Budget Information 2024

Requests for Dufferin Grove Financial Information May-Sept 2014

May 9, 2024

at 4:18 PM Cheryl MacDonald <Cheryl.MacDonald@toronto.ca> wrote:

Hi Jutta One point of clarification from my end – Adam is the point of contact for you and the community stakeholders with regard to site specific/programmatic issues at Dufferin Grove. He will escalate issues to the Community Recreation Supervisor or Parks as needed.

I believe your request related to staffing and costing information pertains to your Rink Clubhouse project proposal. As discussed at the meeting and reflected in the notes- another meeting will be required to discuss the proposal further to assess feasibility and support costing work and a potential business case. You also asked about capital review and we would want to have capital present at that meeting as well.

The operational priority now is getting the programming for Dufferin Grove up and running. We can connect in with you regarding a meeting date that would bring in the appropriate staff leads to discuss further in the coming weeks.

May 10, 2024

Jutta Mason <juttamason@gmail.com> wrote: Hi Cheryl, Actually, my reference to budget and staffing concerns do relate to Dufferin Grove Park specifically. Jaydee's report listed both past work and what management is planning for this spring. In the attachment to this email, I've listed the specific budget information we are seeking for two already-completed non-winter periods at Dufferin Grove (for 2022 and 2023).

I've added Adam to this thread since the CRP job description includes doing exactly these kinds of expenditure reports, and of course most of the Pcard transactions would have been his or those of his predecessors (Sophia and then Birko). Same with the hiring and scheduling of the PT staff. So I am assuming that pulling up these numbers will be straightforward.

The record of actual past spending, instead of future Rec program estimates, will help to ground discussions of what works at one location (DG), as well as providing a context for how a rink/park clubhouse might function at some other locations. The broader clubhouse issue will be the subject of an email next week.

This whole discussion, with Rec at the centre, has the potential to be a fresh contribution to past practices. Fingers crossed that good will can build on both sides, for it to happen :)

June 4 2024

From: Jutta Mason <juttamason@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 6:42:43 PM To: Cheryl MacDonald <Cheryl.MacDonald@toronto.ca> Cc: Cathy Vincelli <Cathy.Vincelli@toronto.ca>; Jaydee Cornwall <Jaydee.Cornwall@toronto.ca>; Eric To <Eric.To@toronto.ca>; Jason Cruickshank <Jason.Cruickshank@toronto.ca>; Jane Price <bjaneprice@gmail.com>; Sabina Ali <sali@tpwomenscomm.org>; Adam Tyzler <Adam.Tyzler@toronto.ca>; Michelle Sirianni <Michelle.Sirianni@toronto.ca> Subject: [External Sender] Dufferin Grove Park budget information

Hi Cheryl, On May 21, you said it would take a week or two before I could get the Dufferin Grove budget information that I requested, since a new supervisor, Michelle Siriani, was just starting. It's now been two weeks. You also wrote: Questions regarding budget cannot be answered by Adam.

That's puzzling, since keeping track of the relevant information is part of the CRP's job, as listed in these excerpts: Community Recreation Programmer -- Performs administrative duties including: preparing pay entry for part-time staff for Supervisor approval, preparing requisitions and controlling inventory for equipment and materials and supplies, and data collection -- Prepares and monitors budget for part-time staff, materials and supplies -- Prepares bank deposits and delivers to bank; completes deposit summary form -- Ability to prepare budgets and meet budget targets

As far as I can see, almost all the questions I sent here all fall under those descriptions. Wading pool staff are of course a separate bubble, but still listed under recreation. Encampment support would not be hard for Adam to track down, since his duties include reduction of barriers in recreation services to people who are homeless, isolated seniors, youth from at-risk neighbourhoods, low income families, people with a disability and other marginalized groups..

I only just met Michelle by chance by the bake oven, since I was checking on the cob kitchen litter cleanup and talking to some youth, and she was with Adam and Vijay doing something at the bake oven. We had not met before. She said nothing about having the budget information ready, but of course our encounter was a surprise, and it may have slipped her mind.

Would I be able to get the answers tomorrow, June 5th?

June 5, 2024

From: Jutta Mason <juttamason@gmail.com> Sent: Wednesday, June 5, 2024 9:32 AM To: Cheryl MacDonald <Cheryl.MacDonald@toronto.ca>; Michelle Sirianni <Michelle.Sirianni@toronto.ca> Cc: Cathy Vincelli <Cathy.Vincelli@toronto.ca>; Jaydee Cornwall <Jaydee.Cornwall@toronto.ca>; Eric To <Eric.To@toronto.ca>; Jason Cruickshank <Jason.Cruickshank@toronto.ca>; Jane Price <bjaneprice@gmail.com>; Sabina Ali <sali@tpwomenscomm.org>; Adam Tyzler <Adam.Tyzler@toronto.ca> Subject: [External Sender] Re: Dufferin Grove Park budget information

Hi Cheryl, Thanks for your note.

