HomeMy WebLinkAboutADM 040 Committees and Taskforces of Council Policy
Policy
Procedure Title: Committees and Taskforces of Council Policy Number
ADM 040
Reference
Municipal Act
Procedure By-law, as amended
Resolution #165/10
Resolution #301/14
Resolution #53/19
Resolution #125/23
Date Originated (m/d/y)
November 10, 2008
Date Revised (m/d/y)
December 13, 2010
October, 2012
December 15, 2014
March, 2019
March 27, 2023
Pages
23
Approval: Chief Administrative Officer
Point of Contact
City Clerk
Policy Objective
The purpose of this Policy is to identify a process for establishing Committees and Taskforces of
Council, requirements for maintaining and supporting their work, and the coordination of the
appointment and advertising process through the City Clerk. It excludes external bodies and local
Boards not established by Council and internal, working groups of an administrative nature.
This Policy supplements the City of Pickering’s Procedure By-law which applies to all Committee
and Taskforce meetings.
Index
01 Definitions
02 Classification of Committees
03 Establishment of Committees and Taskforces
04 Taskforces
05 Relationship between Committees/Taskforces and Council
06 Ongoing Review of Committees/Taskforces
07 Terms of Reference
08 Appointment Process and Advertising for Committee/Taskforce Members
09 Appointment Process for Chair and Vice Chair
10 Resignation/Dismissal Process
Policy Title: Committees and Taskforces of Council Page 2 of 23
Policy Number: ADM 040
11 Absentee Requirements
12 Orientation Sessions
13 Meeting Structure, Agenda, and Minute Formats
14 Access to Meetings
15 Pecuniary Interest
16 Duties of Members of Council, Committee/Taskforce Members, and City Staff
17 Quorum
18 Committee/Taskforce Events, Media Relations, and Communications
19 Subcommittees
20 Honorariums
21 Provision for Accessibility and Diversity
22 Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy
23 Exceptions to this Policy
01 Definitions
01.01 Chair - means a Member with voting rights appointed by the Members to act as
the head of the Committee/Taskforce.
01.02 Committee - means an Advisory Committee, Ad Hoc Committee, Quasi-
Judicial/Appeals Committee, or a Board established by Council Resolution or
statute.
01.03 City - means The Corporation of the City of Pickering.
01.04 Council - means the Council of The Corporation of the City of Pickering.
01.05 Event - means a gathering of 20+ people, held on City property (facility, park, or
permitted space), is open to the public, and include one or more of the following
criteria; amplified sound, catered food, industrial cooking, alcohol sales,
vendors, food trucks/vendors, staking, generators, carnival or fair, raffles, and
may include use of a Signature Park.
01.06 Mandate - means the statement that describes the Committee/Taskforce’s
purpose or responsibilities as outlined in the respective Committee/Taskforce’s
Terms of Reference.
01.07 Member - means a citizen Member appointed by Council to a Committee, or a
Stakeholder Member selected by a Stakeholder Organization.
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Policy Number: ADM 040
01.08 Quorum - means a majority of Members required to be present at any meeting
in order that business may be conducted. When vacancies occur on a
Committee, Quorum shall be based on the remaining number of sitting
Members and not the full Membership.
01.09 Staff Liaison - means the staff Member assigned to facilitate and provide
guidance to the Committee/Taskforce.
01.10 Stakeholder Member - means the individual selected by the Stakeholder
Organization to participate on the Committee/Taskforce on behalf of the
Stakeholder Organization which may change from time to time at the discretion
of the Stakeholder Organization.
01.11 Stakeholder Organization - means an organization that is defined in the
Committee/Taskforce’s Terms of Reference, and who provide a Member of said
organization to be a Member of a Committee/Taskforce for the City.
01.11 Subcommittee - means an informal group composed of no fewer than one
voting Member of the Committee/Taskforce but less than Quorum of the
Committee/Taskforce. Subcommittees are established, as required, to carry out
specific projects included in the annual work plan, and are disbanded upon
completion of their duties. Subcommittees are not subject to open Meeting
provisions under the Municipal Act and the Procedure By-law. Membership may
be drawn from relevant stakeholders or the general public with the appropriate
interest and expertise.
01.12 Taskforce - means a body established by Council with a Mandate to study and
analyze a particular municipal issue and implement action as outlined in the
Terms of Reference and/or Work Plan. Action may include community events,
public engagement workshops, and educational resources in partnership with
the community and/or the City. Taskforces may include citizen Members, staff,
and representation from external bodies.
01.13 Terms of Reference - means the document that provides an overview of the
Committee or Taskforce, the content of which is prescribed by this Policy. A
Terms of Reference template is attached as Appendix 1 to this Policy.
01.14 Vice Chair - means a Member with voting rights appointed by the Members of
the Committee/Taskforce to assume the duties of the Chair in the Chair ’s
absence.
02 Classification of Committees
02.01 Committees provide recommendations, advice and information to Council on an
ongoing basis on specific municipal matters that are set out in the Committee’s
Mandate and Terms of Reference. Some Committees, due to their quasi-
judicial, or legislated nature, make decisions based on the parameters of their
Terms of Reference. Committees serve until such time that the Committee is
disbanded in accordance with the provisions of this Policy, or in accordance with
the Term identified in the Committee’s Terms of Reference.
