Hamilton City Council meets as a whole for their only August GIC meeting today. On the agenda: 2018 Budget Guidelines, Tax Incentive Grant for 27 Bold Street, Environment Remediation Grant for 1165-1167 Cannon Street East, Cooling Off period for former Councillors, Creating a fashion incubator at the former Eastmount School in Ward 7, update on the Hamilton Future Fund, Poverty Reduction spending strategy, and buying school properties from the public and Catholic English language school boards.
Replay of liveblog:
Council is now adjourned for the day.
During closed session, Council discussed the Ticats’ proposal for a professional soccer team at the Civic Stadium.
In open session, Council voted unanimously to instruct staff to “refrain” from further discussions with the Ticats about soccer at the stadium until such time as the ongoing stadium construction litigation is complete.
Council’s closed session is ended. Now awaiting the call to order to return to open session.
Debate on Future Fund report, questions on St. Mark’s sewer connection costs.
School Properties Report – one item tabled to allow Skelly to review if she wishes to use ward funds to purchase site.
Council now in closed session.
Council on reports and grants.
On the Ward 7 Fashion Incubator report, Councillor Donna Skelly says she is disappointed in the consultants report into the feasiblity of a fashion incubator. She is very critical of the consultants, questions their work beyond just this report.
The consultants are CivicPlan.
Ward 2 Councillor Jason Farr was the next speaker, and he says Skelly’s criticisms are unfair, that CivicPlan a great “progressive” consultant with a history of great work, deep understanding of the arts sector, and the report is well researched.
Ward 8 Councillor Terry Whitehead is next speaker after Farr, says CivicPlan is a “downtown centric” consultant, says they had a bias against the Mountain.
Ward 3 Councillor Matthew Green reins in the discussion, brings it back to the focus, and suggests a compromise motion to look at using Ward 7’s former Eastmount School in a model similar to the new Ancaster Arts Centre which is housed in the former Ancaster Memorial School.
Now Council is debating their previous 2015 motion to demolish the school which Skelly says needs $4-million in repairs. The 2015 motion to purchase the school was to purchase, demolish, and expand the adjacent park.
In the end, Council voted to table until Friday’s Council meeting when they hope to have more details on options for the former Eastmount School building.