Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee
Comité des services organisationnels et du
développement économique
and Council/et au Conseil
27 June 2002/le 27 juin 2002
Submitted by/Soumis par: Kent Kirkpatrick, General
Manager/Directeur général Corporate Services Department/Services généraux
Contact/Personne-ressource: Pierre Pagé, Director of Secretariat
Services/City Clerk /
Directeur de Services de secrétariat/Greffier 580-2424, ext. 22408
Pierre.Page@ottawa.ca
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Ref N°ACS2002-CRS-SEC-0061 |
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SUBJECT: |
ANNUAL REVIEW OF ADVISORY COMMITTEES - STRUCTURE,
POLICIES AND PROCESS |
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OBJET : |
EXAMEN ANNUEL DES COMITÉS
CONSULTATIFS - STRUCTURE, POLITIQUES ET DÉMARCHE |
REPORT
RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Corporate Services and
Economic Development Committee recommend Council approve:
1. The
revised Role of Advisory Committees, Lead Department Staff,
Councillor-liaisons, and Committee Coordinators as outlined in the report;
2. The
revised Participation Expense Policy for Advisory Committee members;
3. The
revised Appointments Policy for Advisory Committees, Boards, and Authorities;
4. The
Advisory Committee Workplan Guidelines and Workplan Funding Criteria;
5. The
amalgamation of the Cycling and Mobility Issues Advisory Committees, and the
Ottawa Forests and Environmental Advisory Committees, effective December 31,
2003, with development of the new structure and terms of reference as well as
the viability of the newly merged committees be presented by the committees to
Council by September 2003;
6. That
a review of Terms of Reference of every Advisory Committee, including size and
structure, and potential for merging committees with similar and compatible
mandates, be conducted to determine continued relevancy and appropriateness at
the end of every term of Council.
RECOMMANDATIONS
DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité des services organisationnels et du développement économique
recommande le Conseil approuvent :
1. le rôle révisé des
comités consultatifs, du personnel du Service responsable, des agents de
liaison avec les conseillers et des coordonnateurs des comités, ainsi qu’il est
décrit dans le rapport ;
2. la politique révisée
sur les frais de participation des membres des comités consultatifs ;
3. la politique révisée
de nomination des membres des comités consultatifs, commissions et offices ;
4. les lignes directrices
sur les plans de travail des comités consultatifs et les critères de
financement des plans de travail ;
5. le regroupement des
comités consultatifs sur le cyclisme et sur les questions de mobilité et des
comités consultatifs sur les forêts d’Ottawa et sur l’environnement prendra effet le 31 décembre 2003 avec l’élaboration
de la nouvelle structure et du nouveau mandat ainsi que la viabilité des
nouveaux comités fusionnés soit présenté par les comités au Conseil d’ici à
septembre 2003 ;
6. que l’on procède, à la
fin de chaque mandat du Conseil, à l’examen des attributions de chaque comité
consultatif, y compris leur taille et leur structure, ainsi que de la possibilité
de fusionner les comités ayant des mandats analogues et compatibles, afin de
déterminer s’ils demeurent pertinents et appropriés.
DISCUSSION OR ANALYSIS
At the 28 March 2001 meeting of City Council, 16 Advisory Committees were created, and the structure and associated policies for those Committees was adopted. Subsequent to this meeting, an additional 2 advisory committees and 2 task forces were created.
One of the motions passed by City Council directed the City Clerk to return to Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee with a review of the financial support and structure of advisory committees after a one-year period.
In conducting the analysis and review of the Advisory Committees, the
following issues were identified as requiring clarification or improvement:
1.
Role of Advisory Committees
2.
Role of Committee Coordinators
3.
Role of Lead Department Representative
4.
Role of Councillor-liaisons
5.
Participation Expense Policy
6.
Appointments Policy
7.
Workplan Funding Criteria
8.
Workplan Guidelines for development of workplans and annual reports
9.
Amalgamation of Committees with similar/compatible mandates
Two meetings of Advisory Committee Chairs and Vice Chairs were held in the last year – the first in November 2001, and the second in April 2002, where issues of common concern and mandate were discussed. A number of the recommendations made in the report reflect an attempt to resolve some of the “growing pains” identified at these forums.
In addition, a meeting of Advisory Committee Chairs and Vice Chairs was
also held on 25 June 2002 to review the direction and focus of the
recommendations outlined in this report, and much of the feedback of members
has been incorporated in the recommendations.
ROLE OF ADVISORY COMMITTEES
In the first year of creation there has been a significant amount of
discussion surrounding the role of Advisory Committees, and their place in the
local government hierarchy. The
following table clearly identifies the intended role of Advisory Committees,
and their relationship to City Council, staff and the community.
|
Committee Role |
Details |
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Provide advice to Council |
Advisory Committees were created to provide advice to City Council on
their mandated area of responsibility.