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Policy Number: ADM 040
02.02 Categories of Committees include the following:
a)Advisory - includes bodies established by Council to provide input on a
discretionary basis and advice to Council on particular matters, or to
undertake special projects as assigned. The nature of Advisory
Committee recommendations to Council are purely advisory, and Council
may approve, amend, refer or propose other resolutions, as Council
deems appropriate.
b)Ad Hoc - a short term Committee established by Council for the purpose
of dealing with a special project with a clear mandate and a start and
finish date. When an Ad Hoc Committee has reached its term end date,
or completed its task and made its report to Council, the Committee shall
be deemed to be dissolved. An Ad Hoc Committee shall not be
established for a term longer than a year. Ad Hoc Committees shall have
a staff liaison and may have representation from Council, staff, and the
public.
c)Boards - means any local Board established by Provincial Statute and
tasked with overseeing the operation and delivery of services identified in
legislation. Boards may have their own Policies and By-laws, and where
there is a conflict between this Policy and the Board’s policies/by-laws,
the polices and the by-laws of the Board shall prevail.
d)Quasi-Judicial/Appeals Committee - means a Committee established
by Council to exercise a legislative or quasi-judicial power under the
Planning Act, Municipal Act, Building Code Act, or any other Act .
03 Establishment of Committees and Taskforces
03.01 Committees/Taskforces are established by resolution of Council and each
resolution shall incorporate approval of the Terms of Reference for the specific
Committee/Taskforce. Prior to Council's establishment of any
Committee/Taskforce, the relevant Director(s) shall submit a report to Council
including the following information:
a)Previous work done by the City to advance the mandate of the proposed
Committee/Taskforce (if any);
b)Budget Implications;
c)Statutory requirements (if applicable); and
d)Terms of Reference;
04 Taskforces
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Policy Number: ADM 040
04.01 The Terms of Reference for Taskforces shall include details of its mandate,
goals, objectives, responsibilities, composition, Member qualifications, budget,
and remuneration (if applicable).
04.02 Notwithstanding Section 08.03 and 08.04, Taskforces may create their own
appointment process to fill mid-term vacancies. The advertisement of the
vacancy shall aim to reach the broadest sector of the community and shall
indicate the number of vacancies on the Taskforce, duration of the term,
meeting frequency, application process, and the website URL where details can
be obtained regarding the Taskforce. The Taskforce shall determine those
individuals from its membership that will review all applications and will provide
the names of the recommended appointees to the staff liaison. The majority of
the Members forming the review panel will determine which names are
recommended to Council for appointment. Such recommendations shall be
provided to the staff liaison within 45 days of the application closing date. The
recommendations will then be provided to Council for approval at the next
earliest opportunity at an in-camera meeting. For new-term vacancies, the
recruitment process undertaken shall be at the discretion of the staff liaison
assigned to the Taskforce.
04.03 The following process shall be followed for the approval of Taskforce Events:
a)Taskforces may include Events in their annual work plan and present the
work plan to Council through a Staff Report prepared by the staff liaison.
b)The Staff Report shall seek Council approval in principle for Taskforce
Events subject to terms and conditions satisfactory to the Director,
Community Services and Chief Administrative Officer and the Taskforce’s
approved annual budget. The Report shall list the month that the event
would be held in, the type of event, and any other confirmed details of the
event.
c)Events not included in the work plan are subject to Section 18.01 of this
Policy.
04.04 Notwithstanding Section 18.04, the following process shall be followed for media
inquiries received or requested by Taskforces:
a)Taskforces shall have a designated and an alternate Member appointed
as the media spokesperson to respond to media inquiries pertaining to
the mandate of the Taskforce.
b) Upon receipt or request of a media engagement opportunity, the
Taskforce Member must notify the staff liaison, who shall then inform
and consult where appropriate, the Chief Administrative Officer and
Division Head, Public Affairs & Corporate Communications. Upon
approval from the Chief Administrative Officer or the Division Head,
Public Affairs & Corporate Communications, the designated Taskforce
Member or their alternate may respond to the media inquiry.
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Policy Number: ADM 040
c) The Taskforce should anticipate receiving media inquiries that require a
timely response, such as in person, or virtually, during a live event or
activity where the Taskforce is participating. These should only be
addressed by the Taskforce media spokesperson or alternate. If neither
are present, an on-site Taskforce Member should advise the media of
the appropriate person to connect with on their inquiry.
d) When interacting with the media, the Taskforce media spokesperson
must be cognizant of the duties listed under Section 16.02 of this Policy.
e) All matters that fall outside of the mandate of the Taskforce shall be
referred to the City’s Corporate Communications Division.
04.05 Taskforces may develop their own branding and marketing resources as they
frequently engage with the community and stakeholders to build partnerships in
an effort to further their mandate. The request must be sent to the City’s
Corporate Communications Division for review and approval prior to its public
release so that any associated costs can be included in the City’s annual
budget.
05 Relationship between Committees/Taskforces and Council
05.01 The purpose of Committees is to assist Council by providing recommendations
on specialized issues, policies and/or operational levels, as set out in the Terms
of Reference or Council approved work plans. Committee/Taskforce Members
are appointed by Council, and serve at the pleasure of Council for a specified
term, where statutory requirements do not state otherwise.
