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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFebruary 15, 2023 - Revised Agenda Accessibility Advisory Committee February 15, 2023 7:00 pm Electronic Meeting For information related to accessibility requirements please contact: Committee Coordinator 905.420.4611 clerks@pickering.ca Members of the public may observe the meeting proceedings by viewing the livestream. 1. Review and Approval of Agenda T. Higgins 2. Disclosure of Interest T. Higgins 3. Approval of Minutes T. Higgins 3.1 January 18, 2023 Meeting Minutes 1 4. Presentations / Delegations 5. New Business 5.1 Memorandum from the Deputy Clerk Re: Amendments to Boards, Committees and Taskforces - Staff Liaison, Chair, and Vice Chair Roles - Council Membership S. Douglas-Murray (8:10pm) 8 5.2 Terms of Reference Review T. Higgins A. MacGillivray 27 5.3 Site Plan Review - S21/80(R23) - Vaughan Willard Public School (DDSB) I. Janton 5.4 AAC 2022 Year-End Report & 2023 Work Plan T. Higgins 5.5 LEAD Project and the Durham Abilities Centre T. Higgins 5.6 2023 Budget T. Higgins 5.7 Canada Day (July 1, 2023) T. Higgins 5.8 AAC Document Sharing A. MacGillivray 5.9 AAC Meeting Captioning A. MacGillivray 6. Correspondence Agenda Accessibility Advisory Committee February 15, 2023 7:00 pm Electronic Meeting For information related to accessibility requirements please contact: Committee Coordinator 905.420.4611 clerks@pickering.ca 7. Other Business 8. AAC Member Roundtable Updates 9. Next Meeting – March 15, 2023 10. Adjournment Page 1 of 7 Minutes/Meeting Summary Accessibility Advisory Committee January 18, 2023 Electronic Meeting 7:00 pm Attendees: D. Currie S.Fatima B. Ferguson T. Lyle-Gravlev P. Milton R. Rizvi C. Rudberg-Chin S. Snyder M. Thorpe Ross J. McLellan, Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade I. Janton, Senior Planner - Site Planning T. Higgins, Accessibility Coordinator (Staff Liaison) A.MacGillivray, Committee Coordinator (Recording Secretary) Absent: A. Sardar Item/ Ref # Details & Discussion & Conclusion (summary of discussion) Action Items/Status (include deadline as appropriate) 1. Review and Approval of Agenda T. Higgins reviewed the agenda items. Agenda approved. 2. Disclosure of Interest No disclosures of interest were noted. 3. Approval of Minutes Moved by P. Milton Seconded by T. Lyle-Gravlev That the Minutes of the September 21, 2022 meeting of the Accessibility Advisory Committee be approved. Carried 4. Presentations/Delegations - 1 - Page 2 of 7 Item/ Ref # Details & Discussion & Conclusion (summary of discussion) Action Items/Status (include deadline as appropriate) There were no presentations or delegations. 5. New Business 5.1 Welcome, self-introductions and onboarding of new AAC members T. Higgins provided introductory remarks and discussed: • his role as Accessibility Coordinator at the City of Pickering; • the role of the Committee in identifying gaps and providing advice to the City to ensure optimal compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA); • the relaying of advice to the Accessibility Core Team of City staff. Members and City Staff in attendance provided introductory remarks. T. Higgins spoke to the Committee’s Terms of Reference, and that Members will have opportunity to discuss and approve the Terms of Reference at the next meeting. T. Higgins spoke to the Committee’s Draft 2023 Meeting Schedule. Moved by C. Rudberg-Chin Seconded by S. Snyders That the 2023 Meeting Schedule for the Accessibility Advisory Committee be approved as follows: January 18, 2023 – 7:00pm February 15, 2023 – 7:00pm March 15, 2023 – 7:00pm April 19, 2023 – 7:00pm May 17, 2023 – 7:00pm June 21, 2023 – 7:00pm September 20, 2023 – 7:00pm October 18, 2023 – 7:00pm November 15, 2023 – 7:00pm Terms of Reference will be sent to the Committee to review prior to the February Meeting. - 2 - Page 3 of 7 Item/ Ref # Details & Discussion & Conclusion (summary of discussion) Action Items/Status (include deadline as appropriate) Carried T. Higgins spoke to a continuous learning curriculum to be provided to Members at each meeting regarding knowledge and insights on key topics. 5.2 Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Centre (CHDRC) – Change Room Emergency Buttons T. Higgins provided an overview of an issue that emerged regarding concerns with the renovations at the Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Centre (CHDRC), specifically the addition of emergency buttons in the facility’s dressing areas. He informed the Committee that the City responded to these concerns by having additional emergency buttons/alarms installed in these areas. 5.3 Site Plans Review I. Janton provided an overview of Site Plan Application S 08/22, a proposed sales office for a new residential development in the Seaton community. The Committee engaged in discussion regarding: • the primary focus of site plan reviews being on external features of the site; • the ability for the Committee to provide comments regarding both internal and external features of the site depending on the information provided; • the outdoor barrier-free toilets proposed for the site; • the location of the accessible parking spaces in relation to the entrance/exit ramp; • the measurements and the slope of the entrance/exit ramp and its compliance with AODA standards; and, • whether automatic door openers are proposed for the sales office. - 3 - Page 4 of 7 Item/ Ref # Details & Discussion & Conclusion (summary of discussion) Action Items/Status (include deadline as appropriate) I. Janton provided an overview of Site Plan Application S 16/22, a proposed automobile sales, showroom, and repair facility at 1695 Bayly St. The Committee engaged in discussion regarding: • vehicle access from Bayly St., and whether this could be used by drivers to circumvent the Brock Rd. and Bayly St. intersection; • concerns regarding safety of pedestrians crossing the private roadway on the site; • concerns regarding pedestrian visibility to drivers turning the corner in front of Unit 3; • whether traffic calming measures can be considered; and, • whether accessible counter heights will be considered for the sales facility. I. Janton provided an overview of Site Plan Application S 17/22, a proposed public elementary school at 2570 Tillings Rd. The Committee engaged in discussion regarding: • the accessible washrooms proposed and whether they will have changing tables; • the accessible parking spaces proposed on- site and pedestrian connections to the municipal sidewalk; • whether a secondary elevator can be considered for the facility; • clarification around the proposed Play Fields being owned by the school board, and the potential for park space to be developed on excess land on the site; and, • the consideration that the play areas being developed be fully accessible. 