Stratford City Council
Special Council Open Session
AGENDA

Meeting #:

4779th

Date:

Wednesday, August 13, 2025

Time:

5:00 P.m. - 7:00 P.m.

Location:

Council Chamber, City Hall

Council Present:

• Mayor Ritsma - Chair Presiding, 
• Councillor Beatty, 
• Councillor Biehn, 
• Councillor Briscoe, 
• Councillor Burbach, 
• Councillor Hunter, 
• Councillor McCabe, 
• Councillor Nijjar, 
• Councillor Sebben, 
• and Councillor Wordofa 

Staff Present:

• Tatiana Dafoe - City Clerk, 
• Audrey Pascual - Deputy Clerk, 
• and Jeff Graham - President and CEO, Festival Hydro Inc. 

To watch the Council meeting live, please click the following link: https://video.isilive.ca/stratford/live.html

A video recording of the meeting will also be available through a link on the City's website https://calendar.stratford.ca/meetings following the meeting.

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1.

Call to Order:

​​Mayor Ritsma, Chair presiding, to call the Council meeting to order.

Councillor Henderson provided regrets for this meeting.

Land Acknowledgment

Moment of Silent Reflection

Respectful Conduct Statement

2.

Declarations of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof:

​The Municipal Conflict of Interest Act requires any member of Council declaring a pecuniary interest and the general nature thereof, where the interest of a member of Council has not been disclosed by reason of the member’s absence from the meeting, to disclose the interest at the first open meeting attended by the member of Council and to otherwise comply with the Act.

Name, Item and General Nature Thereof

 

3.

Adjournment into Closed Session:

• Motion by

  THAT Council move into closed session to consider the following matter:

  4.1 Confidential Report of the Chief Executive Officer of Festival Hydro with respect to a commercial matter (CM-25-18) - A trade secret or scientific, technical, commercial, financial or labour relations information, supplied in confidence to the municipality or local board, which, if disclosed, could reasonably be expected to prejudice significantly the competitive position or interfere significantly with the contractual or other negotiations of a person, group of persons, or organization (section 239.(2)(i)); and A position, plan, procedure, criteria or instruction to be applied to any negotiations carried on or to be carried on by or no behalf of the municipality or local board (section 239.(2)(k)).

4.

Closed Meeting Summary

5.

Report of the Director of Corporate Services

5.1

Resolution - Proposed 2026 Multi-Year Budget Process and Tentative Schedule (COU25-104)

• Motion by

  Staff Recommendation: THAT the report titled, “Proposed 2026 Budget Process and Tentative Schedule (COU25-104), dated August 11, 2025, be received;

  AND THAT Council provide direction regarding any changes to the budget survey and/or public engagement format preference;

  THAT Council provide staff with any specific known initiatives to be brought forward for consideration by the Mayor, changes or additions to capital projects identified in the current 10-year capital forecasts, and changes in service levels or activities to advance the approved strategic priority goals it wishes to be considered for the 2026 fiscal year, if any at this time;

  THAT Council reduce the period as set out in subsection 7(3) of O. Reg. 530/22 to pass a resolution making an amendment to the proposed budget from 30 days to 15 days;

  AND THAT Council reduce the period as set out in subsection 7(10) of O. Reg. 530/22 to override the head of council’s veto of an amendment to the proposed budget from 15 days to 7 days.

6.

Reading of the By-laws:

The following By-law requires First and Second Readings and Third and Final Readings: 

6.1 Confirmatory By-law

To confirm the proceedings of Council of The Corporation of the City of Stratford at its meeting held on August 13, 2025.

• Motion by

  THAT By-law 6.1 be read a First and Second Time.

• Motion by

  THAT By-law 6.1 be read a Third Time and Finally Passed. 

7.

Adjournment:

• Motion by

  ​THAT the August 13, 2025, Special Council Meeting adjourn.