This is done by making recommendations on specific issues to standing
committees, and then Council. The
advice can be provided on issues the Committee has identified as requiring
action or response, as an input mechanism to issues sent by Council and
standing committees, or to staff when an issue is placed on an agenda for
comment and consultation. |
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Relationship with City staff |
Advisory Committee members are volunteers appointed by Council to
provide input to Council on their mandated area of responsibility. They do not direct the work of staff, without
the approval of Council. Staff
identify issues they are working on that fall within the mandate of the
Committee and bring these items to the Committee for input, prior to review
by standing committee and Council.
Should the Committee recommend a new work program or direction for
staff, Council must approve this.
Staff provide technical advice and answer questions and inquiries
raised by the Committee. |
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Community involvement and public participation |
Advisory Committees serve as a forum for community involvement and
public consultation in their respective mandated area of responsibility. This means that in consultation with the
Committee Chair, members of the public can place items on the agenda for the
Committee’s review, action or input, that the Committee is tasked with
involving the public in their consultations, and identifying issues and
trends within their respective communities that will enhance the advice they
provide to Council. |
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Provide expertise and input |
Committee members are appointed from a wide range of perspectives,
background and experience to enhance the advice they provide to Council, and
to ensure the Committee reflects a balanced view. All members of the Committees are volunteers who bring expertise
to the table in the Committees’ mandated area of responsibility, and enrich
the public consultation process, and the expertise provided to Council on a
variety of issues. Committee members
are appointed to provide advice to Council, and not the advice of consultants
or researchers. |
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Represent the views of the City versus individual views |
Committee members are appointed by Council, to serve on a Committee
of Council, and therefore when they speak as Committee members they are
speaking on behalf of the City, rather than representing their individual
views. Members should note that if a
recommendation has been made by an Advisory Committee, they should speak to
the recommendation from the perspective of the Committee, and not represent
their individual or personal views. |
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There must be a clear and current reason for creating an advisory
committee or task force. It must add
value to the decisions made by Council or to the services delivered by the
administration. The Committee must be City-wide, cross-departmental and address
issues of substance. It must be
structured to meet Council’s timeframes for information or advice so as not to
delay Council’s rendering of a decision.
ROLE OF THE COMMITTEE COORDINATOR
In keeping with the corporate philosophy and practice of centres of
expertise, all Advisory Committees to Council are staffed and operated out of
the Secretariat Services Branch, with dedicated Committee Coordinators. As noted above, a review of best practices
has consistently shown that those municipalities with the most effective
advisory committees are serviced internally through the City Clerk’s office,
where staff support the Committee and act as a liaison and link to other City
Departments, Council and its Committees.
The Committee
Coordinator is responsible to:
1. Coordinate all aspects of formal committee meetings
2. Attend all formal Advisory Committee meetings
3. Provide procedural advice
4. Prepare the official minutes of the formal meetings
5. Assist the Committee Chair in determining the best method for
proceeding with committee recommendations
6. Ensure other departments tap the advice and expertise of the
committee
7. Act as liaison between the committee and other advisory groups
8. Provide a status report on standing committee/council action on
approved committee recommendations
9. Monitor the Committee budget
10. Implement the Participation Expense Policy for members
11. Coordinate the recruitment and appointments process for the
individual committee
12. Assist the Committee in drafting wording in motions
The Committee Coordinator is not
responsible for:
1.
Coordinating or attending any meetings other than formal committee
meetings (including sub-committee meetings).
Assistance is limited to booking of rooms.
2.
Writing or researching the reports and issues identified in the
workplan by the Committee. This is the
role of the volunteer committee members, with input and/or assistance from the
Coordinator or lead department staff, where appropriate.
As noted in the following section, a lead department will be assigned
to each committee, and one staff resource from that department will attend all
meetings of the Committee. The
Committee Coordinator will arrange for staff resources from other departments
to attend, as required, depending on the agenda items under consideration.
ROLE OF THE LEAD DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVE
A lead department
will be assigned to each Advisory Committee with the department assigning a
representative of a level sufficient to speak on behalf of the department on
issues before the committee.