5.4 EnAbling Change Grant Submission Accessibility Internships - December 2022 T. Higgins provided an overview of the EnAbling Change Grant Submission for Accessibility Internships with the City of Pickering, discussing: • challenges that persons living with disabilities face seeking employment; • the proposal for six (6) internship opportunities with a term of six (6) months for - 4 - Page 5 of 7 Item/ Ref # Details & Discussion & Conclusion (summary of discussion) Action Items/Status (include deadline as appropriate) Durham College and Ontario Tech University students next year; • outreach to community partners regarding this proposal; • the proposal for a coordinator position within the City to ensure sufficient planning and development of the internship opportunities; • the letter of support crafted on behalf of the former Accessibility Advisory Committee for the proposal; and, • the anticipated timeline to expect a response regarding the proposal in the coming months. 5.5 AODA 4th Independent Review – City of Pickering’s Input – November 2022 T. Higgins provided an update to the Committee regarding the City’s submission regarding the AODA 4th Independent Review including: • the consideration of policies to prioritize employment of persons living with disabilities rather than reliance on immigration as a sole solution to labour shortages; • the consideration of policies to encourage development of accessible affordable housing and addressing gaps in the Ontario Building Code; • the consideration of developing provincial standards regarding accessible recreation programming; • the need to address gaps around service and support animal policies in Ontario; • the need for clarification around accessible transportation and transit standards; and, • the network of provincial accessibility coordinators that aims to collaborate and address accessibility issues in Ontario, and the consideration of its formal recognition by the province. Moved by M. Thorpe Ross Seconded by D. Currie That the Committee endorse the submission of feedback provided by the City of Pickering to the - 5 - Page 6 of 7 Item/ Ref # Details & Discussion & Conclusion (summary of discussion) Action Items/Status (include deadline as appropriate) Province of Ontario for the purpose of the AODA 4th Independent Review. Carried 5.6 Partnership with the Abilities Centre LEAD Project T. Higgins provided an overview of the partnership with the Abilities Centre LEAD Project, including: • the focus of LEAD Project to help municipalities to improve their accessibility programs; • the ongoing discussions with the City on how to effectively consult and identify improvement opportunities with regard to accessibility; • opportunities for the Committee to both provide, and receive feedback through the LEAD project; and, • a free AODA training module available online. 5.7 Awards T. Higgins provided an overview of the City’s accessibility awards and achievements, including: • the recognition of former Committee Member Peter Bashaw for receiving a Regional Accessibility Award; • the recognition of former Committee Member David Wysocki for receiving a Civic Award; • the recognition of John McLellan from the Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade for his work on accessible housing, and the former Committee’s nomination of him to the David C. Onley Award for Leadership in Accessibility; and, • the recognition of former Committee Member David Wysocki for receiving the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Award for his work on issue of accessibility. 5.8 Future Agenda Items T. Higgins provided an overview of various agenda topics planned for future meetings and the - 6 - Page 7 of 7 Item/ Ref # Details & Discussion & Conclusion (summary of discussion) Action Items/Status (include deadline as appropriate) timelines of when they can be expected to be discussed. 5.9 Advisory Committee Year End Reports/Work Plans T. Higgins provided an overview of the Year End Reports/Work Plan process that the Committee is required to undertake to highlight annual achievements and future work of the Committee. 6. Correspondence There were no items of correspondence. 7. Other Business There was no other business discussed. 8. AAC Member Roundtable Updates T. Higgins surveyed the Members for updates. Within the roundtable discussion, Members raised questions regarding the ability to share relevant documents through an online platform. T. Higgins and A. MacGillivray to explore options and report back to the Committee. 9. Next Meeting – February 15, 2023 10. Adjournment Moved by D. Currie Seconded by C. Rudberg-Chin That the meeting be adjourned. Carried Meeting Adjourned: 9:11 pm - 7 - Memo To: Accessibility Advisory Committee February 2, 2023 Cultural Advisory Committee Heritage Pickering Advisory Committee From: Rumali Perera Deputy Clerk Subject: Amendments to Boards, Committees and Taskforces - Staff Liaison, Chair, and Vice Chair Roles - Council Membership File: A-1410 In accordance with Section 05.01 of ADM 040 - Boards & Advisory Committees of Council Policy, Clerk’s staff are currently working on the mandated review of the Policy for Council’s consideration at the March 27, 2023 Council Meeting. One area of focus for this review is the role of Staff Liaison and Chair on the City’s Boards, Committees, and Taskforces. Presently, Policy ADM 040, Section 16.03 (a) states: “that the Staff Liaison for each Committee will facilitate meetings unless a Chair or Vice Chair is required by a statute or Terms of Reference.” Advisory Committee Members are hereby requested to provide their input on whether the Committee Members would like to implement a Chair system for their respective committees. Duties of the Chair include soliciting agenda items from Committee members, facilitating the meeting by identifying the order of proceedings and speakers, interpreting and determining questions of procedure, ensuring active participation by all Committee members, and maintaining decorum. The revision to Policy ADM 040 will include a dedicated subsection on the duties of the Chair. Further to the above mentioned review that is being undertaken by Legislative Services, Council considered a Notice of Motion regarding Amendments to Boards and Committees/Taskforce Policy at a Council Meeting, and adopted a resolution on the matter on January 23, 2023. A component of this decision includes: “Revisions to the Terms of Reference for the makeup of all Advisory Committees and or Task Forces that currently do not have an elected official representative to include the appointment of no greater than 2 members of Council whose role would be to act as a conduit between Council and their appointed