I have been falling behind on my committee-agenda-reading agenda, I’m afraid. Better late and slightly half-assed than never. Coming up in the next few weeks: the final 2014 budget variances; extreme cold-weather drop-ins; misuse of TTC fuel credit cards; wildlife encounters; and more.
Got an opinion you want to share? You (yes, you) can sign up to make a speech on any of these committee items. It’s best to email your request in a couple days in advance.
Tuesday, May 19
Budget Committee (9:30 AM)
[Agenda]
- The final numbers from last year’s budget are in, and it’s always worth combing through the operating, capital and reserve funds variance reports for details that don’t make it into the headlines. For example: how much did the city “save” by not filling X number of vacant positions, and has it affected the quality of city services? Which capital projects are being prioritized and which are getting shuffled to the back of the line?
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Note to self: get someone to explain recoverable debt funding to me. It sounds like “we’re doing it cheaper so we can pay for it with the money we saved” but I’m a finance n00b.
Wednesday, May 20
Economic Development Committee (9:30 AM)
[Agenda]
- Presentations on the real estate economic forecast, open data, the Cultural Hotspot initiative, and more.
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The latest Economic Dashboard, a summary of local, regional, and international economic trends, is out. Always plenty of interesting if not hugely important statistics.
Thursday, May 21
Community Development & Recreation Committee (9:30 AM)
[Agenda]
- A kind of meh update from the Toronto Police Services Board on how police policy ensures equitable access for undocumented residents.
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We don’t have the cash to enhance emergency cold-weather shelter services this year. Maybe next year?
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As a result of changes by the provincial government, Children’s Services is introducing a new funding model for childcare providers. (This doesn’t affect childcare subsidies.)
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It’s community services grant time! Lately there has been some discussion about whether some neighbourhoods are getting left out when it comes to grant money. Now you can look at the whole list and get mappin’.
Friday, May 22
Audit Committee (9:30 AM)
[Agenda]
- If you’re looking for the gravy train, it’s probably somewhere in here. Cracking down on the use of TTC fuel credit cards; updated figures on City staff overtime and standby pay; and who audits the auditors?
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The most intriguing item, on information security concerns, is all confidential, natch. sigh~
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Invest Toronto, the city’s economic development agency, needs a long-term strategy.
Monday, May 25
Licensing & Standards Committee (9:30 AM)
[Agenda]
- This is bound to be a lively debate: Options for Mitigating Human-Wildlife Conflict in Toronto. (Dare I say…a wildlively debate? Oh god, I’m so sorry.) Relocating, culling, and sterilizing animals have all been tried unsuccessfully in other jurisdictions. The most effective solution, Municipal Licensing & Standards’ report concludes, may just be educating humans on how to be good neighbours (and not to feed the fucking coyotes).
There’s a few more meetings coming up this month, but the agendas haven’t been posted yet. I’ll probably just do a new post for them!