CBRM staff asked to study governance structures
SYDNEY — The Cape Breton Regional Municipality’s committee of the whole has directed staff to prepare an issue paper on the return to a committee structure.
At its meeting Wednesday, clerk Bernie White said the committee-of-the-whole system, in which all members of council are involved in all discussions, initially came into place on a six-month trial basis about 16 months ago. Prior to that, council had a number of standing committees.
No policies that existed under the old system were repealed, White added.
“There seems to be maybe a possibility of revisiting, and this council is going to have to for its own self dictate as to how they want to get the business of the community done,” White said.
Dist. 8 Coun. Kevin Saccary, who was elected deputy mayor Tuesday, said there are pros and cons associated with the models.
“For some of us, maybe it’s good to have that one meeting a month where you spend a day, but I found some days that the agenda was fairly lengthy and we were going from time to time as if we were trying to cram things in and trying to get them out of the way so we can move on to the next agenda,” he said of the committee-of-the-whole system.
Mayor Cecil Clarke said one consideration is that downsizing leaves fewer councillors to bear the workload. The committee of the whole could be where housekeeping matters are dealt with, he added.
Dist. 6 Coun. Ray Paruch advocated taking a broader look at the issue and holding a workshop for all councillors.
“I think it would be prudent for a new, fresh council with a new mayor to sit in a workshop atmosphere and revisit the way council does business rather than deal with it on a piecemeal basis,” he said.
Dist. 10 Coun. Darren Bruckschwaiger said one downside to the committee structure was that when recommendations went on to the full council, councillors who weren’t members of the committee had to be educated on the issue.
Clarke said CBRM residents will be better served by having the strongest governance structure possible.