Although we’ve technically not quite gotten to the end of the month, we’ve at least gotten to the agenda for the end of the month. At the regular council meeting on the last Tuesday in February, we will cover again all the business from Committee of the Whole and then get into new business, which involves an annual visit from someone special and some big changes to an importance shared services committee. All that and some recognitions and in-camera stuff too!
NOTE #1: Delegates will be able to appear at this meeting in-person or via tele-presense but you do have to register with the clerks office before 10 am on Friday February 239. You can also submit written delegations and correspondences for agenda items.
NOTE #2: In addition to meeting in-person, this meeting will also be live-streamed on the City of Guelph’s website here.
CLOSED MEETING:
1) February 2024 Public Appointments to the Committee of Adjustment – As always, before the new appointments are approved in open session, they must first be discussed in-camera.
Bargaining Mandate Report: International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) – Since this is about “personal matters about an identifiable individual, including municipal or local board employees, and labour relations or employee negotiations” council has to discuss it under Section 239(2)(b) and (d) of the Municipal Act.
3) Comprehensive Zoning By-law: Ontario Land Tribunal Update – As you may be aware, the 2023 version of the zoning bylaw is presently being reviewed by the OLT. In order to discuss the latest update, council will meet in-camera under Section 239(2) (e) and (f) for “litigation or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals, affecting the municipality or local board and advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose.”
RECOGNITIONS:
2023 World Tap Championship Under 12 Formation – Anisha Chowdhury and Charlie Hunt will be saluted for their fancy footwork!
February 2024 Public Appointments to the Committee of Adjustment – Once confirmed in closed session, council will vote to approve two new appointments to the Committee of Adjustment.
2023 Annual Report of the Integrity Commissioner – Special guest John Mascarin, aka: the Integrity Commissioner, will be on-hand to talk about another mostly dull year for him and his team. “In all respects, we have found that the members of Council and the City’s local boards and advisory committees have acted in accordance with their ethical responsibilities and that no transgressions have been noted once again in our annual report.”
The commissioner received eight requests for written advice last year, there were changes to the Municipal Act with the introduction of Strong Mayor Powers, and there was one complaint against a member of an advisory committee alleging “intimidating behaviour”, but review of the video showed that there was nothing inappropriate. There’s also been three complaints received against a member of council, alleging that they “conducted
themselves in an irresponsible and inappropriate manner,” but since the third complaint was only received in January, that matter will have to be covered in next year’s annual report.
Joint Social Services and Land Ambulance Committee Update Report – Following up on a council motion from last October to work with Wellington County to create a new governance model for the social services committee where Guelph presently has one seat. Behold! It’s the new Joint Social Services and Land Ambulance Committee!! In the new arrangement, there will be eight members, four from Guelph and four from Wellington. There will be two chairs and two-vice chairs, one each from the city and the county, and they will rotate responsibility for overseeing the monthly meetings.
What will this committee do? From the county side there will be policy matters, operational reporting, and proposed budgeting for social services (housing, childcare and Ontario Works), while the City will bring forward all that stuff for ambulances. Final decisions about social services will be made by county council and the final decisions about ambulances will be ratified by Guelph council.
From the Guelph site, the four members of the new joint committee will include the Mayor (as the service area chair of Governance), plus the service area chairs of Public Services and Infrastructure, Development and Environment, and the service area vice-chair of Governance. For the record, right now that’s Cam Guthrie, Cathy Downer, Dominique O’Rourke and Linda Busuttil respectively.
These changes should go into effect for the first meeting of the new committee in April.
Consent Agenda items from the Committee of the Whole meeting on February 6. (Items can be pulled by a councillor seeking additional information, otherwise all items will be voted on as a slate without further debate.)
- 2024 Chief Administrative Officer Performance Objectives
- Expansion of the Governance Section at Committee of the Whole
- Budget Impacts per Ontario Regulation 284 – 09 and Budget – Public Sector Accounting Standards Reconciliation 2024
- Physician Recruitment Initiative
- Financial Plan for Water and Wastewater Services
- Payment-in-lieu of Parking Policy
- Wyndham Street North Cross Section and St George’s Square Intersection
Guelph Politico 