2. MEMBER
SERVICES COMMITTEE COMITÉ
DES SERVICES AUX MEMBRES |
Committee RecommendationS
as amended
That
Council approve:
1. The
establishment of the Member Services Sub-committee with a panel of seven
(7)
members of Council, a minimum of four
(4)
of which shall also be members of the Corporate Services and Economic
Development Committee;
2. That
four
(4)
members of this panel shall form quorum for the Member Services Sub-committee;
3. That
the members of the Members Services Sub-committee be Councillors
Eli El-Chantiry, Rainer Bloess, Diane Deans, Rick Chiarelli, Christine Leadman,
Alex Cullen and Peggy Feltmate;
and
4. That
the Member Services Sub-committee be tasked with establishing clarity around a
Code of Conduct for Members of Council; and report back to the Corporate
Services and Economic Development Committee and Council.
RecommandationS modifiées
du comité
Que
le Conseil approuve ce qui suit :
1. Que
soit formé un sous-comité des services aux membres composé d’un groupe de sept
(7)
membres du Conseil, dont au moins quatre
(4)
devront aussi être membres du Comité des services organisationnels et du
développement économique;
2. Que
quatre
(4)
membres de ce groupe constituent le quorum pour les réunions du sous-comité des
services aux membres;
3. Que
les membres du
sous-comité des services aux membres soient
les
Conseillers Eli
El-Chantiry, Rainer Bloess, Diane Deans, Rick Chiarelli, Christine Leadman,
Alex Cullen et Peggy Feltmate;
et
4. Que
le sous-comité des services aux membres se voie confier la tâche d’apporter des
clarifications au sujet du Code de conduite pour les membres du Conseil et
fasse rapport au Comité des services organisationnels et du développement
économique et au Conseil.
Documentation
1. City
Clerk’s report dated 9 November 2007 (ACS2007-CMR-CCB-0023).
2. Extract of Draft Minute, 19 November 2007.
Report
to/Rapport au :
Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee
Comité des services organisationnels
et du développement économique
and Council / et au Conseil
9 November 2007 /
le 9 novembre 2007
Submitted by/Soumis par : Pierre Pagé, City Clerk/Greffier municipal
Contact
Person/Personne ressource : Leslie Donnelly, Deputy City Clerk
City Clerk’s Branch/Direction du greffe
(613) 580-2424 x28857, Leslie.Donnelly@Ottawa.ca
SUBJECT: |
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OBJET : |
REPORT
RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Corporate Services and Economic
Development Committee recommend Council approve:
1.
The
establishment of the Member Services Sub-committee with a panel of five (5)
members of Council, a minimum of three (3) of which shall also be members of
the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee;
2.
That
three (3) members of this panel shall form quorum for the Member Services
Sub-committee;
3.
That
the members of the Members Services Sub-committee be recommended at the
November 20, 2007 meeting of the Corporate Services and Economic Development
Committee for approval by City Council at its meeting on November 28, 2007; and
4.
That
the Member Services Sub-committee be tasked with establishing clarity around a
Code of Conduct for Members of Council; and report back to the Corporate
Services and Economic Development Committee and Council.
Que le Comité des services organisationnels et
du développement économique recommande au Conseil d’approuver ce qui
suit :
1.
Que
soit formé un sous-comité des services aux membres composé d’un groupe de cinq
(5) membres du Conseil, dont au moins trois (3) devront aussi être membres du
Comité des services organisationnels et du développement économique;
2.
Que
trois (3) membres de ce groupe constituent le quorum pour les réunions du
sous-comité des services aux membres;
3.
Que
le nom des personnes devant faire partie du sous-comité des services aux
membres fasse l’objet d’une recommandation à la réunion du 20 novembre 2007 du
Comité des services organisationnels et du développement économique, pour
approbation à la réunion du 28 novembre 2007 du Conseil municipal; et
4.
Que
le sous-comité des services aux membres se voie confier la tâche d’apporter des
clarifications au sujet du Code de conduite pour les membres du Conseil et
fasse rapport au Comité des services organisationnels et du développement
économique et au Conseil.
