No public support for four-year term for warden
AWARE News Network March 26 2013
Simcoe County held a public meeting today on a proposal to extend the warden’s term from two years to four.
There was no support.
There wasn’t much feedback either.
Two people had written in.
Bernard Hallett of Washago submitted that “two years is more than adequate,” while Doug Barrett of Penetanguishene pointed out that the notice of public meeting provided no reason for the change, and suggested that the entire second-tier level of government be eliminated.
Three people spoke at the public meeting.
Oro-Medonte Councillor Mel Coutanche said a two-year term is long enough.
Adjala-Tosorontio Councillor Doug Little urged county council put more effort in getting feedback and suggested that all of the 16 local municipal councils be asked which length of term they prefer.
In a submission on behalf of AWARE Simcoe, vice-chair Kate Harries told county councillors the two-year term should continue. A mid-term election ensures the warden remains responsive to the wishes of council, she said. She also urged that the warden be elected by council in an open, recorded vote.
Text of AWARE Simcoe submission
AWARE Simcoe is a citizens’ group that works to protect water, the environment and health through transparency and accountability in government. We have members and affiliated local groups in municipalities throughout Simcoe County, Barrie and Orillia.
1. Extending term of Warden to four years.
AWARE Simcoe feels that the two-year term now in place should continue. It is not fair or wise to ask newly elected County Councillors to vote for a Warden whom they may never have met and know little about.
A ten-minute speech delivered immediately before the vote is no substitute for two years of experience in working with a person when it comes to making sound leadership choices. A mid-term election ensures that the Warden remains responsive to the wishes of County Council, and affords councillors the opportunity to select a new Warden if they so choose.
We have heard no convincing argument in favour of a four-year term. There are those who say that a longer term provides the warden with more credibility in dealing with other levels of government and outside stakeholders. It is also easier for staff.
AWARE Simcoe submits that the comfort offered by a familiar presence at the helm is far outweighed by the advantage to the electorate of having a Warden who is held accountable by his or her peers every two years, and either re-elected or replaced.
2. Election of the Warden
With regards to the election process to select the Warden, AWARE Simcoe feels that this should be done in an open, recorded vote.
County Councillors are directly elected by the citizens of their municipality and those citizens have a right to know how each County Councillor votes on every issue. In terms of the importance of matters decided by county council, the election of a Warden ranks high. We believe this requirement for transparency overrides the desire of County Councillors not to offend their fellow Councillors by voting against them for Warden.
3. Change of Committee structure to Committee of the Whole.
AWARE Simcoe supports the change to a Committee of the Whole structure if it will reduce the number of meetings that County Councillors and the public need to attend and allow more effective oversight of county operations by county councillors. We have not taken a position as yet on the various options put forward in Reports GOV 13-006 and GOV 13-007.
4. Public involvement
Our group, which has taken an interest in governance issues, has found it challenging to follow the deliberations of the governance committee, which meets on short notice and not on a regular date. As a result we missed the last two governance committee meetings.
For the members of the public, governance issues will have an effect on the transparency and accountability in the decision-making process of County Council. AWARE Simcoe does feel strongly that more should be done to inform and engage the public on governance issues than has occurred with the Warden’s term-of-office issue.
AWARE Simcoe urges that public open houses should be held to solicit public input on the term of office and any other proposed changes, similar to the series of public open houses recently held for the waste management changes. An opportunity for the public to submit their own ideas – rather than reacting to county proposals – on how to improve governance would also be a progressive move.
Respectfully submitted,
Kate Harries,
Vice- Chair, AWARE Simcoe
Leave a Reply