committee as non-voting members;” - 8 - Page 2 of 2 February 2, 2023 Amendments to Boards, Committees and Taskforces Advisory Committees that do not currently have Council representation are asked to consider whether one (1) or two (2) Members of Council is suitable for your respective body, and adopt a draft Terms of Reference that reflects this change for Council’s consideration. Resolution #59/23 regarding Amendments to Boards and Committees/Taskforce Policy, and Policy ADM 040, Boards and Advisory Committees of Council have been attached for ease of reference. Please forward any revised Terms of Reference and feedback to Andy MacGillivray, Committee Coordinator no later than February 24, 2023. RP:am Attachment 1. Resolution #59/23 Re: Amendments to Boards and Committees/Taskforce Policy 2.Policy ADM 040, Boards and Advisory Committees of Council - 9 - Legislative Services Division Clerk’s Office Directive Memorandum January 30, 2023 To: Marisa Carpino Chief Administrative Officer Susan Cassel City Clerk From: Susan Cassel City Clerk Subject: Direction as per Minutes of the Meeting of City Council held on January 23, 2023 Amendments to Boards and Committees/Taskforce Policy Council Decision Resolution #59/23 WHEREAS Section 05.01 of Policy ADM 040, Boards & Advisory Committees of Council, requires early in each new Council term, that Council shall review all Boards and Advisory Committees including, membership, composition and level of expertise or specialization required by Committee members for the selection process; And Whereas, Section 03.01 of ADM 040 provides that Boards and Advisory Committees are proposed by resolution of Council and established by a confirming by- law; And Whereas, each resolution shall incorporate the Terms of Reference for the specific Board/Advisory Committee; And Whereas, an Advisory Committee means a committee created by Council to provide input, advice and technical expertise on particular matters, act as a vehicle for public consultation on issues of municipal interest and make recommendations to Council; And Whereas, Council values the work of the members of Pickering’s Advisory Committees/Boards, as they provide Council and staff with important insight into the concerns and ambitions through a community lens; And Whereas, Section 02.01 of ADM 040 provides that “Council, under certain circumstances, may deem it necessary for Council representation on some Boards and Advisory Committees”, and the composition of each Committee, including whether a Member of Council is appointed to that Committee, is included in the individual Terms of Reference for each Committee; Now therefore be it resolved that that the Council of The Corporation of the City of Pickering directs the City Clerk to work with the Office of the CAO to conduct a review of all Boards and Advisory Committees reporting to Council and that this review include: Attachment #1 - 10 - Please take any action deemed necessary. Susan Cassel 1.The creation of 3 new Advisory Committees being: a) Waterfront Visionary Advisory Committee to advise on best practices to preserve the nautical village marine theme and the implementation/restoration of a Waterfront that is environmentally sustainable and accessible; b) Community Safety and Wellbeing Advisory Committee that will be made up of a cross section of community representation including Neighbourhood Watch, Road Watch groups to advise on local community needs and suggested best practices; and that the group shall be responsible for the creation of a Homelessness Task Force that will work in co-ordination with Durham Region to look at how best to address the needs of the homeless population to include services for mental health, substance abuse and the creation of transitional/supportive housing in Pickering; c)Local & Small Business Advisory Committee that will advise on impacts of City Policy implications such as parking in the Nautical Village, relationships with City Economic Development and the measures that will assist businesses impacted by the intensification along Kingston Road; 2.Revisions to the Terms of Reference for the makeup of all Advisory Committees and or Task Forces that currently do not have an elected official representative to include the appointment of no greater than 2 members of Council whose role would be to act as a conduit between Council and their appointed committee as non-voting members; 3.Revisions to the Terms of Reference/Policies, of the Pickering Public Library, to enable the appointment of an additional member of Council to ensure Ward representation; 4. Establishing per meeting honorariums for the non-elected members of all advisory committees including the Pickering Library Board; 5.That the appointed Council Member(s) to all Advisory Committees/Boards be required to update the Members of Council on a monthly basis and that the Procedural By-law governing Council meetings and or Executive Meetings be amended to include an item enabling such reporting; 6.That the City Clerk and CAO report back no later than the end of Q1 with the findings of the review and the associated changes to Policy ADM 040 for Council’s consideration; and, 7.That the previous direction provided to staff, to report back on the legislated process to establish a BIA for the Nautical Village, through Resolution 930/22 and 931/22 be rescinded, as the businesses in the Nautical Village would be better served by the establishment of the new Local/Small Business Advisory Committee. - 11 - -C��/­p](KER]NG Policy Procedure Title: Boards & Advisory Committees of Council Policy Number ADM 040 Reference Municipal Act Procedure By-law, as amended Resolution #165/10 Resolution #301/14 Resolution #53/19 Approval: Chief Adm· Policy Objective, Date Originated (m/d/y) November 10, 2008 Date Revised (m/d/y) December 13, 2010 October 2012 December 15, 2014 March 2019 fficer Point of Contact City Clerk Pages 15 The purpose of this policy is to identify a ·process for establishing Boards and Advisory Committees of Council, requirements for maintaining and supporting their work, and Hie 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 Procedural By-law which applies to all Boards and Advisory Committees, including Staff Liaisons. Index 01 Definitions 02 lmplementatio,n Procedure -Clas�ification of Boards and Advisory Committees 03 Establishment of Boards and Advisory Committees 04 Relationship between Advisory Committees and Council 05 Ongoing Review of Boards and Advisory Committees 06 Terms of Reference 07 Appointment Process and Advertising for Board/Advisory Committee Members 08 Resign ation/Dismissal Process 09 Absentee Requirements 10 Orientation Sessions Attachment #2 - 12 - 11 Meeting Structure, Agenda and .Minute Formats 12 Access to Meetings 13 Provision