05.02 Committee/Taskforce recommendations requiring Council’s attention shall be
provided to Council at the next available opportunity through a Report by the
staff liaison. The Report shall include the Committee/Taskforce
recommendation/decision, and the Staff recommendation may include, but is
not limited to, the following:
a) Receive for Information;
b) Directions to staff; or,
c) Refer to a Director for investigation and if appropriate, a report back to
the appropriate Standing Committee.
05.03 Council may approve, amend, refer or propose other resolutions, as Council
deems appropriate. Once a Committee/Taskforce recommendation has been
reported to Council, a Committee/Taskforce will not reconsider, recommend or
advise on the matter, unless directed by Council. No order or authority to do any
business shall be recognized as emanating from a Committee/Taskforce, unless
it is in writing and approved through a resolution of Council.
05.04 Committee/Taskforce Members(s) shall rely exclusively on the staff liaison to
communicate and dispense with recommendations and actions taken by
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Policy Number: ADM 040
Committees/Taskforces, and shall not interfere in the administrative practices of
the City of Pickering.
05.05 Committees/Taskforces shall prepare an annual work plan to Council which
shall include details on the previous year’s accomplishments, a work plan for the
current year, and should include a delegation from a Committee/Taskforce
Member when the matter is presented at a Meeting of Council. The substance
of the work plan shall be prepared by the Committee/Taskforce Members, with
administrative assistance and policy advice given by the staff liaison. The work
plan shall be submitted to Council annually, no later than the May Council
Meeting, through a Memorandum to Council. The Memorandum to Council shall
be forwarded to the City Clerk for inclusion on a Council Agenda under
correspondence with a recommendation to “receive for information”.
06 Ongoing Review of Committees/Taskforces
06.01 Early in each new Council Term, Council shall review all
Committees/Taskforces. The City Clerk in collaboration with the staff liaisons
shall conduct a review of all Committees/Taskforces and provide a report to
Council, including, but not limited to the following:
a) a list of Committees/Taskforce by name and type;
b) updates to all Terms of Reference documents for each Committee and
Taskforce; and,
c) recommendations on whether a Committee and/or Taskforce should be
disbanded.
06.02 If a Committee/Taskforce is to be disbanded, a report on the
Committee/Taskforce activities and reasons for disbanding shall be presented to
Council for approval.
07 Terms of Reference
07.01 Each Committee shall have a Terms of Reference at the time of its
establishment and shall include details of its mandate, goals, objectives, and
responsibilities, composition, Member qualifications, meeting schedule, budget,
and remuneration (if applicable).
07.02 Terms of Reference must be approved by Council and amendments to those
Terms shall be brought forward to Council through a Staff Report by the staff
liaison.
07.03 Terms of Reference shall be reviewed by each Committee/Taskforce at their
first meeting following a municipal election. All Terms of Reference shall be
forwarded and adopted by Council no later than April 1st in the year following a
municipal election.
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Policy Number: ADM 040
07.04 The Terms of Reference of each Committee/Taskforce shall be reviewed on an
ongoing basis by staff liaisons and the Committee/Taskforce to ensure that each
Committee/Taskforce and its Terms of Reference remain relevant and
appropriate.
08 Appointment Process and Advertising for Committee/Taskforce Members
08.01 Where the City makes appointments to bodies of its own creation, such
appointments shall be citizen appointments.
08.02 Appointment of Council Members to Committees/Taskforces shall be done in
accordance with Policy ADM 045 and the number of Council Members to be
appointed to each Committee/Taskforce shall be provided in the
Committee/Taskforce’s Terms of Reference.
08.03 The appointment process for Committees/Taskforces established by Council
shall be coordinated through the City Clerk’s Office.
08.04 The following process will be generally followed in initiating the recruitment,
selection, and appointments for Committees/Taskforces:
a) upon Council passing a resolution to establish a Committee, at the end of
the Term of the Committee/Taskforce, or when a vacancy occurs, the City
Clerk, in consultation with the relevant Department and staff liaison
assigned to the Committee, will advertise Committee vacancies in the local
newspaper, the City’s website, social media platforms, and in any other
manner that the City Clerk deems appropriate to reach the broadest sector
of the community. The advertisement will indicate the number of vacancies
on the Committee/Taskforce, duration of the term, meeting frequency,
application process, and the details pertaining to the mandate of the
Committee/Taskforce;
b) applicants shall be required to complete and submit a prescribed
application form;
c) the staff liaison shall develop a matrix chart to evaluate the applications by
reviewing the list of Member qualifications noted in the
Committee/Taskforce’s Terms of Reference;
d) all applications shall be reviewed by the staff liaison for each
Committee/Taskforce and a recommendation shall be provided to the City
Clerk for inclusion on an in-camera Council agenda. The process to review
the applications will be at the discretion of the staff liaison. The staff
recommendation provided to Council will be accompanied with all
applications and resumes received for that Committee/Taskforce and the
matrix chart developed by the staff liaison to evaluate the applications;
e) when preparing the recommendation to Council, the staff liaison shall give
equal consideration to new applicants as well as those who have
previously served on a Committee/Taskforce;
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Policy Number: ADM 040
f) notwithstanding item e), recommendations shall be based on the relevant
experience and expertise of an individual in relation to the mandate of the
Committee/Taskforce and there shall be no restrictions on the number of
terms an individual may serve if they meet the needs of the Committee;
and,
g) the Clerk’s Office, on behalf of Council, shall send out confirmation letters
to new Committee/Taskforce appointees which will include the contact
information for the staff liaison for that Committee/Taskforce and any other
relevant information required. Letters will also be provided to those
individuals who were not appointed encouraging them to re-apply at such
time a vacancy occurs.
