As we have previously blogged, Township Council has serious questions about the need for more committees and commissions in the TOL. The latest Langley Times article covers this debate here. As you will see from the agenda we will post tomorrow, this matter does not appear on the council's agenda and we therefore assume that Mayor Green still has no Terms of Reference (ToR) for his proposal now that we are entering February already! One would think that as the mayor had this plan in mind throughout his campaign he would have already had a ready written ToR many, many months ago. This appears to be yet another item that was presented in the campaign and which Mayor Green had absolutely no detailed plan to implement it.
Most of council feel this is simply a duplication of the structure that already exists and with a proper work plan for the existing structure, the same could be acommplished at a significant cost reduction to taxpayers. Why is Mayor Green so insistent on these duplicate committees? Does he simply have more friends and insiders that he wishes to inject into the Township?
Its not often that we agree with Councillor Richter, but in this case her statements are very much echoed by her collegues on council. Counsellors Steve Ferguson and Mel Kositsky have also been very vocal on this subject.
“Why do we need an economic development task force?” asked Councillor Kim Richter.
Richter suggested that the work plan of the existing Economic Development (select) Committee could be changed to accomplish what Green proposes for his new economic task force.
Green said that a task force would be more project focused, possibly looking at industrial space, and industrial/commercial/residential base, over a period of up to six to eight months, as opposed to the committee’s ongoing role.
The existing committees are established under a bylaw, and the mayor does not have the authority to suspend them, said Councillor Mel Kositsky.
These committees have however been asked to suspend any substantive work, said administrator Mark Bakken, while the complexities of the mayor’s proposals for standing committees are worked out.
Kositsky said he is concerned about the volunteer members of the community who currently serve or have replied to advertisements to serve on the committees."
Councillor Steve Ferguson keeps having to remind the rookie mayor that democracy must prevail and if you profess to be a campion of open and transparent government, then you shouldn't create various committees filled with friends and insiders and given secret mandates from the mayor. Coun. Ferguson is very good at these reminders because he makes his appeals in a very civil manner as a "student of democracy". Ferguson really is a student of democracy in his interactions with Township Council for sure. The rookie mayor could get some valuable lessons from Councillors Ferguson, Kositsky and others.
Kositsky said that volunteers “who have a life,” need to know what is happening with the committees, so they can plan ahead for meetings.
Green said he is not planning to change or “subvert” anything by creating an economic task force or safety policing committee, but he sees the select and standing committees as having two different purposes.
“Council always works better when we do it together,” said Councillor Steve Ferguson, who suggested a council workshop or retreat to find out more about Green’s vision, and for Green to get oriented to what council and the committees are doing or have done.
