DocumentsMinutesFeb 21, 2025Pages 1–6
City of Langford - Committee of the Whole Minutes - February 20, 2025, 7:00 p.m.
Official minutes of the City of Langford Committee of the Whole meeting held February 20, 2025, recording attendance, public participation, motions, and decisions on the 2025 budget and related items. The minutes document motions directing staff on budget adjustments, service and staffing reviews, and other procedural matters.
Key facts
- Meeting date: February 20, 2025; called to order at 7:02 pm; adjourned at 10:40 pm
- Attendees: Mayor S. Goodmanson and Councillors L. Szpak, K. Guiry, M. Wagner, C. Harder, K. Yacucha, M. Morley (plus senior staff listed)
- Public participation segment opened at 7:05 pm and extended (motion to extend at 7:35 pm); closed at 7:40 pm
- Adopted minutes from Committee of the Whole meetings on January 20, January 27, and January 30, 2025
- Motion: reduce the increase in the debt payment (internal borrowing) to $250,000 from the proposed $750,000, for a total payment of $1,000,000 in 2025 (Motion CARRIED; Councillors Guiry and Szpak opposed)
City of Langford - Committee of the Whole Minutes - February 20, 2025, 7:00 p.m.
Meeting Details
- Location: Council Chambers & Electronic Meeting
- Meeting available by teleconference.
Present
- Mayor S. Goodmanson
- Councillor L. Szpak
- Councillor K. Guiry
- Councillor M. Wagner
- Councillor C. Harder
- Councillor K. Yacucha
- Councillor M. Morley
Attending
- D. Kiedyk, Chief Administrative Officer
- B. Hutchins, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
- C. Aubrey, Fire Chief
- M. Baldwin, Director of Development Services
- L. Stohmann, Director of Community Planning & Climate Change
- K. Balzer, Director of Engineering and Public Works
- Y. Nielsen, Director of Parks, Recreation and Facilities
- D. Petrie, Senior Manager of Business Development and Events
- M. Watmough, Director of Legislative & Protective Services
- C. Staniforth, Manager of Budgets & Revenue
- B. Agland, System Administrator
- T. Corpus, Senior Application Developer/Analyst
- B. Boisvert, Legislative Services Administrative Coordinator
- M. Dillabaugh, Director of Finance
- S. Rose, Inspector, West Shore RCMP
1. CALL TO ORDER
The Chair called the meeting to order at 7:02 pm.
2. TERRITORIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Councillor Morley read the City of Langford's Territorial Acknowledgment.
3. MEETING CONDUCT RULES
M. Watmough, Corporate Officer, read the City of Langford's meeting conduct rules.
4. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
MOVED BY: MORLEY
SECONDED: GUIRY
THAT the Committee approve the agenda as presented.
Motion CARRIED.
5. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Mayor Goodmanson opened public participation at 7:05 pm.
Speakers and summaries:
- W. Hobbs, Langford Resident - expressed concerns regarding the public input collected for purchase of the YMCA; Woodlands Park purchase; E-Comm expense; proposed tax increase. Expressed support for proposed funding of the West Shore RCMP and the Fire Department.
- B. Armstrong, Langford Resident - concerned about maintenance fees of the park at Finlayson Arm; requested cost cutting measures to lower property taxes; supported funding for West Shore RCMP; concerned about expenses for the unhoused community; requested possible staff hiring freeze.
- M. Morton, Langford Resident - concerned about proposed increased property taxes; difficulty seeing paint lines on roads; Council travel and training expenses; requested a staff hiring freeze.
- T. Sunshine, Langford Resident - expressed appreciation for the City of Langford's budget process; requested averaging out tax increases over the next 5 years.
- P. Hamilton, Langford Resident - requested further scrutiny of E-bike rebate program, Royal Roads Innovation Studio, Wi-fi and Internet networks.
- S. Sifert, Langford Resident - concerned about rationale for more police officers, West Shore RCMP detachment expansion project, and cost of consultants.
- W. Bowers, Langford Resident - inquired regarding costs of staffing the RCMP and Fire Department; questioned increase in Parks and Recreation budget; expressed concern regarding cost of consultants.
- S. Rossander, Langford Resident - concerned about email response time; requested scrutiny of Council travel and training expenses, staff salaries, consulting fees.
- L. Foxall, Langford Resident - concerned about impact of proposed increased property tax; concerned about the budget survey.
- J. Relf, Langford Resident - supported funding proposed West Shore RCMP staffing; requested decrease in staff workload to reduce need for more staff; requested delaying planning projects as cost saving; expressed concern regarding staff preparing for the E-Comm expense.
Council at 7:35 pm made a motion to extend public participation for 30 minutes.
Second time speakers:
- W. Hobbs, Langford Resident - expressed support for the cop to pop ratio; requested cuts to staffing and consultants; requested cuts to Council travel and training expense; expressed concern regarding contract with Victoria Contracting for outside work; concern regarding renovation cost at City Hall; concern regarding paint lines on roads.
- L. Foxall, Langford Resident - concerned about City's budget for wages, salaries, and benefits; reserve funds; proposed increase of parking fines; City Hall renovation cost; suggested City staff working remotely for cost savings.
