City hall will likely see “modest savings” of $8,000 in staffing and advertising costs with the reduction and amalgamation of several municipal committees, advisory boards and commissions.
After four months of review and consultation, the city clerk’s office presented a report at the Oct. 28 executive committee meeting that suggested several committees be shut down, combined, or left as they are. It also put forward several recommendations upon which council voted:
- That the Murals Project Management Committee continues: carried 6-1 in favour, with Coun. Brian Swanson opposed
- That the Youth Advisory Committee continues with an updated terms of reference: carried unanimously
- That the Parks, Recreation and Facilities Advisory Committee be established by renaming the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, with an updated terms of reference: carried 6-1 in favour, with Swanson opposed
- That the Public Works, Infrastructure and Environment Advisory Committee be established through the amalgamation of the Transportation Services Advisory Committee and the Environment Advisory Committee with an updated terms of reference: carried unanimously
- That the Municipal Planning Commission be disbanded with reports from the department of planning and development services to go directly to city council for review and approval: carried 4-3, with Swanson and councillors Crystal Froese and Scott McMann opposed
- That the Economic Development Commission be disbanded: carried 5-2 in favour with Swanson and McMann opposed
- That the Housing Advisory Committee be disbanded: carried unanimously
- That single-purpose time-limited ad hoc committees be considered for establishment where council seeks input in a specified area: carried unanimously
- That the term of appointments for newly established advisory committees be Jan. 1 of the calendar year: carried unanimously
- That council appointments to committees be for a one-year — or alternatively two-year — terms, with appointments to rotate among committees
The Heritage Advisory Committee, the Special Needs Advisory Committee and the Cultural Diversity Advisory Committee will all continue to operate as standalone groups. A recommendation had been submitted to shut down the heritage committee and distribute its duties to other committees, while it was recommended that the latter two groups be combined.
All these recommendations have to be approved at a future regular council meeting to become official.
Heritage discussion
While giving some of the heritage committee’s duties to groups such as the murals committee seems like a good fit since they both deal with heritage, it’s simply not a good fit overall, said Coun. Heather Eby. The heritage committee is needed now more than ever considering Heritage Moose Jaw shut down a few years ago.
“I don’t believe the murals committee is really in a position to deal with heritage components,” she added.
Coun. Crystal Froese, who sits on the heritage committee, didn’t want to see that group disbanded either. She thought the importance of heritage would be diluted if committees such as the parks advisory board took on those heritage-focused duties.
Further, there are criteria in The Cities Act that says a municipal heritage advisory committee is required when conducting research into legislation on heritage buildings, she continued.
Parks advisory committee
The parks advisory committee used to be one of the most popular boards on which to sit, Swanson said. It had 12 members and there was always a surplus of applications. However, the group’s importance has been diminished since capital spending recommendations now come from the parks department directly.
Swanson pointed out the creation of the first pathway in Moose Jaw came because of a recommendation from the parks advisory committee.
“I disagree; the parks board has done an excellent job,” said Coun. Chris Warren. The department has created a great relationship with the committee, which has brought forward many suggestions such as lottery grants, parks fees, annual budgets, and half a dozen policies about naming parks and buildings.
Warren thought all the committees were important, but if many were to continue, the priority should be to ensure all reports come forward to council in a timely fashion.
Youth Advisory Committee
A survey of other Saskatchewan communities shows only one has a similar Youth Advisory Committee, said Swanson. The problem is this committee meets in the morning. He thought the group should meet after school and not during school time.
Most school principals recommended those youths — who are A-plus students — to sit on the committee, said Mayor Fraser Tolmie. Meanwhile, not all learning occurs inside a classroom.
“This gives kids the opportunity to get familiar with city hall. They are entrusted with some responsibility by this council,” he added. “I think it a great committee and I am very proud of sitting on this … group. I think they’re very exciting.”
Public works committee
To create a committee composed of public works, infrastructure and environment is a great idea and is a good partnership of ideas, said Froese. As someone who sat on the public works committee before becoming a councillor, she thought it made perfect sense to combine those areas into one group.
“It would have been good to have the curbside recycling (issue) go through that,” she added.
Municipal Planning Commission
Although Swanson had never sat on the Municipal Planning Commission, he wasn’t in favour of eliminating it since he thought it was important to have an extra set of eyes review a recommendation before it came to council.
“These committees have a purpose. One is to provide citizen input,” he said. “I differentiate that from an online survey. Defending your position here is different from writing (an opinion) online. It provides opportunities for training, for people interested in putting their name forward for public office.”
The next executive committee council meeting is Tuesday, Nov. 12.