for Accessibility and Diversity 14 Pecuniary Interest 15 City Policies and Procedures 16 General Rules Governing Board and Advisory Committees 01 Definitions 01.01 01.02 01.03 01.04 01.05 01.06 01.07 01.08 01.09 Advisory Committee -means a committee created by Council to provide input, advice and technical expertise on particular matters, act as a vehicle for public consultation on issues of municipal interest and make recommendations to Council. City -means The Corporation of the City of Pickering. Council -means the Council of The Corporation of the City of Pickering. Mandate -means the statement that describes the Advisory Committee's purpose or responsibilities. Member -means a citizen member appointed by Council to a Board or Committee or a stakeholder member. Quorum -means the number of members required to be present at any meeting in order that business may be conducted. Staff Liaison -means the staff member appointed to facilitate and provide guidance to the Advisory Committee or Board. Task Forces -means a committee established to assist in the short-term study and analysis of a specific matter. Task Forces may include staff representation as well as representation from external bodies. Terms of Reference -means the document that provides a general overview of the Advisory Committee or Board, the content of which is prescribed by this policy. 02 Implementation Procedure -Classification of Boards and Advisory Committees 02.01 Where the municipality makes appointments to bodies of its own creation and to outside bodies when requested to do so, such appointments shall be citizen appointments, except in those situations where the municipality has a direct financial involvement, in which case Council shall determine whether or not it will appoint citizen and/or Council Members to such bodies. Council, under Policy Title: Boards & Advisory Committees of Council Page 2 of 15 Policy Number: ADM 040 - 13 - 02.02 02.03 certain circumstances, may deem it necessary for Council representation on some Boards and Advisory Committees. Boards and Advisory Committees may be either ongoing or a task force. Ongoing Boards and Committees provide recommendations, advice and information to Council on an ongoing basis on specific municipal matters that are set out in the Board/Committee's mandate and Terms of Reference. They include some of the following: a) Advisory -includes bodies authorized by Council to provide input on a discretionary basis and advice to Council on particular matters, or to undertake special projects as assigned. b) Mandatory -where a Provincial Statute prescribes the type of appointments to be made by the municipality to a given body. c) Local Boards -means a school board, municipal service board, transportation commission, public library board, board of health, police services hoard, planning board, or any other board, commission, committee, body or local authority established or exercising any power or authority under any general or special Act with respect to any of the affairs or purposes, including school purposes, of a municipality. d) External Bodies -separate special purpose bodies that have a substantial amount of authority over their own operations. e) Quasi-Judicial/Appeals Committee -hears and deals with appeals and/or minor variances to City By-laws. Task Forces assist in the short-term study and analysis of a specific municipal issue, as defined in the Terms of Reference and established by a confirming by- law. Task Forces may include staff representation as well as representation from external bodies. 03 Establishment of Boards and Advisory Committees 03.01 Boards and Advisory Committees are proposed by resolution of Council and established by a confirming by-law. Each resolution shall incorporate the Terms of Reference for the specific Board/Advisory Committee. Prior to Council's establishment of any Board or Advisory Committee, relevant director(s) shall submit a report to Council including the following information: a) inventory of previous and existing activities related to the matter, including public consultation initiatives; b) suggested types of public consultation; c) Board/Advisory Committee Terms of Reference; Policy Title: Boards & Advisory Committees of Council Page 3 of 15 Policy Number: ADM 040 - 14 - d) membership composition and level of expertise or specialization required by Committee members for the selection process; and e) orientation, training and facilitation needs. 04 Relationship between Advisory Committees and Council 04.01 04.02 04.03 Advisory Committees are proposed by resolution of Council and the Committees purpose is to assist Council by providing recommendations on specialized issues, on a policy and/or operational level, as set out in mandate and specific, Council approved work plans. Advisory Committee members are appointed by Council, and serve at the pleasure of Council for a specified term, where statutory authority does not state otherwise. 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. Advisory Committees shall not reconsider, recommend or advise on a matter that has been decided by Council, unless directed by Council. Advisory Committee members(s) shall rely exclusively on the appointed Staff Liaison to communicate and dispense with recommendations and actions taken by Advisory Committees, and shall not intervene in the administrative practices of the City of Pickering. Advisory Committees shall prepare an annual report to Council reviewing their goals, objectives and successes in relation to their work plan, and should include a delegation to Council. The substance of the report shall be prepared by the Advisory Committee members, with administrative assistance and policy advice given by City staff. 05 Ongoing Review of Boards and Advisory Committees 05.01 Early in each new Council term, Council shall review all Boards and Advisory Committees. The City Clerk in collaboration with the Staff Liaisons shall review all Boards/Advisory Committees, including, but not limited to the following: a) a list of Boards/Advisory Committees by name and type; b) summary of mandates, goals and objectives for each Board/Advisory Committee; c) achievements and challenges for each Board/Advisory Committee; d) recommendations on the future direction of each Board/Advisory Committee and its structure in general; and e) reviews and recommendations on the reporting and functional relationships of Boards/Advisory Committees in general. Policy Title: Boards & Advisory Committees of Council Page 4 of 15 Policy Number: ADM 040 - 15 - 05.02 If a Board or Advisory Committee is to be disbanded, a final report on the Board/Advisory Committee activities and reasons for disbanding shall be presented to Council for approval. 