City committees rejigged

By BOB BRUTON BARRIE EXAMINER January 6 2011
The city has shuffled its reference committees, which could give Barrie residents a better deal.
“I want the reference committees to be a little bit more of ‘working’ committees — dealing on an ongoing basis with counc i l’s strategic priorities and keeping things moving, as well as providing more opportunities for staff and council to work together,” Mayor Jeff Lehman said.
“To be honest, I don’t know that residents will notice a big change unless they closely follow council — this is probably one of those procedural changes that isn’t all that sexy from the outside, but actually could make a big difference to how effective council and committees are.”
Barrie’s reference committees are community services, development services, finance and corporate services, and transportation and economic development.
Lehman has re-organized the structure of council’s reference committees, combining some of them and having them meet less frequently, or as the workload necessitates. Plain and simple, he wants them to work better.
“So for example, I’d like the development services committee to receive updates on the planning process for the annexation lands (from Innisfil) at every meeting. This will allow council to have closer oversight of the process, but will also allow staff to benefit from council feedback.
“If there is a need for council direction, the committee can pass a motion which would then go to all of council for debate and approval. I think this will create a stronger working relationship between staff and council on key issues.”
This will also follow through on one of Lehman’s campaign promises — to allow people to get more involved in the decision-making process in Barrie.
“Residents will have the opportunity for more input because reference committees are less formal,” he said. “It is up to the chair of a reference committee who is allowed to speak to an issue at a meeting, but I know from experience that when residents come out to a meeting on a specific issue, it is much easier for them to speak to a reference committee than to all of council. The whole process is less formal and more collaborative.
“There are certain issues that reference committees may be able to deal with directly, instead of having to refer a motion to council,” Lehman said. “I’m thinking about minor issues like parking restrictions, etc. This would make council work more efficiently — spending more time on the big issues and less time on the smaller, local issues which are still important — but don’t need to be dealt with by all of council.”
The community services committee is chaired by Coun. Lynn Strachan, and also includes Couns. Jennifer Robinson and Doug Shipley.
Veteran Coun. Barry Ward is chairman of the development services committee, which also includes Couns. Brian Jackson and Peter Silveira.
It is responsible for planning services, including policy plan-n ing, development control, growth management, development policies and standards, building standards, zoning, plumbing and building inspections, lakefront development, housing policy, subdivision services and heritage properties.
It also conducts public meetings in accordance with the Building Code Act, with respect to adjustments of permit fees.
Finance and corporate services committee is chaired by Coun. Michael Prowse and also includes Couns. Bonnie Ainsworth, Alex Nuttall and John Brassard.
It is responsible for current and capital budgets, grants, communications and intergovernmental affairs, municipal law enforcement and prosecutions, service partner and community partner relations (hospital, college, Simcoe County, police services, library and the Barrie Farmers’ Market), history and archives, real estate services, information and communications technology, accessibility, Development Charges Act, procurement, safety and wellness, human resources development, revenue and taxation, financial policies, the city’s financial plan, including long-term strategies, and audit functions, including internal and external audits.
This committee also conducts hearings related to the licensing and regulating of businesses — decisions to keep a licence, refuse a licence, revoke a licence or suspend a licence that are final and binding.
Brassard is chairman of the transportation and economic development committee, which also has Jackson and Prowse as members.
It is responsible for road planning, design and construction, parking, traffic, transit, rail, airport, transportation policy, and business retention, attraction and development.
With this committee, Lehman said he hopes to create a way for city council and staff to work more closely together on bringing jobs to Barrie and growing the city’s economy.
“By elevating economic development so that it has a ref-e re n c e committee focused specifically on that, and on transportation, it will create more opportunity for council and staff to work together on this issue, and creates a regular reporting point for our progress on growing the economy, bringing jobs to Barrie, and so forth,” he said.
“I’d like to see this kind of thing with all the committees.”
City council meetings will also now include presentations and open delegations, to enhance opportunities for public participation in decision-making and the development of Barrie.
This could begin as early as Jan. 17.