To be introduced by Sheila Gurrie, Director, Legislative Services.
Purpose: To outline options for establishing an appointed Ethics Commissioner and a proposed selection criteria for recruiting an Ethics Commissioner.
[Note: Reece Harding, Young Anderson, in attendance via Zoom to answer questions.]
Recommendation: That the Governance and Priorities Committee select one of the following options:
Option 1
That the Governance and Priorities Committee recommend that Council:
- Retain the status quo of utilizing an ad-hoc Commissioner to investigate any informal and formal complaints; and
- Direct staff to establish an Ethics Commissioner line item within the 2024 – 2028 Financial Plan for $107,000 to cover the costs associated with complaint and investigation processing and four one-hour digital seminars on governance matters with Council.
Option 2
That the Governance and Priorities Committee recommend that Council:
- Direct staff to establish a selection criteria as outlined in the 2023-JUN-26 report by the Deputy City Clerk for the purposes of establishing a “limited” Ethics Commissioner role;
- Solicit the selection criteria to law firms with local government law experience; and
- Direct staff to establish an Ethics Commissioner line item within the 2024 – 2028 Financial Plan for $115,000 to cover the costs associated with complaint and investigation processing, four one-hour digital seminars on governance matters with Council, and three phone calls per month to the Ethics Commissioner at ½ hour each.
Option 3
That the Governance and Priorities Committee recommend that Council:
- Direct staff to establish a selection criteria as outlined in the 2023-JUN-26 report by the Deputy City Clerk for the purposes of establishing a “month to month” Ethics Commissioner role;
- Solicit the selection criteria to law firms with local government law experience; and
- Direct staff to establish an Ethics Commissioner line item within the 2024 – 2028 Financial Plan for $122,000 to cover the costs associated with complaint and investigation processing, four one-hour in-person seminars on governance matters with Council, and five phone calls per month to the Ethics Commissioner at ½ hour each.