2008-12-08_ Supplemental Agenda Packet--Dossier d'ordre du jouri ,
City o Saint John
Common Council Meeting
Monday, December 8, 2008
Location: Common Council Chamber
Supplemental to Agenda
8.3(a) Saint John Transit 2009 Budget Presentation
1-0.3(a) Section 39 Condition - 99 Simpson Drive
2.4(a)l..,etter to Council respecting City Solicitor and Pension Board - Frank Rodgers
13.0 Letter to Council entitled Proposed Response to Common Council on Public Inquiry
Resolution - Elizabeth Gormley
Saint John Transit 2009 Budget
Presentation
Opening Remarks: Mr. Chris Titus, Chairman SJTC
Budget Presenter: Mr. Frank McCarey
General Manager, SJT
?ac
Driving Increased Ridership
Sustainability
is Essential
for
It is the belief of the Saint John Transit Commission that a city
the size of Saint John should develop a service intended to
carry 4,000,000 riders per year - That represents 13% of the
population using transit (national standard).
Only 8% of Saint John residents are using the service today.
Council has already approved funding to allow the completion of
a service standards study. We need Council's support to define
the ridership target of 4 million passengers per year before
submitting an RFP for a service standards study.
Federal Funding to support transit infrastructure growth,
replacement of an aging bus fleet and introduction of 2
emerging technology has been based on Ridership numbers.
31
SAINT JOHN TRANSIT
3.50
0
• 3.00
2.50
2.00
Ridership Numbers 2000-2009
SJT Ridership
2000 2001 2002 2003
Fare Increase
X06--2007 2008 2009
3
SAINT JOHN TRANSIT
6-
Benefits Realized from Highest Provincial Ridership
• Federal dollars will fund 50% of the cost to build
the new Transit Operations Centre.
•Federal Dollars have enabled the addition of 9 low
floor Orion buses and the subsequent environmental
and accessibility benefits.
• Next bus -Automatic Vehicle Location.
- text messaging to get the next bus arrival.
- Google transit maps to plan trips.
Satt€t Johc Tr" Omra ims Cmt€o tom== _
4
Future Benefits of Driving Transit Ridership
Federal Investment in Transit - Increased significantly the last few
years. That Funding has been based on Ridership.
A successful Municipal Sustainability Plan requires INCREASED
RIDERSHIP on Transit.
The Benefits are numerous...
1. reduced cars on the roads
2. reduced parking spaces
3. improved air quality and health
4. improved travel opportunities for disabled
5. Post Secondary educational opportunities
6. improved employment opportunities for employers and employees
7. reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 5
Current Commission Ridership Targets
Year Ridership Percent
ncrease
2008 217001000 +7.6%
2009 219501000 +9.3%
2010 3,100, 000 +5.1%
2011 312501000 +4.8%
2012 314001000 +4.6%
6
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ber zoo
7 to Nov vil
ber 200 1,
th - Septem come COMEX m Come
will
Grow they
u build it,
If you
original
Ridership
Target
Now- r~
Ate 1014TI`
7
Benefits of COMEX for Saint John
COMEX has reduced 300 cars/day travelling into the City.
That reduces 400 metric tonnes of GHG/year.
Reduction of 300 cars/day saves the equivalent of the cost
of a $9 million Parking Garage.
COMEX has cut 2% of commuter traffic.
All 4 communities will be paying for COMEX operating
costs in 2009 with agreements for 3 years or more - No
Cost to Saint John taxpayers in 2009 and beyond.