The role of the lead
department representative is to:
1. Attend formal Advisory Committee meetings
2. Provide technical information related to the committee mandate
3. Inform the committee of annual priorities and workplan of the lead
department
4. Provide budget related information relevant to departmental
priorities in the preparation of the Committee workplan
5. Provide a status report on departmental action on Council-approved
committee recommendations
6. Provide professional advice
The
role of the lead department
representative does not involve:
1. Acting
as a voting member of the Committee
2. Providing
personal or unsolicited opinions to the Committee
3. Leading
or guiding the discussion of the Committee in any way
4. Making
suggestions on motions to be moved or recommendations that should be made by
the Committee
5. Commenting
on the activities of the Committee, other City departments or of City Council
ROLE OF
THE COUNCILLOR-LIAISON
The role of the Councillor Liaison is to establish and create a
link between City Council and the Advisory Committee.
The Councillor-liaison:
1. Attends formal meetings of the Committee, where possible, or sends
a staff person on his/her behalf
2. Acts as a contact for the Committee on City Council
3. Provides advice to the Committee on issues within their mandate,
where possible
4. Is not required to speak on behalf of the Committee or its
recommendations
5. Is not required to represent the views of the Committee or act as
its advocate at Council
PARTICIPATION
EXPENSE POLICY
When City Council created the original 16 Advisory Committees in
March 2001, a Participation Expense Policy was approved, with the intent of
ensuring that voting members of Advisory Committees were not out-of-pocket for
providing their volunteer advice to City Council. Since that time, there have been a number of anomalies in what qualifies
as an expense and what does not, that require clarification.
Attachment 1 to the report outlines reimbursable expenses and
should serve to clarify the policy.
Changes from the previous policy include:
1. Definition of what is an eligible expense
2. An additional category for reimbursable expenses including
childcare for children with exceptional needs and dependant care
3. A definition of what type of meeting is eligible for reimbursement
of expenses
4. The provision that the policy applies to voting members or
official representatives of the committee only, not reserve members or members
of the public who have volunteered their time or services to a specific project
It should be clearly noted that the Participation Expense Policy
applies only to City of Ottawa Advisory Committees, or bodies which serve in
the same function, manner and relationship to City of Ottawa Advisory
Committees, and not to external and autonomous boards, to which City Council
appoints citizen members. It should
also be noted that staff will apply flexibility when applying the Policy to
Chairs of Committees to reflect the significant time commitment and additional
duties they provide on behalf of the Committee.
APPOINTMENTS
POLICY FOR COMMITTEES, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
The
attached Appointment Policy for Committees, Boards and Commissions was approved
in March 2001, with the original report on the structure for Advisory
Committees. Since that time, a number
of issues have arisen which require clarification, particularly those relating
to the composition and function of the Selection Panel. The recommended changes are outlined
and highlighted in Attachment 2, where
the complete and revised policy is provided for approval.
WORKPLAN GUIDELINES
AND WORKPLAN FUNDING CRITERIA
Upon
the creation of the Advisory Committees in March 2001, it was determined that
an effective Committee is an accountable Committee, and annual requirements for
workplans and annual reports were implemented.
Unfortunately, with newly created Committees in 2001, it was a challenge
for the Committees to envision the potential scope and workload their
respective workplans would undertake.
As such, there was confusion and frustration in the development of the
2001 workplans. As the first year draws
to a close, many Committees are more familiar with their mandate and role, and
the 2002 budget process provided a number of broad guidelines to be applied to
the future development of workplans.
The
funding criteria and additional guidelines are outlined in the chart below for
approval by Council, and should form the basis for a sound approach to workplan
development in the future.
|
Guideline |
Details |
Timing |
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Workplan deadline |
All advisory committees are required to complete a
workplan to be approved by standing committee and Council outlining their
proposed projects and activities for the coming year. |
The report should be approved by the Advisory Committee in
August/September of each year, and by the standing committee in
September/October of the same year, in order to be approved as part of the
budget process for the following year. |
|
Workplan format |
The workplan should identify each and every activity the
Committee plans to undertake in the upcoming year, whether they have a
budgetary impact or not. The item
should be identified, a brief description of the project or activity should
be noted, and the anticipated timing of the item should be provided. The Committee Coordinator, Lead Department
Representative and Financial Services will assist in determining the estimated
budget associated with each activity. |
Committees should commence work on their workplans in
early summer, and have them complete by September each year. |
|
Role of lead department in workplan development |
The Lead Department Representative will provide the
Committee with information on the departmental workplan and priorities, where
the workplan of the Committees’ tie into that workplan, and where the
Committee can assist with that workplan.
The Lead Department Representative will also advise on what staff
and/or financial resources are available as part of departmental priorities. |
The lead department representative will be able to provide
information on departmental workplan priorities and budget process. |
|
Workplan funding criteria |
As previously approved by City Council on 27 March 2002,
there are a number of activities and/or projects, which are ineligible for
funding in Advisory Committee workplans. They include: 1.
Hiring of consultants 2.
Travel requests for committee members 3.
