Committee of the Whole Format

BACKGROUND:

At the March 9, 2021 CoW meeting, a report was presented that reviewed the formation of the Town’s CoW structure from its prior standing committees and proposed a revised CoW meeting approach. The proposal was to remove the five distinct sub-committees within the CoW and combine them simply into one meeting. This approach would retain the benefits of a CoW meeting – an opportunity to “roll up your sleeves” and get into lengthy dialogue about complex issues – while removing elements that added no obvious benefits.

The resolution stemming from that March CoW meeting was to have the 2003 consultant report titled “An Administrative Work Plan for the Town of View Royal” that was referenced in the staff report brought forward along with examples of committee structures from other municipalities. This report is provided in response to that resolution.

DISCUSSION:

The March 2021 CoW report referenced a broad ranging 2003 consultant’s report titled “An Administrative Work Plan for the Town of View Royal. The report is provided as an attachment here as requested in March (see Attachment “A”). This report recommended the move from five standing committees into a CoW structure as well as many suggestions that have been implemented – and some not only implemented, but then subsequently changed again as circumstances naturally evolved through time given that the report is eighteen years old.

In looking at examples in the region, some of the committee structures are as follows:

Capital Regional District:

• CoW meetings held fifth Wednesday of the month or at the call of the Chair as needed.
• CoW is to discuss current or arising topics; will host one each year focused on strategic planning check-in and one for provisional budget approval.
• CRD Board Chair chairs all CoW meetings (or Vice Chair if Chair is unavailable).

Central Saanich:

• CoW meetings held on an as needed basis (when there are topics that best lend themselves a CoW format as recommended by staff).
• Meetings commence at 7:00 p.m. and there may be presentations from applicants and staff.
• No sub-committee sections, just agenda items (such as annual budget, strategic planning, policies, long term planning, complex administration, finance and land development issues and any other matters requiring in depth consideration).
• Mayor chairs all CoW meetings.

Colwood:

• CoW meetings held first and third Monday of the month although the one scheduled for the third Monday is held only if required.
• In addition to CoW, three select committees of all members of Council with two year renewable terms were established at the beginning of the term: Finance and Governance, Transportation, and Economic Prosperity. Each select committee has its own terms of reference. Finance and Governance meets eight times per year while the other two select committees meet four times per year.
• Acting Mayor chairs the CoW meetings, which is done on a rotational basis (4 months at a time).

Esquimalt:

• CoW meetings scheduled for second Monday each month though may be cancelled if insufficient business items to discuss (Note: matters requiring Council decisions are added to Council agendas and matters requiring direction to staff are scheduled for CoW agendas for “discussion and direction”).
• No section or topic areas, just agenda items. Member who is appointed as Council Liaison to an advisory committee or other body would just verbally add any additional background or input.
• Acting Mayor chairs the CoW meetings, which is done on a rotational basis.
• Directors rotate as Acting Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) at CoW meetings and the CAO does not attend these meetings.

Highlands:

• CoW meetings held once per month though may be cancelled if insufficient business items to discuss.
• No sub-committee sections, just agenda items.
• Mayor chairs all CoW meetings (or Acting Mayor if Mayor is unavailable).

Metchosin:

• Four separate standing committees that typically meet twice per month:
  • Finance and Environment
  • Planning Committee
  • Parks Committee
  • Public Works
• Following each election, the Mayor assigns a Councillor to a standing committee and that Councillor then chairs those standing committee meetings.

North Saanich:

• Procedure Bylaw states CoW meetings held once a month, but in practice, meetings are less frequent in July and August and type of meeting held (Council or CoW) is dependent upon issues that need to be addressed.
• No sub-committee sections, just agenda items.
• Acting Mayor chairs the CoW meetings, which is done on a rotational basis.

Oak Bay:

• COW meetings held once a month based on anticipated business.
• No sub-committee sections, just agenda items.
• Mayor chairs all COW meetings.

Saanich:

• Eighteen regular CoW meetings a year held on Mondays (with some months having two CoW meetings and some one) plus six special CoW meetings for budget discussions spread on Tuesdays or Thursdays in March and April.
• No sub-committee sections, just agenda items.
• Acting Mayor chairs the CoW meetings, which is done on a rotational basis.
• Mayor chairs the special CoW meetings for budget discussions.

Sidney:

• CoW meetings held first and third Monday of the month though during summer months and in December only meet once each month. Meetings may be cancelled if insufficient business items to discuss.
• No sub-committee sections, just agenda items.
• Acting Mayor chairs the CoW meetings, which is done on a rotational basis.

Sooke:

• CoW meetings held third Monday of the month though may be cancelled if insufficient business items to discuss.
• No sub-committee sections, just agenda items.
• Mayor chairs all CoW meetings (or Acting Mayor if Mayor is unavailable).

Victoria:

• CoW meetings held every Thursday except the fifth Thursday in a month.
• No sub-committee sections, just agenda items though items are ordered with land use items first followed by staff reports.
• Mayor chairs all CoW meetings (or Acting Mayor if Mayor is unavailable).

The proposal from the March 2021 report can be fine-tuned when taking into consideration examples from around the region. Specifically, it is proposed that:

1. the role of chair be assigned on a rotational basis to the Acting Mayor;
2. that the Acting Mayor schedule be adjusted to ensure that Councillors rotate through the various quarters during the term of office; and
3. that the distinct agenda areas within the CoW agenda be combined into one meeting.

This approach would allow members of Council to gain experience in chairing a full meeting and it would retain the benefits of a CoW meeting – an opportunity to “roll up one’s sleeves” and get into lengthy dialogue about complex issues. The Mayor would continue to chair all Council meetings as is currently the practice. As well, given the complexity of material typically on a CoW agenda, staff reports would still continue to be distributed between the afternoon and evening portions of the meeting with the items deemed to be of higher public interest placed on the evening agenda to ensure an increased opportunity for participation by members of the public if they so wish.

Finally, adjusting the Acting Mayor schedule during the term of office would ensure that the lighter summer months’ meeting schedule would not consistently short-change a Council member’s chairing experience.

It is proposed that this revised approach begin with the December CoW meeting, just after the “inaugural appointments” where an updated Acting Mayor schedule could be provided.

CONCLUSION:

The benefits of the CoW structure recommended in the 2003 consultant’s report have been appreciated over the last seventeen years. The minor revisions proposed in this report to further streamline the Town’s practices is in alignment with regional norms.

TIME CRITICAL:

While not urgent, the Committee of the Whole format can be changed at any time. The Procedure Bylaw is currently under review. Changes to the CoW format can be incorporated into that Bylaw review initiative. Changes to the Acting Mayor schedule can be undertaken in December 2021.

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the Committee recommend to Council that:

a.) beginning with the December 2021 Committee of the Whole meeting i. the Committee of the Whole structure be amended to remove the five sub committees and ii. the Committee of the Whole meetings be chaired on a rotating basis by the Acting Mayor; and b.) the Acting Mayor schedule be adjusted at the December 7, 2021 meeting to ensure that Councillors rotate through the various quarters during the term of office.

SUBMITTED BY: K. Anema, Chief Administrative Officer