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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil - 2006-12-18 SSPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES DECEMBER 1$, 2006 CITY OF KITCHENER A special meeting of City Council was held at 4:42 p.m. this date, Chaired by Mayor C. Zehr and with all members present except Councillor G. Lorentz. Councillor J. Smola was in attendance for part of the meeting. Notice of this special meeting had been previously given to all members of Council by the City Clerk pursuant to Chapter 25 (Council Procedure) of the Municipal Code. Council was advised of an additional item for in-camera discussion this date regarding a litigation or potential litigation, including matters before an administrative tribunal. Moved by Councillor B. Vrbanovic Seconded by Councillor K. Galloway "That the in-camera meeting of City Council be held immediately following this special meeting to consider a personal matter, alitigation /potential litigation matter, alitigation /potential litigation matter which is also subject to solicitor-client privilege and a matter subject to solicitor-client privilege." Carried. Mayor C. Zehr reminded Council that the Striking Committee at its meeting held December 4, 2006, made the appointments to the various Committees and Boards except for the Arts & Culture Advisory Committee (ACAC), Downtown Advisory Committee (DAC), Heritage Kitchener (HK) and the Kitchener Public Library Board (KPL). Mayor Zehr advised that the Committee deferred appointment to the KPL to this date and Council is being asked to provide direction with respect to the other three Committees. Councillor B. Vrbanovic advised that at the December 4th meeting, he assumed direction was given to re-advertise for the outstanding Committees and Board but perhaps the Committee was not clear on that subject. He further advised that the reason for the deferral was to allow time for more diverse applications so that the appointments to the Committees would be a better reflection of the community. C. Ladd, Chief Administrative Officer, advised that staff have been meeting to review the specific and specialized positions required for the Committees and to develop a recruitment strategy. She explained that an advertisement could be placed in the local paper specifically targeting candidates with the skills and experience being sought. In regard to ACAC, staff are suggesting that for the next year the current Culture Plan II Steering Committee be appointed as ACAC due to the similar initiatives of the two committees. Councillor J. Gazzola expressed concern with the staff suggestion advising that the two committees will have enough on their individual plates to keep them busy and both have individual mandates. Councillor Gazzola pointed out that of the 11 positions for ACAC, 10 applications were received and he suggested that those 10 be appointed and if there is further advertisement that the one outstanding position be included. Councillor J. Smola entered the meeting. Councillor C. Weylie asked if any of the members of the Culture Plan II Steering Committee had applied to sit on ACAC. Councillor Gazzola advised that he did not believe any of the applicants currently sit on the Culture Plan II Committee suggesting that they were two different groups. Mayor Zehr suggested that if there was going to be a re-advertisement for some of these committees and board, that it would make sense to advertise for all the outstanding committees and deal with them in January. Councillor Gazzola suggested that the rules pertaining to the Committee appointments were being changed in mid-process for these committees. Mayor Zehr responded that the rules were not being changed and that it was the responsibility of Council to ensure that the best and most appropriate persons were being appointed to the committees. Councillor B. Vrbanovic added that it is important that the committees reflect the community with a healthy mix of skills and experiences to meet the challenges over the next few years and this was especially true with respect to the KPL. A motion by Councillor J. Gazzola, seconded by Councillor C. Weylie, to appoint the 10 applicants to the Arts & Culture Advisory Committee and to advertisement for the one vacancy was voted on by recorded vote and Lost with Councillors Gazzola and Weylie voting in favour and Mayor Zehr and Councillors Smola, Galloway and Vrbanovic in opposition. SPECIAL COUNCIL MINUTES DECEMBER 1$, 2006 - 346 - CITY OF KITCHENER A motion by Councillor J. Gazzola to waive the requirements for notice under the Procedural By-law in order to introduce a Motion of Reconsideration failed to obtain a seconder. Moved by Councillor B. Vrbanovic Seconded by Councillor K. Galloway "That the appointments to the Kitchener Public Library Board, Arts & Culture Advisory Committee, Downtown Advisory Committee and Heritage Kitchener be deferred to a special meeting of Council on January 15, 2007; and further, That staff be directed to advertise for the Committees and Board in The Record and to investigate the possibility of utilizing radio advertisement in order to solicit applications." A recorded vote was requested. In Favour: Mayor C. Zehr and Councillors J. Smola, B. Vrbanovic, C. Weylie and K. Galloway. Contra: Councillor J. Gazzola Motion Carried. Councillor C. Weylie advised that a member of the previous Economic Development Advisory Committee, Mr. Bob Denton, did not understand that he had to re-apply for the Committee yet is very interested in sitting for another term. Councillor Weylie further advised that Mr. Denton played a pivotal role on the Committee and she would like to have him re-appointed when Council considers the other vacancies. Councillor J. Gazzola raised a concern regarding Items 1 and 2 on the in-camera agenda questioning why these two matters were being discussed in-camera. Mayor C. Zehr responded that one matter dealt with a litigation matter and the other dealt with a confidential contract negotiation involving the solicitor; both matters were authorized under the Municipal Code and the Procedural By-law. This meeting adjourned at 5:27 p.m. MAYOR CLERK