08.05 Notwithstanding Section 08.04 of this Policy, should a vacancy occur on a
Committee/Taskforce within six months of a recruitment process for that
Committee/Taskforce, the staff liaison, at the discretion and direction of the City
Clerk, may consider the applicants that were unsuccessful on being appointed
to the Committee/Taskforces in lieu of initiating a new recruitment process. In
doing so, the following process shall be followed:
a) the Clerk’s Office shall send out letters to all of the applicants that were
originally unsuccessful in being appointed to the Committee/Taskforce.
The letter shall state the number of vacancies available and include a
deadline on providing a response on whether the applicant is agreeable to
being considered for the vacancy.
b) the Clerk’s office shall provide the staff liaison with a list of the applicants
who agreed to being considered for the vacancy.
c) based on the applicants who had agreed to being considered for the
vacancy, the staff liaison shall prepare a recommendation(s) to be
provided to the City Clerk for inclusion on an in-camera Council agenda.
The staff recommendation provided to Council will be accompanied with all
applications and resumes of the applicants that were willing to be
considered.
08.06 Applicants shall be a property owner, tenant, or resident of Pickering and a
minimum of 18 years of age unless a Committee/Taskforce’s Terms of
reference dictates otherwise. City of Pickering employees are not eligible to sit
on Committees/Taskforces as voting Member s.
08.07 The term of a Member of a Committee/Taskforce shall continue in accordance
with the Committee/Taskforce Terms of Reference or until a successor is
appointed. Generally, the duration of Committee/Taskforce appointments are
the same as the Term of Council. In special circumstances, staff may
recommend that the term for a specific Committee/Taskforce be different than
the Term of Council to ensure experience and consistency in following the
Committee/Taskforce's goals and mandate.
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Policy Number: ADM 040
08.08 If a Committee/Taskforce Terms of Reference provide for Stakeholder
representation, the following process, coordinated by the staff liaison, will
generally be followed in initiating appointment of Stakeholder Members:
a) Stakeholder Organizations shall be included in the Committee/Taskforce’s
Terms of Reference and the Stakeholder Organization shall be appointed
by Council through the approval of the Terms of Reference. Individual
Stakeholder Members do not need to be appointed by Council.
b) Where a Committee/Taskforce’s Terms of Reference include Stakeholder
Organizations, the staff liaison will contact the Stakeholder Organization to
seek an individual from the organization to sit on the Committee/Taskforce
as the Stakeholder Member.
08.09 Appointees shall not serve on more than one Committee/Taskforce during a
term unless there is a vacancy and no other applications are received other than
those who are already appointed to another Committee/Taskforce.
08.10 Committees/Taskforces may have membership parameters included in their
Terms of Reference to have a membership “up to” a specific number of
Members which will allow them to continue with vacancies, however,
membership shall not fall below 50% of the maximum membership number
included in the Terms of Reference.
08.11 Membership that reflects the diversity of the City community shall be considered
as part of the recruitment, selection, and appointment process.
09 Appointment Process for Chair and Vice Chair
09.01 Committees/Taskforces may appoint a Chair and Vice Chair, if the roles are
required by statute or the Committee’s/Taskforce’s Terms of Reference. With
the exception of the Pickering Public Library Board, only citizen members may
be nominated for the position of Chair/Vice Chair. Members of Council and
Stakeholder Members cannot be appointed as Chair/Vice Chair. The
appointment(s) shall take place at the first meeting of the Committee/Taskforce
and/or when there is a vacancy in the position(s). In doing so, the following
process shall generally be followed:
a) At the first meeting, the staff liaison will ask Members for nominations for
the position of Chair/Vice Chair for the Committee/Taskforce.
b) The staff liaison will record the names of the nominees. Once all
nominations have been submitted, the staff liaison will advise that the
nominations are closed. The staff liaison will ask each nominee if they wish
to have their name stand for the position of Chair.
c) If there is only one nominee, and if the Member answers in the affirmative
that they wish to have their name stand, the staff liaison wil l ask for a
public vote on a motion to appoint the nominated Member(s) as Chair.
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Policy Number: ADM 040
d) If there is more than one nominee, the staff liaison will ask each Member of
the Committee/Taskforce to publicly state their vote on each nomination .
The Member who achieves the majority vote will be appointed Chair.
e) The staff liaison will repeat this process for the nomination and
appointment of a Vice-Chair .
10 Resignation/Dismissal Process
10.01 Committee/Taskforce Members wishing to resign their appointment shall submit
their resignation in writing to the City Clerk or staff liaison as soon as possible.
Upon acceptance of the resignation, the City Clerk, or designate, shall
acknowledge the resignation in writing and in consultation with the staff liaison
assigned to the Committee/Taskforce, will initiate the aforementioned
appointment process to fill the vacancy.
10.02 Council, at its discretion, can dismiss any Committee/Taskforce in its entirety or
any Member thereof at any time, which may be triggered by any of the following:
a) Completion of the Committee/Taskforce mandate;
b) Legislative requirements to have the Committee/Taskforce no longer exist; or,
c) Recommendation by Staff in Staff Report.
