November 7, 2013 - Finance & Facilities Committee Minutes

Committee Members Present

Mr. David Bolton
Ms. Trish Fulton (Chair)
Mr. Marcel Meyer
Mr. Ian Peer

Regrets

Ms. Denise Brown

Others Present

Ms. Diane Bewick, Director, Family Health Services
Mr. Oren Krajden, 4th Year Medical Student
Dr. Christopher Mackie, Medical Officer of Health & CEO (Secretary-Treasurer for Board of Health)
Mr. John Millson, Director, Finance and Operations
Ms. Sherri Sanders, Executive Assistant to the Board of Health (Recorder)

Media Outlets

none

At 9:00 a.m., Ms. Trish Fulton, Committee Chair, welcomed everyone to the Finance and Facilities Committee (FFC) meeting.

Disclosures of Conflict(s) of Interest

Chair Fulton inquired if there were any disclosures of conflict of interest to be declared. None were declared.

Approval of Agenda

It was moved by Mr. Peer, seconded by Mr. Bolton that the agenda for the November 7, 2013 Finance and Facilities Committee meeting be accepted as circulated. Carried

Approval of October 3, 2013 Minutes

It was moved by Mr. Bolton, seconded by Mr. Peer that the minutes from the October 3, 2013 Finance and Facilities Committee meeting be approved. Carried

Business Arising from the Minutes

Two items arising from the October 3, 2013 minutes were discussed:

1. Travel Reimbursement Policy (Report No. 010-13C) – Staff reported that more details were to be presented in Report No. 015-13C, this agenda.
2. Strathroy Office Lease (Report No. 013-13C) – Staff will provide information about the market analysis at the November 28 FFC meeting.

New Business

2013 Budget Variance Report to September 30th (Report No. 014-13C)

Mr. John Millson, Director, Finance & Operations, reported that there would be an estimated $682,500 surplus in 2013 due to the Panorama project staff funding and other staffing vacancies. He also reported there would be a $30,000 shortfall in the dental program. Once the final amount of the shortfall is determined, the Board of Health will need to decide whether or not it wants to use reserve funds or use part of the 2013 surplus. The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care provided the Health Unit with 75% of the costs of the Shared Services Review.

In response to a query about the amount of the surplus associated with position vacancies, Ms. Diane Bewick, Director, Family Health Services, explained that the managed gapping of staff positions was done across the Family Health Services area and not limited to one program. The Program Budgeting and Marginal Analysis (PBMA) process is looking at the most cost-effective use of Casual Nurses.

Dr. Mackie explained that the change in volunteer recognition from a banquet to group functions (e.g., Community Emergency Response Volunteers are recognized in their group) was made as the volunteer pool has changed and the recognition efforts must reflect that change.

It was moved by Mr. Peer, seconded by Mr. Meyer that the Finance and Facilities Committee recommend that the Board of Health receive Report No 014-13C “2013 Budget Variance Report to September 30th” for information.
Carried

Administrative Policy 4-130 – Corporate Purchase Cards (Report No. 015-13C)

Mr. Millson explained that the Health Unit corporate credit cards facilitate payment for services and materials required for Health Unit business and eliminate the need for purchase orders and additional tracking. Health Unit staff are currently drafting revisions to the corporate card policy. The Senior Leadership Team is also reviewing the frequency and reasons for card use.

It was moved by Mr. Bolton, seconded by Mr. Peer that the Finance and Facilities Committee recommend that the Board of Health:

1. Endorse that the Director, Finance & Operations, submit on an annual basis, a summary report on the purchases made using the corporate credit card by category; and further
2. Receive Appendix A to Report No. 015-13C “Administrative Policy 4-130 Corporate Purchase Cards” for information. 
   Carried

MLHU Insurance Review – Update (Report No. 016-13C)

Mr. Millson explained that a 5-year claim history from the current insurance provider, as well as, submission of an insurance questionnaire were needed to receive the information that the FFC requested. A request for the claims history has been made, and the questionnaire has been submitted. It will take approximately two weeks for the Broker to prepare a response. It is expected that the resulting information and analysis will be brought to the FFC at its next meeting.

It was moved by Mr. Meyer, seconded by Mr. Bolton that the Finance & Facilities Committee receive Report No. 016-13C “MLHU Insurance Review” for information. Carried

50 King Street Generator – Update (verbal)

An ad hoc committee of the FFC, made up of Mr. Meyer, Mr. Bolton and Mr. Peer, met with Mr. Sergio Stevandic, Senior Electrical Engineer at Stantec, and several Health Unit staff prior to the November 7 FFC meeting to discuss a backup generator for the 50 King Street premise. After questions, the ad hoc group asked Ms. Pat Simone, Manager, Emergency Preparedness, to consult with Wilson & Associates Contracting Ltd, the company that is under contract with the Health Unit for electrical services, as to its recommendations for a generator to provide backup power for the vaccine refrigerators and computer servers (including the switches to operate telephones). Ms. Simone will report back to the ad hoc committee with her findings.

2013-2014 100% Ministry of Children and Youth Services Program Budgets (Report No. 017-13C)

Mr. Millson outlined the proposed changes to the 2013-2014 preliminary grants for the Preschool Speech and Language, Infant Hearing and Blind Low Vision programs. The Health Unit administers the programs for other health units in the region. The committee discussed the impacts of weekend screening being discontinued in hospitals in the infant hearing program due to no increase in funding from the Ministry of Children and Youth Services for the 100% funded programs.

It was moved by Mr. Bolton, seconded by Mr. Meyer that the Report No. 017-13C be received for information and that the Finance & Facilities Committee make the following recommendations to the Board of Health:

1. That the Board of Health approve the 100% Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCYS) Program Budgets, attached to Report No. 17-13C as Appendix A and C respectively; and further
2. That the Board of Health approve the 100% MCYS Program Budget for the Infant Hearing Program, attached as Appendix B to Report No. 17-13C, contingent on an amendment depending on the outcome of 3), below; and
3. That the Director of Finance & Operations draft a letter to be sent to the other participating health units as follows:
   a) Outlining the shortfalls in funding for the Infant Hearing program,
   b) Reporting that the Finance and Facilities Committee recommends that MLHU will pay for its share of the shortfall, and
   c) Encouraging the other health units to cover the costs of their shares as well.
   Carried

Other Business

The FFC discussed the fact that the 50 King Street lease expires in December 2016, with the option of a five year extension. From past experiences, the Committee suggested that investigations need to begin soon re the facilities required, consolidating the London offices in one building, and other considerations discussed at the October 3 FFC concerning the Strathroy office lease. Mr. Millson reported that an internal Strategic Activities Group (SAG) for facilities was struck to look at the issue; however, the SAG has not met recently due to the changes in the Senior Leadership Team and the focus on the PwC report. A report will be presented to the FFC in 2014 about the work to date of this SAG.

The next scheduled Finance and Facilities Committee Meeting – Thursday, November 28, 2013 10:00 a.m. Room 3A, 50 King Street, London

Adjournment

At 10:45 a.m., it was moved by Mr. Peer, seconded by Mr. Meyer that the meeting be adjourned. Carried

TRISH FULTON
Chair

CHRISTOPHER MACKIE
Chair Secretary-Treasurer