MWdigest February 2018
BRINGING PEACHES BACK TO MAIN STREET
NEW URBAN ALLIES FORGING PARTNERSHIPS IN MID-SIZED CITIES
WHO SPEAKS FOR COUNCIL?
COMING EVENTS
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WHAT’S INSIDE – FOR SUBSCRIBERS
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BRINGING THE PEACHES BACK TO MAIN STREET
THE REGENERATION OF PLACES OF FAITH
REGULARS
@MunicipalWorld
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@MunicipalWorld @MunicipalJobs
A WORD FROM THE EDITOR
31 GOVERNANCE ZONE 12 CULTURAL PLANNING 33 MANAGEMENT ZONE 15 NEW URBAN ALLIES FORGING PARTNERSHIPS IN MID-SIZED CITIES
17 THE VALLEYVIEW, ALBERTA WELLBEING PROJECT: PART 3
35 THE READING ROOM
37 ENVIRONMENTAL ZONE
39 COMING EVENTS
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20 RYERSON STUDENTS UNLOCK DATA TO SUPPORT SERVICE ACCESS
23 CONNECTING WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
25 ADDRESSING LONGTERM SUSTAINABILITY IN RURAL COMMUNITIES
27 MUNICIPAL POLITICS AND DEFAMATION
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29 OPEN MEETINGS
From the FEBRUARY 2018 issue of CONTENTS COPYRIGHT © 2018
FEBRUARY 2018 | MWDIGEST | 1
MWdigest FEBRUARY 2018
MWDigest is a monthly digital publication, highlighting and supplementing content available to Municipal World magazine subscribers. For information on advertising and submitting content for this publication, please contact Anthony Gibbons at 1-888-368-6125 ext. 206.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE A Word from the Editor Connections to our past.
Bringing the Peaches back to Main Street Communities of all shapes and sizes have features that make them unique, and leveraging those assets can result in benefits for both the community and the economy. Learn how the Town of Grimsby used a farmers’ market to revitalize its core and regenerate its community.
New Urban Allies Forging Partnerships in Mid-sized Cities In an age of increased complexity and competitiveness, municipalities are finding it increasingly challenging to forge ahead on their own to create vibrant, high-quality communities. Find out how partnerships can help to improve the opportunities for community economic development, with particular emphasis on the tools and strategies available for mid-sized cities.
Editor’s Flashback This online-only feature column highlights select articles from past issues of Municipal World’s monthly print magazine. In this issue, we share “Who Speaks for Council?” – by George B. Cuff, from the December 2012 issue.
Coming Events
Connections to our past
Susan M. Gardner CEO, Editor & Publisher
In this edition, we proudly present our 15th annual heritage issue. The first was our February 2004 issue, where the Heritage Canada Foundation (now the National Trust for Canada) discussed the exemplary efforts of Canadian municipalities demonstrating responsible stewardship of historic places. Other articles in that same first issue covered Canadian heritage stories from coast to coast, from Sackville, New Brunswick to Nelson, British Columbia. Fifteen years later, we continue to celebrate communities and share stories that illustrate the importance of identifying and preserving a community’s heritage. This identity may reveal itself through something as concrete as a local built heritage treasure or something as simple, but fundamental, as a story about peaches. As Michael Seaman and Michelle Seaborn say in this issue’s main story, “cultural vitality [is one of] the most successful vehicles for bringing a community together [… and] elevating the perception of an intangible heritage of a community.” This idea is echoed by Greg Baeker in his article “Cultural Planning.” On page 13, he explains that “cultural planning is part of an integrated, placed-based approach […] that takes into account four pillars
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of sustainability: economic prosperity, social equity, environment responsibility, and cultural vitality.” Similarly, Audrey Jamal, in her article on page 15, highlights cultural heritage as an important factor to be balanced and considered in 21st century city building. Throughout these stories, one truth is calling out louder and louder: it’s clear that heritage plays an intricate role in a community’s wellbeing and ongoing sustainability. Culture, as experienced through heritage, can be foundational to a shared sense of identity, reaching back through generations of families; preserved heritage captures the history of a people, a deeply-felt identity passed down from a community’s ancestors. We continue to share our stories because that’s how our heritage is kept alive … and how identity is shared with future generations. Stories are the building blocks of a great community: without one, there is no other. This is why heritage preservation is so important to the wellbeing of a community. It educates and engages not only community residents, but also visitors and future residents. And, most importantly, it helps keep our communities’ heritage alive – and all of us connected to each other.