BACKGROUND
The former Member Services Committee was first
established during the 2001-2003 term of Council under Section 80 of By-law
2002-247, the City’s Rules of Procedure by-law. Section 80 set out the role of the Committee as follows:
80.
MEMBER SERVICES COMMITTEE
(1) The Member Services
Committee shall be composed of three members of Council.
(2) The Member Services
Committee has jurisdiction regarding:
(a)
the administration
of the offices of the Councillors;
(b)
expenditures by
Councillors;
(c) entitlement of
Councillors to City facilities and resources for the performance of their
duties; and
(d) personnel matters
related to:
a) the offices of the
Councillors, or
b) the performance by
the Councillors of their duties.
(3) The Member Services
Committee shall meet at the call of its Chair in accordance with the notice
provision in Section 79.
(4) A decision of the
Member Services Committee may be forwarded directly to Council but only upon
written request of two members of Council.
In December 2003, City Council approved the
2003-2006 Council Governance Review, which recommended that, in the interest of
accountability, public participation, and effective and efficient governance,
the items addressed by the Member Services Committee become part of the mandate
of the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee. It was further recommended that these items
might be considered by a sub-committee of the Corporate Services and Economic
Development Committee (i.e. the Member Services Sub-Committee).
In January 2005, the Corporate Services and
Economic Development Committee approved a motion to establish the Member
Services Sub-Committee as well as a Terms of Reference for the
Sub-Committee. The Corporate Services
and Economic Development Committee also appointed four members to the Sub-Committee
including Councillors R. Bloess, M. McRae, R. Chiarelli, and R. Jellet.
DISCUSSION
With the post-election transition period complete, staff recommends that the Member Services Sub-committee be established in order to deal with a number of emerging administrative matters.
The Member Services Committee has
traditionally met as required, and it is recommended that its Terms of
Reference be based on what had been enshrined in a previous Procedure By-law,
as indicated above. Over the 2001-2003 term of Council, the Member
Services Committee considered reports on the following issues:
· Councillors’ Assistants – Job Evaluation Review
· Telephone Systems and Fax Services
· Councillors’ Assistants Severance Pay
· Councillors’ Office Manual
· Report of the Citizen’s Task Force on Ward Boundaries – Transitional Arrangements for Workload Support – Growth Wards
· Naming of Councillors’ Boardrooms
It is anticipated that a new Members Services Sub-committee will deal with similar matters, including:
· Elected Official office matters;
· Involvement of Councillors in other Councillors’ wards; and
· Staff policy matters.
In July 2007, City Council approved as part of its strategic directions, the following objective:
Establish clarity around conflict of interest and code of conduct policies for elected representatives.
Given that a Code of Conduct for Members of Council
is closely linked with the mandate of the Member Services Committee, staff
recommends that the Member Services Sub-committee be tasked to work with City
staff to make recommendations to establish clarity around a code of conduct and
report back to the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee and
Council. With the establishment of the
Member Services Sub-committee, this item will be placed on the agenda of a
meeting early in the new year, where staff will be bringing forward a
recommended process to examine the whole Code of Conduct issue for Committee’s
consideration.
Meetings of the Member Services Sub-committee will be convened on an “as needed basis” with the agenda issued and notice provided as per the City ‘s Procedure By-law.
At this point in time, it is appropriate and necessary to review the composition of the Member Services Sub-committee and that members be appointed to serve on the Sub-committee.
To facilitate the scheduling and completion of Member Services Committee business, and giving due consideration to the extent and nature of commitments of Council members, it is proposed that a group of five (5) members of Council be established from which to draw to serve on the Member Services Sub-committee and that three (3) of those must be members of the Corporate Services and Economic and Development Committee, which is mandated for the review, consideration and approval of issues relating to elected representatives and specifically their office and salary budgets and operation. Quorum will, therefore, be three (3) members.
Upon publication of the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee Agenda, staff will circulate a request for expressions of interest from Councillors regarding serving on the Members Services Sub-committee.