Hi Michelle, Yes, I read your summary when it arrived yesterday evening, thanks. Two things: 1. I can't open the separate transmission from Eric To, could you forward it as a normal email? 2. You sent a summary, but my request (attached again below) was titled "Dufferin Grove Park budget details (not for winters)," which is why I listed all those different programs. I need to see the staffing costs of each of the areas I listed and also the number of PT hours for each, not when they're all totalled up.

If it's too much extra work to separate the Pcard listings into the programs that I listed, could you send me the link for the PFR Pcard purchases, along with the Dufferin Grove Park identifier? That is, if Pcard purchases records are still publicly available. Then I can sort out those expenses myself.

I hope this request is not onerous. However, if Rec does not break down the costs of the individual programs, please let me know that.

June 11, 2024

From: Jutta Mason <juttamason@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, June 11, 2024 2:58 PM To: Michelle Sirianni <Michelle.Sirianni@toronto.ca> Subject: [External Sender] Re: Re: Dufferin Grove Park budget information

Hi Michelle, Thanks for the links.

Materials costs: As I now see, apparently the last P-card Open Data set for PFR is from 2019. Does this mean that the individual P-card uses are no longer being entered?

If the Dufferin Grove items are still being entered into the system, could you send me the 2022 and 2023 PFR P-card pages and the DG codes?

As an alternative, you suggested going through FOI for the P-card records. But for PFR, FOI requests take a long time -- for example, my FOI request re three contracts for PFR Partnerships, submitted Feb.22, is not due to be complete until June 22. I.e. it's a small dataset but will have taken 4 months.

If PFR management feels unsure about releasing P-card details, would it work better for me to contact the auditor's office? I believe it was that office which first required the P-card information to be part of Open Data.

Re the staffing of programs: I'm guessing you can't let me know e.g. how many hours of staffing were specifically used for each program (for e.g. the pizza program) because almost everything was entered under the ill-fitting category arts and crafts. And for the same reason, farmers' market support also can't be separated out (last summer there were often four rec staff, often just sitting for most of their shift).

But I would hope that costing events like the "try it" or the film nights would be easier. In that case, since two or even three CRPs were assigned for X hours to plan and help PT staff, a popcorn machine and a screen and projection/sound equipment were rented, could you let me know those specific costs?

For quite a few years, CELOS was tracking costs at DG. If you want to take a look, our financial records page is here.

Sep 10, 2024

to opendata

Hello, I want to see the P Card spending data for Parks, Forestry and Recreation. This was formerly available as open data until (I think) about 2017. Then it disappeared. Rce management says they can't let me see it. FOI says I should ask the ombudsman. Really? Surely there are steps before that.

Would this question go through the auditor?

I would welcome advice. I emailed you because the city clerk's office sent me your contact page.

Fingers crossed that you can help,

Sep 11, 2024

to pcard, Jutta

Hi Jutta,

We have PCard on open data. Have you not found what you’re looking for?

Please advise.

Reham Youssef Marketing and Communications Lead, Open Data Team Technology Service Delivery Follow us on Twitter@Open_TO

Sept.11, 2024

Jutta Mason <juttamason@gmail.com>

to Michelle, Cheryl, Adam

I've got some time now to follow up this older thread about P card expense documentation. Could you send me the Excel-document cost centre number for Dufferin Grove Park including the NW corner building and its programming?

BTW I got in touch with Open Data and their link says the P card data was last refreshed on 2024-09-10. But the excel doc gives the most recent data as Dec.2021. I sent them that feedback, we'll see what they say.

June 17, 2024

From: Michelle Sirianni <Michelle.Sirianni@toronto.ca> Date: Mon, Jun 17, 2024 at 9:56 AM Subject: RE: Re: Re: Dufferin Grove Park budget information To: Jutta Mason <juttamason@gmail.com>

Morning Jutta, Just wanted to follow up regarding your last inquiry. I investigated further and an FOI request is required, for anything past what has already been posted online. Thanks

Sept.11, 2024

Re: Dufferin Grove Park budget information

Jutta Mason to Michelle, Cheryl, Adam

Hi Michelle, I've got some time now to follow up this older thread about P card expense documentation. Could you send me the Excel-document cost centre number for Dufferin Grove Park including the NW corner building and its programming?

BTW I got in touch with Open Data and their link says the P card data was last refreshed on 2024-09-10. But the excel doc gives the most recent data as Dec.2021. I sent them that feedback, we'll see what they say.

Sep 12,2024

From Open Data

Hi Jutta,

We spoke to the division owners and they informed us that they’re working on 2022 data and it’ll be ready sometime next week.

The data is getting a high rating because it was very recently updated. Although it’s not updated to ‘today’s date’ – apologies for the confusion.

Please stay tuned for a more up to date dataset.