06 Terms of Reference 06.01 06.02 06.03 The Terms of Reference will be established in accordance with the template included as Appendix I to this policy. Terms of Reference, once established, must be approved by Council and amendments to those terms can only be made with Council approval. The Terms of Reference of each Advisory Committee shall be reviewed on an ongoing basis by Staff Liaisons to ensure that each Committee and its Terms of Reference remain relevant and appropriate. 07 Appointment Process and Advertising for Board/Advisory Committee Members 07.01 07.02 07.03 07.04 07.05 Where a Provincial Statute prescribes the type of appointments to be made by the City to a given Board or Advisory Committee, the Statute shall be complied with. Where the City makes appointments to Boards/Advisory Committees of its own creation and to outside bodies when requested to do so, such appointments shall be citizen appointments, except in circumstances where the City has a direct financial involvement, in which instance Council shall determine whether or not it will appoint citizens and/or Council Members to such bodies. Vacancies for citizen appointments shall be publicly advertised in the local newspaper, on the City of Pickering website and in any other manner that the City deems appropriate to reach the broadest sector of our community. Applicants shall be a property owner or resident of Pickering and a minimum of 18 years of age unless otherwise determined by committee membership requirements. City of Pickering employees are not eligible. Generally, the duration of Board/Advisory Committee appointments are the same as the term of Council, however staff may recommend that the terms for specific Board/Advisory Committee appointments be staggered to ensure experience and consistency in following the Board/Advisory Committee's goals and mandate. While appointees may serve on more than one Board/Advisory Committee, Council shall give first consideration to individuals who are not already appointed to another Board/Advisory Committee. The term of a member of a Board or Advisory Committee of Council shall continue in accordance with the Board/Committee Terms of Reference or until a successor is appointed. The following process, coordinated by the City Clerk and Legislative Services, will generally be followed in initiating recruitment, selection and appointment: Policy Title: Boards & Advisory Committees of Council Page 5 of 15 Policy Number: ADM 040 - 16 - a) upon Council passing a resolution to establish a Board/Advisory Committee, or when a vacancy occurs, the City Clerk, in consultation with the relevant department and Staff Liaison assigned to the Advisory Committee, will advertise Committee vacancies in the local newspaper, the · City website and in any other manner that the City deems appropriate to reach the broadest sector of the community. The advertisement will indicate the number of vacancies on the Committee, duration of the term, level of commitment, application process and the website URL where details can be obtained for each Board Committee; b) applicants shall be required to complete and submit to the City Clerk an application form, available from the Clerk's Office and the City website; c) all applications shall be reviewed by the Staff Liaison for each Board/Committee and a recommendation shall be provided to the City Clerk for inclusion in a Council agenda. The staff recommendation provided to Council will be accompanied with all applications received for that Board/Committee; d) 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 Board/Committee; e) notwithstanding item d), recommendations shall be based on the relevant experience and expertise of an individual in relation to the mandate of the Board/Committee and there shall be no restrictions on the number of terms an individual may serve if they meet the needs of the Board/ Committee; and f) the Clerk's Office, on behalf of Council, shall send out confirmation letters to new Board/Advisory Committee appointees and advise of their Staff Liaison for that Committee and any other relevant contacts. Letters will also be provided to those individuals who were not appointed encouraging them to re-apply at such time a vacancy occurs. 08 Resignation/Dismissal Process 08.01 08.02 Board/Advisory Committee members wishing to resign their appointment shall submit a letter of resignation to the City Clerk as soon as possible. Upon acceptance of the resignation, the City Clerk in consultation with the Staff Liaison assigned to the Committee will initiate the aforementioned appointment process to fill the vacancy. Council, at its discretion, can dismiss any Board/Advisory Committee in its entirety or any member thereof at any time. Policy Title: Boards & Advisory Committees of Council Page 6 of 15 Policy Number: ADM 040 - 17 - 09 Absentee Requirements 09.01 09.02 If any Board/Advisory Committee member is absent from three consecutive meetings, or absent from over 50 percent of the meetings in one year without justification, the Staff Liaison will contact the member to ask whether or not they wish to remain on the Committee or resign. If contact cannot be made with an absent Committee Member and 5 months of continuous absenteeism has been noted, the Committee Member's seat automatically becomes vacant and the process for filling a vacancy will begin. 10 Orientation Sessions 10.01 Orientation sessions shall be conducted at the beginning of each term by the Staff Liaison in coordination with Legislative Services Division. The orientation will identify goals, objectives and work plans for the Committee. Further sessions may be conducted for appointees during the Council term, as required. Orientation materials will be distributed to all members of the Committee for reference purposes. Each Board/Advisory Committee package shall include the following information: a) Board/Advisory Committee Terms of Reference; b) Mandatory statutes (e.g. Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act); c) City of Pickering Procedural By-Law; d) City Organizational Structure; e) Relevant City Policies and Procedures affecting Board/Advisory Committee members including the City's Code of Conduct; and f) Staff Liaison support and contact information. 10.02 As per the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, all City employees, volunteers and/or agents as well as any other indivi.dual who might be reasonably expected to interact with the public on behalf of the City will receive Accessible Customer Service Training. The Staff Liaison assigned to the Committee will arrange training for new Board/Advisory Committee members who have not had Accessible Customer Service Training. 