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Bringing the peaches back to main street Farmers' markets as a tool for community regeneration Michael Seaman, MCIP, RPP is Director of Planning for the Town of Grimsby where he also leads the economic development portfolio. Previously, he was a manager of heritage planning with the Town of Oakville, and a senior heritage planner with the City of Markham and Town of Aurora. Michael is contributing editor for heritage for the Ontario Planning Journal and is currently serving as Ontario Governor on the Board of the National Trust for Canada. He can be reached at mseaman@grimsby.ca. Michelle Seaborn has lived in Grimsby for 30 years on a small family run farm. In 2006, she became a member of the Grimsby Economic Development Advisory Committee (GEDAC) and rose to the challenge to bring agriculture back to Grimsby. She was first elected to council in 2010, and is active with many community groups as well as the Grimsby DIA and is the current chair of GEDAC. She can be reached at mseaborn@ silmaril.on.ca.
“Meet me at the market” is an often-heard saying in the Town of Grimsby, Ontario, each year from late spring to early fall. The downtown farmers’ market demonstrates the strong sense of community that exists in this town. It’s a place to shop for local produce, meet, participate in special events, or perhaps just sit on the patio at a restaurant and watch people enjoy the setting. In a town of 26,000, you are bound to see someone familiar. It’s a place of economic activity, but it’s also a place where some of the most important aspects of Grimsby’s intangible heritage can be taken in. The basket displays of bountiful locally-grown crops of peaches, cherries, plums, and grapes; the sounds of well-known local musicians; the smell of local butcher shop sausages being cooked, and that warm small town feeling that just feels like home. You could easily think that the market had been an institution in the town for many years, but it’s actually a very recent phenomenon of barely a decade. Its positive impact on the sense of community in Grimsby as a whole, and on the economic vitality of Main Street has been transforming. Downtown Grimsby is typical small-town Ontario. Located at the centre of the community, it features small shops in 18th-and early 19th-century buildings along Main Street. Its visual quality is enhanced by the beautiful topography of the Niagara Escarpment, and in particular, the twin peaks of Mount Dorchester and Grimsby Point rising majestically above. Like many downtowns, Grimsby has seen its shares of ups and downs over the years. Its peak was probably in the early 20th century, when the tender-fruit industry was at FEBRUARY 2018 | MWDIGEST | 7
its prime and the downtown featured an electric railway line carrying both passengers and freight running along Main Street between Hamilton and Beamsville. The most famous crop carried on the railway were peaches. A hundred years later, downtown Grimsby was looking a little tired and in need of investment, with a number of vacancies on the street. The sense of being at the centre of nature’s garden had also dissipated with many of the former peach orchards being turned over to post-war residential development. “The only peaches you might see in Grimsby in the near future are the ones portrayed on the town coat of arms,” said one local official.
