Recruitment and Selection of Commissioners of Corporate Services

and Urban Planning and Development Services

The Administration Committee recommends the adoption of the following report (July 2, 1999) from the Chief Administrative Officer.

Purpose:

This report describes the process to recruit and select candidates for two vacant senior executive positions.

Funding Sources:

The costs associated with engaging external executive search services will be charged to the Corporate Services and Urban Planning and Developments Services departments. Funds are available within their 1999 approved budgets.

Recommendation:

It is recommended that:

(1)the selection panel established by Council on June 9, 1999 be expanded to include the Chair of the Planning and Transportation Committee; and

(2)the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

Council Reference:

On June 9, 1999, Council approved an external and internal search, initiated by the Chief Administrative Officer, to fill the position of Commissioner of Corporate Services and established a selection panel of the members of the Administration Committee augmented by Councillors Disero, Jakobek, Layton and O'Brien. Council set the quorum of the selection panel at 50 percent of the membership of the Administration Committee. Council further directed that the recommendations of the selection panel be submitted to the Administration Committee and Council. On June 24, 1999, the Chief Administrative Officer advised the Mayor and Members of Council that the Commissioner of Urban Planning & Development Services had resigned her position, effective July 5, 1999.

Background:

On February 4, 5 and 6, 1998, Council approved the City of Toronto Administrative Structure comprising the Chief Administrative Officer and six Commissioners reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer. This structure has provided the basis for the implementation of the new city's administrative organization and alignment of functions and services. The recruitment and selection process adopted by Council on June 9, 1999 will be expanded to include the position of Commissioner, Urban Planning and Development Services.

Recruitment and Selection Process:

We are currently identifying a number of executive search firms with the appropriate expertise and qualifications to assist the City in implementing a thorough and comprehensive process, open-to-scrutiny, fair and objective. The terms of reference for this assignment are designed to ensure the selection of the best candidates possible, to ensure a balanced senior management team, and to ensure Council and management have an opportunity to provide input and advice regarding the process. Specifically, the search firm will be required to undertake the following actions:

(i)development of a position profile, core competencies and selection criteria, based on interviews with the Mayor, the selection panel, the Chief Administrative Officer, and member(s) of the senior management team;

(ii)initiate a concurrent internal/external (national) candidate search;

(iii)identify/contact potential best candidates using search experience;

(iv)undertake an initial screening of candidates, and prepare a preliminary list of candidates for review by the Chief Administrative Officer and an external expert panel who will identify an appropriate short list of candidates to be interviewed by the selection panel;

(v)co-ordinate the interviews by the selection panel of the short list, ensuring fairness and consistency in the process; the same members of the selection panel will participate in the interviews of all candidates for each commissioner's position;

(vi)conduct the reference checks for the finalist candidates;

(vii)negotiate salary, terms and conditions of employment with selected candidates, based on the CAO's direction.

The Chief Administrative Officer will report the decision of the selection panel to Council for ratification and appointment of the successful candidates.

Conclusion:

In view of the fact that the selection committee approved by Council on June 9, 1999 had as its focus the selection of the Commissioner of Corporate Services, it is appropriate to now adjust the composition to include the chair of the Planning and Transportation Committee, to accommodate a process expanded to recruit two commissioners.

The Administration Committee submits the following communication (June 18, 1999) from the City Clerk:

City Council, at its meeting held on June 9, 10 and 11, 1999, had before it the following Motion:

Moved by:Councillor Ootes

Seconded By:Mayor Lastman

"WHEREAS the Chief Administrative Officer has identified a personnel matter that must be resolved as soon as possible;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT City Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole in-camera to consider this matter; and that this matter be considered at 2:00 o'clock p.m. on Wednesday, June 9, 1999."

Council adopted the Motion, without amendment.

Council subsequently adopted the confidential report dated June 9, 1999, from the Chief Administrative Officer, subject to:

(1)amending Recommendation No. (3) by inserting the words "and internal", after the words "an external"; and

(2)striking out Recommendation No. (4) and inserting in lieu thereof the following new Recommendation No. (4):

"(4)a selection panel, consisting of the members of the Administration Committee, and Councillors Disero, Jakobek, Layton and O'Brien, be established, and the quorum of the selection panel be 50 percent of the membership of the Administration Committee;",

so that the recommendations embodied in such report shall now read as follows:

"It is recommended that:

(1)the leaving arrangement for Margaret Rodrigues, Commissioner of Corporate Services, in accordance with the terms of her employment contract with the City of Toronto, be approved;

(2)By-law No. 37-1998 be repealed insofar as it relates to the appointment of Margaret Rodrigues, Commissioner of Corporate Services;

(3)an external and internal search be initiated by the Chief Administrative Officer to fill the position of Commissioner of Corporate Services;

(4)a selection panel, consisting of the members of the Administration Committee, and Councillors Disero, Jakobek, Layton and O'Brien, be established, and the quorum of the selection panel be 50 percent of the membership of the Administration Committee;

(5)the recommendations of the selection panel be submitted to the Administration Committee and Council;

(6)in the interim, the Chief Administrative Officer take responsibility for the Corporate Services Department until such time as a recommendation on the appointment of an Acting Commissioner of Corporate Services is made to City Council for approval;

(7)leave be granted to introduce any necessary bill in Council; and

(8)the appropriate City officials be authorized to take any necessary action to give effect thereto."

Council also adopted the following recommendation:

"It is further recommended that the City Clerk be instructed to convey to Ms. Rodrigues, the following message from this Council:

'This Council offers the most sincere thank you to Margaret Rodrigues. She has done an extremely good job through this amalgamation process, as well as all the other daily tasks to which she had to attend. We wish her well in the future and in all her endeavours.' "

(Report dated June 9, 1999, addressed to City Council

from the Chief Administrative Officer, entitled

"Position of Commissioner of Corporate Services.)

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1)the leaving arrangement for Margaret Rodrigues, Commissioner of Corporate Services, in accordance with the terms of her employemnt contract with the City of Toronto, be approved;

(2)By-law No. 37-1998 be repealed insofar as it relates to the appointment of Margaret Rodrigues, Commissioner of Corporate Services;

(3)an external search be initiated by the Chief Administrative Officer to fill the position of Commissioner of Corporate Services;

(4)a selection panel, consisting of the Mayor or his designate, the Deputy Mayor, the Chair of the Administration Committee, two other Members of Council to be appointed by Council, and the Chief Administrative Officer, be established;

(5)the recommendations of the selection panel be submitted to the Administration Committee and Council;

(6)in the interim, the Chief Administrative Officer take responsibility for the Corporate Services Department until such time as a recommendation on the appointment of an Acting Commissioner of Corporate Services is made to City Council for approval;

(7)leave be granted to introduce any necessary bill in Council; and

(8)the appropriate City officials be authorized to take any necessary action to give effect thereto.