Governance recommendations would blow up county system

‘Simcoe County is relatively weak,’ ‘change is needed’ study
New Tecumseth Free Press Online October 18, 2010
Three days after next Monday’s municipal election, the outgoing Simcoe County council is scheduled to meet and one of the agenda items will be a governance report that recommends blowing up the current County council system and replace it with a series of recommendations including creating a Deputy Warden position and rebuilding the committee structure.

It’s expected that the outgoing council will vote to move the recommendations on to the incoming councillors to deal with the report prepared by the The Berkeley Consulting Group.
Among the key conclusion in the 61 page study is that “based on our research, information collection and analysis, Simcoe County is a relatively weak form of County upper tier governance. Moreover, we have concluded that Simcoe needs to strengthen its governance in terms of: Developing a clear vision and strategic priorities; Taking County positions on key area-wide issues; Providing consistent and focused County leadership.
We do not feel that the current governance structure and form are sufficient to do this. Change is needed.
Below is a condensed outline of the recommendations contained in the Simcoe Governancee Review Final Report:
Immediate Governance Reforms – Recommendations for 2010-2014
Clarify Expectations and Review Support and Level of Compensation for Warden. The part time Warden position will have a two year term beginning December 2010. In the past, the focus and approach to the role have depended to some extent on the incumbent and the time they have available to perform the role (in addition to their other local responsibilities).
Create a Deputy Warden Position
Simcoe County needs to have a formally designated Deputy Warden who can act in the absence of the Warden and provide support to the Warden. County Council can elect a Deputy for the term of office of the Warden or they can rotate the position annually among s/elected members of County Council.
Clarify Expectations and Review Support and Level of Compensation for County Councillors
County Councillors report that they spend between 12 and 60 hours a month on County Council business. County Councillor compensation levels tend to be lower than the comparable upper tier municipalities and do not appear to be related to the level of effort or expectations of the position.
Establish an Independent, External Compensation Committee
It is important that County Councillors have a clear understanding of their role and the related expectations and that they are fairly compensated for their work. It is recommended that an independent, external Compensation Review Committee be struck to review compensation levels of all elected positions and recommend adjustments (one time and ongoing cost of living) to those levels at the beginning of the term of a new County Council.
Review the County Committee Structure
It has been nearly ten years since the Committee structure has been reviewed and adjusted. It is proposed that the current structure, including the numbers of Committees and the Committee mandates, be adjusted as necessary for the 2010-2014 term so that it is consistent with the strategic priorities of the incoming County Council. We also suggest that County Council consider extending the use of the Committee of the Whole for discussions on strategic and important County-wide issues.
Governance Committee Should Report Directly to County Council
We recommend that the Governance Committee begin a process in 2012 to consult with local municipalities, community residents and other stakeholders about the next steps in strengthening County governance. They should have responsibility for ensuring the necessary approvals are obtained in advance of any Municipal or Elections Act deadlines to allow for action in the identified areas. To be effective in this important leadership role, the Governance Committee needs to report directly to County Council for at least the next term of Council.
Strengthen Strategic Processes – Planning, Priority Setting, Budgeting
Most Councillors appreciated the strong county planning processes but expressed an interest in having the opportunity for greater involvement in those processes. Staff and Council should work together to explore an expanded ongoing role for County Councillors in these strategic processes.
Strengthen County Policy, Communications and Advocacy Roles
Some strengthening could occur after 2014 with a four year, full time Warden and directly elected County Councillors. In the interim, the County needs to take clear policy positions and communicate and, where appropriate, advocate the positions more effectively. In addition, the continued growth of interest groups in County decision making processes reinforces the need for more effective communications and a strengthened and proactive policy role and voice.
Work with Local Municipalities to Identify Opportunities for Collaboration and Partnership
In the absence of a formal mandate, Simcoe County needs to play a leadership role in facilitating, convening and supporting County-wide planning and partnerships to address these issues.
Enhance Councillor Orientation
There have been improvements in the orientation processes for new County Councillors, but more improvements are needed. Councillors suggested a range of enhancements including: orientation to the County (demographics, employment, etc); policy overview of key policy issues; service overview; tour of County facilities; introduction to senior and middle management staff; overview of key county documents and processes; overview of governance procedures and expectations. The Warden should work with senior staff to ensure a more robust orientation process for the incoming Councillors.
Improve Internal County Communications
It is recommended that the County explore other alternatives which provide Councillors with ready and immediate access to County correspondence.
Add County Councillor Designation to the Municipal Ballot
We recommend that the County work with the lower tier municipalities to determine if it is possible to add the title County Councillor to the position of the Mayor on the municipal ballot so that the ballot would say Mayor and County Councillor. Under legislation, local municipalities have the authority to change the name of a municipal elected position. However they can only list positions on the ballot that correspond to municipal ‘offices’ and there is no currently no office of Mayor and County Councillor.