11 Absentee Requirements
11.01 If any Committee/Taskforce Member is absent from three regular meetings in
one calendar year without justification, the staff liaison will contact the Member
in writing to ask whether or not they wish to remain on the Committee/Taskforce
with a specific deadline for a response.
11.02 If contact cannot be made with the absent Committee/Taskforce Member by the
aforementioned deadline, the Committee/Taskforce Member’s seat shall
automatically become vacant and the process for filling a vacancy will begin.
Formal notice that the Member’s seat is vacant will be sent to the Member using
the contact information on file at the City.
11.03 In the case of a Stakeholder Member, the staff liaison will contact the
Stakeholder Organization following the third absence from a regular meeting.
The Stakeholder Organization will have the option to confirm its Member and
ensure that they will be in attendance at meetings going forward, or confirm an
alternate Stakeholder Member will be attending future meetings in their place.
Should a Stakeholder Organization no longer be able to provide a Stakeholder
Member, the Committee/Taskforce may revise their Terms of Reference to
include a new Stakeholder Organization which shall be provided to Council for
approval.
12 Orientation Sessions
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Policy Number: ADM 040
12.01 Orientation sessions shall be conducted at the beginning of each Term by the
staff liaison in coordination with the Legislative Services Division. The
orientation will identify goals, objectives and work plans for the
Committee/Taskforce and will also provide an overview of Policies and Meeting
Procedures. Further sessions may be conducted for Members appointed during
the Council Term, as required. Orientation materials will be distributed to all
Members of the Committee/Taskforce for reference purposes. Each
Committee/Taskforce package shall include the following information at a
minimum:
a) Committee/Taskforce Terms of Reference;
b) Mandatory statutes (e.g. Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act);
c) City of Pickering Procedure By-Law;
d) City Organizational Structure;
e) Relevant City Policies and Procedures affecting Committee/Taskforce
Members including the City’s Code of Conduct; and,
f) Staff liaison support and contact information.
12.02 As per the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, all City and
Library employees, volunteers and/or agents as well as any other individual who
might be reasonably expected to interact with the public on behalf of the
City/Library will receive Accessible Customer Service Training. The staff liaison
assigned to the Committee/Taskforce will arrange training for new
Committee/Taskforce Members who have not had Accessible Customer Service
Training and such training shall be provided by the City’s Accessibility
Coordinator.
13 Meeting Structure, Agenda and Minute Formats
13.01 Regular meetings will be held monthly, but variations may be determined by the
Committee/Taskforce and staff liaison. A meeting schedule, setting out the time
and place for meetings will be established by the Committee/Taskforce in their
Terms or Reference. For in-person or hybrid meetings, meeting venues will be
accessible, and sufficient to accommodate Committee/Taskforce Members,
staff, and member s of the public. Committees/Taskforces have the ability to
meet electronically in accordance with the provisions of the Procedure By-law.
13.02 While ensuring consistency and accountability, meeting structures and
agenda/minute formats may be adjusted to meet the needs of individual
Committees/Taskforces. The following components may be included in
agendas, where specific subject items are described in each component,
a) date, time, location of meeting;
b) disclosure of interest;
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Policy Number: ADM 040
c) approval of previous minutes;
d) presentations/delegations;
e) general business and reports;
f) correspondence;
g) other business;
h) next meeting; and
i) adjournment.
13.03 In addition to the items listed on the agenda, the minutes shall also include the
names of the Members in attendance and those that were absent from the
Meeting.
13.04 Committees/Taskforces shall follow the City’s Procedure By-law; however, a
Committee/Taskforce may choose to adopt its own simplified Procedures,
subject to the approval of the City Clerk. The City Clerk, or their designate, may
provide guidance on the interpretation and application of Meeting Procedures.
Good faith misinterpretation of the Procedures shall not affect the validity of any
meeting.
13.05 Staff and Committee/Taskforce Members should structure meeting agendas to
make every effort to adhere to a two hour time limit for all Committee/Taskforce
meetings.
13.06 Minutes of meetings must be recorded and are scribed without note or
comment. Minutes should briefly outline the substance of each of the agenda
items discussed during the meeting, including actions taken and
recommendations by motion. Motions shall not be required to be seconded,
except in the case of the Pickering Public Library Board. Minutes should have a
collective, not personal focus. What individuals said is less significant than the
precise wording or proposals and the decisions made by the majority of the
Committee/Taskforce or by general agreement. No Member has the inherent
right to have his or her comments on record. Minutes are primarily a record of
what was done at a meeting, and not a record of what was said. Minutes are not
taken verbatim and they do not serve as a transcript of the meeting.
13.07 The Recording Secretary shall forward the draft Minutes, as soon as possible
following the meeting to the staff liaison for their review. Once the staff liaison
has reviewed the meeting Minutes, the Minutes shall be posted on the City’s
website and placed on the next Committee/Taskforce agenda for adoption.
14 Access to Meetings
14.01 Except as provided in this section, all meetings shall be open to the public and
the media and Committee/Taskforce minutes shall be posted on the City’s
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Policy Number: ADM 040
website. The staff liaison or the Chair who is facilitating the meeting may expel
any person for improper conduct at a meeting.
