A city committee’s actions, which some councillors perceived as questionable, are prompting a bylaw review.
Councillors Andy Adams and Claire Moglove were concerned about sub-committees the city’s Community Services, Recreation and Culture Commission had formed.
The two councillors came upon the commission’s actions while reading the minutes from the group’s last meeting.
“In looking at the minutes I see that this commission has set up two task forces and I’m just bringing into question that the commissions, I believe, were set up under the understanding that we were to engage members of the public and appointees to the committee,” said Coun. Andy Adams during the Dec. 3 council meeting. “And when I see a task force made up of two councillors and only one member of the commission I question as to whether that balance is (prospective) of what the guiding principles of the commission are.”
Coun. Claire Moglove also thought having such slight public representation defeated the purpose of the commission.
“I think that in setting up the commission, the main purpose is to get a broader view of the community on various community issues,” Moglove said. “So while I do agree with the idea of forming sub-committees on particular issues I do question the appointment of a three-person sub-committee, two of whom are councillors.”
Moglove said she thought the bylaw which governs the city’s commissions should go back to the city’s governance select committee for a second look to see if tweaks are necessary.
But Coun. Ron Kerr, chair of the Community Services, Recreation and Culture Commission, said the councillors misunderstood what happened at the commission’s meeting.
“The initial one, with the seniors charter, is neither a task force or a sub-committee it was basically a working committee that was forwarding this back to the meeting just so we could have a quick discussion,” Kerr said. “The other one, it was not a task force by any means…and it was just a starting point for discussion.”
Moglove was satisfied with Kerr’s explanation but recommended the commission’s bylaw be reviewed anyways.
“It’s not just the issue of the sub-committee, I think that the commissions have been in existence for nearly a year and I think both commissions have had some input as to what’s worked well and what’s not worked well,” said Moglove who added that “some of the paragraphs (of the bylaw) are confusing at best.”
Council agreed and voted in favour of having the bylaw reviewed by the governance committee.