CONSULTATION
Given the administrative nature of the
recommendations, no consultation was required for this report.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
All administrative costs associated with the Member Services Committee will be absorbed within the City Clerk’s budget.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1 – Member Services Committee Terms of Reference
Upon Committee approval, the City Clerk’s Office
will organize the first meeting of the Member Services Committee in conjunction
with the appointed members.
TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE
MEMBER SERVICES SUB-COMMITTEE
of the
Corporate
Services and Economic Development Committee
MANDATE
The Member Services
Sub-committee of the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee
shall have an ongoing mandate that is related to and responsible for the review, consideration and approval of
administrative issues with respect to elected representatives and their staff,
Councillors’ office and salary budgets, and the overall operation of their
offices.
Membership of the Member
Services Sub-committee shall consist of three (3) members of the Corporate
Services and Economic Development Committee, as approved by the Corporate
Services and Economic Development Committee and two (2) members-at-large from
City Council. The Member Services Sub-committee will appoint its Chair at the beginning of
each term of Council, or on an as required basis. The Mayor shall be an ex officio member of the
Sub-committee.
GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES
The Member Services Sub-committee shall:
1.
Be responsible
directly to the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee for those
applicable items emanating from:
a)
the City
Clerk’s Office;
b)
the offices of
the Members of Council;
c) all other Departments / Branches in the City
of Ottawa having to do with matters pertaining to the responsibilities of this
sub-committee.
2. Have responsibility for
the review, consideration and approval of administrative issues with respect to
elected representatives and their staff, Councillors’ office and salary
budgets, and the overall operation of their offices.
3. Review and recommend to
the Corporate Services and Economic Development any applicable matters that
require funding or human resources support above and beyond the
Council-approved office and salary budgets for elected representatives.
4. Review and recommend to
the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee revisions to the
Member Services Sub-committee Terms
of Reference, inclusive of membership, as required.
The
Member Services Sub-committee shall
have final jurisdiction regarding:
a. The administration of the offices of the
Councillors;
b. The expenditures incurred by Councillors;
c. The
entitlement of Councillors to City facilities and resources for the performance
of their duties; and
d. Personnel matters related to:
i. the offices of the Councillors;
ii.
the performance by the Councillors of their duties; and
iii.
concerns pursuant to the City’s Hiring and Employment of Family Members
Policy, as they may relate to Councillors or their staff.
AUTHORITY, DECISION-MAKING AND REPORTING RELATIONSHIP
By-law No. 2003-5892006-462,
a by-law of the City of Ottawa to govern the proceedings of the Council and its
Committees, shall govern the Member Services Sub-committee meetings and
committee administration.
The Member Services Committee shall meet at the call of its Chair in accordance
with the notice provision of above-noted Procedure By-law. All Members of Council will receive meeting
notices, agendas and meeting documentation for this Committee. All Members of Council, and/ or their office
staff, are permitted to attend meetings of the Committee.
A decision by the Member Services Sub-committee shall be forwarded to the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee and Council for review, but only upon written referral of two Members of Council.
Corporate
Services and Economic Development Committee Report
17 28
november 2007 |
|
Comité
des services organisationnels et du développement économique rapport
17 le
28 novembre 2007 |
|
|
|
Extract
of draft Minutes 18 19
november 2007 |
|
Extrait
de l’ébauche du procès-verbal 18 – le 19 novembre 2007 |
MEMBER
SERVICES COMMITTEE
COMITÉ
DES SERVICES AUX MEMBRES
ACS2007-CMR-CCB-0023 CITY-WIDE
/ À L'ÉCHELLE DE LA VILLE
Councillor
McRae referenced the report recommendation for five (5) members, three (3) from
the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee (CSEDC) and two (2)
at large. She noted that seven (7)
members of Council had expressed an interest in sitting on this Sub-committee,
four (4) from the CSEDC and three (3) at large. She inquired as to the possibility of appointing all seven (7)
members. She noted Councillor Jellett
had prepared a motion to that effect and she expressed her support for it. She felt that if seven members of Council
were willing to give of their time to serve on the Committee, they should be
allowed to do so. She noted the interested
members were Councillors Bloess, Chiarelli, Deans, El-Chantiry, Cullen,
Feltmate and Leadman. She believed this
group provided a good balance.