14.02 Committee/Taskforce meetings should not be closed to the public. If a
Board/Advisory Committee feels that discussion of an item on the agenda needs
to be closed to the public, the City Clerk must be consulted and approve of the
Committee/Taskforce meeting in closed session to ensure that the reasons for
closing the meeting are in accordance with Section 239 of the Municipal Act (the
“Act”). The agenda for the meeting in which a closed item will be discussed shall
include the provisions of the Act that allow for such item to be considered in
closed session. A meeting can only be closed to the public if the subject matter
being considered falls under one of the open meeting exceptions under Section
239 of the Act.
14.03 Before holding a meeting or part of a meeting that is to be closed to the public,
the Committee/Taskforce shall state by resolution:
a) the fact of the holding of the closed meeting;
b) the general nature of the matter to be considered at the closed meeting;
and
c) in the case of a meeting for educational or training purposes, that it is
closed for that purpose and no decisions will be made.
14.04 Where necessary, the City Clerk or the Deputy Clerk shall attend the closed
session to record the confidential minutes.
14.05 Confidential minutes of closed sessions shall be kept in the custody and control
of the City Clerk.
14.06 All deliberations while in closed session shall remain confidential unless
otherwise approved by Committee/Taskforce in open session.
14.07 Where possible, any motion made regarding an item within a closed session
shall be reported publicly when the Committee/Taskforce resumes in open
session.
14.08 A statement must be placed in the public meeting minutes stating the general
nature of the closed meeting and where the confidential minutes will be
retained.
15 Pecuniary Interest
15.01 Committee/Taskforce Members are deemed not to have a pecuniary interest in
that they have no decision-making ability. Members should be cognizant of any
perceived conflict in terms of discussion or decision-making on matters that may
serve to benefit the Member personally. Members shall not use their status on
Committees/Taskforces for personal or political gain.
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Policy Number: ADM 040
15.02 If a Committee/Taskforce Member feels they have a perceived conflict of
interest in any matter and is, or will be, present at a meeting at any time at
which the matter is the subject of consideration, the Member shall:
a) before any consideration of the matter, at the meeting verbally disclose
the interest and its general nature;
b) not, at any time, take part in the discussion of, or vote on, any question in
respect of the matter; and
c) complete a Declaration of Interest, Municipal Conflict of Interest Act
Form, in accordance with the City’s Procedure By-law and the Disclosure
shall be provided to the staff liaison or recording secretary and forwarded
to the City Clerk.
15.03 An elector, or any person demonstrably acting in the public interest may apply in
writing to the Integrity Commissioner for an inquiry to be carried out concerning
an alleged contravention of the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act in accordance
with ADM 070-001 - Procedure for Complaints under the Council Code of
Conduct and Inquiries under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.
16 Duties of Members of Council, Committee/Taskforce Members, and City Staff
16.01 Duties of Members of Council:
a) Members of Council may attend any or all Committee/Taskforce
meetings;
b) at Committee/Taskforce meetings, Members of Council can respond to
Committee/Taskforce Members’ questions, interpret Council’s direction,
and ensure that Committee/Taskforce Members are aware of Council
issues that may affect the mandate of the Committee/Taskforce; and,
c) Members of Council appointed as Members to a Committee/Taskforce
are not included as part of the Quorum, and have no voting rights, unless
otherwise stated in the Terms of Reference.
16.02 Duties of Committee/Taskforce Members:
a) understand the mandate of the Committee/Taskforce, including its
relationship to Council;
b) understand their role and responsibilities, including relevant City or
Library Policies and Procedures;
c) strive to attend all scheduled and special Committee/Taskforce Meetings;
d) notify the staff liaison on any absences from Committee/Taskforce
meetings as soon as possible;
Policy Title: Committees and Taskforces of Council Page 16 of 23
Policy Number: ADM 040
e) prepare for meetings by reading agendas and any background
information supplied;
f) actively participate in the discussion and decision-making process;
g) undertake any work assigned, including special projects and research, in
between meetings;
h) be open minded and allow for a variety of opinions to be heard;
i) respect the individual worth and dignity of other Committee/Taskforce
Members, and maintain a high degree of professionalism;
j) treat member s of the public, other Committee/Taskforce Members, and
staff, with respect and dignity and without abuse, bullying, or intimidation;
k) adhere to the City’s Code of Conduct Policy – ADM 070 and all other
relevant Policies and Procedures of the City of Pickering.;
l) respect that actions taken and recommendations shall reflect the majority
view of the Committee/Taskforce; and,
m) respect the finality of Council decisions.
16.03 Duties of the Recording Secretary:
a) transcribe minutes at meetings;
b) coordinate agendas, minutes, correspondence, and delegations as
needed; and,
c) coordinate all hybrid or electronic Committee/Taskforce meetings.
