Administration and Finance Department - Overview and Core Businesses
The Administration and Finance Department is composed of three functional branches with specific responsibilities in each area.
Finance and Taxation Branch
The Finance and Taxation Branch is responsible for a wide range of advisory and accounting activities, which include budgeting and reporting on the financial transactions of each department and the Town as a whole, and safeguarding the assets of the Town. Services are also provided to other associated groups such as Bracebridge Municipal Non Profit Housing, Muskoka Small Business Centre and the Downtown BIA.
On-going programs and services of the Finance and Taxation Branch include:
- Preparation of operating and capital budgets;
- Financial reporting to both internal and external users;
- Banking;
- Insurance, risk-management and safeguarding assets;
- Financing (including grant applications, debentures and short-term borrowing);
- Payroll and benefits;
- Accounts Payable and Receivable;
- Taxation and collection;
- Financial advice and consultation;
- Promotion of the efficient and effective use of resources; and
- Facilities management, with assistance from other Town departments, for Bracebridge Town Hall, Bird Mill Mews, Woodchester Villa and Chapel Gallery.
Clerk’s Branch:
The Clerk’s Branch is responsible for the statutory duties of Municipal Clerk under the Municipal Act including organizing and maintaining records of Council and official documents of the Corporation, reviewing and signing corporate contracts/agreements and by-laws as signatory (along with the Mayor), recording proceedings of Council/Committee meetings and/or overseeing the provision of Council secretariat and administrative support functions and associated records management; issues statutory notifications as required under the Municipal and Planning Acts and processes requests under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
The Clerk acts as a Commissioner of Oaths; is responsible for municipal elections; authorizes the issuance of licenses and permits including marriage licenses, lottery licenses, burial permits and special event permits; oversees the maintenance and reporting of Vital Statistics; coordinates appointments to local Boards/Committees; coordinates insurance claims, undertakes public land sales, acquisitions and leases and manages operations for nineteen cemeteries.
On-going programs and services of the Clerk’s Branch include:
- Front counter reception at Town Hall; and co-ordinating boardroom bookings;
- Preparation of meeting agenda and minutes of meetings;
- Preparation of Municipal by-laws;
- Preparation of staff reports on departmental issues for Committee and Council;
- Responding to public enquiries and providing information regarding Council activities;
- Processing insurance claims;
- Processing FOI requests;
- Issuing licences and permits;
- Processing in-coming and out-going mail;
- Processing property acquisitions and dispositions; and processing original road allowance and
- original shore road allowance closures;
- Cemetery maintenance and operations; and
- Acting as liaison to the Town’s solicitor on property and administrative activities.
By-law Enforcement Branch
The By-Law Enforcement Branch consists of a Chief By-Law Enforcement Officer, one full time and one part time By-Law Enforcement Officer and three permanent part time School Crossing Guards. One additional full time Seasonal By-Law Enforcement Officer is hired for the period of May to August. The By-Law Enforcement Branch provides service between 6:30 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., 365 days per year. A staff member is designated to be on standby outside of normal business hours and responds to calls for assistance as required.
There are in excess of 40 regulatory by-laws administered and enforced by the By-Law Enforcement Branch, including:
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By-laws governing parking, animal control, business licensing, clean yards, burning, noise, docking and many others. Officers are responsible for picking up stray dogs and dogs running at large and transporting the dog to the Muskoka Branch of the OSPCA at 1234 Muskoka Road 118 West in Bracebridge.
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The By-Law Branch issues and processes approximately 2000 parking tickets annually and collects the voluntary payment of the tickets. All outstanding (unpaid) parking tickets are filed with the Provincial Offences Office. The municipal inventory of 282 parking meters are installed and maintained by by-law staff and the annual parking meter revenue of approximately $100,000.00 is collected, sorted, rolled and deposited by staff.
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The By-Law Enforcement Branch receives, reviews and issues business licences for taxi-cabs, refreshment vehicles, dog kennels and transient traders.
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The Chief By-Law Enforcement Officer has been appointed as the Town’s Livestock Valuer and serves as a Fence Viewer under the Line Fences Act.