As city officials look to fill nine vacancies on various advisory committees, a concerted effort is being made to make sure “underrepresented” groups are aware of the opportunities.
Each with a subject matter all its own, committee efforts are a contributor to city council decisions.
“We want to make sure that … we really are capturing all community groups,” said Mayor Cam Guthrie of filling the vacancies. “One way that we can start to make a difference is to make sure we are intentional in reaching out to those community groups that maybe have been underrepresented on such agencies, boards and committees.
“All voices are very important.”
Those underrepresented groups, the mayor noted, include Black, Indigenous and people of colour, as well as the LGBTQ2+ communities.
There are currently nine committee openings – the result of terms of service coming to an end. In most cases, participants are asked to commit to a one or two-year term.
There is currently one vacancy on the Committee of Adjustment, which handles things such as consent to create new lots or adjust boundaries, applications for minor variances to zoning bylaws or for permission to extend land uses that existed prior to the passing of the current bylaw.
Other vacancies are on committees dealing with the museum, planning, public art, water conservation and waste. In the case of the latter, there are three openings.
“To be fully informed as a mayor and council, we need to spread the net wide in different ways in receiving feedback before we make those decisions,” Guthrie said in explaining the role and importance of advisory committees.
Asked what he would say to someone thinking about applying for one of the open spots, the mayor said, “Their expertise, their opinions and their feedback on these certain themes that we’re looking to have filled, it would be a very worthwhile endeavour for you to jump in and to be a part of shaping our city.”
There are currently about 145 people serving on advisory committees and boards.
Applications, made through the clerk’s department, are reviewed by the staff liaison for each individual committee. A recommendation to fill the position is then made to council, which has the power to make appointments.
To learn more about the vacancies, including terms of reference and application deadlines, visit guelph.ca/city-hall/boards-and-committees.
