HomeMy WebLinkAboutFCS-14-158 - MECAC Appointments
REPORT TO: Committee of the Whole
DATE OF MEETING: September 15, 2014
SUBMITTED BY: C. Tarling, Director of Legislated Services/City Clerk, 519-741-
2200, ext. 7809
PREPARED BY: C. Tarling, Director of Legislated Services/City Clerk, 519-741-
2200, ext. 7809
WARD(S) INVOLVED: All
DATE OF REPORT: August 21, 2014
REPORT NO.: FCS-14-158
SUBJECT: Appointments to Joint Municipal Election Compliance Audit
Committee
___________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION:
For Information
BACKGROUND:
The Municipal Elections Act now mandates that every municipality appoint for a 4 year term, a
Compliance Audit Committee no later than October 1 of an election year. Essentially the
mandate of this committee is to determine if an allegation made by an elector regarding non-
compliance of the Act with respect to a candidate’s financial statement, would warrant an audit
by a certified auditor.
Finance and Corporate Services report FCS-14-085 was considered by the Committee of the
Whole on May 26, 2014 and Council adopted the following resolution:
“That participation on the Municipal Election Compliance Audit Committee and the Terms of
Reference attached as Appendix “A” to Finance and Corporate Services Department report
FCS-14-085, be approved; and
That the City Clerk be delegated the authority to appoint members of the Municipal Election
Compliance Audit Committee, in consultation with the Clerks of the other participating
municipalities; and further,
That remuneration of $150 per diem plus the applicable mileage rate be approved for
members of the Municipal Election Compliance Audit Committee.”
REPORT:
Advertisements were made in various newspapers throughout the region and on the
municipalities’ web sites to attract applicants for the joint Municipal Election Compliance Audit
Committee (MECAC). Nine (9) applications were received: four (4) residing in Waterloo, three
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(3) from Kitchener and two (2) from Woolwich Township. Three (3) of the current MECAC
members reapplied (Tom Jutzi, Grace Sudden and Robert Williams).
The Clerks of the participating municipalities reviewed the applications and each provided their
choice of seven (7) members whose qualifications meet the requirements detailed in the Terms
of Reference for MECAC for experience and expertise in the areas of: accounting and auditing,
political science and/or local government administration, law, and municipal election finance
rules. As well, the membership represents each of the three municipalities for which
applications were received and comprises a mix of experienced and new members. The results
were tabulated and the Clerks have agreed to appoint the following individuals as members of
the joint MECAC:
Larry Aberle
Kevin Bambrick
Thomas Jutzi
Murray Stoddart
Grace Sudden
Robert J. Williams
Carl Zehr
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
Citizen engagement is served by community members participating on the MECAC while
efficient and effective government is achieved by citizens performing the administrative
functions associated with election compliance audits. Having the MECAC enables citizens to
exercise their rights under the Municipal Election Act to apply for a compliance audit of any
candidate’s campaign finances.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
None at this time, however, costs will be incurred if a request for a compliance audit is received.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM – This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance of the
council / committee meeting.
COLLABORATE – Advertisements were placed in local newspapers and on our municipal
website seeking citizens to participate on MECAC.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY:
D. Chapman, Deputy CAO, Finance and Corporate Services
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