There have been three recent issues before Parry Sound Council that have made me realize that the Town really doesn’t have a process for community consultation. And that lack of consultation has led to discouragement and a lack of trust. Let’s start with understanding how the current process works.
Typically, Staff will put issues before Council in one of three ways.
- The matter is something that Staff has been working on for a few weeks and it is now ready for Council approval. This might be approval of a tender for road salt, or EMS purchase item, or a renewal of a previously approved permit. Council at this point typically reviews and approves or rejects the resolution. In some rare cases they may have questions or concerns and ask Staff to return with a revised proposal. The Public is generally made aware of this issue only when the agenda is published the Friday preceding the Tuesday evening meeting of Council.
- The matter is something that Council has asked Staff to address and the Resolution or By-Law provides Staff’s recommendation. Examples include an amendment to the Smoking By-Law, or the Free Parking issue. In some cases, there has been an announcement that Council is considering the issue and the public is asked to provide input. Otherwise, as for 1. above, it just shows up on the agenda.
- The matter is a ‘trivial’ request for an item like a Tag Day, or approving another municipality’s request/recommendation to the Province. This usually comes unannounced until the agenda is made available to the public on Friday.
So how many people, besides those who are paid to attend Council meetings (Council, Staff and Media), actually take a look at the agenda before a Council meeting? All those who do, stick up your hand. (At this point I’m typing with one hand.) That’s why this website exists. It’s the only way people can reasonably understand what is on the upcoming agenda. ParrySounds.com provides a summary of the agenda items, some commentary, and a link to the full agenda package. Don’t underestimate how important it is for people to understand an issue and that means access to the full agenda package. Not having the full package on the Town’s website is denying people access to necessary information. I understand the accessibility issue, but that is, in my opinion, a cop out. I digress.
So for the majority of issues this means the Public has essentially no ‘heads up’ on what Council will be reviewing and likely approving or rejecting. Almost all input to an item on the Tuesday agenda will by necessity be last minute, because the Public is only provided with the ‘short-form’ agenda online by the Town four days before the meeting. You weren’t on vacation were you?
The best example of how this bites concerns fluoridation. Although I am firmly in the pro-fluoridation camp I do have empathy for the Fluddites in terms of the process that Staff and Council undertook regarding Council’s review of this issue. Although it was realized that the issue would be considered by Council the only notice of a formal review was a few days before the issue was presented to Council (June 2, 2015 if you want to check the agenda package and minutes). At this meeting the Staff Report and Recommendation suggested that the Town cease water fluoridation based on cost and the potential safety hazards to Public Works employees. At that meeting Dr. James Chirico, District Health Officer, made a deputation on the medical benefits of fluoridation that swayed Council (as it should have in my opinion), and the resolution was defeated. The fluoridation issue was effectively over in the mind of Council. But of course it wasn’t. Since Council did not explicitly reaffirm the fluoridation of water, or actively solicit community input, it remained an open issue. Council’s decision brought the issue to the attention of the full community, and concerned individuals decided to provide input that has led us to where we are now. The important point is that there really wasn’t any sort of community involvement in the issue. It was to some extent sprung on Council and the Public. Being posted at the very earliest the Friday before a Tuesday meeting really doesn’t allow people the opportunity to be aware of issues or to assemble any sort of response, especially if the full agenda package is reasonably only available the day before the meeting, if it’s not a statutory holiday.
Another example concerns the Master Trails Plan. This is an issue I used to express a concern about public input and process. In this case the Town engaged a consultant for tens of thousands of dollars to prepare a report on future plans for the Town’s trails. It was reviewed by a Committee of Council and then presented to Council for approval. At no point prior to the council meeting was the plan shared with the Public for input and comment. While it was unlikely that any substantial objections would be received, it was important to let people know what was up and let them provide their input. Remember the experience with fluoridation? In the end one of the Councillors proposed a decision be delayed and the document be posted on the Town’s website for comment. Council agreed, the document was posted, and limited input was received. In the end Council approved the plan with a good sense that it would not come back to bite them like the fluoride issue had.
I guess I could remind Council of their decision to ‘blow away with prejudice’ the Chair of the Downtown Business Association. There was no apparent process. Council can choose to do whatever they wish and the only recourse is the Integrity Commissioner (doesn’t frighten them), the Ontario Municipal Board (does frighten them) or the next election (sorry about that, how about we don’t increase taxes this year).
