Froese's Initiative Referred to Admin
A motion to have Third Party Boards is going to take a little while longer after it was expanded to include Committees of Council.
Councillor Crystal Froese proposed a motion which would make all Third Party Boards more accountable to Council.
Third Party Boards would have to provide their (Annual General Meeting) AGM dates, AGM minutes, articles of incorporation, list of board members as well as their annual financials.
The Third Party Board would be required to exercise best practices in the areas of confidentiality, conflict of interest as well as adherence to occupational health and safety standards in the area of harassment.
Any Council member sitting in the Third Party board would also have to provide a quarterly written report to Council.
Coun Froese said her motion was meant to structure Third Party Boards that do good work for the City.
“It was never made clear to me during my experience on the DFFH (Downtown Facility and Field House commonly known as Mosaic Place and the Yara Centre),” Coun Froese stated.
Councillor Chris Warren asked if the existing Procedures Bylaw, which outlines requirements for various City boards, would not apply to Third Party Boards.
City Clerk/Solicitor Myron Gulka-Tiechko said “Third Party Boards exist on their own incorporation generally through a non-profit corporation.”
Gulka-Tiechko said Third Party Boards operate independently of the City but Council could “make conditions to grant of those monies tied to those obligations.”
There are approximately 20 agreements between Third Party Boards and the City, each with varying agreements and some not receiving any financial contribution from the City for the facility they operate.
Coun Warren asked if it was consistent with other Third Party Boards?
“There are a number of Boards created over the years…the Exhibition Board goes back 100 years and back then you didn’t have Today's standards ,” Gulka-Tiechko said, adding “but best practice is not something you will find opposition to."
Coun Warren asked about the impact on City resources for Administration to bring back recommendations to Council.
City Manager Jim Puffalt said it would be a very labour intensive process but he had done something similar to what was being requested before.
“To develop a policy everything should be consistent and up to date,” Puffalt said, adding all boards shouldn't require a Council member “Council’s time is fairly limited to sit on all committees is fairly limited…you can committee yourself to death.”
Mayor Frasier Tolmie said he supported the intent of the motion but was in favour to moving discussion to an upcoming planning session or Executive Committee meeting.
Coun Froese spoke that her motion was not intended to be applied to Council Committees but “completely around Third Party Boards.”
"City advisory committees are already under the Procedural Bylaw,” Coun Froese said.
She then spoke about what Calgary and Vancouver have already done in ration to the conduct of their Third Party Boards.
“There are already methods out there and I have already (shared this) with Administration.”
Councillor Dawn Luhning said she understood the intent of Coun Froese’s motion, going on to mention that despite being arm's length Third Party Boards there weren't any department heads who could help out not utilized in their operation.
“I think there are a lot of unwritten rules which are happening with these committees,” Coun Luhning said.
Councillor Brian Swanson said that given the number of Boards and the numerous types of agreements a standardized approach may not work.
“A one size fits all for Third Party Boards is something that would require a lot of thought ,’ Coun Swanson said, adding “when you amend an agreement both parties have to agree.”
Coun Swanson said he had long ago spoken against the creation of Third Party Boards because it made them less accountable to Council.
“You can't have Third Party Boards independent of the City but then tell them what to do….The devil will be in the details telling Third Party Boards how to operate.”
Puffalt advised Council to “look at everything at this point of time.”
Council decided to refer the matter for an in depth report with a 6-1 vote and Coun Swanson opposing the motion.
The report from Administration is expected back the first week of January.
The motion by Coun Froese comes after an independent investigation found three Councillors (Councillors Crystal Froese, Scott McMann and Brian Swanson) in breach of the Ethics Bylaw. Each was sanctioned to various degrees by a Mayor Frasier Tolmie, Coun Dawn Luhning and Coun Chris Warren.
(Editor's note - City Hall reporter Robert Thomas is away in Odessa, Ukraine. He is reporting on the Council meeting and Executive Committee Meetings via the City Feed .)