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1991-10-07_Minutes 83-135 COMMON COUNCIL OCTOBER 7, 1991 At a meeting of the Common Council, held at the City Hall in the City of Saint John, on Monday, the seventh day of October, AD. 1991, at 4:00 o'clock p.m. present Elsie E. Wayne, Mayor Councillors Coughlan, Davis, Fitzpatrick, Flewwelling, Gould, Knibb, Landers, Rogers, A Vincent and M. Vincent - and - Messrs. J. Brown, City Manager; F. Rodgers, City Solicitor; D. Wilson, Commissioner of Finance; C. Robichaud, Assistant City Manager - Operations; J. C. MacKinnon, Commissioner of Environment and Infrastructure Services; J. Brownell, Director of Recreation; S. Galbraith, Director of Supply and Services; J. Baird, Manager - Development Division; J. Mcintyre, Manager of Staffing and Development; D. Sherwood, Chief of Police; B. Thompson, Deputy Chief of Police; G. Tait, Deputy Fire Chief; Mrs. M. Munford, Common Clerk; and Ms. C. Joyce, Assistant Common Clerk. The Mayor offered the opening prayer. On motion of Councillor Rogers Seconded by Councillor M. Vincent RESOLVED that minutes of the meeting of Common Council, held on September 30, 1991, be approved. Question being taken, the motion was carried. The Mayor welcomed to the Council Chamber The Honourable Gerald Merrithew, Federal Minister of Veterans Affairs; The Honourable Shirley Dysart, Provincial Minister of Education; and Mr. Louis E. Murphy, M.L.A Saint John Harbour. Mr. Merrithew addressed Council concerning the Canada Volunteer Award Certificate of Merit which is presented each year to recognize and encourage those persons who made a valuable voluntary contribution towards improving the health and social well being of their fellow citizens and, following his introduction of Mrs. Frances Leger, Mr. Merrithew, on behalf of Federal Health and Welfare Minister Benoit Bouchard, presented the Canada Volunteer Award Certificate of Merit to Mrs. Leger. The Mayor proclaimed October 6 to 12 to be Fire Prevention Week in the City of Saint John whereupon Deputy Fire Chief Tait commented on the activities to be held in the City during the week. The Mayor also proclaimed October 7 to be World Habitat Day and, in particular, Shelter and the Living Environment Day in Saint John; and October 7 to 11 to be Family Week in the City of Saint John. The Mayor commented on the International Pulp and Paper Transport Symposium which commenced on this date in the City; and noted that a bike-a-thon is being held on October 19 as a fund-raising event for Amana House. Councillor Flewwelling commented on an article "Searching For Our Future - A Vision of Canada", by Knowlton Nash, in which Her Worship the Mayor is referenced, as well as a letter from Mr. Dick Drew, Host of Canadian Achievers, indicating that Mayor Wayne would be featured in three separate episodes of Canadian Achievers; and commended the Mayor for her public relations efforts on behalf of the City of Saint John. Councillor Coughlan invited residents of the Greater Saint John area to attend the public meetings being held by the Working Group on Multiculturalism and Race Relations on October 9 and 10. On motion of Councilor Coughlan Seconded by Councillor Landers RESOLVED that the letter from Mayor Wayne submitting a letter from Mr. John N. Brittain, Vice-Chairman of the Fundy 83-136 COMMON COUNCIL OCTOBER 7, 1991 Region Mayors' Association, asking that Council be encouraged to approve in principle the possibility of the municipalities in the greater Saint John area regionalizing medical emergency service, and authorize the Mayor's participation in discussion of same -- be referred to the City Manager and the Fire Department for a report to Council. The Mayor noted that Dr. Robert Beveridge addressed the Fundy Region Mayors' Association and was very complimentary to the City about the new 911 System in place between the Saint John Fire and Police Departments, and is of the opinion that it may be possible to use this system on a regional basis. Question being taken, the motion was carried. On motion of Councillor Rogers Seconded by Councillor Flewwelling RESOLVED that the letter from Councillor Rogers advising that she has had a number of complaints from persons experiencing problems with parking when taking their children for swimming lessons at the Aquatic Centre, in that they pay a $57 charge for swimming lessons and an additional charge for parking; and requesting that the Parking Commission look at designating the parking lot below the Aquatic Centre for a limited time as a pilot project in the evenings for use by such persons; and concluding that the General Manager of the Aquatic Centre, with whom she has discussed this problem, agrees with the suggested pilot project -- be referred to the City Manager, the Parking Commission and the Aquatic Centre Commission for comment. Councillor Rogers expressed concern about a situation whereby persons can take swimming lessons at Simonds High School, for $25 with free parking, for the same amount of weeks as at the Aquatic Centre thereby causing a problem with enrollments in this fall period at the Aquatic Centre; and Councillor Knibb, a member of the Saint John