How Municipalities Work:
In Ontario, Municipalities are “corporations”. They exist at the will of the Provincial government. The Ontario Municipal Act describes their operation. They have: 1) stockholders / taxpayers / voting citizens, 2) CEO (Mayor), 3) Executive Board of Directors (Councillors), 4) a Clerk to keep records, 5) a Chief Financial Officer to keep track of the money, 6) a Fire Chief. All other roles are optional, including the office of a CAO. All other roles are hired at the will of Council.
Voters tell the Council what they want by:
- telling candidates what they want during elections,
- calling and emailing the Mayor and Councillors,
- appearing at Council meetings as presenters and delegations,
- telling Council what their goals and aspirations are during the strategic plan review process. [Happening right now, Sept, 2024]
There are critical processes and reports that are required to keep the Council and voters aware of what is happening:
- Reports to Council (and citizens) in public session,
- Rules of Procedure re. who can speak, when, about what at Council meetings [Conclusions / Opinion: the rules presently hinder rather than facilitate citizen participation.]
- the Strategic Plan, work plans and required reports to Council and public, [Conclusions / Opinion: the present Strategic Plan lacks fulsome accountability and no enforcement mechanisms for non-compliance by staff.]
- the Budget. [Conclusions / Opinion: no argument with the numbers, but the authorities and powers described in the budget are not in compliance with the Ontatio Municipal Act.]