$
SAINT JOIN TRANSIT
SAINT JOHN TRANSIT,
1 '4
9
Fare Box Recovery by City 2007
(Population 50,000 to 750,000)
Municipal Operating Contribution per Capita
2007(Population 50,000 to 150,000)
10
SAINT JOHN TRANSI -
Chi
w y`Y
~R
Municipal Transit Funding per Passenger($)
2007 - (Population 50,000 to 750,000)
11
Key Budget Metrics
Canada Cities 50- Saint John Saint John
2007 150,000 Transit Transit 2008
2007 2007 YTD
R/C Ratio 58% 39% 54% 51%
(fare box recovery)
Ave Fare $1.56 $1.27 $1.48 $1.48
Municipal Op $77.37 $44.72 $28.08 $34.33
cost/Capita
Op cost per $1.15 $2.04 $1.38 $1.56
passenger
Ridership
Saint John
Transit 2009
Budget
50%
$1.60
$38.35
$1.62
215101000 217001000 219501000
12
High Revenue/Cost (R/C) Ratio
• A high Revenue/Cost (R/C) ratio
Is considered by many Municipalities
to be the result of charging "Too Much"
- WW
for Too Little Service. T `This approach can be guaranteed
to limit Ridership Growth. .13
Funding Realities
Driving Ridership Goals...
Each additional rider in 2009 will require$1.62 in municipal
transit funding. For example, a sustainability plan to increase
ridership by 500,000 at the 2009 rate would require funding of
$810K.
Cost Reduction
For every $1.00 reduction in Funding Costs, a reduction of
$2.00 in total costs must be made when the revenue/cost ratio is
50%. Accordingly, a 10% reduction in Municipal funding would
require a 20% reduction in service levels.
14
SAINT OYIi` TRANSIT
1
T
~V
for Saint John Transit
Impact of Budget Cuts
tion Budget Reduction Amt Expense Reduction
Budget /o Reduc Required
o $93,876.00 $190,000.00
2/o
o $140,814.00 $285,000.00
3/o
o $187,752-00 $375,000.00
4/o
o $234,690.00 $475,000.00
5/o
o Service Reduction (KM) Service Reduction (hrs)
Budget to Reduction
0 50 , 000 km 2500 hrs
2to
0 75,000 km 3750 hrs
3/o
0 100,000 km 5000 hrs
4/o
0 125,000 km 6250 hrs
5to
15
Examples of Service Requirements
Service Description Annual km traveled Annual hrs Cost of Service
Sunday/Holidays
30,000
km
1500
hrs
$1121500.00
Loch Lomond
70,000
km
3500
hrs
$2621500.00
Martinon
40,000
km
2000
hrs
$1501000.00
Milford
25,000
km
1250
hrs
$931750-00
Mount Pleasant
30,000
km
1500
hrs
$1121500.00
North End
60,000
km
3000
hrs
$2251000.00
Portland Place
50,000
km
2500
hrs
$1871500.00
Forest Glen
30,000
km
1500
hrs
$1121500.00
Saturday service
125,000
km
6250
hrs
$4681750.00 16
SAINT JOHN T IN VI A
k
Our Challenges...
• Federa Funding wi ike y be direct y proportiona
to Ridership numbers.
• 100% Accessibi ity.
• Rep acement of an Aging F eet.
• ncreased Ridership requires higher investment.
• A Transportation Strategy for the City out fining
Transits' ro e.
17
SAINT JOHN TRANSI 1 - a rY~"
CHOICES
The challenge for all Municipalities in Canada is
to provide mobility infrastructure.
This mobility infrastructure can be developed to
support increased auto activity for those individuals
who own or operate a car or support increased
all inclusive transit usage.
Approval of the Saint John Transit budget is a
strong sign that the City of Saint John has decided
to move in the direction of providing increased
mobility in a sustainable and inclusive manner.
18
I
SECTION 39 CONDITIONS - 99 SIMPSON DRIVE
1) The maximum number of dwelling units permitted in the existing building be
limited to two (2);
2) That there be no dwelling units contained in the basement;
3) In the event that the existing building is destroyed or demolished, any new
building constructed on the site can only be used as a single-family dwelling.
p
November 26, 2008,
The Common Council of Saint john,
Your Worship and Councillors:
In a Telegraph-Journal article of November 24, Brian Stone says, "the only way to get to
the bottom of what he calls the City's pension/disability fiasco is to hold a public
enquiry." From media reports, it appears that Council is struggling as to what to do next
about this suggestion. While it is true that the City has the authority to hold a public
enquiry into any civic matter under a Statute that was last used in the early 1970s, history
has shown that public enquiries at all levels of government are not easy and simple to
carry out. However, if Council considers such action, prudence requires that Council be
guided by legal Counsel every step of the way in order to assure that rights are protected
and procedural rules followed and appropriate terms of reference adopted.