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Rejuvenating the Community To counter this decline, the community – led by its Economic Development Advisory Committee and Downtown BIA – came together in 2007 to instigate a series of initiatives aimed at revitalizing the downtown core. One development was the Community Improvement Plan, initiated with the financial assistance of the Ontario Rural Economic Development (RED) Program grant. After much community engagement, the plan was approved in 2009. It included a suite of recommended improvements and initiatives including design guidelines, façade and heritage grants, and public realm improvement recommendations. Another project was the initiation of a downtown farmers’ market. Proposed in December 2007, through the Grimsby Economic Development Advisory Committee, the market was up and running in a local church parking lot by the spring of 2008. A Local Market is Born There was much to consider in establishing the market. A range of federal, provincial, and municipal regulations need to be adhered to: Food and Drugs Act, Agricultural Products Act, Food Safety and Quality Act, Health Protection and Promotion Act, and local municipal by-laws. Among these is a requirement that over half of the produce sold at the market needed to originate from local farms. The organizers of the Grimsby
Farmers’ Market aimed higher, trying for 75 percent, believing that the “grown local” aspect of the market would give it a distinctive edge over retail store produce. The timing of the market was also a consideration. Whereas many farmers’ markets operate on Saturday morning, in Grimsby there were a number of competing markets in this time slot, including the 180-year-old downtown Hamilton Farmers’ Market. There was also an established pattern of Grimsby residents heading to the cottage during the summer months. Thursday afternoons from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. was chosen and has been a great success. This time slot has also allowed for a range of different types of activities to take place, such as community dinners, walking tours, and busker festivals. The market was a revelation, bringing not only fresh produce, but sense of being at the centre of an agricultural district. Perhaps the most welcome return is the bounty of tender fruit grown in nearby farms thanks to the unique microclimate that exists in Niagara West. It may be just a fruit to some, but in a town where the hockey team is called the “Peach Kings” it has really brought back that sense of Grimsby as a “Peach of a Town” once again. The Challenges and Solutions market proved to be so popular that within two years, it was clear that The move of the market to Main a new larger market location was Street was not without its challenges. needed. The question was where? The The closure of a major east-west downtown had no natural civic square. thoroughfare was a concern to local A few locations were suggested such motorists; however, a convenient as private commercial parking lots detour route around downtown was for example; but, after an exhaustive established, which added no more
that if it needed to get to a fire along Main Street, that it could do so unimpeded with minimal loss in time to fight a fire. At first, this was achieved by placing the booths on one side of Main Street. However, merchants on the back side of the market booths became concerned at the loss in potential foot traffic
The move of the market to Main Street was not without its challenges. The closure of a major east-west thoroughfare was a concern to local motorists; however, a convenient detour route around downtown was established, which added no more than a few minutes to vehicular travel times. search, it was clear that the best place to host the market was along Main Street, closed to traffic as proposed by the Grimsby Downtown Improvement Area.
than a few minutes to vehicular travel times. Now that the market is well established, alternative routes of travel are known among locals. Fire safety was another concern. The local fire department wanted to ensure
as a result. A solution was eventually found whereby the parking of a fire truck on Main Street on market days allowed for both sides of the street to benefit from the market. For the fire department, it has provided the added benefit FEBRUARY 2018 | MWDIGEST | 9
of giving it the opportunity to share fire safety information with local residents. Some downtown merchants expressed a concern that as taxpaying businesses, they were put at a disadvantage versus market vendors with lesser overhead costs. This was countered with evidence that the market was clearly drawing people to the downtown that might not ordinarily have shopped in the stores otherwise. Eventually this matter was settled in July 2017, when an unfortunate fire that occurred on Main Street forced the market to take its business elsewhere for more than a month in peak season. The downturn in business activity with the market presence gone was clearly noticeable, to such an extent that when the market finally returned to downtown, it was celebrated across all sectors. Not long after the relocation of the farmers’ market to Main Street, the town, in partnership with the Region of Niagara, launched its incentive programs for façade and heritage improvements, as well as public realm improvement grants. Initially, there were reservations from residents about the municipality granting public money to benefit private businesses, but the evolution of Main Street into a public space thanks to the farmers’ market, soon helped to overcome these fears. There is no question that walking along the vibrant Main Street on market day provides community amenities for all residents to enjoy. Opportunities for All The farmers’ market has become the engine for revitalization of downtown. It has served as an incubator for local businesses and initiatives to be tried and tested, and has diversified food offerings available to residents of the town. It has become a major attraction for locals and visitors alike and has seen over one-third of Main Street façades and heritage buildings improved. Most importantly, it has provided a central gathering space, a public square where people can come each week and immerse themselves in the atmosphere of beautiful small-town Grimsby. Interestingly, employment as a whole has increased significantly since the establishment of the farmers' market and the revitalization of downtown began. This supports the adage – when a business is considering locating in a community, one of the places they will look at is downtown. A healthy downtown with a variety of shopping and 10 | MWDIGEST | FEBRUARY 2018