Requests for attendance at conferences
by committee members 4.
Cash advances for committee members 5.
Requests for provision of meals for
committee members 6.
Requests to hire additional staff to
support the Committee’s work On a case by case basis, attendance at conferences may be
approved if the conference is directly related to the mandate and
responsibilities of the Committee.
Approval of the specific request will be reviewed by Secretariat
Services management. |
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Workplan funding for projects |
City Council has approved an annual allocation of $150,000
to be divided among eligible advisory
committees for their annual workplan projects and activities. The funds are allocated by the standing
committee to whom the advisory committee reports at the time of workplan
review and approval, and is then forwarded to Council for ratification. Should Advisory Committees be amalgamated,
this amount will be distributed among the remaining committees eligible for
workplan funding. |
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AMALGAMATION OF
COMMITTEES WITH SIMILAR MANDATES
In
the original report creating Advisory Committees, 16 advisory committees were
created, with an operating budget for 11 committees. Subsequent to this, an additional 2 advisory committees and 3
task forces were created. The 2002
budget reflected an increase in operating expenses required to provide support
and service to these committees.
Inherent
in the initial creation of the committees was the requirement for an annual
review of the operations and structure of Advisory Committees. It has been determined that there are some
Committees which have a similar and compatible mandate, and which consideration
should be given to amalgamating.
It
is proposed that amalgamation of the committees be effective for December 31,
2003, and that the Committees be tasked with working together to develop a new
structure and terms of reference to be presented to Council in September
2003. Effective 2004, the Committee
membership should reflect a more manageable number of members to be determined
by the Committee, but not more than the 17 members some committees presently
have. In addition, the members who
shall continue to serve through 2003 shall be tasked with the development of
the new Terms of Reference to reflect the combined mandates of the new
Committees.
The
first proposal for amalgamation includes the Ottawa Forests and Environmental
Advisory Committee. There are extremely
similar mandates for these Committees, and many members offer expertise in
similar areas. In addition,
subcommittees can be created to address specific issues. Committee members have been consulted and
have provided input. The Ottawa Forests
Advisory Committee The Ottawa Forests Advisory Committee is not in favour of
amalgamation, and has expressed concerns with specific mandate, too large a
workload, and that they have been in operation for less than a year. Environmental Advisory Committee members
have provided both very supportive comments for amalgamation, as well as
expressed some concerns about the level of workload if the committees are
combined.
The second proposal for amalgamation,
following the process set out above, are the Mobility Issues and Cycling
Advisory Committees. As the Mobility
Issues Advisory Committee has a mandate for all other modes of transportation,
with the exception of cycling, the combined mandate is appropriate and
effective. In addition, separate
motions to further divide the mandate of the Mobility Issues Advisory Committee
into Transit and Pedestrian Committees were defeated upon the creation of the
committees one year ago. The Chairs and
Vice Chairs of both of these Committees have been consulted and have provided
input. Initial reaction is that the
mandates and responsibilities are large and varied and that the workload may be
excessive.
TERMS OF REFERENCE
REVIEW
In
order to address suggestions of Committee mandate, area of responsibility, size
and structure, it is recommended that a regular review of all Advisory
Committee Terms of Reference be conducted by the Committee, with support from
Secretariat Services and lead department staff, in order to determine the
continued relevancy and appropriateness of the committee. This review should include the number of
members, mandate, reporting relationship and structure.
It
is proposed that this review will be conducted every three years, at the end of
a term of City Council.
It
should be noted that the Advisory Committee can also recommend changes at any
time to their Terms of Reference, which will require the approval of the
respective standing committee and Council.
In effect, reviews can take place prior to the three year cycle.
In
addition to the Terms of Reference review every three years, the continued
feasibility of all committees should be analysed, as well as the potential for
merging committees with similar or compatible mandates.
CONSULTATION
A
meeting of Advisory Committee Chairs and Vice Chairs was held on 25 June 2002
to review the recommendations and direction in the report. The presentation made to Advisory Committee
Chairs and Vice Chairs was distributed to all members of advisory committees
for comment and feedback following the meeting.
The
following comments were received and incorporated or reflected in the report:
1. That
the writing of minutes be added as a duty of the Advisory Committee Coordinator
2. That
dependant care (e.g. an elderly parent) also be included in the Participation
Expense Policy
3. That
representation of a Committee member at an external meeting or event be
eligible, provided no honorarium is provided to the member
4. That
reimbursements for individuals with a buspass be investigated
5. In
the Appointments Policy, the Committee should be able to choose two
representatives to sit on the Selection Panel if the Chair and Vice-Chair
cannot
6. Recruitment
outside of the annual recruitment should only be undertaken if the membership
reaches one above quorum
7. That
conference registration fees outside of Ottawa also be considered on a
case-by-case basis.
