PERIOD REPORT
DATE: January 9, 2018 Report No. FIN-18-003
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Ian Irvine, Director of Financial Services
SUBJECT:TITLE Financial Services and Information Technology Departments - 2017 Third Period Report
Body
The following is a report on the activities pertaining to the Financial Services and Information Technology Departments from September 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017.
I. DIVISION ACHIEVEMENTS AND ACTIVITIES
1. Budgeting, Financial Reporting and Accounting
• In preparation for the 2018-2022 Financial Plan, initial capital and operating budget submissions are being prepared by each department. Once all are received, they will be compiled and consolidated for review by Council in March.
• The year end requirements, reconciliations and analyses are being completed in preparation for the annual audit scheduled for March 2018. Interim audit work by the Township’s auditors was completed during early December.
• Budget versus actual variance analyses were performed in September by senior management with no significant unexplained discrepancies or anomalies identified.
2. Property Taxes
• Outstanding tax notices were mailed out in November and as of December 31, approximately 95% of the total property tax levy, representing almost 98% of the total folios, has been collected.
• All delinquent property taxes were collected prior to the September deadline and, as a result, no tax sale was required.
• The total 2017 payment received from Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) for Property in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) was consistent with the amount applied for by the Township. As a result, no appeal of the 2017 PILT payment will be filed.
3. Risk Management
• There are no significant or unusual liability claims with the Municipal Insurance Association.
4. Information Technology
• Artur Bittencourt was hired as the Township’s new Information Technology Manager. He commenced his employment in October and replaced Jon Woodland who retired from the Township.
• A total of 285 internal staff support calls were closed during the period. While this figure is lower than previous periods, it was achieved with reduced staff levels which resulted from having the Manager position vacant for an extended time.
• A new VPN was established in order for IT department staff to provide remote support during off hours to help ensure more efficient and continuous operations at the Recreation and Sports Centres.
• Performed numerous upgrades on vital financial and property applications as well as securing the network with improved antivirus protection.
II. COMMITTEES
• The Local Grant Committee met in September to review applications for 2018 Permissive Tax Exemptions. Council approved the Committee’s recommendations and the bylaw was adopted in October.