GRANTS SUB-COMMITTEE MEETING
CANADA ROOM,
MINUTES
|
Grants Sub-Committee: Councillor V. Burke Deputy Mayor J. Heath Councillor L. Kanapathi Regrets: Councillor A. Chiu Other Council Members: Councillor D. Hamilton Councillor J. Webster |
Staff A. Taylor, Commissioner of Corporate Services J. Lustig, Treasurer V. Siu, Senior Financial Analyst D. Flaherty, Acting Director, Communications & Community Relations R. Bosch, Acting Manager, Contact Centre B. Walter, Service Planning, Team Lead C. Marsales, Manager, Waste Management L. Wells, Manager, Programs J. Kee, Committee Clerk |
The Grants Sub-Committee meeting convened at the hour of
1. MINUTES OF THE
SUB-COMMITTEE MEETING
Moved by Councillor L. Kanapathi
Seconded by Deputy Mayor J. Heath
That the minutes of the February 11, 2010 Grants Sub-Committee meeting be adopted.
CARRIED
2. APPLICATIONS RECEIVED TO-DATE
South Asian Heritage Month
Mr. Joel Lustig,
Treasurer, advised that the appropriate financial document has now been
received from the organizers of the South Asian Heritage Month Program and
staff will follow the normal protocol and release the funds in the amount of
$3,000.
Members had before them a letter from the
Markham Village Music Festival requesting $10,000 and supporting financial
documentation. The Treasurer advised
that this was for information only and staff would review prior to issuance of
the grant.
Fiesta
A letter dated
Committee expressed concern that $8,500 is
currently unallocated in the 2010 Celebrate Markham budget at this time, and
there may be additional requests received.
Moved by Councillor L. Kanapathi
Seconded by Deputy Mayor J. Heath
That a 2010 Celebrate Markham grant in the
amount of $1,000 be allocated to Fiesta
CARRIED
Committee had before it correspondence and
financial statements supporting a request from the Markham Village BIA for a Celebrate Markham grant for the 2010
event season in the amount of $75,000.
Mr. Phil Howes, Manager, Markham BIA was in attendance and provided
details of the funding request.
Members discussed the feasibility of treating
the
Members had before them a letter dated
Staff advised that the Grants Sub-Committee has
previously approved $19,000 for 2010.
Moved by Councillor L. Kanapathi
Seconded by Deputy Mayor J. Heath
That the letter dated March 1, 2010 from the
Executive Director of the Markham Arts Council requesting a 2010 Celebrate
Markham grant in the amount of $20,000 be received.
CARRIED
TRCA - Rouge Watershed Week – May 26 – 29, 2010
Members were advised that the
Committee discussed the feasibility of funding this request through other options, including the Markham Environmental Sustainability Fund (MESF) or the Town’s Special Events Account, however, it was noted that the deadline has passed for the MESF funding.
Moved by Councillor L. Kanapathi
Seconded by Deputy Mayor J. Heath
That the request for funding in the amount of $1,000 for the Rouge Watershed Days event be referred to staff to explore the option of funding through the Town’s Special Events Account.
CARRIED
Mr. Peter Ottensmeyer, Vice President of the
Markham Concert Band was in attendance and presented details of a proposal to
establish a series of summer Sunday afternoon concerts at the
Copies of the Annual Budget for the period
Members expressed
concern that there were not sufficient funds left in the Celebrate Markham
budget for 2010 to accommodate the new funding requests. The matter of treating the
Moved by Deputy Mayor J. Heath
Seconded by Councillor L. Kanapathi
That the request from the Markham Concert Band
for $8,000 over two years for a series of 12 concerts be deferred for two to
four weeks.
CARRIED
Mr. Terry Churchill,
Volunteer with the Markham Skating Club, was in attendance to provide details
relating to the non-profit organization’s request for a bi-annual grant in the
amount of $3,500, which is 10% of their ice costs, for the Markham Skating Club
Ice Show, scheduled for
Committee queried
Mr. Churchill on various aspects of the Ice Show and the Markham Skating Club. As some policy issues need to be reviewed, staff
was requested to consider guidelines regarding club special events in addition
to the criteria for Celebrate Markham recipients, and report back to Committee.
Moved by Deputy
Mayor J. Heath
Seconded by
Councillor L. Kanapathi
That the request of
the Markham Skating Club for a 2010 Celebrate Markham grant in the amount of
$3,500 be referred to Recreation staff for their consideration and review.
CARRIED
3. ANNUAL AUDIT RESULT -
Committee had before it the results of a
compliance audit performed on the Markham Arts Council for 2009. Staff advised that all criterion as outlined
in the Grants and Sponsorship Guidelines were met.
Moved by Deputy Mayor J. Heath
Seconded by Councillor L. Kanapathi
That the information presented on the
compliance audit performed on the Markham Arts Council for 2009 be received.
CARRIED
4. CELEBRATE
Mr. Joel Lustig, Treasurer presented the
current grant process and identified some of the challenges/opportunities in
terms of the process.