8. Revisit
amalgamation in another year, give Committees a chance to really get up and
running before they are subjected to a review. (This comment has been
incorporated, as the original suggestion for the date of amalgamation was
January 2003 rather than December 2003).
9. Require
a review of all Committees terms of reference by Committee members at the end
of every term of Council
10. That
the minutes should distinguish between absent and regrets for those individuals
who cannot make the meeting, but take the time to offer regrets.
11. That
having a workplan funding ceiling provides an effective guideline for workplan
development
12. That
a financial education session on City budgeting and finances be arranged for
all Committees to ensure they understand how the process works. (This is being arranged for all committees
by Council and Committee Services staff).
13. That
advisory committees are an effective tool to involve the public in the local
government process
14. That
the Participation Expense Policy apply to representatives of organizations
appointed to Committees as well as voting members
The
following comments were received but not incorporated into the recommendations:
1. Investigate
the Kanata tax reimbursement system as a possible alternative (Council and
Committee Services staff are discussing this suggestion with Finance)
2. That
all members of the Selection Panel be required to meet at least once throughout
the selection process, in person or via conference call
3. That
some groups be explicitly restricted from sending an applicant. (i.e. a
political action group or a lobby group) and that this amendment be reflected
in the Appointment Policy, or that Selection Panel members be made aware of
this suggestion)
4. State
clearly that if interviews are to be at the discretion of the Selection Panel,
they are not required to meet with all applicants if they wish to interview,
just those they are interested in (This suggestion is understood)
5. That
workplan funding can be carried over from year to year, especially when
identified projects are to be completed over the course of a number of years.
6. The
Ottawa Forests Advisory Committee is strongly against any form of amalgamation
7. The
workload of Committees will remain the same from year-to-year and so the
amalgamated Committees would have to meet more often thus negating any cost
savings envisioned
8. That
lead department representatives should be closely involved in the development
of workplan guidelines to ensure that the Committee’s plan ties into
departmental budgets and priorities
9. That
the role of the Councillor-liaison be reviewed to ensure that the Councillor
not set the agenda and direction of the Committee
10. That
the agendas and procedure for meetings is bureaucratic
11. There
should be a minimum number of meetings per year that the Councillor-liaison
must attend so they are familiar with the work of the Committee
12. That
items of similar mandate and interest be brought forward to Committees to
ensure that they work closely together.
(The best way to implement this suggestion is being reviewed by Council
and Committee Services staff).
13. That
Committee member terms be limited to two or three year appointments, to limit
the possibility of losing members who have just gotten involved
14. That
employees should be permitted to volunteer as Committee members as they
understand the municipal structure
15. That
committees are given too tight turnaround times to comment on reports or
information going forward to Council
16. That
the reimbursement policy should also apply to reserve members
17. That
the entire Committee should be involved in the direct recruitment and review of
applications for new members
18. That
every Committee be given workplan funding in the amount of $5,000 with no rules
on how to spend it. If they need more
than $5,000 then they should go to Council with a formal request
19. That
meals should be provided for working lunches and dinners of Committee members
20. That
the Committee be permitted to hire consultants to act as facilitators at
Committee meetings
21. That
the Committee be permitted to hire writers to prepare their reports to Council
22. That
the Committee be provided with coordinators for sub-committees
23. That
reimbursement for expenses related to cycling or walking to meetings (i.e.
expenses related to bicycles or shoes) be considered
The
report was distributed to all members of Advisory Committees when distributed
to members of Council through the Corporate Services and Economic Development
Committee agenda.
FINANCIAL
IMPLICATIONS
The
amalgamation of the four Committees into two will result in operating budget
savings of $28,000 effective 2004.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Revised Participation Expense Policy
Attachment 2 – Revised Appointment Policy for Citizen Members of
Boards, Committees and Authorities
DISPOSITION
Following Council approval, recommendations 1, 2, 3 and 4 will be implemented immediately. Recommendations 5 and 6 will be implemented as per the timeframe outlined in the report.
ATTACHMENT 1
City
of Ottawa Advisory Committees
PARTICIPATION EXPENSE POLICY
The Participation
Expense Policy is a City of Ottawa policy regarding reimbursement of expenses
incurred by voting
citizen members or official representatives of Advisory Committees. As such, no expense shall be reimbursed
without provision of an original receipt.
1.0 DEFINITIONS:
1.1 Attendance: A Citizen Member shall be
deemed present if the accepted minutes of the meeting so indicates. Where the request for reimbursement is for a
subcommittee meeting at which there is no Committee Coordinator present, one
voting member of the Committee shall be deemed responsible to record the time,
date and attendance at the meeting and forward the information to the Committee
Coordinator.