dining options is a potential attraction to employees, and speaks to the health of the entire community. Testimonials from businesses that have moved to Grimsby since 2010 have validated that. “I saw what was going on along Main Street and the noticeable uplift in downtown and that was a key decision in moving my business here,” said one local merchant. It is evident from Grimsby’s experience that farmers' markets offer tremendous opportunities for regeneration, economic development, and enhancement of cultural
vitality across both downtown and the community as a whole. They are one of the most successful vehicles for bringing a community together in an environment that enhances a sense of community and identity, elevating the perception of the intangible heritage of a community that makes it unique and special. The market has both enhanced prosperity and given the town back its identity as a “Peach of a Town” thanks in part to the return in abundance of the humble but delicious tender fruit during market season. MW
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New urban allies forging partnerships in mid-sized cities Audrey Jamal lives in Guelph, Ontario. She is a mid-sized city researcher, consultant, and Ph.D. candidate in Planning at the University of Waterloo. Audrey is a regular speaker on issues of urban revitalization, downtowns, and community development. She can be reached at audrey.jamal@gmail. com or on Twitter: @audreyjamal
Twenty-first century city building is becoming increasingly complex. Municipal leaders are asking how to create community prosperity, while constrained by a fiscal arrangement that is overly reliant on property taxes. Finding a balance between attracting employment, building essential infrastructure, and providing high-quality services to local residents – while protecting natural and cultural heritage – is a tall order for city staff and councillors. Added to this is a changing employment landscape that favours knowledge-intensive industries and a growing number of residents who prioritize vibrant downtowns, walkability, and transit-connected communities. But, a municipality’s planning or economic development departments can't do this work alone. Today, city builders must prioritize collaborative, cross-sector approaches to city building in order to thrive. Such collaborative, cluster-based approaches to urban economic development are evident in Canada’s largest cities. In Toronto, the MARS Discovery District is a downtown innovation hub, showcasing the benefits of partnerships between public and private institutions. Similarly, the growing Artificial Intelligence Hub in Montreal boasts industry and academic collaborations that are creating a strong employment cluster in the city’s core. With a broad tax base, researchintensive universities, and a high quality of life, large urban centres have a distinct advantage when attracting and retaining the new, knowledge-based economy. 1 While big cities are leading the way in 21st-century urban development, there are important lessons that mid-sized cities can glean from these experiences. As urban thinkers move beyond traditional “smokestack chasing” models of economic development, they are advancing the notion of “third wave” local economic development: a model that promotes improving quality of life for all residents, reducing social inequities and protecting the environment.2 Such an approach requires collaboration and community engagement to be successful. Indeed, as cities grow and adapt to new social and economic realities, concepts of inclusion and equity must also be embedded in urban policy,3 and non-traditional urban actors play an important role in this equation. 1 See Gertler’s 2003 Neptis report: Smart Growth and the Regional Economy. 2 Nancey Leigh and Edward Blakely’s (2017) research on Local Economic Development (LED) outlines this new approach. 3 This concept is outlined in Richard Florida’s book: The New Urban Crisis (2017). FEBRUARY 2018 | MWDIGEST | 11
Mid-Sized Cities Mid-sized cities, however, face unique challenges in this new economic development. With a shared history of suburban proliferation and associated downtown decline; a planning framework that favours low-density, dispersed development; and limited staffing resources to support and evaluate new initiatives fostering partnerships, or leverage a third wave approach to economic development, offers an important opportunity for smaller urban centre rejuvenation. Research shows that 45 percent of Ontario residents live in mid-sized cities, with a population between 50,000500,000.4 This research focused on strategies mid-sized cities are using to revitalize their core areas. This is a particularly fruitful time to engage with
community resources to support downtown revitalization and economic development. In downtown Guelph for example, a Community Improvement Plan (CIP) was created through extensive public consultation, and has since resulted in locally curated incentives that are described as providing a predictable investment environment for both public and private sector partners. CIPs are being rolled out in other mid-sized cities as well, and they are resulting in adaptive reuse of heritage buildings, new residential developments in the core, and façade improvements on downtown streets. Business Improvement Areas One of the key allies in downtown economic development that has emerged through this research was the local
As cities react to global shifts in the economy and new urban trends that favour dense, walkable cities, municipalities should be encouraged to look beyond their own staffing resources for support.
