Funding Requirements - City Hall Council Chamber and

Main Committee Room

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee recommends the adoption of the recommendations of the Budget Committee contained in the following transmittal letter (October13,1998) from the City Clerk:

Recommendation:

The Budget Committee on October 13, 1998 recommended to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee and Council, that:

(1)the report (October 9, 1998) from the Commissioner of Corporate Services be received; and

(2)funding for the installation of workstations in the renovated City Hall Council Chamber and the reinstallation of an electronic voting system in the main Committee Room be approved with funds to be allocated from the City Hall renovation project's Contingency Fund.

Background:

The Budget Committee on October 13, 1998, had before it a report (October 9, 1998) from the Commissioner of Corporate Services relating to funding requirements for City Hall Council Chamber and the Main Committee Room.

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(Report dated October 9, 1998 addressed to the

Budget Committee from the

Commissioner of Corporate Services)

Purpose:

To report on funding for the installation of workstations in the renovated City Hall Council Chamber and the reinstallation of an electronic voting system in the main committee room.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Funds will be allocated from the City Hall renovation project's contingency funds.

Recommendation:

It is recommended that this report be received for information.

Background:

'Live Production Unit'

The Clerk's Division has in recent months completed its organizational design, and during the same period staff have also made significant progress in the Division's review of the City's legislative processes. One of the products of these activities has been the determination that it is necessary, in order to support Council's legislative activities, that there be a special unit (to be known as the Live Production Unit) operating out of dedicated facilities in the renovated council chamber to support the Clerk's centre table staff during Council meetings.

Since the Live Production Unit was not contemplated at the time the original City Hall renovation budget was calculated, it is necessary that additional funds be provided at this time. The Clerk's Division is reallocating approximately $30,000.00 of its transitional funding for some of the technology required for the Unit (such as computers, monitors, audio equipment, printers, speakers and headphones). No funding, however, is available for the installation of the actual work surfaces. The estimated cost for such millwork is $7,000.00, plus applicable taxes.

Main Committee Room

The Council Procedural By-law has been amended so as to provide that recorded votes may be requested in committee and community council meetings. It is proposed that funds be provided to reinstall in the main committee room the electronic voting system which was in place in the City Hall council chamber for the first meeting of the amalgamated Council in January of this year. The system will provide significant efficiencies in the conduct of committee, community council and in-camera council sessions, and in the production of minutes from such meetings. The estimated cost of moving the system is $20,000.00 for conduit installation and the provision of electrical connections, and $11,000.00 to install and program the voting system itself (plus applicable taxes).

Background:

The Sub-Committee to Consider the Relocation of All Members of Council to City Hall on October6, 1998, had before it a recommendation for the approval of funds for the expenditures identified in this report. This report is being submitted to the Budget Committee at this time, so that consideration of its recommendations can be given in time for report to the October 28th meeting of City Council.

For the information of the Budget Committee, the recommendations to the Sub-Committee to Consider the Relocation of All Members of Council to City Hall included a recommendation that funds be provided from the Corporate Contingency Account.

Subsequent to the Sub-Committee meeting, staff further reviewed the contingency funding reserved for the relocation project and are able to absorb the expenditures identified in this report. I must point out, however, that contingency funds for this project are almost fully exhausted.

Contact Name:

Jeffrey A. Abrams, Director, Secretariat, Printing and Distribution, Clerk's Division, Tel. 392-8670;

jabrams@city.toronto.on.ca