It has become obvious that the majority of Parry Sound residents only find out about issues once they have been publicized by the public media, Moose-FM (on air and online) and the North Start / Beacon Star publications (print and online). This is generally following a decision at a council meeting. Unless the Town announces an issue well before it is to be reviewed at Council it is unlikely there will be public input. The Public won’t know what is going on until it is over. That brings me to the third example.
The decision to demolish the heritage gazebo on the Town Dock would have been obvious to anyone who participated on the Waterfront Committee. But anyone else? Not at all. It was at the same June 2, 2015 council meeting that the Waterfront Committee presented their thoughts on improvements to the Town’s Waterfront. This included painting the safety railings gray instead of the existing yellow (an idea I still don’t understand, the low railings are already too easy to trip over), and changes to the benches. It also advanced proposals for new gazebo designs, some of which seemed quite unlikely. Fast forward to the March 14, 2016 meeting of Council where it was proposed that a defined new gazebo be installed and the old one demolished (or offered to someone for the wood). This revelation was provided to the public on the Friday preceding the meeting. Council then suggested to the individuals that had done deputations in support of repairing the existing structure that it was too little, too late. (Disclosure: My wife and brother-in-law made the deputation, on behalf of a number of concerned individuals who attended the meeting.) Now exactly how soon were they intended to provide input? They only had the weekend to understand the issue was coming before Council for a final decision because I reviewed the council package on the weekend and gave them a ‘heads up’. Was there something posted on the Town’s website that stated the Town was planning to replace the structure and that input was being solicited? Did the Town reach out to the local press to get the word out to the public?
The middle of the night, or the last minute, is a great time to get something done where you want to avoid input or interference.
I look forward to engaging the Public and the Fluddites in a discussion concerning the merits of fluoridation as part of the next election. But for now, I would like to thank them for providing Council with a reminder of the consequences of not involving the Public in an open and transparent manner, especially when it concerns an issue for which there is considerable public interest.
One last little nit about the new gazebo structure. There was discussion at the council meeting about how the new structure should be brown to evoke our heritage and bring together a sense of the land to the waterfront. Well, okay, sort of. Now why is the structure being built with Douglas Fir? This is a species of wood that has never grown in this part of Canada. How about pine, or spruce, or oak, or ash, or maple? That’s like suggesting a rebuilt 1958 Corvette is ‘original’ when half the parts are Chinese made. Let’s walk the talk and at least use locally sourced materials. There are a number of saw mills in the area that could provide the lumber.
So, I’ll continue to keep an eye on the goings on at Council. You can be sure Staff will try and push additional items through without appropriate Public consultation. It’s just so much easier that way, especially when time is running out.
Perhaps it Can ‘Stand’ as a Reminder of the Importance of Process
No comments
March 17, 2016 at 5:15 pm
Jo -I want to preface these remarks and say this are my opinion and not that of Council.
I have read this piece with interest and tried to keep an open mind weighing the pros and cons.
First, I want to point out that Council is meeting all of the regulations as set out in the Municipal Act currently. Staff have been diligent in ensuring our compliance. Agendas, minutes and meetings are far more accessible today than ever before with the advent of the internet, social media and, cable TV broadcasts. Further, I can say there are far fewer items added to the agenda at the last minute recently than had been the case previously.
I’ll respond to each of the instances you have raised not I defence but to explain my perception from the other side of the table.
1) Fluoride -perhaps Council acted hastily on hearing Dr. Chirico in the absence of any public dissent initially. I do think that in end Council heard the concerns raised by the public and responded in a manner that will allow voters to determine whether or not fluoridation will continue in Parry Sound beyond 2018 and did so in a manner that added no expense to the public purse.
2)Regarding the Trails Master Plan it is my recollection that the report did come to Council without public consultation but the decision to accept the report was deferred for a period time to allow the public to review the document which was made available on the Town’s website.