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Ontario’s mid-sized cities, especially those included in the province’s Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. With a provincial challenge to curb sprawling development and attract people and jobs to their downtown cores, eight of the midsized cities in the growth plan sit outside of the province’s protected Greenbelt area and the primary commuter-shed from Toronto. Downtowns in Peterborough, Barrie, Brantford, Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, and St. Catharines have been identified as “urban growth centres” and are required to direct public and private investments to their core areas. These cities all have a historic core area, an active downtown business association, and are home to a post-secondary institution. In researching Ontario’s mid-sized cities, it became apparent that economic development was not the sole purview of the municipality. From community planning events to collaborations between businesses and local non-profit groups, Ontario’s mid-sized cities are leveraging 4 See Evergreen’s report: Mid-Sized City Discussion Paper. 12 | MWDIGEST | FEBRUARY 2018
Business Improvement Area (BIA). BIAs were first established in the 1970s in response to the growth of suburban malls on the periphery of cities. As primarily downtown, “merchant-led” associations, funded by a tax levy on property owners in the district, according to Ontario’s BIA Handbook, their mandate is to beautify the streetscape, host events, and promote local businesses. While these laudable efforts have sustained BIAs for decades, their presence as downtown-first advocates takes on a new significance in the context of the provincial growth plan. For the first time since their inception, BIAs in the case study area can leverage a regional-scale plan that promotes and encourages investment in their respective downtowns. As municipalities work to align their planning framework to provincial targets, BIA advocacy has taken on increased importance. In downtown Barrie, for example, the BIA was a key partner and advocate for a new public space in the core. Now under construction, Memorial Square & Meridian Place will draw thousands of visitors. In St. Catharines, the BIA has become a
member of the local coworking space, Cowork Niagara, which has the dual impact of supporting a local member group and promoting downtown as a key location for independent workers looking to share office space. In Cambridge, the three BIAs have established a partnership with the local police service and students at Conestoga College to have local bike ambassadors in their downtown neighbourhoods. These are a few of the many examples of BIA leadership in urban rejuvenation. Whether advocating for well-appointed public spaces, attracting and supporting new businesses, or promoting safe streets, BIA staff are working to improve the quality of life in their downtowns – a factor that has shown proven success in attracting and retaining knowledge and creative workers. While the BIA model has been around for more than 40 years, its mandate is beginning to show signs of evolving into 21st-century urban affairs. No longer exclusively focused on the needs of downtown businesses, their stable base of funding and diverse membership has allowed
As cities react to global shifts in the economy and new urban trends that favour dense, walkable cities, municipalities should be encouraged to look beyond their own staffing resources for support. BIAs to become a credible voice for urban renewal in cities big and small. In moving beyond traditional alliances with business and property owners, BIAs are reaching out to other non-profits, post-secondary institutions, and neighbourhood groups to advance a broad urban mandate that can assist municipalities in achieving their growth plan targets. New Urban Allies? As cities react to global shifts in the economy and new urban trends that favour dense, walkable cities, municipalities should be encouraged to look beyond their own staffing resources for support. Research has shown that 21st-century city building can benefit from collaborations and cross-sector alliances. In mid-sized cities, where public resources are limited, new urban allies can offer much needed support in local economic development and downtown revitalization initiatives. The strategies that BIAs are using to advance a downtown first agenda, and their ability to engage a cross-section of partners to promote urban rejuvenation, is important to highlight. BIAs are just one example of types of organizations that municipalities can engage with to achieve their goals, and the list of potential allies is long: universities, colleges, coworking spaces, childcare centres, neighbourhood groups, and so many more. For city builders, one of the most important questions to ask is, who are our city’s urban allies? MW This article is part of a monthly series on Canadian mid-sized cities, as part of Evergreen’s Mid-Sized Cities Program, describing relevant best practices, research findings and case studies. FEBRUARY 2018 | MWDIGEST | 13
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editor’s flashback
Who Speaks for Council?
