HomeMy WebLinkAboutFND-032-09~~' ~ REPORT
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FINANCE DEPARTMENT
Meeting: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
Date: November 16, 2009 ~r=SC~ 1'I-t-~~i1 ~~~~' - ~'a~l Z~ 9
Report #: FND-032-09 File #: By-law #: 0~1~69-~G~
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Subject: SERVICE FEE AMENDMENTS
RECOMMENDATIONS:
It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee
recommend to Council the following:
1. THAT Report FND-032-09 be received;
2. THAT the implementation of the new service fees and the increase in fees
addressed in Report FND-032-09 be approved; and
3. THAT the by-laws attached to Report FND-032-09 as Schedule B be approved.
Submitted by:
PLB'
Reviewed by: anklin Wu
Chief Administrative Officer
CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L1C 3A6 T 905-623-3379 F 905-623-6506
REPORT NO.: FND-032-09 Page 2 of 4
1.0 BACKGROUND AND COMMENT
During consideration of Report CAO-004-09 at the Special Council meeting held on
August 31, 2009, Council was advised that an implementation of new service fees and
an increase in existing service fees would be recommended as possible saving ideas
for the 2010 budget. The following addresses some of the ideas put forward.
2.0 NEW FEES
2.1 Mortgage Administration Fee Charge to Mortgage Companies
This new Mortgage Administration Fee is intended to help offset municipal staff time
and expense in providing account maintenance of the mortgage company's interest and
separate billing of tax installments.
Staff have done a survey of the other Municipalities in the area that currently charge this
Administration Fee to Mortgage Companies and the results are below:
Town of Ajax $10.00 per taxpayer
City of Pickering $10.00 per taxpayer
City of Oshawa $7.00 per taxpayer
Staff recommends a Mortgage Administration Fee to Mortgage Companies of $10.00
per taxpayer.
2.2 New Account/Change of Ownership Fee
This is a new fee charge that would be added to the taxpayer's property tax account at
the time of the new account set up or change of ownership. This new fee charge is
intended to help offset municipal staff time and expense.
A survey was done of surrounding area municipalities and the results are listed below:
Town of
A~ax City of
Oshawa City of
Pickerin Town of
Whitb
New Tax Account Set-Up Fee $50.00 $50.00 $50.00 $25.00
Chan a of Ownership Fee $25.00 $10.00 $25:00 $25.00
Staff recommends a New Account/Change of Ownership Fee of $25.00 per taxpayer.
2.3 Property Standards Application Fee
Once an order is issued by a Property Standards Officer, the recipient has the right to
file an appeal with the local Property Standards Appeal Committee. This committee is
comprised of citizens of the community who are empowered under the Building Code
REPORT NO.: FND-032-09
Page 3 of 4
Act to rule on appeals against orders. The committee consists of five members, and a
secretary. At present there is no fee to file an appeal.
Past practice has shown that the Appeal is sometimes used as a method of delaying the
requirement for compliance with an Order, as filing an Appeal stalls the enforcement
date for the Order. The Appellant then can gain an extra month or two to comply
without any risk to themselves.
Staff are proposing the imposition of a fee to file an Appeal. A survey of 22
Municipalities in Southern Ontario found a range of fees of up to $368 per Appeal. The
imposition of a fee places a value on the process and an incentive on the Appellant to
appear at the Appeal. It will also help defray the cost of the Committee.
An Appeal Hearing can consist of five Committee members, the Secretary, the
Investigating Officer and the Manager. Each member of the Committee who attends is
paid $55.81 for their attendance and inspection of the subject property, therefore, if all
five Committee members attend, the cost to the Municipality is $279.05, exclusive of
staff costs.
It is recommended that upon filing an Appeal an individual will pay a fee of $100.
Should the Appellant not appear at the Appeal, the entire fee would be forfeited to the
Municipality. If the Appellant does appear, one half of the fee would be refunded to the
Appellant so that, in the end, the cost is only $50.
3.0 INCREASE IN FEES
3.1 Marriage Licenses
The Municipality has been charging a fee of $100.00 for Marriage Licenses since
February 1, 2002. The Municipality sells approximately 330 marriage licenses per year.
A survey of the area municipalities within Durham Region has found the following:
Munici alit Marria a License Fee
Town of A'ax $100.00
Townshi of Brock $ 75.00
Cit of Oshawa $125.00
Cit of Pickerin $100.00
Townshi of Scu o $125.00
Townshi of Uxbrid a $115.00
Town of Whitb $100.00
It is recommended by staff that the fee for marriage licenses be increased to $125.00.
