PERIOD REPORT
DATE: September 6, 2016 Report No. FIN-16-011
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Ian Irvine, Director of Financial Services
SUBJECT:TITLE Financial Services and IT Departments - 2016 Second Period Report
Body
The following is a report on the activities pertaining to the Financial Services and IT Departments from May 1, 2016 to August 31, 2016.
I. DIVISION ACHIEVEMENTS AND ACTIVITIES
1. Budgeting, Financial Reporting and Accounting Operations
• The 2016 Financial Plan and Tax Rates Bylaws were adopted in May.
• Audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2015 were presented by the auditors, and approved by Council. For the third consecutive year, there were no significant unresolved audit findings noted during the engagement.
• The 2015 Annual Report and the 2015 Statement of Financial Information (SOFI) were both approved in June.
• Property Tax Notices were mailed on May 19, 2016. All outstanding tax reminder notices were processed and mailed in early August, including those facing an impending tax sale on September 26 as a result of outstanding delinquent taxes. For those facing a potential tax sale, all relevant title holders and mortgage companies have been contacted and the department continues to communicate with all parties in an attempt to collect the delinquent taxation.
• An interim payment in lieu of taxes (PILT) amount was received in August. The amount received was not materially different from the total application amount calculated by the Township using BC Assessment valuations. Based on this interim payment there is currently no need for any dispute appeal to be filed.
• 2016 Property tax statistics:
o 92.0% (2015: 90.8%) current year property taxes collected prior to July 4;
o 93.8% (2015: 93.1%) of current year property taxes collected prior to August 31;
o 41.34% (2015: 41.08%) of current year home owner grants claimed to date through the Township’s online system.
• 2016 Tax deferment statistics:
o total deferments - 398 (2015: 353)
o new applications - 77 (2015: 50)
o total deferred taxes - $1,400,199 (2015: $1,222,199)
2. Risk Management
• There are no new significant or unusual liability claims with the Municipal Insurance Association during the period.
3. Information Technology
• Replaced the final printers in various locations. All printers are now under our managed print contract which has reduced the cost per page for printing across all business units.
• Staff have been trained on the new recreation management software which will be implemented during the fall of 2016.
• Completed the annual information technology disaster recovery procedures. Successfully recovered files, email, databases and applications at the Public Works Yard. In future years, this testing will be performed on a semi-annual basis.
• Responded to 343 support requests, which represents an increase in call volume of 45% over the first period.
• Upgraded our Geographic Information System (GIS) to the latest software version and a new web platform. This has allowed for the commencement of a process to build a public GIS.
• Installed new software management system for Archie Browning HVAC and Ice systems.
• Completed migration of our new desktop environment that provides centralized IT management and remote access capabilities for all staff.
II. COMMITTEES
• The Local Grant Committee met in May to review local grant applications. The recommendations from the Committee were approved by Council and payments were issued to successful applicants once the Financial Plan was adopted.