George B. Cuff, FCMC, our governance zone expert, has been involved in local government in one way or another since 1970. He has been a recreation and youth specialist, a department head, a mayor for 12 years, and a consultant/ advisor to municipalities since 1976. He is the author of seven books on local government policy governance. His latest book is Life’s Lessons Inside City Hall – a collection of short stories and he has also written dozens of articles and columns in Municipal World since 1984.
This article was originally published in the December 2012 issue of Municipal World.
I was asked recently about the legitimacy of a council member speaking to a community issue on which the council had not yet taken a firm stance. Is a council member entitled to speak for or against a possible new development/ industry that is bound to be controversial amongst the residents and businesses of the city? It is an interesting challenge. One of the reasons a councillor is elected is often his or her ability or promise to give voice to issues. Most councillors are able communicators and prove that in their election campaigns. They have an ability to see an issue and its nuances and to land on one side or the other or both at once! The public’s choice of this candidate or that can often be influenced by a promise to speak in support or opposition to the issues of the day. It seems to me that any attempt to muzzle that voice is likely to be challenged and just as likely to fail. In particular, where the council has not yet taken a position on the matter at hand, a member of council has the right to weigh in with his or her opinion. But, what if the issue is now on the council docket? Does a member of council still have the same degree of verbal freedom? (While in this and any other matter that might come before your council and require legal counsel, I defer to those with legal training, I will nonetheless comment!) This becomes much more difficult to determine for a number of reasons: if the issue is a new development that is soon to make its way through the municipality’s planning processes, the council members are wise to withhold comment until the debate is struck in hearing a by-law or a zoning application. If the councillor is already noted for slamming the proposed development (or alternatively, cheering loudly), it is difficult to argue that the councillor has no bias relative to the matter. A developer and the public could rightly argue that the councillor has shown considerable bias before both sides to the issue have had a chance to say their piece. If the matter is not one of a proposed development or change to a by-law, but is one of provincial or federal jurisdiction, for example, can the councillor voice support or opposition? I would argue “yes.” The matter may be external to the municipality (i.e., the possible impact of a proposed new oil tanker route down the west coast of Canada and thus past several tourist/fishing communities). This may be debatable as to the “right” of a council to take on the subject at hand (i.e., it is in the federal government’s jurisdiction). However, it might also affect the quality of life of the community. FEBRUARY 2018 | MWDIGEST | 15
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So, who ought to speak on behalf of council? If the council feels that the issue begs comment from it as the body representing the citizens of an area, then I would argue that council ought to debate the matter, take a stand, and expect the mayor to speak to the matter on behalf of council. Ah … but what if the mayor has spoken out in opposition to the formal resolution of council? The mayor, as chief elected official (and in some jurisdictions mistakenly identified as chief executive officer), has an added obligation to that of other colleagues on council. The mayor is entitled to speak his or her opinion on the matter prior to a vote by council (I would argue that your procedural bylaw ought to permit the mayor to sum up the debate). The mayor ought to be doing that as the leader of council and, on particularly controversial matters, ought to be expected to have an opinion (chairing a meeting is a lot less risky than actually having an opinion on a matter under review by council). Once the mayor has voiced an opinion and then voted, the matter is decided. Say that the mayor’s vote has been on the “losing” side in the issue. What is the mayor’s role now? I would argue that, as a chair and leader of council (and the community), the mayor needs to show strength in being able to declare the vote of council to be that which decided the issue, and to strongly stand with the majority (i.e.,
So, to sum up: A council needs to exercise caution that its voice not be heard before its time. Wait until all the evidence is in before taking an official position.