11 Meeting Structure, Agenda and Minute Formats 11.01 Regular meetings will be held monthly, but variations may be determined by the Committee and Staff Liaison assigned to the Committee. A meeting schedule, setting out the time and place for meetings will be established by staff. Meeting venues will be accessible, and sufficient to accommodate Committee members, staff and members of the public. Policy Title: Boards & Advisory Committees of Council Page 7 of 15 Policy Number: ADM 040 - 18 - 11.02 Meeting structure, agenda and minute formats should meet the needs of individual Boards/Advisory Committees, while ensuring consistency, completeness and accountability. Boards and Committees shall follow the City's Procedure By-law; however, a Board/Committee may choose to follow a more informal procedure and allow for a consensus approach to discussion. It is recommended that the following components be included in agendas, where specific subject items are described in each component: a) date, time, location of meeting; b) members pre_sent (list names and titles, ie. J. Doe, Chair); c) members absent/regrets; d) disclosure of interest; e) approval of previous minutes; f) presentations/delegations; g) general business and reports; h) correspondence; i) other business; j) next meeting; and k) adjournment. 11.03 City Staff and Committee Members should structure meeting agendas to make every effort to adhere to a two hour time limit for all Advisory meetings. 11.04 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. Minutes should have a collective, not a personal focus. What individuals said is less significant than the precise wording or proposals and the decisions made by the majority of the Committee 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 by members. Minutes are not taken verbatim and they do not serve as a transcript of the meeting. 11.05 Minutes shall be forwarded as soon as possible following the meeting to the City Clerk in order to present them to Council as information on a timely basis. Staff will be required to prepare a report for any recommendation of a Board/Advisory Committee requiring action by Council. Policy Title: Boards & Advisory Committees of Council Page 8 of 15 Policy Number: ADM 040 - 19 - 12 Access to Meetings 12.01 Except as provided in this section, all meetings shall be open to the public and the media and Board/Advisory Committee minutes shall be available upon request and shall be posted on the City's website. Special guests, volunteers, organizational representatives and City staff do not constitute committee members, and are unable to vote. The Staff Liaison who is facilitating the meeting may expel any person for improper conduct at a meeting. 12.02 Board/Advisory Committee 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 advised in advance, and the agenda for the meeting in which a closed item will be discussed shall include the provisions of the Municipal 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 is: a) the security of the property of the municipality or local board; b) personnel matters about an identifiable individual, including municipal employees or local board members; c) a proposed or pending acquisition or disposition of land by the municipality or local board; d) labour relations or employee negotiations; e) litigation or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals, affecting the municipality or local board; f) advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege; including communications necessary for that purpose; g) a matter in respect of which a council, board committee or other body may hold a closed meeting under another Act; h) information explicitly supplied in confidence to the municipality or local board by Canada, a province or territory or a Crown agency of any of them; i) a trade secret or scientific, technical, commercial, financial or labour relations information, supplied in confidence to the municipality or local board, which, if disclosed, could reasonably be expected to prejudice significantly the competitive position or interfere significantly with the contractual or other negotiations of a person, group of persons, or organization; j) a trade secret or scientific, technical, commercial or financial information that belongs to the municipality or local board and has monetary value or potential monetary value; Policy Title: Boards & Advisory Committees of Council Page 9 of 15 Policy Number: ADM 040 - 20 - k) a position, plan, procedure, criteria or instruction to be applied to any negotiations carried on or to be carried on by or on behalf of the municipality or local board; or I) for the purpose of educating or training the members, subject to the condition that no member discusses or otherwise deals with any matter in a way that materially advances the business or decision-making of the local board or committee. 12.03 Before holding a meeting or part of a meeting that is to be closed to the public, the Board/Advisory Committee 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 as well. 12.04 All deliberations while in closed session shall remain confidential unless otherwise approved by Committee in open session. 12.05 Any motion made regarding an item within a closed session shall be made in open session. 12.06 A statement must be placed in the public minutes providing the general nature of the closed meeting. 13 Provision for Accessibility and Diversity 13.01 Adequate provisions shall be made by relevant staff to ensure that meeting locations, agenda and minute formats, communications and conduct of meetings be accessible, to ensure maximum participation and quality customer service. Reference may be made to the provisions of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, and similar legislation, policies and guidelines. Membership that reflects the diversity of the City community will be encouraged in the recruitment, selection and appointment process. 14 Pecuniary Interest 14.01 Committee members are deemed not to have pecuniary conflict of interest in that they have no decision-making ability. However, members should be cognizant of any perceived conflict in terms of issues, which may serve to benefit them personally. Members shall not use their status on Committees for personal or political gain. 14.02 If a Committee 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: Policy Title: Boards & Advisory Committees of Council Page 10 of 15 Policy Number: ADM 040 - 21 - 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 to the matter; and c) complete a Disclosure of Interest under the 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 City Policies and Procedures 15.01 Board and Advisory Committee members shall adhere to the policies and procedures of the City of Pickering. 