HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAO-08-027 - 2008 Review of Advisory Committees Final Recommendations^ ^, ^
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Report To: Finance and Corporate Services Committee
Date of Meeting: September 8, 2008
Submitted By: Shelley Adams, Director of Community & Corporate Planning
Prepared By: Shelley Adams
Wards) Involved: All
Date of Report: August 26, 2008
Report No.: CAO-08-027
Subject: 2008 Review of Advisory Committees Final
Recommendations
RECOMMENDATION:
That the recommendations contained in Chief Administrator's Office report, CAO-08-021 (2008
Review of Advisory Committees), tabled for discussion on June 23, 2008, be adopted as
amended by replacing paragraphs 1 and 2 with the following:
`That Policy I-60 (Advisory Committees) be amended as follows:
• Compass Kitchener and the Cycling Advisory Committee be added as
Advisory Committees of Council;
• The Co-Chair system be replaced with a Chair and Vice-Chair system where
a member of Council sits as Vice-Chair; and,
That Policy I-63 (Appointments to Boards and Committees) be replaced with the revised
draft policy attached to Chief Administrator's Office report CAO-08-027'.
REPORT:
CAO-08-021, 2008 Review of Advisory Committees was tabled with Council for their
consideration at their June 23, 2008 meeting. This, in fulfillment of the City's Plan fora Healthy
Kitchener (2007-2027) recommendation:
"That the City review its advisory committees to ensure that committee structures and
mandates are clear, that there is member representation from across sectors, and that
future direction is tied to broad healthy community priorities".
At the request of Council, following the 2006-2007 committee appointment process, the working
group added a review of "recruitment, nomination and appointment processes" to its terms of
reference.
The report confirmed the value of public participation in decision-making through advisory
committees, and made both policy and administrative recommendations. At its June 23, 2008
meeting, in discussion regarding the findings, Council recognized the breadth of the work, as
well as expressing general agreement with proposed changes to Advisory Committees.
However, points for further consideration regarding proposed changes were raised and
included; scope of authority for the nominating committee, the Chair and Vice-Chair model and
the suggested 4 year appointment term.
Over the summer recess, the Chair of Advisory Review Committee (ARC) and staff met with the
Mayor and Councillors to discuss the report content, in general, and to consider the areas
where major changes were proposed to policy and procedure. Based on that input, the
Advisory Review Committee proposes the following changes to their original recommendations:
The Nominating Committee will provide a list of screened, eligible nominees for
Council's consideration in appointment to Advisory Committees. Council will
consider the full pool of eligible volunteers and choose a slate for appointment to
committees.
Advisory Committees will adopt a Chair and Vice-Chair model where a member of
City Council sits as Vice-Chair. Vice Chairs will chair advisory committee meetings
only in the absence of the citizen Chair.
Appointment to Advisory Committees will be for a term of 2 years, unless
otherwise indicated by legislation. The length of commitment expected in a 4 year
appointment may be a deterrent to citizen volunteers. In addition, allows for greater
participation by the public and supports Committees in addressing member issues in a
timely fashion.
All other recommendations in CAO-08-021 stand as originally proposed for Council's
consideration.
In addition, discussion with the Mayor and Council raised two substantial points for
consideration and action in the future. First, the importance of youth engagement in and
participation at the advisory committee level; staff are requested - to the greatest extent
possible and in keeping with committee terms of reference - to ensure committee recruitment,
nomination and appointment processes underscore this priority. Secondly, Council suggested
that the role of advisory committees in granting processes be reviewed and clarified to ensure
equity and consistency in access to funding. This has been referred to the Community
Investment Strategy (CSD) for consideration through that initiative.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Unknown at this time. There may be increased resources required to support the proposed
nominating committee and to develop, distribute and provide orientation to the recommended
comprehensive Advisory Committee Policy and Governance Manuals, the extent of which will
be determined through implementation planning.
COMMUNICATIONS:
To fulfill the commitment made during the consultation phase, all interview and focus group
participants will receive a copy of this report. Advisory Review Committee members sit at each
of the current committees and are available to respond to questions of clarification at regular
meetings. Community and Corporate Planning staff is also available to speak with committees
and others at their request.
Shelley Adams, Director Theron Kramer, Chair
Community and Corporate Planning Advisory Review Committee
COUNCIL POLICY RESOLUTION
POLICY NUMBER: I-63 DATE: September 8, 2008
POLICY TYPE: BOARD & COMMITTEE
SUBJECT: APPOINTMENT TO BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
POLICY CONTENT:
1. Appointments
1.1 Council may appoint members of the public to boards and committees
whether the board or committee was established by Council or another
agency with a request that Council make an appointment.
1.2 A special meeting of Council shall be held annually or when required to
consider applications for appointments to boards and committees.
2. Eliaibility Reauirement
Except for boards and committees whose eligibility requirements are legislatively
controlled or set by Policy, lay members appointed to boards and committees must
either reside, work. or own property in the City of Kitchener to be eligible for
appointment. Staff....... shall, to the best of their ability, make this determination and
where one of the above cannot be substantiated, advise Council through the
appointment meeting notice....... or addendum.
If during the term of the appointment a member of a board or committee no longer
meets the eligibility requirement referenced herein, they are required to advise the
City Clerk in writing.. of the change prior to the date Council next meets to make
annual appointments, on which date that member's term will expire, if the member
has not resigned in the intervening period.
3. Length of Service
3.1 An individual may only be appointed to the same committee for a maximum
of 8 consecutive years.
3.2 Any appointment to fill an unexpired term shall not be considered as part of
the calculation with respect to the maximum term.
KITCHENER Page 1 oft SEPTEMBER 2008
POLICY NUMBER: I-63
SUBJECT: APPOINTMENT TO BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
3.3 Any individual will be eligible for re-appointment to the same board or
committee only if a minimum period of 2 years has elapsed between the
completion of a 8-year maximum term and the commencement of the new
term.
3.4 Applicants are to be appointed to only one committee at any one time.
4. Boards
4.1 Where a Board has established a Nominating Committee they will forward
their nominations for Board vacancies to Council by the required date set by
staff.
Council will consider the nominations and decide whether to accept or refer
the nominations back to the Board's Nominating Committee.
4.2 Where a Board has not established a Nominating Committee, staff will
advertise for applications, setting deadlines for submission and present the
applications for Council's consideration.
5. Advisorv Committees
5.1 A Nominating Committee ........will be appointed by Council comprised of five
community members and one City staff person. The Committee will be
chaired by one of the citizen appointees. Staff does not have voting
privileges but are there in a facilitative and resource role.
Note: For the purposes of implementing this policy, Council will appoint a
Nominating Committee to came into effect September 2008 to serve for the
remainder of the current term of Council.
5.2 Citizen members of the Nominating Committee will not currently sit on any of
the City's Advisory Committees and will not have sat for at least one year.
5.3 The Nominating Committee shall convene, at the call of the Chair, to fill
Advisory Committee vacancies as they occur.
5.4 That following an accessible and inclusive recruitment and application
process, the Nominating Committee will assess applicants to Advisory
Committees on the basis of expertise /interest and in light of each
committee's Terms of Reference and present Council with a list of qualified
candidates for each committee.
5.5 Council will consider the eligible candidates and decide upon a slate of
nominees for appointment to each committee for a term of 2 years with
eligibility for re-appointment for a maximum of three additional terms.
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