Although
he understood the purpose of such a motion, Councillor Bloess felt less would
be better in this case. He noted that
in the last two terms, this Sub-committee had very effective and efficient
meetings and he feared that increasing membership to that extent would cause it
to get bogged down. Therefore, he
indicated his preference was to support the staff report and approve five
members.
Councillor
Jellett acknowledged Councillor Bloess’ concerns and sought comments from staff
with respect to whether or not a larger membership would cause the
Sub-committee to become unwieldy. Ms.
L. Donnelly, Deputy City Clerk, indicated that because the Members Services
Sub-committee was an adhoc committee, scheduling could be a challenge, though
she submitted it was not impossible.
Councillor
Harder echoed Councillor Bloess’ concerns, noting that during the two previous
terms of Council, Member Services Committee worked well. She submitted this Committee was more about
hearing from the respective Council members, that a smaller membership was
better, and that any member of Council was welcome to attend meetings and speak
to the Committee. She referenced the
Deputy Clerk’s comment about meetings being a challenge to schedule and she
urged Committee to limit the membership.
Councillor
McRae applauded Councillor Jellett’s motion and indicated she had no problem
increasing the membership to seven. She
noted that when Council appointment members to the Corporate Services and
Economic Development Committee, a membership of nine was being recommended but
because more Councillors wanted to sit on the Committee, its membership was
expanded to 11. She re-iterated her
belief that the members who had expressed an interest in sitting on the Member
Services Sub-committee represented a balance in terms of geographic
representation, skills, experience and strengths and she was confident that, as
a team, they would do a good job.
Councillor
Jellett felt that if seven Councillors wanted to sit on the Sub-committee, they
should be allowed to do so.
Councillor
El-Chantiry indicated that if there was consensus to approve an increase in
membership, he would support it, but that if there was to be a discussion about
eliminating some of the names from the list, he would recommend referring the
matter to Council for a vote in order to be fair to Councillor who were not
present to speak to the matter.
At
this juncture, Mayor O’Brien called for a vote on Councillor Jellett’s motion.
Moved
by Councillor R. Jellett
That
the Member Services Sub-committee consist of seven (7) members; four (4)
members of the Corporate Services and Economic Development
Committee and three (3) At-Large, and that the following membership be
recommended to City Council:
Councillor
Eli El-Chantiry (CSEDC member)
Councillor
Rainer Bloess (CSEDC member)
Councillor
Diane Deans (CSEDC member)
Councillor
Rick
Chiarelli (CSEDC member)
Councillor
Christine Leadman
Councillor
Alex Cullen
Councillor
Peggy Feltmate
CARRIED
Immediately
following the vote, Councillor Bloess asked that his name be removed from the
list.
The
Deputy City Clerk cautioned that because this was a Sub-committee of the CSEDC,
a majority of its membership had to be members of the CSEDC.
In
light of this intervention and the Committee’s vote, Mayor O’Brien suggested
that the matter be resolved when the report was considered at Council.
That
the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee recommend Council
approve:
1. The establishment of the Member
Services Sub-committee with a panel of seven (7) members of Council, a
minimum of four (4) of which shall also be members of the Corporate
Services and Economic Development Committee;
2. That four (4) members of this
panel shall form quorum for the Member Services Sub-committee;
3. That the members of the Members
Services Sub-committee be Councillors Eli
El-Chantiry, Rainer Bloess, Diane Deans, Rick Chiarelli, Christine Leadman,
Alex Cullen and Peggy Feltmate; and
4. That the Member Services Sub-committee
be tasked with establishing clarity around a Code of Conduct for Members of
Council; and report back to the Corporate Services and Economic Development
Committee and Council.
CARRIED
as amended