Friday, November 12, 2010

Changing of Williams Lake City Council Governance

On Tuesday, Williams Lake Council, meeting in Committee of the Whole, will receive a report from Brian Carruthers' (City of WL CAO) advising Council that Mayor Kerry Cook will change Council Governance from a Portfolio-system to a Standing Committee system.  Read the City of WL CAO's report here

It is important to note that Section 141 of the Community Charter permits a Mayor to establish Standing Committees if he/she feels a matter(s) are best dealt with by said Committee and must appoint members of Council to the Standing Committees.  See Section 141 of the Charter here.  I should note Mayor Cook does not require the formal approval of Williams Lake Council to revert from a Portfolio system to Standing Committee

In my humble opinion, this is a stupid move on Mayor Cook's part.  There is an general civic election a year from now.  If she didn't like how Council Governance was structured, the opportunity to review the system and make appropriate changes was when she was elected in late 2008, not a year from the next election.  Furthermore, having a Standing Committee system allows her to reward her "friends" on Council and get back on at those members of Council whom she sees as threats (like Councillor Rathor)

Also at the Committee of the Whole Meeting on Tuesday, the following items will be discussed:

* Presentation from Interior Health on Master Site Plan Update for the local Hospital - see here
* Donation of Land at 1501 Juniper St - see here
* Central Cariboo Sustainability Committee (remake into own community committee) - see here

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