1.2 Bus
Fare / Para Transpo Fare: Reimbursement shall be provided for any bus fare
incurred by a member to attend the meeting. Bus transfer or receipt is deemed
as acceptable proof of payment.
1.3 Children with exceptional needs
: Children are
deemed as having exceptional needs if the parent provides the City of Ottawa
with a signed doctor certificate indicating that the child requires additional
or specific care in the absence of the parent or guardian. This clause provides for reimbursement of
childcare expenses above and beyond the $7.50/hour maximum provided to care for
children who do not have exceptional needs.
1.4 Mileage: Mileage shall be calculated by
the member on the basis of the SHORTEST distance to and from the meeting from
either work, home, or the next closest destination of the member. No member shall claim mileage for the
longest distance traveled.
1.5 Official
Meeting: is the one meeting per month of the Advisory Committee as established
by the Committee, AND any
official subcommittee meeting as approved by the advisory committee, AND any
Advisory Committee to which a member has been appointed liaison to, AND any
presentation to Standing Committee by any one official delegate as
approved by the Committee, AND where any one member has been officially
appointed by the Committee to represent the views of the Committee at a
conference, speaking engagement etc.
1.6 Parking:
Any long or short-term placement of a personal vehicle in a monitored or unmonitored
area. Because a receipt is necessary for any reimbursement, parking meters are not eligible
for reimbursement, nor will parking tickets incurred as a result of meeting
attendance be reimbursed.
2.0 REIMBURSMENT POLICY:
All Citizen members are authorized to receive any of the following
reimbursements providing they are deemed “present” in the accepted minutes of
the meeting.
Reimbursement is based on the following:
2.1 Parking expenses
incurred to attend official meetings are eligible. Parking
expenses at City facilities will be reimbursed via parking tickets or parking
stamps, not in cash.
2.2 Nominal Child and Dependant Care
expenses incurred to attend official meetings will be eligible on the following
basis: up to a maximum of $7.50/hour. The amount payable will be calculated by the official start and end time
of the meeting PLUS up to a maximum of one hour for traveling time.
Reimbursement for Child Care on a per child basis will not be eligible.
2.3 Specialized Child Care expenses (for children with exceptional
needs) incurred to attend official meetings will be eligible on the following
basis: up to a maximum of $15.00/hour. The amount payable will be calculated by
the official start and end time of the meeting PLUS up to a maximum of one hour
for traveling time.
2.4 Bus Fare / Para
Transpo Fare to and from official meetings (A bus transfer or receipt will be
acceptable as proof of return trip payment) will be eligible. Upon receipt of
such a transfer, the City
of Ottawa shall reimburse the member with the appropriate amount of bus tickets
for a return trip, or where a bus pass or ParaTranspo was used, for the amount
equivalent to one regular round trip fare.
2.5 Mileage for members using a
personal vehicle to attend official meetings will be eligible at the rate of
$0.35/km.
2.6 Reimbursement for meals or refreshments or other out of pocket
expenses such as taxis will not be eligible.
2.7 Reimbursement for meetings with Community Groups, Councillors,
staff, citizens or otherwise are not eligible for reimbursement.
2.8 Reimbursement for expenses incurred to perform the duties of the
members will not be eligible, including, but not limited to, reimbursement for
office supplies, technology or telephone expenses etc, as any of these services
that may be required are available through the Committee Coordinator.
3.0 LIMITATIONS OF THE POLICY:
3.1 The staff of Secretariat
services reserve the right to review and/or refuse any expenses submitted by a
voting citizen member for reimbursement, with reasonable cause and
justification.
3.2 If it can be proven that a member is submitting
fraudulent claims for participation expenses the City of Ottawa Secretariat
Services reserves the right to either:
3.2.1
Refuse to reimburse the specific individual; or
3.2.2
Refer the incident to Corporate Security or the appropriate authorities.
ATTACHMENT 2
City
of Ottawa Advisory Committees
APPOINTMENT
POLICY - Citizen Members of Boards, Committees and Authorities
The
Appointment Policy for Citizen Members of Boards, Committees and Authorities is
a City of Ottawa Policy regarding the selection process for citizen members of
official City of Ottawa Advisory Committees, Boards and Authorities.
1.0 POLICY STATEMENT
1.1 It is the policy of the City of Ottawa to encourage
participation of its citizens in creating a better environment in which to
live, work and prosper through the creation of committees, boards and
authorities who provide advice to City Council on specifically mandated areas
of interest.
1.2 To encourage participation, the City will adopt the general
concepts of equity, accessibility and accommodation, to ensure that all
citizens have equal opportunity.