16.04 Duties of the Staff Liaison:
a) the staff liaison assumes two principle functions: a secretarial role and a
policy advisor role. These roles may be undertaken by one or more staff;
b) the staff liaison for each Committee/Taskforce will assume all duties
under Section 16.05 of this Policy unless a Chair or Vice Chair is required
by statute or the Committee’s/Taskforce’s Terms of Reference;
c) monitor the attendance of all Committee/Taskforce Members in
accordance with Section 20 of this Policy;
d) respect the individual worth and dignity of Committee/Taskforce
Members, and maintain a high degree of professionalism;
e) communicate the various deadlines noted in this Policy and other City
Policies/Procedures to the Committee/Taskforce or Chair/Vice Chair;
Policy Title: Committees and Taskforces of Council Page 17 of 23
Policy Number: ADM 040
f) seek clarification and answers for Committee/Taskforce Members
through Council or City staff;
g) the staff liaison has no voting rights or authority to make decisions, and is
independent of the Committee/Taskforce, and is present to assist the
Committee/Taskforce with administrative processes; and,
h) Legislative Services will coordinate agendas, minutes and
correspondence as needed for those Committees/Taskforces in which
they provide secretariat support. staff liaisons will be responsible for this
function for any Committees/Taskforces not supported by Legislative
Services.
16.05 Duties of the Chair/Staff Liaison (if no Chair is appointed);
a) preside at all meetings of the Committee/Taskforce and rule on all
procedural matters;
b) solicit for agenda items from Committee/Taskforce Members prior to the
publication of the meeting agenda and provide the agenda items to the
Recording Secretary;
c) facilitate the meeting by identifying the order of proceedings and
speakers;
d) ensure that all meetings are conducted in a fair and efficient manner so
that the will of the majority prevails after all Members have had a fair
chance to present their points of view;
e) ensure active participation by all Committee/Taskforce Members;
f) maintain decorum and ensure fairness and accountability;
g) be open-minded and encourage a variety of opinions to be heard;
h) ensure that the Committee/Taskforce meets the deadlines included in
this Policy and other City Policies/Procedures;
i) lead the preparation of annual reports/presentations to Council; and,
j) review the goals and objectives of the Committee/Taskforce and ensure
that its work plan is realistic and up to date.
16.06 Duties of the Vice Chair:
a) assume the duties of the Chair if the Chair is not able to fulfill their
position.
17 Quorum
Policy Title: Committees and Taskforces of Council Page 18 of 23
Policy Number: ADM 040
17.01 A majority of the Members of any Committee/Taskforce shall be required to
officially constitute a meeting. A majority is greater than 50% of the number of
current sitting Members. Vacancies on a Committee shall not be included in the
calculation of Quorum.
17.02 City staff, Members of Council, special guests, and volunteers have no voting
privileges and will not be included in the Quorum. In some instances, where it is
defined in a Committee’s Terms of Reference, Members of Council may have
voting privileges.
17.03 If no Quorum is present 30 minutes after the time scheduled for a meeting, the
Recording Secretary shall record the names of the Members present, and the
meeting shall stand adjourned until the next meeting date.
17.04 If the staff liaison is absent from the meeting and another City staff Member is
not present and Quorum has been met, then a Committee Member can be
appointed to facilitate the meeting;
18 Committee/Taskforce Events, Media Relations, and Communications
18.01 Committees/Taskforces must seek Council approval to hold an event and each
request to Council must include the complete details of the event (e.g. budget,
approximate number of staff required, month the event would be held in, and
purpose of event). Events approved in the work plan are subject to the CUL 070
Community Festival & Events Policy. Community Services Staff may provide
guidance or assistance to the Committee/Taskforce through the planning and
implementation process outlined in the Community Festival & Events Manual.
18.02 Committee/Taskforce events must relate to specific activities approved in the
Committee/Taskforce’s Terms of Reference and mandate. Permit fees for
events will be charged as per Council Approved User Fees and must be
budgeted wi thin the respective City Department budget where the staff liaison
for that Committee/Taskforce resides.
18.03 It is expected that all Taskforce Members attend and assist in organizing events
that are requested and approved by Council.
18.04 Committee Members shall not meet with the media unless such meeting is
approved by the City’s Chief Administrative Officer or the Division Head, Public
Affairs & Corporate Communications. Upon receipt of a media engagement
opportunity, the Committee Member must notify the staff liaison, who shall then
inform, and consult where appropriate, the Chief Administrative Officer and
Division Head, Public Affairs & Corporate Communications. Upon approval from
the Chief Administrative Officer or the Division Head, Public Affairs & Corporate
Communications, the Committee Member may respond to the media inquiry.
Committee media relations must be supported by the City’s Corporate
Communications Division. These provisions pertaining to media do not apply to
Taskforces as outlined in Section 04.04 of this Policy.
Policy Title: Committees and Taskforces of Council Page 19 of 23
Policy Number: ADM 040
18.05 The actions and recommendations of Committees/Taskforces are subject to the
policies and administrative practices of the City, including but not limited to
provisions pertaining to the use of the corporate logo(s), letterhead, website,
information pamphlets, and media advertisements.
19 Subcommittees
19.01 Subcommittees may be established by a Committee/Taskforce, as required, to
carry out specific projects included in the annual work plan. Such
Subcommittees shall be disbanded upon completion of their specific project(s)
or task. A Subcommittee must include at a minimum, one voting Member of the
Committee/Taskforce, and additional membership may be drawn by the
Committee/Taskforce from relevant stakeholders or the general public with the
appropriate interest and expertise. Subcommittees shall not be authorized to
create further Subcommittees or receive honorariums.
20 Honorariums
20.01 This section applies only to citizen appointments on Committees/Taskforces. It
does not apply to Council or Stakeholder Members appointed to a
Committee/Taskforce, and does not apply to Subcommittees.
20.02 Honorariums are provided per meeting attended regardless of the length of the
meeting.