Aquatic Centre Commission, noted that the Commission is having difficulty in maintaining revenue and endorsed Councillor Rogers' concern about the City being in competition with the Aquatic Centre, as is the Saint John Family YM- YWCA, the latter which is offering a second evening session for a lifeguard course at the Saint John High School pool which it uses virtually free-of-charge. Question being taken, the motion was carried. On motion of Councillor Gould Seconded by Councillor Flewwelling RESOLVED that as recommended by the City Manager, authority be granted for payment of the following invoice, namely:- Standard PavinQ Supply of asphalt Maritime Limited September 25-0ctober 1, 1991 $42,861.73 Question being taken, the motion was carried. On motion of Councillor Knibb Seconded by Councillor Coughlan RESOLVED that as recommended by the City Manager, authority be granted for payment of the following construction progress certificate, namely:- 1. Contract 88-25, Hazen Creek Sewerage Treatment Plant Clarifier BuildinQ Fire DamaQe Repairs Beattie Construction Services Ltd. Original estimated value of contract Total work done, Estimate Number 7 Retention Payments previously approved Sub-Total G.ST Component Sum recommended for payment, Progress $279,480.00 294,948.98 Nil 259,015.83 35,933.15 2,515.15 83-137 COMMON COUNCIL OCTOBER 7, 1991 Estimate Number 7, dated October 2, 1991 Final holdback release $ 38,448.47 Question being taken, the motion was carried. Read a letter from the City Manager regarding The Market Square Corporation's approach to the City in Committee of the Whole on September 3 for approval to call tenders to waterproof and landscape the Bachelor Housing Area at Market Square, at an estimated cost of $54,000, and advising that City staff, having examined this request and being satisfied that the work should be completed as soon as possible, has examined the Capital Budget to see if adequate funding is available; and submitting a recommendation in this regard. On motion of Councillor Knibb Seconded by Councillor Coughlan RESOLVED that as recommended by the City Manager, the work required to waterproof and landscape the Bachelor Housing Area at Market Square, at a budget of $54,000, be approved as a project to be completed in 1991 and charged to the 1991 Capital Budget, and that The Market Square Corporation be authorized to call tenders for this project. Councillor Fitzpatrick asked if the above work would involve one or two contracts to which Mr. Brown replied that staff could provide information in this regard to Council at its next meeting. Councillor M. Vincent alluded to a complaint within the first twelve to fourteen months of the installation of the seals to the effect that they caused water to have access to other areas, which was to have been examined to determine if there was any responsibility on other parties, and the Mayor asked staff to look into this matter. Question being taken, the motion was carried. On motion of Councillor Knibb Seconded by Councillor M. Vincent RESOLVED that the report from the City Manager advising that, while in the past the City has posted signs indicating that there would be no swimming, boating nor fishing in the City's watershed as a reminder to people that they were within a watershed area, a different approach has been undertaken and a new sign has been erected within the Loch Lomond watershed emphasizing that water is important to all of us, we must protect the natural environment, and we must protect it now and in the future, with a similar sign to be erected within the Spruce Lake watershed in 1992 -- be received and filed. Question being taken, the motion was carried. On motion of Councillor Rogers Seconded by Councillor Knibb RESOLVED that as recommended by the City Manager, contract 91-29, water and sewer renewal - Pokiok Road, be awarded to the low tenderer, Galbraith Construction Ltd., at the tendered price of $294,308, and that the Mayor and Common Clerk be authorized to execute the necessary contract documents. Question being taken, the motion was carried. Read a report from the City Manager referring to the September 16 request, for the second year in a row, of the Lancaster Minor Hockey Association for the minor rate for ice usage to be applied to the pre-season period; and advising that the Recreation Department is following the current City policy as far as pre-season fees and regular season time is concerned and it is important to note that, even though the number of youth association users declined in recent years, minor groups still enjoy a 20% surplus of allotted ice time which, if taken back, could be sold to commercial users and thus reduce the amount the taxpayers have to pay to operate the rinks; however, 83-138 COMMON COUNCIL OCTOBER 7, 1991 as it is doubtful that there would be sufficient users to buy all the time that would be available, the Department generally has not raised this question as it is felt it would be detrimental to minor sport to have less time to utilize. The report gives examples of prime time ice rates in other areas which indicate that Saint John Minor Hockey rates are currently equal to or less than rates in