By Pepper Parr
April 25th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns led the comments made during a Council meeting during which it became glaringly clear that the city’s seven member council was seriously split.
The rupture was not about the widening of a road or a change to a parks and recreation program; it had to do with the way city council would be run.
The Strong Mayor powers that were brought into being last July gave Mayors the power to hire and fire a City Manager and city staff as well. It required the Mayor to present a budget to Council.
Mayor Meed Ward chatting with the Premier during a tour of the Joseph Brant Hospital before Strong Mayor powers were issued. Sometime after the photograph was taken the Premier had a less jovial conversation with the Mayor over the poor progress the city had with the construction of new housing.
A Mayor can delegate the decisions back to Council, which Mayor Marianne Meed Ward did. What she did not do was delegate the hiring and firing of the City Manager back to Council. She kept that power in her own hands.
There is considerable debate in just how these powers should be used. One of the more important powers is the setting of a budget; that is a power that is in the hands of the Mayor. The budget has always been produced by the City Finance department and presented to Council where it can be revised.
Most people don’t pay much attention to the creation and passing of a budget. It is a complex and a tireless process – but a necessary one. That budget determines what the tax rate will be. Property taxes come right out of your pocket.
Taxes have been increasing recently. More concerning is understanding just what the tax increase is. The current council, in the minds of many, is less than transparent when it comes to explaining just what the taxes amount to. The word “impact has crept into the language used to explain a tax increase by which they mean the impact the tax rate is going to have – rather than setting out exactly what the tax rate is going to be.
That complexity will be covered in a report that is currently being researched.
Our objective today is to let readers hear what Council members had to say about the decision the Mayor made about how she was going to exercise the power she now has.
A City council sets policy that determines what staff has to implement.
City staff are directed by the City Manager.
The concern of a majority of Burlington’s City Council is – who controls the City Manager. The rupture is related to the lack of trust between the Mayor and a majority of the seven member council.
The video that follows is long. Each member of Council sets out their concern and the Mayor response. It is not pretty and it doesn’t look as if it is going to get any better.
Burlington now has a new City Manager. Hassaan Basit, was the CAO of Conservation where he did a very good job. In a recently published book he set out how he thinks a City Manager, new to the job, should work with Staff in the first 100 days.
It is going to be an interesting 100 days. Summer in the city is not going to be cool.
The 28 minute video begins with a comment from the City Clerk on what is appropriate, in her opinion, on what can be said.
It closes with the Mayor’s view.
Joe, I take the Mayor of Waterloo statement disagrees with Mayor Meed Ward that one cannot refuse strong powers after accepting the housing pledge, which is what many of us said at the time of the budget, but the Mayor claimed she had no choice. Publisher are you aware of any provincial sanctions against Waterloo for the Mayor’s public statement not to accept. This Waterloo Mayoral published decisions leads us to believe that it is the Mayor who is circulating misinformation about these powers and no-one else
Mayor McCabe has demonstrated that she is a confident and Strong Mayor who has can build homes despite the flawed “ More Homes Built Faster Act”. Proof being Burlington was shut out when it came to getting money. But PM Trudeau came riding into town to save some Halton seats and to make some sort of housing announcement about “identifying public lands…blah blah.”
Clearly a Mayor who appreciates the strength of council decisions rather than a Mayor’s decision. Kudo’s Mayor McCabe.
Here is how it is done without a Petition in Waterloo Ont
Strong Mayor Statement – Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCabe – October 30, 2023
The provincial government extended Strong Mayor powers to municipalities that have committed to a housing pledge as part of the province’s work plan for ‘building more homes faster’.
However, I have informed Council and staff that I do not intend to use these powers.
In July 2023, I delegated back to the CAO the authorities commonly and regularly provided to CAOs across municipalities in Ontario.
In September 2023, I issued a direction to staff to prepare the budget for public engagement and council consideration after February 2, 2023 and informed the Finance Liaison and the internal budget committee that I will not introduce my own budget.
I have made these decisions because Strong Mayor powers are not necessary for me to utilize in order for the City of Waterloo to advance approvals for housing developments of all varieties.
In addition, I am concerned that utilizing Strong Mayor powers will undermine the work of Council, staff and the input from our residents and community partners and does a disservice to local democracy.
“The work of our municipality and building a successful community requires the input and expertise of Council, staff and the community we collectively serve.”
https://www.waterloo.ca/en/government/mayoral-decisions.aspx#Decisions-about-the-organizational-structure-of-the-city