Body: Council Type: Document Meeting: Committee Date: 2023 Collection: Agenda Attachments Municipality: Frontenac County
[View Document (PDF)](/docs/frontenac-county/Item Attachments/Agenda Item/2023/March/Ms. Jannette Amini, Manager of Legislative Services/Clerk, will provide the new Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee with an orientation on the Comm/Committee Orientation.pdf)
Document Text
Committee Orientation
Agenda • County of Frontenac Procedural By-law • Meeting Management • Pecuniary Interest • Code of Conduct for Members of County Council and Committees • Integrity Commissioner
Procedural By-law • Municipal Act requires that all municipalities have a procedural by-law • Municipal Act and Procedural By-law requires that all meetings are open to the public except under certain circumstances • The purpose of procedures is to seek to achieve consensus in an orderly and principled manner. • County Procedural By-law governs Council and Committees of Council.
Committee Mandate • Advisory Committees are created by Council. • Advisory Committees can only do what they are authorized to do by Council (Committee Mandate) • Advisory Committees are only mandated to advise Council and any recommendations must be approved by Council prior to any action being taken.
Mandate of the Joint AAC a) advise the councils about the legislative requirements and implementation of the accessibility standards and the preparation of a c c e s s i b i l i t y r e p o r t s a n d s u c h o t h e r m a t t e r s f o r wh i c h t h e c o u n c i l may seek its advice; b ) r e v i e w i n a t i m e l y m a n n e r t h e s i t e p l a n s a n d d r a wi n g s d e s c r i b e d i n section 41 of the Planning Act that the committee selects in terms o f h o w t h e y a d d r e s s t h e a c c e s s i b i l i t y n e e d s o f p e r s o n s wi t h disabilities; c ) i n c o n s u l t a t i o n wi t h C o u n c i l a n d M u n i c i p a l S t a ff , r e v i e w n e w a n d e x i s t i n g m u n i c i p a l b y- l a ws a n d p o l i c i e s a s a p p l i c a b l e ; d ) wo r k wi t h C o u n c i l a n d t h e c o m m u n i t y a t l a r g e t o i d e n t i f y a n d a d d r e s s t h e n e e d s o f p e r s o n s wi t h d i s a b i l i t i e s wi t h i n t h e c o m m u n i t y ; e) provide recommendations to Councils on the promotion of public a wa r e n e s s a n d u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e n e e d s o f p e r s o n s wi t h disabilities.
Duties of the Chair To p r e s e r v e o r d e r a n d d e c o r u m a n d d e c i d e a l l q u e s t i o n s o f o r d e r To r e c e i v e a n d s u b m i t , i n t h e p r o p e r m a n n e r, a l l m o t i o n s presented to the Committee To p u t t o v o t e a l l q u e s t i o n s wh i c h a r e p r o p e r l y b r o u g h t b e f o r e t h e Committee or arise in the course of proceedings, and announce the results To r u l e o n a l l p r o c e d u r a l m a t t e r s , wi t h o u t d e b a t e o r c o m m e n t To d e c l i n e t o p u t t o a v o t e m o t i o n s wh i c h d o n o t c o m p l y wi t h t h e r u l e s o f p r o c e d u r e , o r wh i c h a r e n o t wi t h i n t h e j u r i s d i c t i o n o f t h e Committee To r e s t r a i n t h e M e m b e r s , wi t h i n t h e r u l e s o f o r d e r, wh e n e n g a g e d in debate To c a l l b y n a m e a n y M e m b e r p e r s i s t i n g i n b r e a c h o f t h e r u l e s o f order and may order the Member to vacate the room To a d j o u r n o r s u s p e n d t h e M e e t i n g i f t h e C h a i r c o n s i d e r s i t necessary because of grave disorder
Definition of a Meeting A quorum of the Members of Council or Committee that are present and discuss issues in a way that materially advances the business or decision making of Council or Committee It is not appropriate to discuss Committee business via email It is not appropriate to meet at a local coffee shop or restaurant to discuss Committee business
Public Notice Requirements Section 270 of the Municipal Act requires that municipalities have policy in place on how they will be transparent and accountable How we provide notice to the public
Adherence to the Agenda • The agenda is how we provide notice of what will be discussed at a meeting • Items should not be added to an agenda at the meeting as this provides no public notice that the Committee will be speaking about that item • “Other Business” Section 24.2 • Statement by Members • Matters of Urgency • Agenda items should fall within the Committees mandate
Committee Minutes • Discussion at meetings should be centered around the agenda and agenda items • Minutes of meetings are not verbatim, but are a neutral reflection of what transpired at the meeting • Minutes are prepared by the recording secretary and are only subject to change by the entire Committee
Declaration of Pecuniary Interest Where a Member, either on his own behalf or while acting for, by, with or through another, has any pecuniary interest, direct or indirect, in any matter and is present at a Meeting at which the matter is the subject of consideration, the Member shall, in accordance with the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act: a) Prior to any consideration of the matter at the Meeting, disclose the Member’s interest and the general nature thereof; and b) Not take part in the discussion of, or vote on any question in respect of the matter, and c) Not attempt in any way whether before, during or after the Meeting to influence the voting on the matter.
Declaration of Pecuniary Interest cont. Indirect pecuniary interest A member has an indirect pecuniary interest in any matter in which the council or local board, as the case may be, is concerned, if, (a) the member or his or her nominee, i. is a shareholder in, or a director or senior officer of, a corporation that does not offer its securities to the public, ii.Has a controlling interest in or is a director or senior officer of, a corporation that offers its securities to the public, or iii.Is a member of a body, that has a pecuniary interest in the matter; or • (b) the member is a partner of a person or is in the employment of a person or body that has a pecuniary interest in the matter. R.S.O. 1990, c. M.50, s. 2. Interest of certain persons deemed that of member The pecuniary interest, direct or indirect, of a parent or the spouse or any child of the member shall, if known to the member, be deemed to be also the pecuniary interest of the member. R.S.O. 1990, c. M.50, s. 3; 1999, c. 6, s. 41 (2); 2005, c. 5, s. 45 (3).
What is Pecuniary Interest
Code of Conduct for Members of County Council and Committees • Was adopted by County Council on February 20, 2019 • Covers Councillors and Committee Members (including Advisory Committee members) • All those bound by the Code of Conduct are required to acknowledges that they have read, understood and accept this Code of Conduct.
Committees and Members of Committees Applies to • all Members of the Council of the County of Frontenac, • all County committees, agencies, boards and commissions, Purpose to • establish a general standard to ensure that all Members share a common basis for acceptable conduct, and to which all Members are expected to adhere to and comply with. • to set a high standard of conduct for Members • to provide good governance and a high level of public confidence in the administration of the County by its Members • to ensure that they each operate from a foundation of integrity, transparency, justice, truth, honesty and courtesy
Gifts and Benefits Section 7 of the Code of Conduct outlines Gifts and Benefits Any gift to a Member risks the appearance of improper influence. Gifts may improperly induce influence or create an incentive for a Member to make decisions on the basis of relationships rather than in the best interests of the County. Section 7.2 outlines when a Member is entitled to accept a gift or benefit other than in the following circumstances If you accept a gift you must file a disclosure with the Clerk of the gift or benefit indicating the person, body or entity from which it was received together with the estimated value of the gift or benefit in accordance with the Disclosure Statement set out in Appendix “A”.
Integrity Commissioner Role of the Integrity Commissioner: • Investigate alleged contraventions of the code of conduct and key sections of the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act (MCIA).
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