all other Southern New Brunswick areas; also advises that, currently, the regular season minor usage in the five arenas is booked out to the value of $295,600 for 1991-92 and, since current City policy states that minor groups will pay only 1/3 of this regular rate, the amount paid by these groups is $95,600 with the City assuming the $200,000 or 2/3 of the total amount, exclusive of the time donated for the Christmas Minor Hockey Tournament and other similar events which are co-sponsored by the City; and further advises that, if the subsidized 1/3 rate were charged for the off-season time referred to in Minor Hockey's request, a further $13,000 would be required to be assumed by the City. The report concludes that it is reasonable to assume that, should the prime season be enlarged to include the fall ice time, the spring and summer programs currently operated on a break-even basis would also be requested at the youth rate at an additional cost to the City of $23,000; and recommends that the policy adopted in 1975 by Common Council pertaining to the cost of youth ice time, as well as ice allocation, be continued. On motion of Councillor Fitzpatrick Seconded by Councillor Coughlan RESOLVED that as recommended by the City Manager, the policy adopted in 1975 by Common Council pertaining to the cost of youth ice time, as well as ice allocation, be continued. Councillor M. Vincent asked if the Recreation Department actually deposits the above-referenced $200,000 to the City's account, to which Mr. Brownell replied that the $200,000 is the marketable amount of the cost of the ice time, if the commercial rate was charged, and that the Minor Hockey Association's ice time, while charged out at the $90 per hour rate at which it is marketable, is only one-third of that rate because of a previous agreement; therefore, while that amount is not deposited in real dollars, it is what the ice time is worth. During discussion Mr. Brownell explained that the above policy relates not only to minor hockey but to figure and speed skating groups under the age of twenty years as well, and that the reduction in the number of youth taking part in these minor groups is attributable to factors such as the reduction in the number of young persons, as evidenced by the decrease in school enrollments, and also an apparent national trend of moving away from minor hockey to other sports such as minor soccer and basketball, due to the quite considerable expense involved in outfitting a person for hockey. The Mayor asked if staff has discussed with persons involved in minor hockey the reason for the above request and the anticipated result if the request is not granted, to which Mr. Brownell replied that Mr. David Goss of the Recreation Department has had discussions with the Minor Hockey Association in some detail, although the Department does not have the mandate to do anything less than the normal rate of pre-season time and to recover as much money as possible during the normal schedule. In response to Councillor Rogers, Mr. Brownell explained that the Association's request is for all ice time, that is pre-season as well as the regular ice time, to be charged at $30 per hour with no free time to be given which would represent an additional cost to the City of $13,000 for pre-season ice time. Councillor Coughlan suggested that representatives of the Minor Hockey Association should be invited to address Council in this regard, whereupon the Mayor asked that this matter be tabled for one or two weeks to provide an opportunity for the Minor Hockey Association to address the situation with Council. On motion of Councillor Rogers Seconded by Councillor M. Vincent RESOLVED that the above matter be laid on the table and representatives of the Minor Hockey Association be invited to meet with Council. Question being taken, the tabling motion was carried with Councillor Fitzpatrick voting "nay". 83-139 COMMON COUNCIL OCTOBER 7, 1991 On motion of Councillor Flewwelling Seconded by Councillor Landers RESOLVED that the letter from Mr. Louis E. Murphy, M.L.A Saint John Harbour, requesting that Common Council ask Canadian Atlantic Railway to blast off two dangerous corners from the tunnel-like entrance to the railway crossing at the Reversing Falls Bridge on Douglas Avenue, in order to make it more visible to approaching motorists -- be referred to the City Manager. The initial motion proposed by Councillor Knibb to receive and file the above letter was not seconded. Question being taken, the motion was carried with Councillor Knibb voting "nay". On motion of Councillor Knibb Seconded by Councillor Flewwelling RESOLVED that the application of Wm. P. Dowd & Sons Ltd. for an amendment to the Section 39 re-zoning of property on Somerset Street, be referred to the Planning Advisory Committee for a report and recommendation and that the necessary advertising be authorized in this regard, with the public hearing to be held on Tuesday, November 12, 1991. Question being taken, the motion was carried. On motion of Councillor Flewwelling Seconded by Councillor Landers RESOLVED that this meeting be adjourned. Question being taken, the motion was carried. Common Clerk