2015-05-04_Minutes--Procès-verbal2015 -1
Committee of the Whole Meeting
May 4, 2015
Minutes of the Portion of the Committee of the Whole Meeting Open Session
Monday, May 4, 2015 at 4:30 p.m.
8th Floor Ludlow Room, City Hall
Present: Mayor Norton
Deputy Mayor Rinehart and Councillors Farren, Fullerton, MacKenzie, McAlary,
Merrithew, Norton, Reardon and Strowbridge
Regrets: Councillor Lowe
-and —
P. Woods, City Manager J. Hamilton, Commissioner of Growth and Community
Development; G. Yeomans, Commissioner of Finance; J. Nugent, City Solicitor; P.
Ouellette, Executive Director; J.Taylor, Common Clerk; P. Anglin, Deputy Common Clerk
1. Meeting Called To Order
The Mayor called the Committee of the Whole Meeting Open to the Public Session to order
1. Approval of Agenda
On motion of Councillor MacKenzie
Seconded by Councillor McAlary
RESOLVED that the agenda for May 4th, 2015 items 1.1
Governance Workshop on ABCs; 1.2 Actionable Resolutions Update; 1.3, Financial Matter
10.2(4)(c) Update on Museum; 1.4, Legal Matter 10.2(4)(f) Saint John Transit Commission; 1.5,
Employment Matter 10.2(4)0) City Manager Recruitment be approved.
Question being taken, the motion was carried.
(D. Wilson, Governance Presenter, entered the meeting)
1.1 Governance Workshop on ABCs - Committee of the Whole — Open Session
Mr. Wilson discussed the roles of Council, City Manager and the City's Agencies, Boards, and
Commissions. Mr. Wilson advocated that Council should:
Set Targets for ABCs: If Council set targets, for example, to conduct a user satisfaction survey,
to operate within budget, etc., Boards have a purpose and action items to discuss the status of
when they meet.
Establish Rigorous Reporting timeframes: If Council sets rigorous reporting timeframes,
ABCs are kept accountable and problems are observed early to allow time to correct.
Formal Annual Report: The Formal Annual Report provides transparency in the operations of
ABCs.
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May 4, 2015
Councillors as Ex Officio Members on ABCs: Regarding Councillor's roles on ABCs, as ex
officio members, this is not required. Council should select the best members to the ABCs and
have the Boards report to the whole of Council.
Code of Conduct / Ethics: Council should provide ABCs a universal Code of Conduct.
Collaboration: Council's workload to establish "what" ABCs should be doing is best achieved
through a facilitator meeting with Council and the ABCs. Council's targets should be agreed with
in collaboration with the ABCs.
Position Description: Council must ensure members know what their roles are, the time
commitment involved in the position, the qualifications required. Council should approve the
position description for the Chair and members. Provides Orientation for New Board Members.
Selection of Members: Ask the Board for names of who they think would be good members.
In summary, Council approves Goals and Objectives: Goals and Objectives hold ABCs
responsible for performance results, through accounting and the selection and rotation of Board
members.
Practical landscape Collaboration with ABC
The City Manager commented on action items to take away from the presentation:
• Create a Code of Conduct
• Hold a collaboration / facilitated session with ABCs
• Create Position Descriptions for ABCs
• Establish meeting frequency / compensation for ABCs
• Establish accounting / reporting metrics
Mr. Wilson commented that when targets are set, Council displays what the goals are and the
ABCs and staff focus on meeting these targets. If targets are not met and no improvement is
shown, Council will need to tell the ABCs their dissatisfaction.
Legal Landscape
The City Solicitor advised Council on the overarching legislative objectives of the Police are
established by the Police Commission. Council has authority under the Municipalities Act to
create ABCs. However, other ABCs are created by separate legislation, outside the
Municipalities Act, such as the Board of Police Commissioners.
The goal in summary, either Boards approve Council's Strategic Plan or ABCs submit a
strategic plan to Council that Council agrees with.
ABCs membership
Mr. Wilson suggested that Council should broaden the net, select the best candidates in the
region, not just the people living in the City of Saint John.
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Members Interviews
Mr. Wilson advised that Council should take time to review applications and may interview
candidates. Council may need staff administrative assistance to review candidates.
Replace ABCs with City Staff
Mr. Wilson advised against replacing ABCs with city staff urging Council to try a better
governance model.
On motion of Councillor Merrithew
Seconded by Councillor McAlary
RESOLVED that the report entitled, Governance Workshop Council's
Relationship with ABCs, prepared by Daryl Wilson, FCPA, be received for information.
Question being taken, the motion was carried.
On motion of Deputy Mayor Rinehart
Seconded by Councillor McAlary
RESOLVED that the City Manager be directed to follow up on the
principles suggested and develop an ABC accountability framework consistent with other
Council directives and to report back to Council by the end of May.
Question being taken, the motion was carried.
(Mr. Wilson and the public withdrew from the meeting)
On motion of Councillor McAlary
Seconded by Councillor Reardon
RESOLVED that the Committee of the Whole Open to Public
session of May 4th, 2015 be convened in Closed Session.
Question being taken the motion was carried
2. Discussion of Confidential Matters
On motion of Councillor MacKenzie
Seconded by Councillor McAlary
RESOLVED that the public be excluded from the meeting for the duration
for discussion of the following matters: 1.2 Actionable Resolutions Update; 1.3 Financial Matter
10.2(4)(c) - Update on Museum; 1.4 Legal Matter 10.2(4)(f) - Saint John Transit; 1.5
Employment Matter 10.2(4)0) - City Manager Recruitment.
Question being taken, the motion was carried
Common Clerk