Burlington announced deputy mayor portfolios for each councillor during its inaugural meeting last fall, and the city will continue with that model of governing.
However, the extra work means the Mayor’s office will be getting an additional staff member.
The Deputy Mayor with Portfolio and Deputy Mayor of Emergencies/Ceremonial roles were created to assist Mayor Marianne Meed Ward in conducting Chief Executive Officer duties, and to further develop council member skills.
“The deputy mayor role has translated for most of you to additional work, and you’ve embraced it, you’re passionate about the things in your portfolio,” Meed Ward said at council’s Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability committee meeting on Monday. “This is an evolving position that has, to my knowledge, never been implemented in any other municipality.
“I want to thank everyone for robust conversation during council’s workshop on this,” she said, referring to a meeting held in February to discussed the role. “I’ve greatly benefited from working with each of you in your portfolio… I think it’s a great model. I do get questions from my fellow mayors about it and there’s interest in the sector for how this works.”
When the Mayor gives notice to the city clerk that she will be absent from the City, is absent through illness, or their office is vacant, then the Deputy Mayor Emergencies/Ceremonial will act in her place. That means they can exercise all the rights, powers and authority of the head of council. The function of the deputy mayor is for corporate/administrative purposes, and will be filled by two members, three times per year by ward.
The rotation of the role will be on a three times per year basis, determined by the mayor in consultation with council prior to the start of each term of council.
Deputy mayor portfolios are assigned at the beginning of each term in consultation with individual councillors, and determined by the skills, expertise, knowledge base and interests of the member. The program’s goal is to make best use of the diverse experience and background of council members.
The deputy mayor could be asked to attend ceremonial events, declare a municipal emergency, attend emergency control group or other required meetings, or chair council meetings.
City Manager Tim Commisso was asked in February to include a staffing resource of $107,486 for the Mayor’s office in the 2023 budget.
The role will also provide support for the deputy mayors.
Jacqueline Johnston, executive director of community relations, told committee members that there’s a need for a staff member who can help with policy advisory, research and sufficient resources when it comes to day-to-day support in councillor roles; specifically, if there is a role that sits within the mayor’s office, it would provide support with government relations.
Commisso said the role of the deputy mayor with portfolio is still evolving, but staff is available to support the deputy mayors.
Ward 5 councillor Paul Sharman said the critical issue is that “we can get the work done that we need to get done. The councillors’ staff is dedicated specifically to us. I depend on the staff, and I believe they are doing good work and there is more to be done.”
Ward 3 councillor Rory Nisan said the position is needed to improve the effectiveness of the mayor's office and the mayor. “We want our mayor, who leads this council, to be able to be as effective as possible. All the tables she sits around, including those right here at city hall. This will help us all…from a team perspective.”
Meed Ward added that her door is always open for suggestions on the structure of roles.
In addition, the committee will look at the standing committee structure going forward.
“This is in the pursuit of us trying to be as efficient as we can with our time and staff time,” Meed Ward said. “The amount of time that gets blocked in our calendar has been a challenge, especially if we don’t need it.
“It means every other thing we do gets compressed into those other days. Today’s a perfect example. We may well have every evening clear but we couldn’t book anything in it. I don’t know what your weeks are like, but my last couple of weeks every single night there’s been some other community meeting. It makes it challenging to have any work-life balance but also the meetings can get long and so looking at how decision-making can be streamlined is…let’s do this.”
Nisan added a regular review is necessary, but he hopes status quo is an option as well. He prefers it to what they had back in 2019 before changes were made, including more daytime start times for meetings.
“I’m not sure we can do better than we are. We have some fast meetings and some long ones.”
The decision goes to Council for approval at its July 11 meeting.