Sept.20, 2024

On Fri, Sep 20, 2024 at 11:59 AM Michelle Sirianni <Michelle.Sirianni@toronto.ca> wrote: Hi Jutta, Thanks for your email. I had followed up with finance, because I wasn’t sure if they provide you with this information or not. The cost centre is P10389. thanks

Sept.23, 2024

from Jutta Mason <juttamason@gmail.com>

to Michelle, Cheryl, Councillor, Andrew, Adam

Thanks Michelle. However, there are a number of problems with your response.

1. The open data set for PFR (and everywhere else) is almost three full years behind (last set is Dec.2021). I contacted Open Data and they wrote: We spoke to the division owners and they informed us that they’re working on 2022 data and it’ll be ready sometime next week. That was on Sept.12 but I see no updates.

2. Looking back at sample months in 2021, the code you sent for Dufferin Grove P10389 comes up empty. Why?

3. Looking back to July 2016, there are a number of P codes that specify Dufferin Grove Park: P13057, P10503 (that seems to be the main one) as well as P10389. They have a lot of information. Have those other codes fallen out of use?

This information is important because there needs to be a clear accounting of spending. Income too.

You suggested some months back that I would have to apply to FOI to get the Pcard records. But FOI says they don't respond to Open Data requests, since that information is already supposed to be public. They wrote that if the division doesn't make it available, I could contact the ombudsman.

But it probably makes more sense for me to ask FOI for the 2022/2023/2024 Ward 9 SAP records for PFR, and I've copied Andrew Waters here to check if that's also the position of PFR Finance.

Please let me know, so that I can start the FOI inquiry this week.

Oct.7, 2024-

Jutta Mason to Erella, Nicole, Michelle, Cheryl, Councillor, Andrew, Adam

Hello again, Michelle and All, Two weeks have passed without response since the email I sent you with some specific Open Data problems at PFR. So I have now applied to FOI to get the full SAP income/expenditure records for the four parks with buildings in Ward 9 that CELOS has been involved with in the past.

One of the prompts for my questions is that at one meeting during the public consultation period for the NW Corner project, a Rec manager said that, once the construction was done and programs were back in place, "we'll know where the money goes." Not so easy, as we see from the Open Data lapse. But when the book-keeping becomes clear through FOI, including the cost of running the classes that are a new rec staff focus at Dufferin Grove, there will be a better chance of informed public space discussion.

Oct 7, 2024

to Open

Hello Reham, Just FYI, now that it's been almost 4 weeks since your response below, I see that there has in fact been no updating of the Pcard data by PFR, past Dec.2021, even though they told you it would be updated at least to 2022, by a week after you called them. I wrote to Rec and to the PFR finance manager again two weeks ago and got no response. So I have now gone to FOI for the SAP records. I hope that will work. My FOI contact said they don't respond to any requests that are supposed to be in Open Data (eg Pcard records), even if the data is not there. Hopefully the SAP records are a different matter.

Interesting. And it looks like somewhere else the data has been refreshed, since your general open data ranking is still getting a "gold." That certainly wouldn't apply for PFR.

Oct 8, 2024,

to me, Open

Hi Jutta

I do apologize for the delay. We are currently working on updating the Open data for FOI requests. Earlier this year we’ve updated 2019 to December 2021 as you mentioned. The reason for the delay is that we have been experiencing capacity issue prior-to and during the pandemic. We have since began addressing these issues and are slowly coming back up to date.

I can assure you that this week we will begin the process of uploading, at the very least, Q1 2022. Going forward each week we will be adding more and more data. We are processing the 2022 reports in parallel with 2023 so rest assured that the 2023 reports are close behind.

I will let you know when the data is submitted so that you don’t have constantly check. I’m hoping to make the first submission in the next two days.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks

Michael Zeni (he, him) Supervisor Accounts Payable, Accounting Services City of Toronto

416-392-1027 Michael.zeni@toronto.ca

Oct 8, 2024

to Councillor, Michelle, Adam, Erella, Nicole, Lily, Cheryl, Michael, Open

Thanks Michael, ...for writing back so fast. I've added a few of your colleagues at PFR, some park friends, and Councillor Bravo to this thread, since I also wrote to them about the problems in getting PFR financial information. It's good for them to know that you're working on it. I'll look forward to hearing from you as the problems resolve.

Oct.10, 2024

Michael Zeni to Open, Councillor, Michelle, Adam, Nicole, Lily, Cheryl, me, Erella

Hi Jutta

FYI. I’ve submitted Q1 2022 to open data. I’m not sure of the turn around for upload however I don’t expect that it will be long. Q2 should be completed and submitted for early next week.Once again, thanks for your patience.

Q2 2022(April May June) should be up as of now I understand.

Oct.22, 2024

Michael Zeni to Open, Councillor, Michelle, Adam, Nicole, Lily, Cheryl, me, Erella

I’ve submitted Q3 2022 today. Should be a couple of days for this to upload.

Q4 2022 to be submitted end of this week early next.

Content last modified on October 28, 2024, at 08:29 PM EST