16 General Rules Governing Board and Advisory Committees 16.01 Duties of Members of Council: a) Members of Council may attend any or all Advisory Committee meetings; b) at Advisory Committee meetings, Members of Council can respond to Committee members' questions, interpret Council's direction and give input or support to the Committee; and, c) Members of Council who are not appointed as members to a board or committee are not included as part of the quorum, and have no voting rights. 16.02 Duties of Committee Members: Committee Members are required to: a) understand the mandate of the Committee, including its relationship to Council; b) understand their role and responsibilities, including relevant City policies; c) strive to attend all scheduled and special advisory committee meetings; d) prepare for meetings by reading agendas and any background information supplied; e) actively participate in the discussion and decision-making process; f) undertake any work assigned, including special projects and research, in between meetings; g) be open minded and allow for a variety of opinions to be heard; Policy Title: Boards & Advisory Committees of Council Page 11 of 15 Policy Number: ADM 040 - 22 - h) respect the individual worth and dignity of other Advisory Committee members, and maintain a high degree of professionalism; i) respect that actions taken and recommendations shall reflect the majority view of the advisory committee; and j) respect the finality of Council decisions. 16.03 Duties of City staff: a) the Staff Liaison for each Committee will facilitate meetings unless a Chair or Vice Chair is required by a statute or Terms of Reference; b) City staff assume two principle functions: a secretarial role and a policy advice role. These roles may be undertaken by one or more staff; c) City staff will take minutes at meetings; and d) Legislative Services will coordinate agendas, minutes and correspondence as needed for those Boards/Committees in which they provide secretariat support. Staff Liaisons will be responsible for this function for any committees not supported by Legislative Services. 16.04 Duties of the Staff Liaison The Staff Liaison is required to: a) facilitate the meeting by identifying the order of proceedings and speakers; interpret and determine questions of procedure; ensure active participation by all Advisory Committee members; maintain decorum and ensure fairness and accountability; b) be open-minded and encourage a variety of opinions to be heard; c) respect the individual worth and dignity of Advisory Committee members, and maintain a high degree of professionalism; d) review agendas and minutes provided by staff; and lead the preparation of annual reports/presentations to Council; e) review the goals and objectives of the Advisory Committee and ensure that its work plan is realistic and up to date; f) seek clarification and answers for Advisory Committee members through Council or City staff; g) the Staff Liaison has no authority to make decisions, and can only assist with the conduct of a meeting 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; Policy Title: Boards & Advisory Committees of Council Page 12 of 15 Policy Number: ADM 040 - 23 - h) the Staff Liaison has no voting rights, is present to assist the Committee in administrative processes and is independent of the Advisory Committee; and i) the Advisory Committee may choose to relax procedures and allow for a consensus approach to discussion, keeping in mind that questions of procedure shall be determined by the Staff Liaison, subject to the City's procedural by-law. The Clerk may provide guidance on the interpretation and application of procedures. Good faith misinterpretation of procedures shall not affect the validity of any meeting. 16.05 Quorum a) b) c) d) e) a majority of the Members of any Committee shall be required to officially constitute a meeting. A majority shall be considered one half of the number of members plus one additional member; City staff, Members of Council who have not been appointed to the Committee, special guests, volunteers and organization representatives have no voting privileges and will not be included in the quorum; if no quorum is present 30 minutes after the time scheduled for a meeting, the Recording Secretary shall call the roll and record the names of the members present, and the meeting shall stand adjourned until the next meeting date; if the Staff Liaison is absent from the meeting and another City staff member is not present but, quorum has been met, then a Committee Member can be appointed to facilitate the meeting; and should a vacancy occur on a Board or Committee, quorum shall be based on the number of current sitting members and not the full membership until such time the vacancy is filled. 16.06 Reporting to Council a) Citizen Advisory Committees shall prepare an annual work plan submission, which shall include a report on the previous year's accomplishments to Council, and a work plan for the current year; b) this process shall be led by the Staff Liaison of the Committee and may include a delegation to Council; and c) every Citizen Advisory Committee matter which needs to be referred to Council shall be done in writing through the Staff Liaison. The Staff Liaison assigned to the Committee will submit a memo to Council as Correspondence stating the Committee's recommendations. The Council Correspondence direction will be for Council to "Receive as Information" or to "Refer to a Director" for investigation and if appropriate, a report back to the appropriate Standing Committee. No order or authority to do Policy Title: Boards & Advisory Committees of Council Page 13 of 15 Policy Number: ADM 040 - 24 - any business shall be recognized as emanating from a Committee, unless it is in writing and approved through a resolution of Council. 16.07 Advisory Committee Events a) Advisory Committees must seek Council approval to hold an event and each request to Council must include the complete details of the event (e.g. budget, number of staff required, name of event, date, and purpose of event); b) events must relate to specific activities approved in the Advisory Committee's Terms of Reference and mandate. The event must be listed in the annual work plan for that year; and c) where an event has been requested and approved by Council, all Committee Members must attend and contribute to assisting at the event. 16.08 Media Relations and Communications a) Committee members shall not meet with the media unless such meeting is approved by the City's Chief Administrative Officer. Committee media relations must be supported by the City's Corporate Communications Section; and b) the actions and recommendations of Advisory Committees are subject to the policies and administrative practices of the City, including provisions pertaining to the use of the corporate logo(s), letterhead, website, information pamphlets, media advertisements and the like. Advisory Committees shall seek approval from Council for any change in Advisory Committee name or development of any substantive communication medium (e.g. website). 