Who does what at City Hall

Posted by Phil Andrews

We've received a press release about the Guelph Civic League's AGM.

It will feature an address by Guelph Mayor Karen Farbridge on who does what at city hall.

Here's the release:

 

Media Release –

Guelph Civic League AGM to Feature Mayor’s
Address on Who Does What at City Hall

Guelph, Ontario – Mayor Karen Farbridge will give a presentation titled “Local Government - who does what?” at the 2013 Annual General Meeting of the Guelph Civic League. The AGM is scheduled for Wednesday, January 30, at 10 Carden Street in Downtown Guelph starting at 7 pm. The event is free and open to the public. Beverages and light snacks will be served.

Rodrigo Goller and Kelly Guthrie, community engagement coordinators for the City of Guelph, will also be on the bill discussing the City’s developing Community Engagement Framework. The framework aims to provide municipal decision makers and community members with a consistent and genuine approach to community engagement.

GCL President Dave Sills noted that both presentations will help Guelph citizens to better understand how their local government works and how they can get involved. “It’s all about knowledge – knowing where and when to get engaged in the process, who to talk to, and how to make an impact,” says Sills.

Founded in 2004, the Guelph Civic League is committed to keeping citizens informed and working towards a local democracy that is inclusive, participatory, transparent and accountable. The Guelph Civic League has an active blog (recently reaching over 30,000 views) that can be found at http://guelphcivicleague.ca.

-30-

For more details, please email info@guelphcivicleague.ca

 

Comments

[Patrick]

We already know how this mayor and council work.
Behind close doors
Few at city hall know the true meaning of transparency,yet that word and
sustainability are the trendy words that are in every press release.
Please stop,your only fooling yourselves.

[D C]

True, when I think of the Farbridge administration, "transparent" and "accountable" are not two words that spring to mind. Quite the opposite in fact.

[Bridget]

Perhaps we should give Farbridge her due... She's at least made lack of transparency transparent during her tenure as mayor. :)

[Serious Cynic]

Bridget:
And spent(wasted) the taxpayers money like there was no tomorrow.
And in her case after the next election there WILL BE NO TOMORROW!!
Reminds me of the joke which I have updated
Q. If Farbridge, McGuinty and Harper were in a small boat in a heavy sea, who would be saved?
A. THE TAXPAYER!

[Dis-a-Ray Antiques]

There have been a few rumours of high-level "dalliences" at staff/council levels the past several years between people who were married but not to each other so maybe the Merc could do a story. It could be entitled "Who Does Who at City Hall."

[geo]

Who does what, brought to you by Her Royal Highness and the Civic League.
I think I understand why people get so upset when the police are allowed to investigate themselves now.

[G]

I'd suggest that many of the commenters on this blog should attend. It's pretty obvious that most of the commenters don't understand how government works and could benefit from this presentation. Keep an open mind and don't believe every headline you read.

[GrumpyOldCorporal]

Every time I think I've seen it all...

"Community Engagement Coordinators?"

We must have perfect infrastructure here in Guelph, if we can afford Community Engagement Coordinators. Even more so that they have time to waste with the GCL.

In fact, while we're at it, let's add a Community Inclusion Coordinator, a Community Empowerment Coordinator, and a Warm Fuzzy Touchy Feely Left Wing Money Wasting Facilitation Coordinator.

Oh. That last one we already have. She's speaking too.

[Patrick]

When King David Miller was mayor of Toronto,this mayor and council were mesmorized by his so called leadership ,which mostly was based on keeping special interest groups happy.
Some how this city government found it appropriate to compare itself to
Toronto,and the leadership of King David.
Well King Dave spent like a mad man to appease the special interest groups who got him elected and couldn't balance the books and got turfed
You know longer hear our town talk about Toronto because they're hero is long gone with his fiscal irresponsibility
Who in Guelph has the Rob Ford vision of don't spend money you don't have.
He's not perfect but he can't be bought either.

[Craig Chamberlain]

We heard from the Mayor last fall that local government is so complicated most of us don't understand it: "The average person finds it difficult to understand what local government does or how to engage with it. And it is hard to trust what you can’t see or understand. We own that."

http://guelph.ca/uploads/administration/mayor/speeches/2012_State_of_the_City.pdf

"G", from your post it seems this is a symposium on the awe and wonder that happens within the walls of City Hall. If we are critical, we don't understand it, and we just need to know better from City Hall why we are wrong.

There is an arrogance in this. The underlying assumption is we are misguided in what we know about City Hall, because of what we read in the paper, and because it is too complicated for us to truly understand. And we should know what we observe directly is somehow incorrect because, well, we don't quite understand it.

At the same time, we are sufficiently aware of what we want and need that we are being polled, and our vote can be used as a mandate when it serves someone's agenda.