2.0 DEFINITIONS
2.1 Standing Committees
2.1.1 made up solely of Council members
2.1.2 make recommendations to City
Council
2.1.3 may have decision-making power
delegated by City Council
2.2 Quasi-judicial Boards or Committees
2.2.1 hear and decide appeals as an
impartial tribunal under legislation
2.2.2 decisions or processes may be
appealed to a higher jurisdiction
2.2.3 Council members may or may not
be members
2.3.1 Composed of citizens, and may have representatives of specific organizations, all requiring Council approval
2.3.2 Provide advice
to City Council, through relevant standing committees, on major public issues
and social trends
2.3.3 Must be a
clear and current reason for the Committee
2.3.4 Must be
City-wide, cross-departmental and address issues of substance
2.3.5 Act as vehicles
for public consultation on issues of municipal interest
2.3.6 Provide
specific technical expertise
2.3.7 Conduct
research, report on findings, and make recommendations
2.3.8 City Council
has sole authority to accept, reject or amend the advice or recommendations
2.3.9 Council member(s) act as liaison
member(s) (non-voting)
2.4 Ad Hoc Committees or Task Forces
2.4.1 have a set mandate and set time
limit
2.4.2 conduct
research, report on findings, and make recommendations but do not have final
decision-making power
2.4.3 City Council
has sole authority to accept, reject or amend the advice or recommendations
2.4.4 may or may
not have Council member(s)
2.5 Local Boards, Commissions and
Authorities
2.5.1 created by and operated under
provincial legislation, legal agreement or by-law
2.5.2 decision-making power
2.5.3 may have Council member(s)
2.5.4 may or may not report to City Council
for certain matters (i.e. budget)
2.5.5 Examples
include the Ottawa Police Services Board, Ottawa-Nepean Campsite Authority and
Pineview Municipal Golf Course Board of Management
2.6 Departmental
Consultative Groups
2.6.1 Created
by a City Department to solicit specific input and feedback on Departmental
programs, policies and projects
2.6.2 Have
both a long-term and short-term status, depending on the mandate of the
Committee
2.6.3 Composed
of citizens, representatives of specific organizations from whom input is
sought
2.6.4 Report
directly to the Department
2.6.5 Do
not have Council members (with few exceptions, e.g. the Urban Dangers of
Pesticides Working Group provides advice to the Health Branch of People
Services, and has a Council representative)
3.0 QUALIFICATION OF
MEMBERS
3.1 All members of Advisory Committees must be residents of the City
of Ottawa and must maintain this qualification during their term of office.
3.2 All members must be at least 18 years of age, with the exception
of members of the Ottawa Youth Cabinet, whose members must be between 15-25
years of age.
3.3 Full time
permanent employees of the City of Ottawa are not eligible for positions as
Citizen members on any Committee. Those
members who may have already been appointed by Council shall serve out their
respective terms of office and be ineligible for re-appointment.
4.0 TERM OF OFFICE
4.1 The term of office is three years and shall be established on a
rotational basis. Members are eligible
to serve a maximum of two consecutive terms on the same Committee (a maximum of
6 years).
4.2 A person appointed to fill a partially completed term is
appointed to the end of that term of office.
Such member, if appointed for an interim term not exceeding one year,
may be eligible for reappointment for two three-year terms.
4.3 Applicants are required to sit out one year after serving two
consecutive terms, before being eligible for reappointment on the same
Committee, although may apply to serve on another Committee during that time.
4.4 Those members who wish to be reappointed to an additional term
must reapply and go through the approved selection process.
4.5 Citizen Members may serve on only one board, committee, advisory
committee or authority at any one time.
A member may, however, be selected to represent their committee on
another committee as a non-voting liaison.
4.6 Members continue to serve on a committee past the expiration of
their term until they are replaced.
4.7 Term of office and Membership on some boards, commissions or
quasi-judicial committees may differ as specifically outlined under statute or
by-law.
5.0 COMPOSITION
5.1 The membership of Boards,
Committees and Authorities shall, as much as possible, achieve a balance
between a variety of technical expertise and other representation.
5.2 As much
as possible, the membership should reflect the diversity and demographics of
The City of
Ottawa in such areas as gender, official language, geographical representation,
race and disability.
6.0 RECRUITMENT
The principles of equity and
accommodation for all candidates shall be adopted and implemented by enforcing
application deadlines, selection criteria, and interviewing procedures using
the same questions and same evaluation criteria for all candidates.
