Effort to add McKay to waste committee fails

Midland mayor’s background and experience would have been asset, says Tiny’s Millar
By Nicole Million Midland Mirror Feb 01, 2011
MIDLAND – An attempt to get Midland Mayor Gord McKay appointed to Simcoe County council’s waste management subcommittee went down to defeat last week.
Tiny Township Mayor Ray Millar told The Mirror he brought McKay’s name forward due to his experience with Zero Waste Simcoe and on the steering committee for the county’s waste management strategic planning exercise.
“Given his background, experience and familiarity with the issues, I thought he would be a valuable asset to the waste management sub-committee and that council would be well served by his appointment in addition to those five members that were selected by their peers,” said Millar.
McKay said during the first round of sub-committee appointments, his name was not put forward for the waste management committee.
“Part of the fault was mine. I missed the start of one of the meetings, so I missed the vote,” he said. “There were a lot of people that came forward and said, ‘Gord, with his background, should be part of this.’ I was complimented, and Ray was very good about putting my name forward.”
The waste management sub-committee is made up of the warden, the chair of corporate services and then one member elected from each of the three standing committees.
The issue arose after McKay was nominated, but not present, at the Jan. 13 meeting of the performance management committee, which gave the nod instead to Mary Small Brett of Adjala-Tosorontio.
“Coun. McKay had a previous engagement that meant his attendance at the performance management committee on the date was delayed,” Millar said.
He added some members of council suggested there was such high interest in joining the committee that many councillors stepped aside and chose not to run in favour of one clear appointment from each committee.
Millar acknowledged there is “good sense” in that argument, but said he also agreed with a suggestion by Wasaga Beach Deputy Mayor David Foster that it might be prudent to have a member elected at large from all of council.
“At the end of the day, it was decided that there’s ample opportunity for all members of council to share their points with the five members that make up the subcommittee,” Millar said, adding several members of council also expressed concern about the size of committees and the need to get work done.
Millar said despite his motion being defeated, he still has every confidence in the committee as it is presently composed.
“Mary Brett Smallwood … has a long and established history with waste-reduction efforts in her home municipality,” he said. “I am happy with the committee structure. That’s not to say there wouldn’t have been added benefit from having Coun. McKay participate.”
McKay said he believes he could have made a contribution to the subcommittee, but he respects the decision of county council.
“That’s not to say we are going to back away from waste – it’s a strong interest of mine,” he said. “Everything that goes to these committees will then come up to the floor of county council, so I will have every opportunity at that time to speak to the issue and will have the added benefit of being able to speak before the full public.
“I remain optimistic that we can do a much better job with our waste and waste management, and hope to be able to work with the county in the years ahead and make that happen.”