Committee discussed the following issues:
·
festivals
need cash
·
rationalization
of the services provided
·
identify
concrete services
·
feasibility
of a “Festival Markham” umbrella to cover all festivals
·
advantages
of the Town owning a portable stage that could be used at various events
Mr. Bob Walter, Service Planning, Team Lead,
was in attendance and gave a presentation on the services in kind provided to
approximately 200 special events annually by the Parks Department and Roads
Department, including: signage, road closures, tables, waste removal.
The Treasurer presented the criteria currently required
for the application process to the Markham Environmental Sustainability Fund
(MESF), as this had been requested at the last meeting. Committee suggested that any deadlines should
relate to the Town’s Budget process with new applications or changes in amount
requested by current recipients being received prior to the finalization of the
Budget.
The Treasurer advised that a presentation had
been delivered by Ms.
Ms. Claudia Marsales, Manager, Waste
Management, delivered a presentation on “Zero Waste – Markham Facilities and
Special Events”, explaining that Zero waste maximizes recycling, minimizes
waste, reduces consumption and ensures that products are made to be reused,
repaired or recycled back into nature or the marketplace.
Members were advised that staff would like to
target certain special events, such as the Unionville Festival, Thornhill
Festival, the Santa Claus Parade and the Milliken Mills Childrens Festival, and
work closely with them to encourage vendors to purchase products that are
recyclable, such as paper products that are compostible. This is a process that would evolve through
social marketing, education and promotion over the next few years.
Other matters raised included:
·
encouraging
vendors not to use plastic cutlery
·
status of
“film” wrapping = it is recyclable
·
use of
water bottles = it is also recyclable
·
Town
should have easy solutions for vendors with any issues
·
use of tin
plates with $2.00 deposit – this occurred at
Staff presented proposed enhancements to the
Celebrate Markham Guidelines, as follows:
·
Formal
application form (Example:
·
Deadlines
to receive application forms:
o
o
· Enforce signage guidelines
·
Requirement
for insurance coverage:
o Two million dollars of general public liability insurance
o
Name the Corporation of the
Town of
o
Include
full participant coverage
·
Services
in kind
·
Portable
stage (A copy of
the presentation entitled “Mobile Stage Considerations” given at the Budget
Sub-Committee meeting held on October 20, 2009 was included with materials)
·
Zero Waste
Events
There was further discussion regarding the
inclusion of deadlines and there was general agreement that an application form
should be prepared, based on the
Moved by Deputy Mayor J. Heath
Seconded by Councillor L. Kanapathi
That General Committee, in its preparation of
the 2011 Budget allocation, take into consideration the efforts and results of
moving towards zero waste for the festivals that the Town sponsors.
CARRIED
Staff presented a summary of comparisons of the
major criteria required for grant programs at five other municipalities for
information.
The Treasurer reviewed the proposed Agenda for
the upcoming Celebrate Markham Recipients meeting scheduled for
- Opening Remarks by Chair of Grants
Sub-Committee
- Brief Presentation of Current Guidelines
- Briefly discuss and distribute a DRAFT “Markhamized”
- Provide signage guidelines – would like to
see sample signage including statement such as: “This event is brought to you
by the Town of
- Brief Information regarding insurance
- Presentation by Bob Walters, Service
Planning, Team Lead, regarding services in kind and specifically what the
“$31,000” encompasses
- Do NOT include
- Presentation by Claudia Marsales, Manager,
Waste Management, regarding zero waste (Deputy Mayor will meet with Ms.
Marsales to discuss this further)
- Closing Remarks by Chair of Grants
Sub-Committee
Committee also requested that a “question and
answer” session be held after each major section of the Agenda rather than at
the end of the meeting.
The Treasurer advised that invitations will be
going out within the next week to the Celebrate Markham grant recipients, and
RSVPs will be requested. Committee
discussed the expected attendance and staff was requested to review the
location of the meeting.
5. UNIONVILLE OLDE TYME CHRISTMAS PARADE
Members were advised that at the General
Committee meeting on
Further to discussion earlier in the meeting
regarding funding to the BIA’s, Members agreed that the BIA’s should be treated
separately, and the following motion was put forward:
Moved by Deputy Mayor J. Heath
Seconded by Councillor L. Kanapathi
That the Grants Sub-Committee recommend to
General Committee that an extra $25,000, over and above the Celebrate Markham
budget for 2010, be allocated to the BIA’s for tourist events; ($12,500 to the
And that the funding for the Unionville Olde
Tyme Christmas Parade in the amount of $6,500 be included in the $12,500 allocation
to
CARRIED
6. SENIOR CITIZENS LIGHT TOUR
Committee had before it financial information
regarding the 2009 Senior Citizens Light Tour, including the 2009 Budget and
2009 Actuals, for information.
7. NEXT STEPS
Committee requested that an additional meeting of the Grants Sub-Committee be scheduled to further review the Agenda and presentations for the April 7th Celebrate Markham Recipients Meeting. Staff will schedule it for the week of March 29th and advise Members of the details as soon as possible.
ADJOURNMENT
Moved by Deputy Mayor J. Heath
Seconded by Councillor L. Kanapathi
That the
Grants Sub-Committee meeting adjourn. (
CARRIED