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Waterloo collegiate institute cross»counti’y-sku team member Gillian Liu, 19, practises on Satur day at Bechtel Park Waterioo returns to list of world‘s top seven intelligent communities aterloo has been W-name(! among the Top Seven Intelti gent Communities in the woarld for the second vear in a rOW. The Intelligent Commu nities Forum (ICF] announced last week that Waterioo is in the running for the Intelligent Commu nity of the Year title â€" a dis tinction that goes to the community that best exem plifies a successful economy By Jennirer Ormston Chronicle Staff Practice makes perfect based on broadband and information technology., according to a city press release. "For Waterloo to be choâ€" sen as a top intelligent comâ€" munity in the world is a real honour, and it means a lot to us in the future," Coun. Mark Whaley told city counâ€" cil on Monday night. "I believe that the future sustainability of our city, as we go forward, will be the attraction and retention of knowledge workers. "We are a community and economy that is all CITY NEWS about attracting these peoâ€" ple who can live wherever they choose in the world, and we need to make sure that they know about Waterâ€" loo." And the ICF provides Waterloo with a global plat form on which to tell its story, he said. Simon Farbrother, the city‘s chief administrative officer, said the ICF makes its selections based on five areas: the use of broadband technology. the knowledge Continued on page 7 ieNewrer orhston PnO1G CHRONI City and library reach fourâ€"year funding deal ‘Historic moment‘ rl "the City of Waterloo has reached a funding agreement with the Waterloo public library in what the library board chair referred to as "a historic moment." "I think it‘s a great step forward," said Tim Jackson in an interview. "I think it speaks to what has become a great partnerâ€" ship between the city and the library. This community is built around partnerships and this really is a testament to the fact the city and the library work handâ€"inâ€"hand." The decision to base the library‘s annual funding increases on the municipal price index â€" which is in line with inflation rates â€" and â€"the community‘s growth by household was made at Monday‘s finance and strategic planning comâ€" mittee meeting. The bulk of the library‘s funding comes from the city, and, traditionally, the library has made an annual presentation to council askâ€" ing for whatever increase it needs, Jackson said. "That makes it tough to do longâ€"term planning because you just don‘t know from year to year what your increase is going to be." With this agreement in place, the library board and staff will be able to plan for the next four years. It, in turn, also allows for the city to make plans knowing how much money will be allocated to the library. "So it‘s a winâ€"win for both," Jackson said. "They know we‘re not going to come and suddenly ask for a 20 per cent increase because we‘ve got some crazy project." Council debated the inclusion of a funding cap in the agreement, which was recommended by Bob Mavin, the city‘s chief finanâ€" cial officer. It was eventually decided a clause would be added stipulating if something unusual occurs, like the economy collapses, bath By Jennitrer OrMSTON Chronicle Staff __ the city and the library will revisit the agreement. This "compromise," as Mavin called it, was made after Jackson said the proâ€" posed cap made "absolutely no sense at all" to him, and he wouldn‘t sign on to an agreement it was included in. The funding agreement places the WPL at the 50th percentile of per household funding among its comâ€" parator communities, which include such cities as Guelph, Kitchener and Barâ€" "Although we‘re going to be in the middle, we‘re going to deliver a library service that‘s at the top," he said, adding this will be done through efficiency and using new technologies. "In other words, we don‘t need the most dollars to deliver the most service." To bring the funding per household up to $88, the library will receive a more than $300,000 retroactive adjustment when the westâ€" side branch opens, Mavin said in an interview. "That will bring us up to the 50th percentile." This pilot agreement â€" which has been in the works for two years â€" will be in place from 2007 to 2010, at which time the next council will decide whether ar not to renew it. Earlier in the meeting. Coun. lan McLean addressed the "elephant in the room" â€" the fact the eastâ€" side library branch has not been included in the city‘s proposed budget. The eastâ€"side branch, which is part of the library‘s threeâ€"prong â€" expansion approach, was previously approved by council, Jackâ€" son said. x "So it‘s a winâ€"win for both." â€"Tim Jackson WPL board chair This plan involves renoâ€" vating the main library, as well as adding two new branches, one on both the east and west sides. "You have to sort of keep going with the whole plan, you can‘t pick and choose," he said. To meet the city‘s debt policy, which limits the city‘s amount of debt, the eastâ€" side branch was dropped from the 2010 proposed capital budget and relocated to the 2018 budget, Mavin said. "Realistically, council will want to explore a lot of options, and we plan to present a number of aptions, at least three or four, to council on how to deal with that issue," he said, adding one would be revisiting the debt policy. McLean reiterated in an interview that no decision has been made in regards to this library. And Jackson believes getâ€" ting the eastâ€"side branch back into the proposed budget is just a matter of council working with city staff. "Right now, council has done nothing to indicate that they‘ve changed the plan, so we‘re working on the basis the plan is still to finish the west branch that we‘re just in the process of starting and then to do the eastâ€"side branch." If it‘s not included in the final budget, set to be approved on Feb. 17, Jackâ€" son said the library board would then revisit its entire expansion plan, including the westâ€"side facility. Mavin said in the interâ€" view it‘s likely the project will be put back into the proposed budget. "I think it‘s safe (to say) that council is going to look at the options that we presâ€" ent and probably reinstate that project, and then make corresponding adjustments whatever the option may be." A public input session on the proposed budget is scheduled for Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in the council chambers at Waterloo City Hall. Karin Barthel * Sales Rep., Serving You Personally 885â€"0200 _