CONCLUSION
This report seeks a determination of the Council meeting schedule for 2020 and meeting dates for all main committees of Council.
BACKGROUND
In accordance with Section 96(1) of The Cities Act, “A council may decide to hold regularly scheduled council or council committee meetings on specified dates, times and places”.
Section 5(1) of The Procedure Bylaw No. 9004 states “Regular meetings of Council shall be held each year starting on the fourth Monday of January commencing at 5:30 in the evening and on each second week thereafter but may be altered in accordance with a meeting schedule approved by City Council.”
As outlined above, Council has historically adopted yearly calendars with a varied meeting schedule. For the past number of years, Council has met once per month, typically the last Monday of each month, with committees scheduled in the two weeks prior to the Council meeting.
Earlier this year, Council directed the City Clerk to provide a number of options for consideration in 2020, including scheduling Council meetings every second week as well as having a dedicated day each week for two committee meetings during the month with Council meeting once at the end of the month (the “Saskatoon” model).
DISCUSSION
Meetings have traditionally been scheduled to avoid conflict with the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) Conference, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Conference and the Canadian Association of Police Governance (CAPG).
The four options presented are in response to Council’s direction to provide it with a variety of meeting schedules for consideration in 2020.
The primary features and implications of each option are as follows:
Status Quo – Appendix A
· Council meetings held once per month, the last Monday of each month
· Committee meetings held throughout the weeks prior to Council meeting
· A two-week break and a three-week break between committee and Council meetings in July and August, respectively
Bi-weekly – Appendix B
· Responds to interest expressed by some members for “more but shorter” meetings of Council
· Council meetings will be held every two weeks, with the first meeting on Monday, January 27th
· Three main committees of Council, as identified in black print-type will meet one week and their respective reports will flow to a Council meeting typically two weeks later (identified as “C”); Committees identified in red print-type will meet later in the month and their respective reports will flow to a Council meeting two weeks later (identified as “C”);
· Only Executive Committee and Regina Planning Commission will have meetings scheduled in July and August, facilitating a two-week break and three-week break in July and August, respectively
Tuesdays – Appendix C
· The first three Tuesdays of each month will have two Council committees scheduled, one in the morning at 9 a.m. and one in the afternoon at 2 p.m.
· The last Tuesday of the month will be the regular Council meeting at 5:30 p.m.
· Only Executive Committee and Regina Planning Commission will have meetings scheduled in July and August, facilitating a two-week break each month
· Will require an amendment to The Procedure Bylaw moving the public release of meeting agendas from Wednesday to Thursdays by noon.
Wednesdays – Appendix D
· The first three Wednesdays of each month will have two Council committees scheduled, one in the morning at 9 a.m. and one in the afternoon at 2 p.m.
· The last Wednesday of the month will be the regular Council meeting at 5:30 p.m.
· Only Executive Committee and Regina Planning Commission will have meetings scheduled in July and August, facilitating a two-week break each month
· Will require an amendment to The Procedure Bylaw moving the public release of meeting agendas from Wednesday to Fridays by noon.
Note: The following implications arise under any of the four options presented:
· Only Executive Committee and Regina Planning Commission will meet in October due to the pending Municipal/School Board Election
· No committee meetings held between Thanksgiving (October 12th and Election Day (November 9th)
· Council meeting scheduled for Monday, October 26th is a placeholder and will only be held if required to deal with urgent business
· Council orientation will be scheduled during the week of November 16th – 20th
· Only Executive Committee and Regina Planning Commission will meet in December
o Executive Committee meeting on December 9th will include annual Councillor appointments to committees
· The 2021 Budget will not be considered until January 2021, dates to be determined
· The Mayor’s Housing Commission will be scheduled once every two months, dates to be determined
· Regina Appeal Board will be scheduled once every month, dates to be determined
RECOMMENDATION IMPLICATIONS
Financial Implications
None with respect to this report.
Environmental Implications
None with respect to this report.
Policy and/or Strategic Implications
The establishment of a calendar for 2020 provides Council, citizen committee members, media and the public with advance knowledge of the meeting schedule and assists in planning for other obligations that arise during the year. It also assists Administration and the Office of the City Clerk in facilitating an orderly flow and process of reports going to committee and Council.
Other Implications
Revisions to the approved meeting schedule or the addition of special meetings of Council or committees may be added in accordance with sections 96, 97 and 98 of The Cities Act.
Accessibility Implications
None with respect to this report.
COMMUNICATIONS
Following approval by City Council, the 2020 meeting schedule will be released publicly and will be available on regina.ca.
DELEGATED AUTHORITY
The recommendation of Executive Committee requires City Council approval.
Respectfully submitted, Respectfully submitted,