16.09 Subcommittees/Working Groups may be established by a Committee, as required, to carry out specific projects included in the annual work plan submission. Such subcommittees/working groups shall be disbanded upon completion of their specific project(s). A subcommittee must include at least two members of the Advisory Committee, and additional membership may be drawn from relevant stakeholders or the general public with the appropriate interest and expertise. 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 Policy Title: Boards & Advisory Committees of Council Page 14 of 15 Policy Number: ADM 040 - 25 - Terms of Reference Name of Committee Appendix 1 Terms of Reference shall be approved by Council and amendments can only be made with Council approval. Terms of Reference for an Advisory Committee need only address information not already provided for in this Policy. 1.0 Mandate -A description of the general purpose and activities of the Advisory Committee, including areas of responsibility, taking into account any statutory requirements. Advisory Committee mandates shall not be altered by the Advisory Committee. 2.0 Goals, Objectives and Responsibilities -A listing of the goals, objectives and responsibilities of the Advisory Committee, to be addressed in annual work plans with reference to specific strategies and actions. 3.0 Composition -Specify the maximum number of members of the Advisory Committee and describe the nature of membership (citizens and/or organization, numbers in each category), membership terms. 4.0 Member Qualifications -Outline recommended qualifications of potential members given the mandate of the Advisory Committee. 5.0 Meeting Schedule-Indicate how often the Advisory Committee shall meet, e.g. monthly, every other month, criteria for calling a special meeting, summer recess. 6.0 Budget-requests must relate to the Advisory Committee's mandate, be included in the annual work plan submission and be supported by project descriptions. Policy Title: Boards & Advisory Committees of Council Page 15 of 15 Policy Number: ADM 040 - 26 - Terms of Reference Accessibility Advisory Committee 1.0 Mandate As directed by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, the Council of every municipality in Ontario having a population of not less than 10,000 shall establish an accessibility advisory committee. The mandate of the Accessibility Advisory Committee is to fulfill the duties as outlined in the Act and to provide advice to Council on programs, policies and services provided to persons with disabilities. 2.0 Goals, Objectives and Responsibilities The Accessibility Advisory Committee will accomplish its mandate by: -Providing advice to staff and Council on the development, implementation and effectiveness of the City of Pickering’s Accessibility Plan. -Acting as a commenting body to the Corporation to address accessibility to a building, structure or premises, or part of a building, structure or premises, that the City purchases, constructs, renovates, leases or which is provided to the Municipality as a capital facility. -Preparing an annual report to Council outlining the Committee’s achievements during the year. -Consulting with City Development staff on applicable site plans and drawings described in Section 41 of the Planning Act. The Accessibility Advisory Committee will not be responsible for the following: -Accessibility issues relating to regulation of private facilities or corporations except where requested to comment by such agencies. -Administration issues relating to the implementation of the Accessibility Plan. 3.0 Composition The Committee shall have a membership of not more than 10 Citizen appointment’s, with the majority being persons with a disability, consideration will be given to a caregiver of a person with a disability. Committee representation will include: •A maximum of 10 Citizen appointment’s, with the majority being persons with a disability. •1 City of Pickering staff member on a rotating basis that is involved in the City’s Accessibility Plan/Programs/Services – no voting rights Staff representatives will be selected by the Director, staff will rotate as required during the term in order to utilize the experience/knowledge of the staff person in the area that the Committee is discussing at the time. - 27 - Accessibility Advisory Committee Terms of Reference • Service Agency Representative with a mandate/responsibility for people with disabilities – no voting rights • 1 representative from the Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade to support accessibility issues of private businesses – no voting rights Invitations will be sent to Service Agencies with a mandate/responsibility for people with disabilities and to the Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade requesting interest in attending Accessibility Advisory Committee Meetings in order to utilize the experience/knowledge of the organizations. 4.0 Member Qualifications - Qualifications include the skills, knowledge, and experience committee members need to contribute effectively to the accomplishment of the committee’s objectives. Awareness and knowledge of potential barriers to public access of facilities, programs and services would be an asset. - The majority of the Committee must be individuals with a disability, consideration will be given to a caregiver of an individual with a disability. 5.0 Meeting Schedule Meetings shall be held monthly on a set week and day to be determined by the Committee at its first meeting of the term. The meetings shall commence at 7:00 pm. Established meeting dates and times shall not be changed unless circumstances warrant special consideration. Meetings will not be held in the months of July, August or December unless determined by the Committee that a meeting is necessary to meet the mandate or work plan of the Committee. During a Municipal election year, meetings shall not be held after September 30th unless determined by the Committee that a meeting is necessary to meet the mandate or work plan of the Committee. 6.0 Budget The Director, Culture & Recreation shall be responsible for the Accessibility Advisory Committee budget, which shall be submitted annually in accordance with established City budget guidelines. The Staff Facilitator confirms the proposed budget with the Accessibility Advisory Committee based on their following year’s work plan. The Director, Culture & Recreation reviews the proposed budget and submits within the Department budget. - 28 -