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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAO-09-040 - Compass Kitchener - Terms of Reference1 ~~ REPORT TO: Mayor and Council DATE OF MEETING: August 24, 2009 SUBMITTED BY: Shelley Adams, Director, Community and Corporate Planning EXT. 2476 PREPARED BY: Shelley Adams, Director, Community and Corporate Planning EXT. 2476 WARD(S) INVOLVED: All DATE OF REPORT: July 27, 2009 REPORT NO.: CAO-09-040 SUBJECT: POLICY I-77 (COMPASS KITCHENER -TERMS OF REFERENCE) RECOMMENDATION: That Council Policy I-77 (Compass Kitchener -Terms of Reference) be repealed and replaced with the revised Policy I-77 attached to the Council Report CAO-09-040 and dated August 24, 2009. BACKGROUND: In October 2006 Council received and adopted "A Plan for a Healthy Kitchener, 2007-2027" (P4HK) as the community's vision for the next twenty years. P4HK provides a unified strategic approach in key areas -quality of life, leadership and community engagement, diversity, downtown, development and the environment -each essential to the health and well-being of the City and, hence, to the citizen's and the communities of which they are a part. Compass Kitchener, with the full support of Council and in view of the importance of citizen participation in decision-making at the municipal level, spearheaded a review of City Advisory Committees as recommended in P4HK. The initiative looked specifically at the following: the alignment of Advisory Committee activities with the community's articulated priorities, the recruitment and appointment processes, advisory committee mandates and terms of reference, representativeness in terms of the community's make-up and diversity, terms of appointment, and other pertinent issues. The review was completed over the period of November 2007 to June 2008. In Fall 2008, Council approved CAO-08-021 and CAO-08-027, including recommendations that each advisory committee review its terms of reference to ensure clarity and relevance of mandate and submit recommendations to Council for ratification prior to the end of June, 2010. 5-1 REPORT Compass Kitchener undertook a review of its Terms of Reference over the course of 3 of its Spring 2009 meetings. Policy I-77, COMPASS KITCHENER -TERMS OF REFERENCE attached to this report (dated August 24, 2009) represents a revised policy based on this review. The committee confirmed its exisiting terms of reference, with minor changes to reflect corporate structures, organization and mandates, as well as it's "new" responsibilities in bringing advisory committees of Council together on a regular basis. The attached draft reflects these changes, as follows: • Purpose and Scope has been expanded to reflect Compass Kitchener's role in ensuring that the community's priorities are substantively linked the City of Kitchener's Strategic Plan. • Objectives now include the requisite for Compass Kitchener to bring all Advisory Committees of Council together on a regular basis to share information and identify opportunities for collaboration. • Composition, Reporting and Decision Making now reflects current staffing allocated to this committee and formally re-invites the attendance of the Director, Community Programs and Services to the table, given the relevance and importance of that position's oversight to the work of Compass Kitchener (e.g., community engagement, access, equity and inclusion, and so on). In addition, term of appointment has been amended to 2 years (from 3) to coincide with the political term of office. And the Committee's preference to make decisions through consensus has been noted. And, • Responsibilities now include an annual workplan for Council consideration and approval, the Annual Report Card to Council and the community, and ongoing facilitation of cross- advisory committee communication and collaboration. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: None CONCLUSION: Through the process of its review, Compass Kitchener confirms its role and responsibilities in validating, on a regular basis, the citizen's vision for their community and their priorities for strategic focus as a means of attaining that vision. The committee supports -unequivocally - their role in engaging the community, including advisory committees of Council, in dialogue and decision-making, regarding the means and methods of achieving the community's dream for a thriving Kitchener, now and into the future!. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Shelley Adams, Director Community and Corporate Planning 5-2 POLICY NUMBER: I-77 DATE: MARCH 31, 2003 AMENDED: DECEMBER 4, 2006 AMENDED: AUGUST 24, 2009 POLICY TYPE: BOARD & COMMITTEE SUBJECT: COMPASS KITCHENER -TERMS OF REFERENCE pni irv rnniT~niT~ 1. Purpose and Scope Compass Kitchener validates the Compass Kitchener Vision (2000), Guiding Principles, Values, and Strategic Priorities on a regular basis, with the community's input and participation. This Committee creates and leads public processes to determine community concerns, to identify priorities for action, and to monitor progress toward achieving the community vision. The community priorities comprise an integral component of the City of Kitchener Strategic Plan. 2. Goals (a) To identify critical strategic issues and goals in, and with, the community. (b) To evaluate and recommend strategic priorities. (c) To monitor and evaluate progress against strategic goals. (d) To report on progress made toward achieving strategic goals to Council and the community. 3. Objectives (a) To create and lead public engagement processes. (b) To set performance measures. (c) To establish a reporting tool(s). (d) To monitor progress on implementing changes. (e) To bring Advisory Committees of Council together on a regular basis to share information and identify opportunities for collaboration. 4. Committee Composition, Reporting and Decision Making (a) The Compass Kitchener Committee will be composed of no less than 8 and no more than 12 community members, supported by City of 5-3 SUBJECT: COMPASS KITCHENER -TERMS OF REFERENCE Kitchener staff, and will seek to have diverse representation reflective of the current community context and the City's demographic make-up as follows: (i) All Council (Ex Officio) (ii) 8-12 community members representing various interest sectors including healthy community sectors (environmental, economic, and social), and population segments (eg., youth, racialized groups, etc). (iii) Chief Administrative Officer (ex officio) (iv) Director, Community and Corporate Planning (v) Director, Community Programs and Services (vi) Corporate Project Assistant, Chief Administrator's Office (b) Normally, appointments will be made through Council's annual appointment meeting in November of each year. (c) Members will serve for a period of 2 years, up to a maximum of 6. (d) The Committee shall annually choose a Chair and Vice-Chair. (e) Meetings will be held monthly or at the call of the Chair. (f) The Committee shall report directly to Council. (g) The Committee strives to make decisions through consensus. If consensus can not be reached, the decision will be made by vote and a simple majority is required. 5. Responsibilities Compass Kitchener will be responsible for: (a) Designing and implementing public engagement processes to validate the community's vision and major strategic priorities and determine critical community issues prior to each municipal election. (b) Reporting to Council on critical community issues to assist in the establishment annual updating of Council's four year strategic business plans. (c) Developing performance measures reflective of the community's goals and monitoring the City's performance against goals as included in the Strategic Plan for the City of Kitchener. KITCHENER Page 2 of 2 JUNE 2009 5-4 POLICY NUMBER: I-77 POLICY TYPE: BOARD & COMMITTEE SUBJECT: COMPASS KITCHENER -TERMS OF REFERENCE (d) Reporting on performance to Council and the Community on an annual (Report Card) and term-by-term basis. (e) Ensuring communication and collaboration amoung Advisory Committees of Council by convening two yearly meetings, one for Chairs and Vice Chairs and the second for all Committees' full membership. (f) Developing a yearly workplan and submitting it to Council for feedback. KITCHENER Page 3 of 2 JUNE 2009 5-5