The problem that immediately arises for Council is, how it can assure itself ofthe
relevancy and application of the Act, and if proceeded to an enquiry, that all procedural
steps are being complied with and other matters followed in line with the law, when
conflicts of interest are being declared by the City Solicitor as a member of the Pension
Board. Declaring conflicts of interest might be satisfying in a narrow way to the positive
law of the Municipalities Act, but there is another question about another part of the law
that seems to be ignored. It is connected with the idea of justice and its part of fairness
surrounding the perception of bias. The opinions of the City Solicitor are not judicial
pronouncements, but until a court rules otherwise, the opinions should carry all the
weight of the law for Council's guidance.
In a letter to Council dated February 6, 2007,1 pointed out a concern and a danger of a
Council policy allowing the City Solicitor to voluntarily serve of City's Boards,
Commissions and Committees, I said at that time that this policy "has the potential all the
time for conflicts that leave Council without advice the position is responsible for
providing ...It should be obvious that this dispute has the potential for more intricate
questions from Council." Nothing has changed to weaken this concern, and the present
request from citizens for a public enquiry only strengthens the potential for further
complications.
In a letter to Council in the early 1970s, a former Councilor and lawyer, the late Charles
Whelly, Q.C. said about the office City Solicitor that "The City Solicitor must balance
the rights of the citizens, usually as people doing business with the City, against their
own rights as citizens of the same Corporation. If asked advice, he must give advice
bearing in mind not the advantage of the City but the rights of both parties equally; he
must not seek loop-holes or test cases in the hope an advantage might be gained by the
City over its own citizens."
While this letter from Mr. Whelly was not about the City Solicitor serving on City
Boards, but was about the independence of the Office and the duty to the citizens from
the Office through Council, it indicates to me that any interference with that duty through.
voluntary service outside of the Office is wrong, unnecessary and has the potential for
harm rather than benefit to the City and its citizens..
It is puzzling; to me why Council has been indifferent to this situation. For if Council
turns its back on requests from citizens for a public enquiry, it should be for the right
reason, and not because legal advice is unavailable or advice received is perceived by
members or the citizens to be clouded by personal interest through membership on the
Pension Board.
Yours truly,
(source verified)
Frank Rodgers.
The City of Saint John
December 8, 2008
His Worship Mayor Ivan Court and Councillors
Subject: Proposed Response to Common Council on Public Inquiry Resolution
Your Worship and Councillors,
At the December 1, 2008 meeting of Common Council the following resolution was passed;.
"RESOLVED that Common Council form a committee consisting of the Mayor and two
Councillors for the purpose of providing a recommendation to Council respecting the
engagement of outside legal council to address the feasibility of proceeding to a public inquiry of
the pension plan under our City's legislation."
After hearing Council's resolution the Pension Board sent notice to its trustees to hold a special
meeting of the Board on December 3, 2008 to discuss Council's motion. We were not able to
meet on the December 3, but did meet this morning, and present the following for Council's
consideration.
A decision whether or not to proceed with a public inquiry should be based on the best
information possible, therefore the Board advises Council that it is prepared to provide full
disclosure directly to Council on any aspect of the administration of the Pension Plan with the
following resolution:
"That as always„ the City of Saint John Board of Pension Trustees is prepared to continue to
respond in full to any questions Council may have on any aspect of the plan including the
operation, administration, funding, governance, etc, of the Pension Plan, and further it is
prepared to make available the Board's professional advisors including auditors, accountants,
investment managers, investment consultant, and legal advisors, to respond directly to
Council's inquiries in a public meeting of Council, at the Board's expense."
Sincerer
Elizabeth Gormley
Secretary, City of Saint John Board of Pension Trustees
SAINT JOHN P.O. Box 1971 Saint John, NB Canada E2L 4L1 I www.saintjohn.ca I C.P. 1971 Saint John, N.-B. Canada E2L 4L1