20.03 To be eligible for honorariums:
a) the Member must be a voting Member of the Committee/Taskforce;
b) the Member must be present for at least half of the duration of the meeting;
c) the meeting must be a regular or special meeting; and,
d) the Member’s attendance must be recorded in the approved minutes for that
meeting.
20.04 Where a regular or special meeting is adjourned due to a lack of quorum, the
Members who were present shall be paid the regular rate of honorarium
included in the Committee/Taskforce’s Terms of Reference.
20.05 Honorarium rates will be included in the individual Terms of Reference for each
Committee/Taskforce.
20.06 Honorariums paid by the City to a Committee/Taskforce Member shall not be
donated back to the City.
20.07 All citizen Committee/Taskforce Members who receive an honorarium shall be
issued a T4A statement by the City.
Policy Title: Committees and Taskforces of Council Page 20 of 23
Policy Number: ADM 040
20.08 Honorariums shall be paid twice a year, in June and in December, up to a
maximum amount per person per year as specified in the Committee/Taskforce
Terms of Reference.
20.09 All payment information must be submitted to the City’s Finance department
proactively by the staff liaison assigned to the Committee/Taskforce in
accordance with the timelines outlined in Section 20.08.
21 Provision for Accessibility and Diversity
21.01 Adequate provisions shall be made by relevant staff to ensure that meeting
locations, agenda and minute formats, communications and conduct of
meetings are accessible, to ensure maximum participation and quality customer
service.
22 Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy
22.01 The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA)
applies to all Committees/Taskforces, and members of the public may request
access to City records under MFIPPA by filing a Freedom of Information request
with the Clerk’s Office. The City must follow the process outlined in the Act to
release the information which may include disclosure of reports
correspondence, or emails sent by Members to staff regarding
Committee/Taskforce matters.
22.02 Requests for information shall be referred to the Clerk’s Office to be addressed
either as an informal request to access municipal records, or as a formal
request under MFIPPA.
22.03 Members may receive personal or other confidential information as part of their
role on the Committee/Taskforce and it is expected that this information be
protected, including keeping the information physically and electronically secure
from unauthorized use.
23 Exceptions to this Policy
23.01 Where a conflict exists between the provisions of this Policy and any legislative
or legal requirement, the legislative or legal requirement will prevail.
Policy Title: Committees and Taskforces of Council Page 21 of 23
Policy Number: ADM 040
Please refer to all associated Procedures and Standard Operating Procedures, if applicable, for
detailed processes regarding this Policy.
Appendices
Appendix 1 Terms of Reference – Sample Format
Appendix 2 Work Plan – Sample Format
Policy Title: Committees and Taskforces of Council Page 22 of 23
Policy Number: ADM 040
Appendix 1
Terms of Reference
Name of Committee
Terms of Reference shall be approved by Council and amendments can only be made with
Council approval. Terms of Reference for a Committee/Taskforce need only address
information not already provided for in the Committees and Taskforce Policy.
1.0 Mandate – A description of the general purpose and activities of the
Committee/Taskforce, including areas of responsibility, taking into account any
statutory requirements. Committee/Taskforce mandates shall not be altered by the
Committee/Taskforce without Council approval.
2.0 Goals, Objectives and Responsibilities – A listing of the goals, objectives and
responsibilities of the Committee/Taskforce, to be addressed in annual work plans with
reference to specific strategies and actions.
3.0 Composition – Specify the maximum and minimum number of Members of the
Advisory Committee and describe the nature of membership (Council Members,
citizens and/or Stakeholder Organization, numbers in each category), membership
terms, and voting rights.
4.0 Member Qualifications – Outline recommended qualifications of potential Members
given the mandate of the Committee/Taskforce.
5.0 Meeting Schedule – Indicate how often the Committee/Taskforce shall meet, e.g.
monthly, every other month, criteria for calling a special meeting, summer recess.
6.0 Budget – requests must relate to the Committee/Taskforce’s mandate, be included in the
annual work plan submission and be supported by project descriptions.
7.0 Honorariums – Specify the rate of pay for Members per Meeting. If the
Committee/Taskforce Terms of Reference includes a Chair, specify the rate for the
Chair.
Policy Title: Committees and Taskforces of Council Page 23 of 23
Policy Number: ADM 040
Memo
To: [click and insert name of City Clerk] [click and insert date]
City Clerk
From: [click and insert name of Staff Liaison]
[click and insert title of Staff Liaison]
Copy: Chief Administrative Officer
Directors
[click and insert "Division Head, Department" if applicable]
Subject: [click and insert name of Board/Committee/Taskforce]
- 20XX Year End Report and 20XX Work Plan
File: [click and add file number]
The [click and insert name and acronym of Board/Committee/Taskforce] is pleased to present
its 20XX Year End Report and 20XX Work Plan.
20XX Year End Report
Provide an overview of the body’s accomplishments over the past year, and highlight
successes and challenges in relation to their work plan. Formatting is flexible and can include
paragraphs, headings, lists, bullets, tables etc.
20XX Work Plan
Provide an overview of the work that the body expects to accomplish in the year ahead.
Formatting is flexible and can include paragraphs, headings, lists, bullets, tables etc.
[click and insert author/typist initials]
Attachment "Click and type attachment"
"Click and type additional attachments"
Appendix 2