Report to: General Committee – Finance & Administrative Date of Meeting: 2009-01-12

SUBJECT: E3 Revenue Enhancement Initiatives

PREPARED BY: Andrea Tang, Manager, Financial Planning

RECOMMENDATION:

That the report dated January 12^th, 2009 entitled “E3 Revenue Enhancement Initiatives” be received.

On June 24, 2008, Council endorsed the E3 project with the objective of providing quality services at lowest tax rates with a focus on value for money. This involves corporate wide business transformation through the review of services to find as many efficiencies as possible, maximize revenue opportunities and minimize tax rate increases.

Six E3 Council Steering Committee meetings were held and presentations were made to the General Committee and Budget Sub-Committee. E3 initiatives were presented to the E3 Council Steering Committee where the initiatives were broken down into the following categories:

- Process Re-engineering/Process Improvement

- Technology

- Revenues

- Conservation

- Centres of Excellence/Organizational re-alignment

The initiatives within each of the above categories were further broken into the following 3 stages:

Stage 1: Initiatives that are being implemented/can be implemented now

Stage 2: Initiatives that are works in progress

Stage 3: Initiatives that require report to Council

Initiatives under Stages 1 & 2 include personnel, non-personnel and revenue items that are enacted within the authority and administration of the CAO. These initiatives were presented to the E3 Council Steering Committee for information purpose.

This report outlines the initiatives under Stage 3 that require Council approval to proceed with the initiative and to incorporate the corresponding financial impacts into the 2009 Operating Budget.

OPTIONS/DISCUSSIONS:

E3 initiatives requiring Council approval are the following revenue enhancement initiatives:

1. Library overdue fine increase from $0.25/item/day to $0.30/item/day - $30,000

2. Increase average parking fines from $35/ticket to $40/ticket - $90,000 ($125,000 annualized)

3. Recreation user fee update - $89,000

4. Fitness initiation fees - $25,500

5. New tax account fee increase from $50/account to $60/account and expedited tax certificate fee of $65 - $26,000

6. Earlier tax installment dates - $300,000 ($600,000 annualized)

7. Telecommunication facilities on Town owned land - $70,000

8. Update of user fee by-law - $87,500 ($105,000 annualized)

Each of the above items will be discussed through separate reports on today’s agenda.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

The financial impacts from the above E3 revenue enhancement initiatives total approximately $718,000 to be incorporated into the 2009 Operating Budget, in addition to the E3 initiatives that have been implemented/to be implemented under the authority and administration of the CAO.