Council to set media policy, review roles of mayor, CAO

The following is City Council's list of "action items" from last Saturday's retreat at Algoma's Water Tower Inn.

A full report on the meeting was to have been made available by this past Monday, but Mayor Rowswell asked to pre-screen the document.

The official minutes of the meeting, released with the agenda for next week's Council meeting, contain 14 action items and an additional five "potential tasks."

Here's the official list:

***************************************************** March 3, 2004 - Action Items

The following Action Items came out of today's discussions:

1. Ensure that appropriate councilors are assigned to/involved with City issues/matters/projects (i.e. capitalize on the unique strengths, experiences, interests of the individual members of Council).

2. Develop a media relations policy.

3. Review appropriate parts of Municipal Act and develop recommendations concerning the authority of the Mayor to represent, speak and act independently on behalf of Council on matters he is authorized to do so by the Council. Input from Council and the legal department will be required.

4. Establish a committee to clearly define the roles of Mayor and CAO by revisiting CAO bylaw and job description and the new Municipal Act. The Committee will consult with (but not include Mayor and CAO) and include equal representation from staff and council with an independent chair.

5. Amend the format of Council minutes to incorporate a work plan for Council matters (to include, among other things, who from Council will be assigned to work on the respective matter).

6. Council to develop a process and tools (e.g. job description, performance objectives) for purposes of conducting a performance evaluation of CAO. (Note: This activity could concur in tandem with Action Item #4, however the actual delivery of a performance appraisal would have to follow completion of Task #4 and allow for sufficient time to measure performance against newly defined roles, responsibilities and expectations).

7. Assign a member of Council to work on/report on matters/projects identified by Council.

8. Review council's role in the municipal performance measurement program.

9. Provide governance training for council

10. Provide Council with timely information on matters that concern Council and the community. To this end, use of email will provide an efficient tool but this must be sensitive to privacy laws.

11. Develop a privacy policy.

12. Amend the agenda for Council meetings to include (as a standard agenda item) reports on councilor activities/assignments/committee work.

13. Identify and schedule regular reports from City boards/commissions/corporations (e.g. PUC) to be delivered by the appropriate representatives during a Council meeting.

14. Council to review the roles and responsibilities of the corporate affairs officer as it pertains to governance and management including the issues and actions raised during the special meeting of Council.

The following additional potential tasks were identified during the session but were not specifically tagged as "action plans":

15. Complete a community-based review of the City's/Community's branding towards developing a new brand for Sault Ste. Mane. Ensure that branding is consistent throughout City Departments, EDC, Tourism SSM, etc.

16. Hold a joint meeting between Council and EDC Board to discuss improving linkages, processes and communication.

17. Revisit the community's and City's strategic plans, long-term goals etc. and update and consolidate these with the current will of the community and Council.

18. Conduct an annual orientation session for Councilors with City Departments.

19. Have the corporate affairs officer develop "big ticket" stories to inform and explain major projects and issues to the community.

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