Medium Term – Governance Reforms for the 2014-2018 County Council
The governance changes described in this section would take effect following the 2014 election, for the 2014-2018 term of County Council. Many of the proposals require triple majority approval and work needs to begin well in advance of the 2014 elections. We suggest that a restructured Governance Committee be charged with responsibility for reviewing and adjusting (if necessary) the recommendations, leading a consultation process and managing the approval and implementation processes for these recommendations.
Reduce size of Simcoe County Council and Change Composition
Simcoe County Council is too large for effective and focused decision making. We propose that the size of the Council be reduced by having each municipal council be represented by only one member, its Mayor. Other Councillors would be directly elected to serve only on the County Council and most would be elected from an area including more than one municipality. We have proposed a model using population data derived from the 2006 Federal Census. Because such a scheme cannot be implemented until the 2014 municipal election, its final form should not be determined until after data from the 2011 Census become available. Our approach, using the 2006 data, would include:
Sixteen mayors – one from each lower tier municipality – this maintains strong local connections.
Seven members that are directly-elected and will serve only on the County Council – this will contribute to a broader County wide perspective and focus, and eliminate the need for the weighted voting.
The seven members have been allocated based on the principle of representation by population as follows:
– Bradford-West Gwillimbury 1 County Councillor
– Innisfil 1 County Councillor
– New Tecumseth 1 County Councillor
– Adjala-Tosorontio, Essa, Clearview 1 County Councillor
– Collingwood, Wasaga Beach 1 County Councillor
– Midland, Penetanguishene, Springwater, Tiny 1 County Councillor
– Oro-Medonte, Ramara, Severn, Tay 1 County Councillor
Eliminate Weighted Voting
The recommended change in size and composition of the County Council will eliminate the need for weighted voting. As noted above, the County Council positions have been allocated to equalize representation among all lower tier municipalities on the basis of population. This means that all future votes, recorded or otherwise, will be more reflective of the population composition and distribution in the County. There is no ongoing need for weighted voting and we recommend it be eliminated effective the new term of County Council in 2014.
Extend the Term of Office for Warden to 4 years
The move to a four year term for the Head of Council will provide stability and focused leadership at the County level. It will contribute to more productive relationships with external stakeholders and a stronger and more consistent public voice of the County.
Full-time Warden Position
It is recommended that the four year Warden be a full-time role. This recognizes the increased expectations for leadership, communication, relationship building and the increasing importance of Simcoe County in the greater GTA.
Change Method of Selection of Head of Council
It is expected that the Warden and a strengthened Council will together play a stronger leadership role in the County. The shift to a four year, full time position, will require a different method for selecting the Warden. We recognize that the Warden position needs to be clearly focused on County issues and recommend that beginning in the 2014-2018 term, the Warden not hold a seat on a lower tier municipal Council. We propose the following options related to the selection of County Warden for the 2014 term of Council:
1. County Council will elect the Warden from among the elected members of County Council. If a Mayor is elected as Warden, the Mayor would be required to step down from his/her local position.
2. County Council will elect the Warden from among the seven directly elected County Councillors. 3. County Council will elect the Warden from interested candidates on County Council as well as any interested community candidates who wish to be considered or who Council wishes to consider for the position.
We have not recommended consideration of an option for a directly elected Warden for Simcoe County. While there are benefits to direct election, we feel that such a change at this time would lead to greater focus on politics rather than on the constructive and collaborative leadership that is needed, and it would be a logistical and cost challenge in such a large County.
Align Committee Structure
The recommendations in this section will result in a smaller and more focused County Council in 2014-2018. At the same time, County Council should also give consideration to the introduction of a Committee of the Whole system. This would provide all Councillors with the opportunity to contribute to County decisions and would contribute to a stronger understanding of County issues and priorities.
Method of s/election of Head of Council
Direct election, selection from among Council: Could require that the Head of Council, if elected as a representative of a local municipality, no longer to serve on the local council OR require that the Head of Council must continue to serve on the local council. For a member to represent more than one municipality. Method of election for Councillors – direct to upper tier, elected to local level and appointed to upper tier, or a combination. Change the size of council. Change the number of votes give to any one member, as long as each member has at least one vote. Change term of office of an appointed head of council as long as it does not exceed the term of Council 
As a result, we suggest a phased-in approach to change, one that builds incrementally beginning with some modest immediate changes. Then, Council can consider some more significant governance changes for the next Council term in 2014. The recommended approach emphasizes evolution instead of revolution, and one that recognizes and works with the strong forces for and against change in the County.
Area wide planning
work collaboratively with other municipalities to plan for area-wide services and supports. The County could play a range of roles as needed including leader, convener or a facilitator. We feel strongly that the County needs to negotiate new ways to work with the local municipalities and that there needs to be more focused effort on area-wide service issues and planning for growth related issues.