a proposed or pending acquisition or disposition of land by the municipality or local board, and (f) advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose. 

  Carried

4.1

FS 33-24, Confidential Financial Services Department, Legal and Enforcement Services Department, and Planning and Development (Engineering Services) Department Joint Report

Re: Proposed Acquisition of Environmental Compensation Land

5.

Rising and Reporting

• Motion to Rise

  Moved by Councillor Shahid
  Seconded by Councillor Leahy

  That Council rise from the closed portion of the meeting. 

  Carried

5.1

Reporting Out

Mayor Roy advised that during the closed portion of the meeting, Council discussed the proposed acquisition of land by the municipality and received advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege.

• FS 33-24, Confidential Financial Services Department, Legal and Enforcement Services Department, and Planning and Development (Engineering Services) Department Joint Report

  Re: Proposed Acquisition of Environmental Compensation Land

  Resolution # 89-24
  Moved by Councillor Lundquist
  Seconded by Councillor Shahid
  1. That the Commissioner of Financial Services and Treasurer be directed to establish a 2024 capital project, funded from the Town Property Reserve, for the acquisition and naturalization of the property as identified in Confidential Report FS 33-24 as future environmental compensation lands;
  2. That the requirement to obtain an appraisal in accordance with Town of Whitby Policy F-190 regarding the Acquisition, Sale or Other Disposition of Land be waived for the acquisition of the Property;
  3. That Council consents to waiving the conditions in the offer to purchase and direct the Clerk bring forward a by-law authorizing the acquisition of the Property as identified in Confidential Report FS 33-24 to the May 27, 2024 Council Meeting;
  4. That Council hereby delegate authority to the Chief Administrative Officer and the Commissioner of Financial Services and Treasurer to undertake the necessary actions and execute an agreement of purchase and sale and all other necessary documents to give effect thereto, with such actions and agreements in a form satisfactory to the Commissioner of Legal and Enforcement Services/Town Solicitor, or designate; and,
  5. That the costs incurred to acquire and naturalize the Property for environmental compensation lands be included in a future Water Street Project in order to replenish the Town Property Reserve.
  Carried

6.

Presentations

6.1

Economic Development Division Staff

Re: Overview of the Economic Development Division

Refer to Item 7.1, CAO 29-24

Economic Development Division Staff provided a PowerPoint presentation regarding an Overview of the Economic Development Division. Highlights of the presentation included:

• advancing Pillar 3 of the Community Strategic Plan and the Economic Development Strategy;
• an overview of the Town's advertising and sponsorship activities;
• types of paid advertising and the total annual revenue generated from facility advertising, naming rights sponsorships, and special event sponsorships;
• the planned asset inventory and valuation review;
• the total annual revenue generated from facility advertising, the Mayor and Council's Golf Tournament sponsorships, and special events sponsorships;
• an overview of Town's Business Retention and Expansion program;
• trends identified from the feedback received during meetings with local businesses;
• launch of the Local Business Week initiative and Whitby Job Fair;
• an overview of the Town's Investment Relations portfolio, including exploration of investment leads, availability of new industrial lands, and initiatives such as the Concierge Program;
• a demonstration of the Town's Employment Lands app;
• engaging Whitby's business community through a monthly e-newsletter, the business spotlight program, social media platforms, the Town's website, and webinars;
• strategies to attract a hotel and banquet centre to Whitby, including the Tourism Dragons Event and completion of a Hotel and Banquet feasibility study; and,
• supporting the family physician recruitment strategy.

A question and answer period ensued between Members of Council and Staff regarding:

• clarification regarding annual event sponsorship sales;
• whether sponsorship opportunities are discussed during business meetings;
• engaging a greater number of large businesses through the business retention and expansion program;
• information available for businesses on the Town's website;
• engaging the business community through the Economic Development's monthly e-newsletter;
• clarification regarding physician recruitment strategies;
• engaging businesses through webinars;
• strategies to attract large businesses to Whitby;
• the number of investment leads generated through external organizations, such as the Region of Durham;
• measuring the success of Economic Development initiatives;
• evaluating the success of the Town's advertising and sponsorship initiatives compared to other municipalities;
• whether the Concierge Program effectively attracts new business to the Town;
• whether the Ministry of Transportation has identified their intentions for the lands located along Highway 407 and Highway 412;
• engaging all levels of government in the Town's employment fair event;
• demand for the 9 million square-feet of new industrial space planned or underway;
• demand for large and small scale commercial and industrial space, including demand for commercial storage and childcare facilities;
• a new sidewalk requested by businesses near the intersection of Hopkins Street and Dundas Street East;
• engaging home-based and eCommerce businesses through the business retention and expansion program;
• opportunities to sell Town-branded clothing through an eCommerce platform; and,
• the anticipated cost to complete a Hotel and Banquet feasibility study.

7.

Items for Consideration

7.1

CAO 29-24, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer Report

Re: Economic Development Overview

• Resolution # 90-24
  Moved by Councillor Shahid
  Seconded by Councillor Lundquist

  That Report CAO 29-24 be received for information.

  Carried

8.

Confirmatory By-law

• Resolution # 91-24
  Moved by Councillor Shahid
  Seconded by Councillor Bozinovski

  That leave be granted to introduce a by-law and to dispense with the reading of the by-law by the Clerk to confirm the proceedings of the Council of the Town of Whitby at its special meeting held on May 13, 2024 and the same be considered read and passed and that the Mayor and the Clerk sign the same and the Seal of the Corporation be thereto affixed.

  Carried

9.

Adjournment

• Moved by Councillor Mulcahy
  Seconded by Councillor Bozinovski

  That the meeting adjourn.

  Carried

  The meeting adjourned at 6:53 p.m.