Mayor Goodmanson closed public participation at 7:40 pm.
MOVED BY: WAGNER
SECONDED: SZPAK
THAT Council at 7:35 pm extend the public participation for an additional 30 minutes.
Motion CARRIED.
Mayor Goodmanson closed public participation at 7:40 pm.
6. CONSENT AGENDA
MOVED BY: GUIRY
SECONDED: HARDER
THAT the Committee of the Whole adopt the recommendations for each item of the Consent Agenda as presented.
- Minutes of the Committee of the Whole Meeting - January 20, 2025 (ADOPT)
- Minutes of the Committee of the Whole Meeting - January 27, 2025 (ADOPT)
- Minutes of the Committee of the Whole Meeting - January 30, 2025 (ADOPT)
Motion CARRIED.
7. CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA
None removed.
8. REPORTS
8.1 2025 Budget Overview and Public Input Summary
MOVED BY: YACUCHA
SECONDED: HARDER
THAT Committee of the Whole recommend that Council reduce the increase in the debt payment (internal borrowing) to $250,000 from the proposed $750,000, for a total payment of $1,000,000 in 2025.
Motion CARRIED.
Councillors Guiry and Szpak opposed.
MOVED BY: HARDER
SECONDED: GUIRY
THAT Committee of the Whole direct staff to bring back further information to the next Committee of the Whole meeting with information on all requested City Hall staff positions included in the 1.3% increase with respect to impacts on service levels and taxation in 2025, as well as alternatives to the implementation of the Fire Master Plan with respect to additional Fire Department staffing.
Motion CARRIED.
MOVED BY: YACUCHA
SECONDED: HARDER
THAT the Committee of the Whole direct staff to look for non taxation revenue sources to pay the Langford Aquatic Centre rent amount.
Motion CARRIED.
MOVED BY: WAGNER
THAT the Committee of the Whole recommends that Council direct staff to set aside $200,000 for required future technology upgrades in 2025.
The motion died on the floor for lack of a Seconder.
MOVED BY: HARDER
SECONDED: WAGNER
THAT Committee of the Whole direct staff to bring back further information on the impacts of deferring the collection of funds for future technology upgrades until 2026 to the next budget meeting, as well as options on alternative non-taxation funding sources.
Motion CARRIED.
MOVED BY: YACUCHA
SECONDED: WAGNER
THAT Committee of the Whole direct staff to restructure the Capital Budget by identifying other funding sources or deferral of Capital Budget items to ensure the 2025Capital Budget is not funded through property taxation increases.
Motion CARRIED.
MOVED BY: HARDER
SECONDED: WAGNER
THAT Committee of the Whole extend the meeting until 10:30 pm.
Motion CARRIED.
Councillor Yacucha opposed.
MOVED BY: HARDER
SECONDED: YACUCHA
THAT the Committee of the Whole recommends Council direct staff to decrease the Royal Roads Innovation Studio budget by 50% for 2025.
Motion CARRIED.
MOVED BY: HARDER
SECONDED: SZPAK
THAT Committee of the Whole recommend that Council direct staff to remove the E-bike rebate from the 2025 budget.
Prior to consideration of the Main Motion:
Amendment:
MOVED BY: HARDER
SECONDED: SZPAK
THAT main motion be amended by adding "and move it to 2026 and 2027" at the end of the motion.
Motion CARRIED.
On the Main Motion as amended:
THAT Committee of the Whole recommend that Council direct staff to remove the E-bike rebate from the 2025 budget and move it to 2026 and 2027.
Motion CARRIED.
MOVED BY: YACUCHA
SECONDED: HARDER
THAT Committee of the Whole recommend that Council direct staff to reduce the Council Travel and Training budget 25% for the 2025 budget year.
Motion CARRIED.
Councillors Szpak and Guiry opposed.
MOVED BY: YACUCHA
SECONDED: SZPAK
THAT Committee of the Whole recommend that Council direct staff to remove the E-Comm item from the budget, only to be added back in upon adoption of the 2025-2029 five-year financial plan, if the provincial government continues to download this expense to the local governments following their review.
AND
THAT if this expense is to be downloaded to local governments that this budget item appear as its own line on the tax notice.
Motion DEFEATED.
Mayor Goodmanson, Councillors Guiry, Harder and Morley opposed.
MOVED BY: HARDER
SECONDED: WAGNER
THAT Committee of the Whole extend the meeting to 10:40 pm.
Motion CARRIED.
Councillor Yacucha opposed.
MOVED BY: HARDER
SECONDED: WAGNER
THAT Committee of the Whole direct staff to bring back options for Council to endorse a tax increase of 11%.
AND
THAT the report specifically provide background information on discretional items, including new initiatives in the budget.
Motion CARRIED.
Councillors Guiry and Szpak opposed.
9. ADJOURNMENT
MOVED BY: HARDER
SECONDED: WAGNER
THAT the Committee of the Whole meeting be adjourned.
The Chair adjourned the meeting at 10:40 pm.
Motion CARRIED.
Scott Goodmanson
Mayor
Marie Watmough
Corporate Officer