I'm tired of voters/citizen being treated as though their perspective is somehow flawed.

Will this symposium be an escalation of commitment to this line of thinking?

This all reminds me of the Wizard in the Wizard of Oz...

[geo]

This is what Her Royal Highness and the GCL are good at, preaching to the converted.

[Serious Cynic]

Craig:
To add to your thoughts, the current Council Control Bloc understands the follwing; -
1. Spend like crazy particularly on frivilous things like the Museum and to follow up the priests home and any other brainwave that Leanne considers to be "heritage".
2. Make lots of new "soft" jobs with job descriptions that are bafflegab.
3. Make sure your friends get those jobs.
4. Fire any staff who object

[Craig Chamberlain]

Serious Cynic, there certainly has been a lot rammed through over the previous term that we are still working through now, leading to a bigger picture issue that all of this points to a loss of confidence in this administration. This runs the gamut from mistrust in the staff positions being created to mistrust around muzzling councillors who attend committee meetings of which they are not a member to City Hall's monitoring of comments on-line to issues about priorities with our money, as made above by GrumpyOldCorporal.

Simply said, yes, it's time for change. In fact, it's long overdue. The choir is getting thin, and geo, this is why you should expect to see more reliance on messaging from the City's communications apparati.

[geo]

Craig
Please explain

[Craig Chamberlain]

geo, I'm not sure what you need me to explain -- I've been consistent in my comments. Messaging in support of a civic admin is of course best done by way of glowing Letters to Editor. To the extent an admin loses confidence, and I think this is the case with the current admin, I suggest there is a greater push by the admin's powers-that-be to explain what it is/they are doing. I think it is fair to say that this loss of confidence has been acknowledged, framed as local government being too complex for most of us to understand -- so yes, expect further messaging to assist us in knowing the wonder and awe of this admin. Stronger words have been used to describe what I am talking about.

It would be interesting for someone with a poli-sci/ journalism bent to examine how local Letters of the Editor have evolved since 2002. Interestingly Scott touched a bit on this in a column in the fall of 2007, which formed the basis of my initial submission to the Community Editorial Board. geo, I hope this helps to clarify -- ?

[geo]

So the purpose of this who does what presentation is to try and justify the existence of of all these newly created yet useless positions?

[Steve]

I wouldn't say local government is too complex for us to understand, but it's safe to say it's complex enough that most people currently don't understand it.
The solution, of course, is for them to help us understand it better. Maybe this "who does what" exercise will help, or maybe it won't, but I appreciate all the info they can provide because I don't fully understand it either.

[j dimontino]

I agree with Steve on this one. Just when your think you have a handle on how certain procedures/decisions are reached, up comes some rule - or vague debate on rules, or minutiae on said procedure - that requires extensive debate, and otherwise exceedingly cloudy or ponderous deliberation. I will end off with... ugh!

[Craig Chamberlain]

OK, but if you consider what has transpired in this term of council, regarding our lowly councillors, who really are "you and I", there is a glaring contradiction in all of this if you consider:

- the fiasco it was for "you and I" to get a public document from staff
- the effective muzzling of councillors through fear of use of the integrity commissioner
- fewer council meetings that provide "you and I" to hear from staff, ask questions from staff
- the effectively muzzling of councillors at committees who are not members of that committee
- bizarre motions of support for the CAO, whom "you and I" are supposed to hold accountable

Clearly, the actions of this admin speak for themselves in terms of what it's attitude actually is when it comes to knowing what is going on.

[Dave Sills]

The main reason for having the mayor address this issue of 'who does what' at the Guelph Civic League meeting tonight is to try to clarify the complementary roles of the mayor, the CAO, council and staff. GCL discovered that even the city's web site had an incorrect org chart - it has since been fixed. Democratic literacy is important - "An informed citizenry is the bulwark of a democracy" (often attributed to Jefferson).

There will also be time for the mayor to answer questions. Why complain here in the 59 Carden echo chamber when you can ask the mayor directly and in person?

We've set up this forum to inform and encourage respectful and constructive discussion - come out and participate. 7 pm at 10 Carden. The mayor will likely start her presentation around 8 pm so feel free to come then.

[D C]

Thanks Dave. While I do not agree with many of the positions of GCL and especially its ironic support for this, less-than-democratic, Farbridge administration, I do respect the hard work that you and the other members of your group do to help make Guelph a better place to live and work.

[Steve]

Dave, I wish I could make it tonight. Will there be info available on the GCL web site or elsewhere?

[Dave Sills]

Steve, we'll make as much information as possible available on the blog. DC, the GCL does not 'support' any administration - we support good policies. We've been critical of a fair number of policies of this administration. But thanks for your recognition of our work - hope you can make it tonight.

