What was Approved at the March 24 Burlington Special Council Meeting

If you missed our two virtual Special Burlington City Council meetings on Tuesday, March 24, here is a recap of what was approved:

• Post-Meeting Minutes - Special Meeting of Council_Mar24_2020
• Post-Meeting Minutes - Special Meeting of Council_Mar24_2020_Meeting 2

The regularly scheduled Council meeting on Monday, March 30 was cancelled.FROM MEETING 1:• AMENDMENT TO PROCEDURE BYLAW REMOTE PARTICIPATION AND ELECTRONIC MEETINGS — Clerks Department report, moved by Ward 1 Councillor Kelvin Galbraith, seconded by Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns.Approve by-law 13-2020 to amend By-law 04-2020, the City of Burlington Procedure By-law to allow for virtual participation at electronic meetings, as outlined in Appendix A to Report CL-08-20.Carried unanimously by Council.Staff report: CL-08-20 Amendment to Procedure By-law Regarding Virtual Participation at Council Meetings;Appendices: CL-08-20, Appendix A - 13-2020 By-law Amendment / CL-08-20 Appendix B - Meeting GuideMY TAKE:We are taking extra precautions to protect staff, the public and council, while doing our best to ensure transparency and accountability to the public. No public are allowed in Chambers as we closed all City facilities including City Hall, effective Monday, March 16 to the end of June, and possibly longer. Members of the public will still be able to submit written delegations to the clerk, and any councillor who has questions can follow up directly. The written submissions to the Clerk will form part of the public record.The only people physically present in Council Chambers will be myself (during Council meetings) of the Chair of our Committees (during a Committee meeting), along with a clerk and our technician. All remaining council/committee members and any City staff will be remotely dialing in by phone or through digital means.Anyone in Chambers will be keeping physically distant at least 2 metres (6 foot), and all surfaces in the room will be cleaned before and after each meeting.It is important to ensure remote public viewing of any council or committee meeting by live webcast and a recording of the meeting. At this time, it is our best way to maintain a public facing component. FROM MEETING 2:• BURLINGTON HYDRO OPERATING LINE OF CREDIT — Finance Department report, moved by Ward 6 Councillor Angelo Bentivegna, seconded by Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman.Approve the increase to the Hydro operating line of credit from $10 million to $20 million and;Direct the Mayor and Clerk or other designated signing officer to sign any necessary documentation including agreements, subject to the satisfaction of the Executive Director of Legal Services and Corporation Counsel.Carried unanimously by Council.Staff report: F-30-20 Hydro Operating Line of CreditMY TAKE:In an era of COVID-19, we hope for the best and plan for the worst. If residents and companies are unable to pay their hydro bills, or with reduced hydro rates, or planning for a lower/reduced workforce -- for all those reasons and other contingencies we can't plan for, we needed to approve this report. We're hoping we won't have to use this emergency funding, but I am supportive of it being here in case it needs to be used. • REMUNERATION AND EXPENSES PAID TO COUNCIL AND APPOINTEES FOR 2019 — Finance Department report, moved by Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte, seconded by Ward 3 Councillor Rory Nisan.Receive and file finance department report F-06-20 regarding remuneration and expenses paid to Council and appointees for 2019.Carried unanimously by Council.Staff report: F-06-20 Remuneration and expenses paid to Council and appointees for 2019 / Appendix: Appendix A F-06-20 - 2019 remuneration and expenses list The next committee meeting is on April 6, followed by a Council meeting on April 20. Please note, the recommendations from the standing committees in March will be dealt with at the April Council meeting.— Mayor Marianne Meed Ward—*Posted by John Bkila, Mayor’s Media and Digital Communications Specialist