REPORT NO.: FND-032-09
Page 4 of 4
3.2 Commissioner for Taking Affidavits
By virtue of their offices, the Municipal Clerk and the Treasurer are Commissioners for
Taking Affidavits in accordance with Provincial legislation. In order to better assist our
residents, we have also had the Administrative Assistant to the Municipal Clerk
appointed under the legislation. We are currently signing approximately 400 affidavits
per year. Since 1996, we have been charging $15.00 +GST for swearing an affidavit.
In contacting the other area municipalities, the following was found:
Municipalit Commissionin Fee
Town of A'ax $15.00
Township of Brock $10.00 for non-residents,
no charge for residents
Cit of Oshawa $20.00
Cit of Pickerin $10.00
Townshi of Scu o $20.00
Townshi of Uxbrid a $15.00
Town of Whitb No char a for residents of Whitb
Also, it has been determined that local solicitors charge between $10 and $25,
depending on the document. It is recommended that the fee for commissioning
documents be increased from $15.00 to $20.00 +GST.
3.3 Parking Fees
The Clarington Traffic By-law's fines have remained static since December 1998. After
comparing the amounts charged for various offences with those charged by other
municipalities in the Region of Durham, staff are preparing to submit a new fine
structure to the Regional Senior Justice for approval. It is recommended that fines will
be increasing by approximately'/3 with certain fines being raised higher to bring them
into line with the rest of the Region. One significant change is the removal of the $200
early fine for parking in a Disabled space. The fine amount for this offence is strictly
established by the Municipal Act at $300. The Act does not speak to an early payment
option and Clarington is one of the few Municipalities to offer a reduced amount.
A chart highlighting all the proposed changes to the Parking fines is attached to this
Report as Schedule A.
4.0 CONCLUSION
As staff reported on August 31, 2009, new service fees and increases to existing
service fees would be considered to assist with the 2010 budget. It is recommended
that the fees addressed in this report be implemented effective January 1, 2010.
Schedule A to Report FND-032-09
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Schedule B to Report FND-032-09
THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
BY-LAW NO. 2009-
being a By-law to amend By-law 96-32, as amended, to
require the. payment of fees for information and services
provided by the Municipality of Clarington and for prescribing
the amount of such fees
WHEREAS at its meeting held on November 23, 2009, the Council of the Municipality of
Clarington adopted the recommendations contained within Report FND-032-09:
NOW THEREFORE THE COUNCIL OF THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICPALITY
OF CLARINGTON HEREBY ENACTS AS FOLLOWS:
1. THAT By-law 96-32 be amended as follows:
a) By de°etng Schedule "A" and replacing it with the attached Schedule "A"
b) By adding a new Schedule "F" as attached; and
2. THAT this by-law shall come into effect January 1, 2010.
By-Law read a frst, second and third time and finally passed this 23rd day of November
2009.
Jim Abernethy, Mayor
Patti L. Barrie, Municipal Clerk
SCHEDULE "A"
TO BY-LAW 96-32, AS AMENDED
GENERAL FEES
SERVICE/DOCUMENT
Photocopies
(Minimum Charge)
Staff Reports
Long Distrance Fax Service
Commissioner for Taking Affidavits
FEE
$0.65/page
$3.00
No charge prior to Council meeting
After meeting, no charge under 10 pages;
11-20 pages $5.00; over 20 pages $10.00
Flat rate $10.00 up to 5 pages and $1.00 per
page thereafter
$20.00 + Any applicable taxes/signature
SCHEDULE "F"
TO BY-LAW 96-32, AS AMENDED
FEES PRESCRIBED BY THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE/TREASURER
SERVICE/DOCUMENT
Mortgage Administration Fee
Charge to Mortgage Companies
FEE
$10.00/taxpayer
New Account/Change of Ownership Fee $25.00/taxpayer
THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
BY-LAW NO.2009-
being a By-law to establish a fee for Marriage Licenses for
the Municipality of Clarington and to repeal By-law 2002-008
WHEREAS at its meeting held on November 23, 2009, the Council of the Municipality of
Clarington adopted the recommendations contained within Report FND-032-09:
NOW THEREFORE THE COUNCIL OF THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICPALITY
OF CLARINGTON HEREBY ENACTS AS FOLLOWS:
1. THAT a fee of $125.00 be charged for the issuance of Marriage Licenses in
the Municipality of Clarington;
2. THAT By-law 2002-008 be repealed; and
3. THAT this by-law come into force and take effect January 1, 2010.
By-Law read a first, second and third time and finally passed this 23rd day of November
2009.
Jim Abernethy, Mayor
Patti L. Barrie, Municipal Clerk