6.1 For
Organizations with Dedicated Seats on Advisory Committees, Boards or Local
Authorities:
6.1.1 The
recruitment of representatives from local organizations will be through letters
of request to these organizations and therefore their nominees will not require
interviewing, but must comply with the residency requirement. Organizations will be requested to provide
resumes or curriculum vitae of nominees of at least two nominees, one of whom
will be appointed by Council. Nominees
of organizations must declare interest in items related to their respective
organization.
6.2 General Public:
6.2.1 The recruitment and selection process for citizen members, other than representatives of organizations, will include advertisements for interested applicants placed by the Corporate Services Department in the daily and/or weekly community newspapers in accordance with the City's advertising policy as well as on the City’s website. Advertisements will also be distributed throughout Client Service Centres, libraries and City facilities. In addition, for specific committees, an effort will be made to tailor the recruitment process specifically, but not exclusively, to the particular groups that are potential members. For example: ads will be placed in area high schools for the Ottawa Youth Cabinet Committee and through the Disabled Persons Resource Center for the Accessibility Advisory Committee.
6.2.2 The
advertisements will include the following information:
a. Function of Board, Committee or Authority
b. Frequency
and time of meetings and where possible any other expectations for
participation of members
c. City
policies that guide the selection process or the operation of the Committee
d. Include
that candidates may apply to several committees but can be appointed to serve
on only one advisory committee, committee, board or authority at a time.
e. Anticipated
time commitment
6.3 Applications
6.3.1 All applications must include
a statement of work, life and educational experience and/or a resume.
6.3.2 All
applications will be sent to the Corporate Services Department to be processed
6.3.3 All
applications will be acknowledged by the Corporate Services Department
6.3.4 An initial screening will be conducted, and only those meeting the residency qualification will be brought forward to the next stage
6.3.5 All
applications must be received by the published deadline in order to be
considered
6.4 Selection
6.4.1 The
Standing Committee responsible for the individual Advisory Committee will
appoint two of its members to sit on a Selection Panel to review applications
and make recommendations to Council.
6.4.2 The Selection Panels will also
include the Chair and/or Vice-Chair of the Advisory Committee, providing that
their respective terms extend past the recruitment process. If the Chair and/or Vice-Chair is unable to
sit as a member of the Selection Panel the Committee may chose a Committee
member to sit in their place.
6.4.3 The
Committee Coordinator for the Committee will provide advice and assistance to
the Selection Panel.
6.4.4 Each Selection Panel shall meet to determine selection criteria based on the specific expertise needed by the Committee, Board or Authority and the need to reflect the community as detailed under composition, prepare questions to be asked of each candidate should interviews be conducted and review applications based on these criteria to determine which applicants will be interviewed. Interviews shall be conducted at the discretion of the Selection Panel.
6.4.5. The Selection Panel shall recommend appointments as well
as a reserve list of people who will be appointed should a vacancy occur before
the end of a term [a minimum of 2 reserve members if the Board, Committee or
Authority is composed of more than 7 citizen members]. The reserve list shall be maintained until
the next advertisement for vacancies, or for one year.
6.4.6. The Secretariat Services Branch shall forward the
Selection Panel recommendations to the relevant Standing Committee (or
Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee if there is no assigned
Standing Committee).
6.4.7 The
Standing Committee may review the Selection Panel recommendations at a closed
meeting and refer endorsement of appointments to City Council.
6.4.8 The
Secretariat Services Branch shall advise all applicants of the status of their
applications.
6.4.9 All
newly appointed members of advisory committees will be invited to a briefing
session by the Secretariat Services Branch.
Topics will include procedures, corporate policies and the committee
structure. Technical staff related to
the committee’s mandate will provide additional information.
6.4.10 The
selection process for the Ottawa Youth Cabinet differs from that described
above, as the Selection
Panel shall consist of the Ward Councillor for the ward in which the vacancy
exists.
7.0 ATTENDANCE
7.0.1 Any member of an Advisory Committee,
who is absent from three (3) consecutive regularly scheduled meetings of the
Committee, shall be contacted by the Advisory Committee Coordinator to confirm
his/her commitment to the Committee.
7.0.2 Should
the member miss another consecutive meeting, the next qualified reserve member
of the Committee shall automatically be called up to the Committee to fill the
vacancy.
7.0.3 If no subsequent reserve members remain to fill the position
then the seat shall remain vacant until the next recruitment process. Recruitment shall only be undertaken at
another time than the annual process if the number of members on the Committee
falls to one above quorum.
8.0 SUBCOMMITTEES
8.0.1 Committees
may create subcommittees to work on specific areas of their mandate. These subcommittees may be comprised of
non-members of the Committee, but must have a minimum of one-third of their
members as voting Committee members of the main Committee.
8.0.2 Administrative support will not
be provided to subcommittees.