By Pepper Parr
February 8th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
There wasn’t that much for a report from the first meeting of the Pipeline to Permit Standing Committee in the agenda for the meeting today.
The make up of the committee reflects a new approach to how a Standing Committee is put together; this one will include people who were not elected to office,
There will be discussion to be facilitated by Glenn Pothier.
The agenda for the meeting will include: Goals for the Committee, The Committee’s purpose, Terms of Reference, Operating Procedures and Sample agenda items/approaches
N Squared: News and Numbers
News and Numbers items include information on Provincial and Federal housing initiatives, staff updates on Council directives, and the Pipeline to Permit Report.
Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte did the early leg work that resulted in the creation of the Pipeline to Permit Committee that will do things a little differently.
The creation of the Committee was a collaborative initiative led to a considerable degree by ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte who faced a significant amount of blow back from staff. She prevailed and what you will see this morning is the result of what a Councillor cn get done when they push.
Not everyone sees the Committee as a good idea. Jim Thomson maintains that the Pipeline to Permit Committee meeting scheduled for Thursday February 8., 2024 violates the Municipal act as no such committee exists in the Procedure By-law.
Staff were suppose to amend the Procedure By-law in a timely manner but have not yet, according to Thomson, presented an amended Procedure By-law to council for approval.
Jim Thomson delegating before City Council.
Should this meeting go ahead I will be filing another complaint with the Ombudsman.
The Rule of Law is fundamental to the functioning of a democracy.
Holding this meeting when the enabling legislation has not been passed would be a violation of the Code of Good Governance for each council member who participates.
It is past time that Council actually learns the rules under which it is supposed to operate.
Thomson is certainly direct with that opinion.
City Manager Tim Commisso has been solid supporter of the approach Stolte developed when there were planning issues that she felt needed more in the way of input – she looking for views that were outside the city bubble. The Planning Director at the time was not onside.
City Hall seems as giddy as a schoolgirl, meetings, teleconferencing, pie charts, it’s just to much for a person to bear, better order some more dry erase markers, announcements we need more coverage, twenty nine thousand new homes can you imagine? We need a completely new way of looking at the way we haven’t been looking at this , new everything, we need a conceptualization outline that draws on our commitment to commit a resource driven goal orientated top down bottom up solution driven outline that can be built out as we move forward and backward.
(211 – the number to dial – “Help is just three numbers away.)
Another good summary, David. Yes, we are in fantasyland.
Ha! David that is a VERY good description of the dizzying gobblygook nonsensical meaningless drivel that our council and COB seem to spend our hard-earned dollars producing day in and day out, in between posting about it all over social media and congratulating themselves for it. Or, DGNMD for short.
I am confused, are we talking about the same P-to-P Committee whose terms of reference was established in CM-15-23?
Source: https://www.burlington.ca/en/council-and-city-administration/resources/Committees-and-Boards/Committee-Terms-of-Reference/CM-15-23—Appendix-A—Pipeline-to-Permit-Committee-TOR.pdf
Or, is this a new and improved P to P committee and approach?
Because, unless the terms have been modified. The committee in that document had 13 members including 4 councillors, plus an invitation to any councillor who chooses to attend. Plus, subject to the agenda items, the following staff supports, the City Manager, 8 Executive Directors and the Burlington Lands Partnership – Executive Lead.
Meaning a P-to-P committee meeting could have over 22 people in attendance.
Again, who is on first, second, or third?