Municipal Monitor - March/April 2008 - (Page 15)

Plumridge says, “LAS was careful to ensure that the investigative process is based on four principles: impartiality, credibility, confidentiality and independence. LAS contracted with a third party who has a panel of Review Officers that are assigned to complaints, so it is at arm’s length from LAS and AMO. These Review Officers have extensive municipal government experience and are located throughout the province. Suggestions by anyone that municipal governments or Review Officers should not or cannot be trusted to implement the Act with integrity and professionalism are condescending,” she says. “All Review Officers will be required to participate in training regarding municipal and local board meeting processes, as well as investigative processes,” Plumridge continues. “They are expected to bring an impartial, objective and knowledgeable mind to each investigation to ensure that all investigations are accountable. There will be a password-protected website for participating municipalities that will provide a variety of information resources including access to all reports made to date. LAS will also provide information and best practices on closed meetings.” Plumridge says the goal is not to generate material net revenue through the program. “The retainer fee is based on cost recovery for LAS in establishing and administering the program,” says Plumridge. “The investigation fee March/April 2008 will incorporate a small administration portion for LAS with a large majority going to the third party to pay for the Review Officers.” Jim Pine, Chief Administrative Office, Hastings County says Hastings, along with the cities of Belleville and Quinte West and the County of Prince Edward, were one of the first group of municipalities to explore and ultimately retain a closed meeting investigator. “We all felt that retaining an investigator who understood municipal operations, had extensive experience in municipal affairs generally and had conducted investigations of various sorts would be best for our municipalities,” says Pine. “We insisted that the individual meet all of the tests of the new legislation particularly those that would instill confidence in the investigative process with the public. The individual had to be independent of our operations, have a thorough understanding of the new rules and be credible with all parties. We feel very confident that all of the tests have been met in our investigator, Mr. John Maddox of London, Ontario.” Open and Transparent Pine believes that the new legislation serves as another reminder that municipalities are expected to operate to a very high standard of openness and transparency. “I also believe from my own experience working in and with municipalities that they have been mindful in the past of the legislative requirements around open and closed meetings and embrace the rules as they exist and are modified from time to time. Relative to the new legislation and my municipality, the County of Hastings, we have developed over the years specific policies to deal with the legislative requirements that govern our operations. We have reviewed the new legislation and are confident that our procedures conform and we will continue to operate in an open and transparent manner as we have always attempted to do.” Victoria Leskie, Clerk, Prince Edward County says most of PE County’s business is done in standing committees. The Standing Committee recommendations are then adopted at Council in a single motion. “Sometimes members of the public present get the impression that the issue was dealt with behind closed doors which is not the case,” says Leskie. That perception though, sometimes leads to inquiries about closed sessions. Another possible scenario of a closed meeting investigation request may come from a person who knows their particular issue is being dealt with in closed session, for example a land transaction, and wants a review to ensure it is dealt with appropriately. “This legislation will have minimal impact on us because I feel we have been conducting our closed session business in accordance with the Municipal Act all along,” says Leskie, “However, we are going to make some small changes to the way we report to try and make it clearer to the public.” Prince Edward County has already changed its procedure by-law to spell out what is closed session and what isn’t. Leskie will hold training sessions for members of council and support staff for boards and committees. “The legislation will make us more alert and aware of closed sessions and how we report so that we give as much information as we can without breaching confidentiality,” says Leskie. “Is there anything we’re doing that’s not right? Is there anything we could do better? It’s really making us focus on Best Practices. I’ll bet that every clerk around is saying, ‘What should we be doing differently?’” ◆ municipal MONITOR • 15 ©Millan/Dreamstime.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Municipal Monitor - March/April 2008

Municipal Monitor - March/April 2008 Contents President's Message: Stress and Change Viewpoint: Much Ado About Nothing? Covering the Cost: Tapping into Safe, Sustainable Water and Sewage Services Closed Session Investigations: What Do They Mean for Your Municipality? Subtle Sabotage: Female Bullying Trends in the Workplace Water Under the Bridge Municipal Memos Index to Advertisers

Municipal Monitor - March/April 2008

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