3) With respect to the structure on the Town Dock, the Waterfront Committee had presented plans including a new structure and yes -even gray paint some months ago. In addition, an item appeared on the March 1st agenda directing staff to negotiate a design with Cedarland Homes. While the design was not available, I think it obvious that the intent to move forward in that direction as was the rationale. The Committee of which I am a member and staff made extra effort to negotiate the design in a timely fashion and have it made available electronically to the public as quickly as possible. The design was posted on the Town’s website and the DBA facebook page which received 175+ comments regarding the matter prior to Council’s meeting on March 15th.
4) The Dismissal of the DBA Chair – as you know, one of the few areas Council is able to enter into ‘closed’ discussion is with respect to personnel matters including committees of Council. As such, I am not in position to discuss the detail of that matter.
Having said all of that, I understand your concerns and to some extent share them.
There is always a better way.
Absent in this discussion is the solution(s). Are you asking the agenda be posted earlier? What is appropriate -a week? ten days? a month? I think we’d quickly see the number of ’emergency’ items added post deadline start creeping up again should that period be expanded very much particularly in the summer months when everyone is busy and in a hurry.
Do you have other ideas how to improve this situation? Feel free to share them please.
If there is a better way, personally I am interested in hearing it. Hopefully it leads to increased public participation which generally results in a better end product which is in everyone’s best interests.
March 17, 2016 at 7:39 pm
Paul, thanks for taking the time to offer your personal take on the issues I raised. It’s good to hear from someone on the other side of the council chamber.
Following the rules is a necessary, but not sufficient, part of building trust. Not following the rules is a sure way to lose trust. So, if building trust is the intention, there needs to be more than just following the rules.
I won’t enter into a point-by-point response to your note but I’ll address what I feel is the general intent.
Think back to a potentially divisive and very political local issue that was handled very smartly and effectively – the sale of Parry Sound Power to Lakeland Power. There were open houses and a very successful town hall type discussion at the Bobby Orr Community Centre. There were concerns and there was skepticism, but the open dialogue allowed people to express their opinions. Bit-by-bit trust was built and the audience as a whole felt comfortable with the proposal. Since then I have heard little complaint. Now that was certainly an over the top type of engagement process for the day-to-day issues that the Town faces, but it describes a process that can be adapted to Parry Sound.
My daughter received a Masters degree in planning from the University of Texas. As part of her course work she was told repeatedly how important it was to ensure that there was a discussion with the community. The planners couldn’t just spring things on the public and hope to get agreement and acceptance. There needed to be consultation with the whole community, not just the community leaders or a committee.
In the case of the gazebo we were told that the committee was torn on repairing the existing structure or installing a new one. If the committee was torn, how did they imagine the public felt? Wasn’t this a very clear signal that an open discussion session would be appropriate with a presentation of the pros and cons and the options? Who was there to put forward the heritage point of view? I think a public discussion was warranted on a heritage structure that many in town had grown up with. But it seems time was short – the Pearl Mist would be here soon and the Town didn’t want to present a boarded up structure.
But, I’m not a planning or municipal affairs specialist, so I leave it to those who are paid big bucks by the community to figure out best practices. Here are some thoughts.
1. Hold a meeting, or meetings, if an issue will be controversial. That would have helped with the fluoride and gazebo issue. People want to be heard, even if they can’t always get their way. How about an open session on Free Parking?
2. If there is a zoning change the public in the area is advised by letter twenty one days in advance and asked for their comments. How about notice be given at a council meeting about an upcoming issue like fluoridation or the gazebo or the trails plan, with a twenty one day notice for comments with a resource where people could see the proposed plan and offer comments. As appropriate a public meeting could be scheduled.
3. How about announcing significant and irreversible proposed changes on the Town website with a push to subscribers? The media would pick it up and the word would get out quickly.
Cynical me wonders if Staff really wants that much input. It’s messy and they might not get their way. They already need to deal with the input of Council, do they really want to deal with input of the Public?
There you go, three suggestions. Don’t ask people to learn, at best four days before a council meeting, that an issue they care about is coming up for a decision. That is not the way to build trust.
I’m still a strong supporter of Council As I left the council meeting this past Tuesday I passed an individual crossing the street. Unprovoked he looked up at Town Hall and said that Council was incompetent and stupid. I defended the honour of Council. When I asked him if he had ever attended a council meeting he said he couldn’t be bothered. In my opinion Council is doing a good job but there is room for improvement.