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democratic) vote. That is difficult for any mayor – particularly if the matter is highly charged and has provoked considerable debate. It takes a courageous mayor to stand up and declare, “The vote has been taken.Council has decided thus and so. I will use my office to make sure this decision is vigorously pursued.” (I note that if the mayor has voted with the majority, that this task is a lot less onerous.) And, what of councillors after the votes have been cast? Are they similarly to be directed by the vote of council? One could always hope so, but history and the human condition tell a different story. A councillor accosted by the media on the way out of the chambers has, in my view, the liberty to speak to the issue and defend how he or she voted. I would expect that a mature councillor would first preface any remarks by recognizing the legitimate right of his or her colleagues to take a different view of the matter. It is not appropriate for a councillor to actively seek to undermine public confidence in council as a whole. A decision is a decision (unless, of course, the vote did not go my way). Childish and foolish behaviour is too often witnessed in councils where media microphones are adoringly sought and decisions of the day (or hour) dumped on because “my colleagues obviously did not understand what they were doing.” Actually, they did. And no, more “information” will not make any difference. Unless it can be shown that council acted illegally, the matter should not to be resurrected. So, to sum up: A council needs to exercise caution that its voice not be heard before its time. Wait until all the evidence is in before taking an official position. Where the issue has not been addressed by council, but you know it soon will be, take care not to reflect unreasonable bias. You may be prohibited from voting on such a matter because of a perceived and publicly stated opinion. That is viewed as a conflict of interest in some jurisdictions. When the matter is decided by resolution of council, the mayor ought to speak as council’s official voice and support the resolution of council. Individual councillors have more flexibility and, unfortunately, many seek every opportunity to use it. MW 16 | MWDIGEST | FEBRUARY 2018
coming events calendar March 3 – Special Events – How do YOU Handle Them? Online. https://www.gartner.com/ events/na/it-financial-procurement-asset-management March 5-7 – 2018 Cities and Climate Change Science Conference Edmonton AB. http://www. citiesipcc.org March 5-7 – SWANApalooza 2018: the Annual Landfill Gas and Biogas Symposium, the Annual Landfill Symposium, and the Road to Zero Waste Conference Denver CO. https:// swana.org/Events/SWANApalooza.aspx March 5-8 – CAGP 2018 Spring Conference New Bern NC. https://www.cagponline.org/ insidepages/meetings/details.cfm?meetingid=BB0EB43B-5056-8960-3EE6-F936002FD471 March 7-8 – Youth Development Through Recreation Services Symposium Red Deer AB. https://arpaonline.ca/events/ydrs-symposium/ydrs-about March 12-15 – Future of Ponds and Wetlands Conference and Training March 2018 Calgary AB. http://www.alidp.org/events-and-education/dft18 March 13-16 – Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities 2018 Annual Convention Regina SK. http://sarm.ca/events/conventions March 15-16 – WAPP/Value Spring Conference Brookfield WI. https://www.wapp.org/ insidepages/meetings/details.cfm?meetingid=D127B6C3-5056-8960-3E12-FBE3E07F767B March 19-21 – AAMDC Spring 2018 Convention and Trade Show Edmonton AB. http:// www.aamdc.com/events-programs/aamdc-convention March 20 – 24th Annual Provincial/Municipal Government Liability Conference: Strategies for Managing and Mitigating Your Municipal Liability Toronto ON. https://www. canadianinstitute.com/24th-annual-provincialmunicipal-government-liability/ April 3-6 – 2018 Transforming Local Government Conference Tacoma WA. http://www. tlgconference.org/ April 10 – CanWEA Spring Forum 2018 Calgary AB. https://canwea.ca/events/ canwea-spring-forum-2018/ April 11-13 – 2018 Spring Professional Development Conference Clarksville TN. https://www.tappnews.com/insidepages/meetings/details. cfm?meetingid=F09AAD4D-5056-8960-3E2C-9344DA539A8B April 12-13 – IAPPO Spring Conference and Supplier Expo East Peoria IL. https://www.iappo.org/insidepages/meetings/details. cfm?meetingid=759CFF01-5056-8960-3E97-EC9FC87208BB April 17-18 – 3rd Annual Accelerating Smart Communities Forum Toronto ON. https://www. canadianinstitute.com/3rd-annual-accelerating-smart-communities-forum/ April 20 – PPANO 2018 Reverse Trade Show Cleveland OH. https://www.ppano.org/ insidepages/events/?eventid=CD23E26F-5056-8960-3EE2-A3BE182F424B
FEBRUARY 2018 | MWDIGEST | 17
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