Should the city be made up of eight wards, each represented by a full-time councillor? Mayor Cam Guthrie isn’t convinced one way or another, acknowledging his vote on consultant recommendations for reform will be greatly influenced by public opinion.
“I think public feedback is going to weigh very heavily on me,” he said of the “bold” proposal to change council’s composition following next year’s municipal election. “Public voices are probably going to be a very big part of my decision-making on this for sure.”
In a report released Thursday, a consultant team recommends the city move from its current system of six wards, each with two part-time councillors, to eight wards with one full-time councillor each, in addition to a mayor elected at large.
“Future councillors will be making very difficult decisions about growth and development; they will need to be able to devote their full time on an undistracted basis to city business,” states the consultants’ report. “If Guelph is going to take advantage of the opportunities available to it, it will need councillors who have the time and resources to devote to the role.”
While the eight-ward option garnered the most public support during consultations, at 35 per cent, it was trailed closely by an alternative that would see the city stick with six wards and 12 part-time councillors, with re-drawn ward boundaries intended to address population disparities. That alternative received 31 per cent of public support.
“Our discussions with councillors and the results of the public consultation indicated that a significant segment of the community has a strong attachment to the present system which has been in place for 30 years,” notes the consultants’ report. “In Guelph, people are familiar with this two-member system and in the minds of many observers it has worked well.”
Guthrie, the only member of council whose position is not directly impacted by the pending decision, is “struggling with” the “push-pull” of those two choices.
“My position is to try to encourage more people to be involved in local politics in an easier way. I believe that more councillors in a part-time position, with the current structure, sets up a scenario … to be easier for more people in diverse situations and backgrounds to be able to enter into this elected representative world of municipal politics,” he said.
“When it’s part-time, you could have more people able to participate in that service of being an elected representative … and still be able to have the opportunity to have another job if they wish.”
On the flip side of the coin, “I’m a really big believer in trying to adhere to our strategic plan,” Guthrie added, referring to being future ready. “Where the recommendation has fallen from professional consultants, that seems to fit better within our approved strategic plan. That is a more future-ready position for the city.”
Either way, he hopes council will sign on for hiring an administrative assistant for councillors – something consultants recommend for the eight-ward, full-time option.
“That decision, I really believe, is needed now. I say that because I live and breathe this all day. I see the need of councillors today,” he said. “It’s not about just helping councillors, it is a customer service help to the citizens too.”
When Guthrie was first elected as mayor, about seven years ago, there was money in the budget to create such an administrative position, he notes, explaining that was removed from the spending plan.
“It wasn’t required, I felt at that time … but now demands on the mayor’s office, which includes demands on councillors, and the population growth and the complexity of the issues that we are reeling with really do warrant an administrative position.”
In a report to council on the consultants’ recommendation, city staff estimate the annual cost of adding an administrative position to be $90,350.
Council set to discuss the recommendation during a special meeting on June 21, beginning at 6 p.m., with a decision meeting slated for June 23, also getting underway at 6 p.m. Both meetings will be streamed live at guelph.ca/live.
The deadline to register as a delegate or make a written submission for the June 21 council meeting is June 18 at 10 a.m. To register, visit guelph.ca/delegation, call 519-837-5603 or email [email protected].