[geo]

Bringing in an integrity commissioner to intimidate councillors who don't think the "right" way.
That alone should be enough to turf the self centred, my way or the highway Farbridge and company.

[Craig Chamberlain]

From today's Mercury website:

"Rodrigo Goller and Kelly Guthrie, community engagement coordinators at the city, will also be on hand to discuss the developing Community Engagement Framework. The framework aims to provide municipal decision makers and community members with a consistent and genuine approach to community engagement."

I have to wonder how much of that approach involves bypassing the lowly council member. Can't reconcile our political reps not meeting or not being recognized at a committee meeting of which they are not a member and still have some pretense to "engagement".

Dave, there is No. Good. Way. to sell what has happened to democratic representation during this term of council. Hopefully the GCL won't be used as this admin's PR arm in an attempt to suggest otherwise. The upside I suppose is perhaps as an org you would be permitted to assemble in a public space though.

[Craig Chamberlain]

I have to question if our city really needs two full-time "community engagement co-ordinators". Especially as it seems we are moving towards having full-time councillors.

[Steve]

Why would full time councillors affect the need for community engagement co-ordinators?

[geo]

Because that's what a councillor is supposed to do.

[Craig Chamberlain]

geo, exactly.

And as I understand it from you Scott, we are below a generally accepted population # threshold in determining the need for full-time councillors.

Steve, consider the cost of full-time councillors, and forget about it being a zero-sum change by the time it's all worked out, plus added staff for the full-time councillors, plus what expenses that go along with the community engagement staff... for a city/community our size.

Hubris.

Here is a quote that we should take to heart:

Vladimir Franz: "The (political) system is so enchanted with itself that it’s lost the ability to self-reflect."

[Steve]

Actually, geo & Craig, that's not what councillors are supposed to do. Council is supposed to be concerned with strategy and direction-setting, not day-to-day operations. Both council and staff need to engage with the community to do their jobs effectively.

[Craig Chamberlain]

Steve, absolutely this is something they do, in addition to what they are doing as a "board" strategically. How do they evaluate those strategic decisions otherwise? You seem to be suggesting that we somehow divorce councillors from the people they are supposed to represent, essentially acting as elected technocrats, putting staff between councillors and the people. I really think you need to reconsider how what you are suggesting could be interpreted in a practical sense. We should beware of councillor roles becoming framed in such a way that they're stepping on some staff's toes for having certain types of engagements with citizens. That door must always be open and in no way should a councillor be limited, procedurally or by convention in being to have whatever conversations she or he wants to have with the people they are responsible to.

[Craig Chamberlain]

... I'm not sure how you can separate out those appropriate engagements with citizens without it evolving into a matter of councillors told to stop having certain types of conversations. And yes, they do perform a role of ambassador for the City. This is not about getting into the day-to-day operations in the sense of telling a staff person their priorities for that day, it is about being connected with the people they represent. And that happens conversation by conversation by conversation.

Back off, City Hall!

[Steve]

Craig, I'm not sure what you're arguing any more. I never suggested that councillors shouldn't be able to communicate with their constituents, or that staff should get between councillors and the people.
I'm merely saying that for some operational matters, a direct communication between staff and the public is necessary. Take transit as an example. If staff are planning to change the bus routes or schedules, they need to consult directly with the ridership to do that effectively. And since it's a purely operational matter, council doesn't need to be an intermediary between the transit department and the people who use the buses. The best line of communication and consultation is direct. There are lots of other operational scenarios where staff and citizens need to communicate and collaborate directly. Hence the need for community engagement coordinators.

[geo]

Great column from Rex Murphy that relates to who does what. http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/author/rmurphynp/

"flung themselves into ever- more- exotic functions"

Guelph's current administration defined.

[Craig Chamberlain]

Thanks for that, geo.

As a side comment about that Comment ed of his, I would answer Rex by saying talk of road tolls only makes sense right now, politically, as a diversionary tactic. I suppose things are BAD when musing about more taxes, in the form of road tolls, can help:

Rex: "With all the waste and scandal witnessed during Dalton McGuinty’s regime — including hundreds of millions of dollars to cancel two gas plants for crass political reasons — it is amazing that his successor could have the gall to ask for fresh taxes, before the story of how previous taxes were wasted has even been told...

In whatever form this shakedown comes, hitting the underserved drivers to pay again for roads they have already paid for is a gross insult, and one that is felt at the precise moment in voters’ lives when they are at the stage of maximum irritation. Kathleen Wynne should think long and hard about whether this is how she wants to introduce herself as Ontario’s new premier."

National Post
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/02/02/rex-murphy-an-idle-no-more-i-can-really-get-behind-the-end-of-toll-roads/