If it was discussion on the town’s committee system New Tecumseth councillors were looking for, their wish was granted Monday night. However, the heated debate failed to sway the votes of council, and two councillors’ resignations from advisory committees remain in place.
The hour-long discussion brought into question council leadership and surfaced building frustration with the way the town advisory committee system works.
A recorded vote saw new council members appointed to the advisory committees that Ward 2 Counc. Dennis Egan and Ward 3 Counc. Barbara Huson resigned from in March. Council voted 6-2 in favour of the new appointments. The two votes against were from Huson and Egan. Counc. Richard Norcross was helping the Masonic lodge with a fundraiser at his Muddy Water Tavern and wasn’t at the meeting.
Discussion on the town committee system was initiated by Mayor Mike MacEachern. Town staff were allowed to leave, except the clerk, chief administrative officer, and deputy CAO. Then MacEachern read a prepared statement addressing reports made public last week on the attendance records of councillors at advisory committee meetings.
He said councillors’ roles on committees are to provide a liaison, or communication.
“Council members involvement on advisory committees is but one small piece of all the areas within council members work,” said MacEachern.
He said other core duties are to attend council and committee of the whole meetings.
So far this term, attendance for council and committee of the whole meetings has been good.
Milne pointed out he sits on committees outside of those run by the town. He also attends Simcoe County council meetings. After last week’s meeting he said he didn’t like the way the press took a “cheap shot” at council, referring to an editorial in last Wednesday’s Herald.
“I’m not patting myself on the back, I enjoy each and every committee I sit on,” said Milne.
Although Huson and Egan resigned from their committees in March, last week’s committee of the whole meeting was the first public opportunity to speak on the decision. At the meeting Huson tabled a recommendation to look at restructuring the way advisory committees work, but after it was seconded it went straight to a vote without discussion.
Her motion suggested there be attendance requirements for councillors, more fair committee workload, communication between committees and town departments. It also suggested sending issues that come to council to committees if it’s within their scope, and allowing committees opportunity to comment directly on issues brought to council.
Yesterday Huson said she took every step she could before resigning. She said the catalyst for her resignation was a meeting with the mayor and CAO March 18.
“My resignation followed months of frustration in trying to resolve issues that in my opinion hinder the progress of our town’s committees,” said Huson.
If the system is improved, she said she would like to sit on committees again.
Huson was glad for the opportunity to speak to the issue Monday with council. She said there aren’t clear policies outlining what councillors’ duties are with respect to committees.
“It’s my frustration from the committees that I sit on, and from what I hear from others, that the process as it exists presently isn’t working,” Huson told her fellow councillors Monday.
Egan said he has also had a number of frustrations over the past year and a half, which has led to outbursts. He said there hasn’t been any indication of change. As such, he stepped back rather than continuing the frustrations.
“I felt it was the only way I could get my issue across,” said Egan.
The South Simcoe Railway is one issue where Egan said the committee system malfunctioned after council gave the railway a $150,000 grant to fix a steam train. The decision was made over a year ago, at which time Egan was vocal that the issue should have been brought to his Economic Development Advisory Committee, a position he maintains today.
“Perhaps if it is a misunderstanding, then again it’s because the terms of reference were unclear,” said Egan.
When the steam train funding was at council, Egan said the EDAC committee indicated to him they were considering a mass resignation, information he withheld from council until Monday night.
If council was able to reach an understanding on the committee system he said he would reconsider his resignation.
Egan also questioned MacEachern’s role as a leader. He said there is a misunderstanding of the philosophical role of what the head of council should or should not do.
In response, MacEachern said as the mayor it’s his responsibility to work with individual members of council so they can all work together.
“You, however, have difficulty with the way that I lead groups of individuals. And one of the principles that I use with regard to leading individuals is I don’t embarrass people in a public forum,” said MacEachern. “I take exception when people are treated unfairly and maybe that is a philosophic difference between our leadership styles.”
Other councillors aren’t happy with the speculation that has arisen over the past week with regards to advisory committee attendance.
“I personally that feel my friends here can’t get what they want at council so they want to do it at the committee and force council to do what the committee says,” said Prothero. “They quit. They’ve done it wrong.”
Counc. Christine Brayford read from a prepared statement.
This is Brayford’s first term on council. From the beginning, she said she was aware her participation on committees was voluntary, a fact Egan and Huson claim to have just been made privy to.
Brayford said she’s resentful for the atmosphere that has been created in which councillors have to defend themselves.
“The process works for me and I am provided with all the tools I need to make it work from staff and other members of council,” said Brayford.
Because council voted to adopt the changes to the committees, the system will remain as is for the time being. A review of the committee system will go ahead as planned in December.
