Click on each recommendation (a,b,c,d..) to review the progress being made:

Financial Transparency

• • a) Annually report, in an easy-to-understand format, a 10-year trend table of balance sheet, income statement, and total reserves, including a Management Discussion and Analysis.
  • • 2011 annual financial report is complete and available on the city's website.
• • b) Annually report operating performance, which clearly matches actual to yearly budgeted items.
  • • The surplus/deficit process has been reviewed and an updated process implemented. The process includes a review by the corporate management team and the audit committee.
• • c) Create an ongoing capital expenditure tracking report, with original budget, revised budget and actual expenses. Itemize by project and include accompanying notes.
  • • Development of the capital tracking sheet is in process.
• • d) Publish all collective bargaining agreements going forward, and maintain on the website.
  • • The current agreements in effect for the city's three labour groups can be accessed on the city website. The CUPE Agreement and Staff Association have recently been negotiated for 2012-2015 and at this time, the WPFFA negotiations are on-going.
• • e) Publish (a), (b), (c), and (d) in an easy to find area on the city's website.
  • • As these items are completed, they will be published under www.waterloo.ca/budget, highlighted on the home page and promoted through social media sites.
• • f) Lobby the Province to update the "heads and beds" funding formula.
  • • The Region of Waterloo Council approved a report September 12th supporting the City of Waterloo's request to the Province to update the "Heads and Beds" funding formula.

Municipal Price Index (MPI)

• • a) Develop alternatives to the use of the MPI for setting annual property taxes.
  • • Analysis and review of information gathered from other municipalities is on-going.
• • b) Investigate a more broad-based method of setting tax rates, taking into account citizen affordability measures, such as the changes in household income in Waterloo.
  • • Analysis and review of information gathered from other municipalities is on-going.
• • c) Consider including in the budget development process both the previous year’s budget and also the actual performance.
  • • Item completed as of April 2012 report.

Infrastructure Deficit (Cost Projection)

• • Defer any infrastructure levy until the projected infrastructure requirements and costs are fully understood.
  • • The citizen survey has been launched and results will be reported to council in October/November of 2012. Staff are currently developing phase II of citizen engagement to be commenced in the fourth quarter of 2012.
• • b) Establish a Citizens’ Advisory Committee on infrastructure with the mandate to evaluate and recommend infrastructure maintenance standards.
  • • The Audit Committee’s terms of reference have been updated and the committee will be providing feedback into the process by the end of 2012. This advisory committee has also been referred to the 2013 Council review of committees.
• • c) Ensure all new capital projects are considered for their “life-cycle” impact on future operating budgets.
  • • Review is on-going.

Efficiency

• • a) Establish a structured plan to shift to an efficiency culture that achieves ambitious targets.
  • • Development of the continuous improvement project is proceeding according to schedule.

Employee Compensation

• • a) Compare compensation practices, including pensions and benefits, against the local market and adjust practices to reflect local market conditions across private and public sectors.
  • • Data continues to be gathered. Compensation survey provider is being sourced.
• • b) Investigate the magnitude of Waterloo’s future liability exposure from existing retirement plans and mitigate any major exposure.
  • • The OMERS governance model review which is presently under way was predetermined at the time the new OMERS Act Bill 2006 was created. Based on feedback from sponsors and stakeholders, the efficiency and effectiveness of the governance model will be evaluated. Considerations such as financial stability fairness and accountability are part of the review. The governance bodies make decisions regarding plan design changes and policy matters. City of Waterloo will hold a public information session on December 4, 2012 with an expert panel including OMERS representatives and ‘Fair Pensions for All’ to present facts and clarify the issues around public perceptions of sustainability including clarification of the City’s role as an employer member in the OMERS pension plan. In response to increased public interest,the status of this item has been updated to in progress.

Waterloo Public Library

• • a) In conjunction with the library board, prepare long-term strategic plan.
  • • Public input on the strategic plan has been initiated.
• • b) Investigate operating synergies whereby the library and city can integrate functions, such as staffing, human resources, purchasing, and accounting.
  • • Item completed as of April 2012 report card.
  • • c) Research, engage with citizens and staff, and establish a funding model based on service mandates required by the library board’s long-term strategic plan, as referenced in (a), and the city’s strategic plan.
    • • Library staff will be reviewing comments from the strategic plan public input sessions for items pertaining to the library funding model.
  • • d) Create an annual report card that ties funding to operational performance, to increase public transparency on the benefits of taxpayer spending.
    • • Item completed as of July 2012 report card.
  • • e) Consolidate all operating and capital costs payable by the city that are related to the library as a single cost item so the full cost becomes transparent to council and citizens.
    • • Operating and capital costs provided by the city have been consolidated and identified within the library’s annual report.

Citizen's Budget Task Force

• • a) Review the terms of reference of advisory committees and report to council with options that encourage improved and continual citizen engagement in providing financial and strategic planning advice to council.
  • • Item completed as of July 2012 report card.
• • b) Publish all Citizens’ Budget Task Force presentations and recommendations to Council on a permanent easy-to-find page on the city’s website.
  • • Item completed and available on city website as of April 2012 report card.