Other Items Considered by the Committee
(a) Policy on Filling Vacancies on City Council.
The Administration Committee reports having deferred consideration of the following reports until its meeting
scheduled to be held on January 11, 2000; and tabled the following motions for consideration at the aforementioned
meeting of the Committee:
Moved by Councillor Adams on behalf of Councillor Nunziata:
"That the Province of Ontario be requested to amend the Municipal Elections Act to disallow any person from
seeking Municipal office who has been convicted of a crime, arising from his/her conduct as an elected official."
Moved by Councillor Shiner (Non-member of the Committee):
"That the Committee request the Province of Ontario to amend the legislation:
(i) to provide that only one Member of Council represent citizens in Ward 6 North York Humber; and
(ii) to reduce the size of Toronto City Council to 56 Members plus one Mayor."
Moved by Councillor Miller:
"That the Committee recommend to Council the adoption of the report (October 21, 1999) from the City Clerk,
subject to amending Recommendation Nos. (1) and (2) by deleting the words "July 31 in the year prior to an
election year" and inserting in lieu thereof the words "January 1st in an election year.":
(i) (October 21, 1999) from the City Clerk. responding to a request from Council for staff to develop a policy on the
methods to fill future vacancies on City Council; and recommending that:
(1) any vacancy in the office of the Mayor or a Councillor declared by Council prior to July 31 in the year prior to an
election year be filled through the conduct of a by-election;
(2) any vacancy in the office of the Mayor or a Councillor declared by Council after July 31 in the year prior to an election
year be filled through an appointment; and
(3) the recommended procedures for filling a vacancy through an appointment, as outlined in Appendix AA@ be adopted.
(ii) (November 17, 1999) from the City Clerk responding to a request from the Administration Committee to report on the
practices by other large Canadian cities in filling vacancies on municipal council; advising that with the exception of the
City of London and the City of Yellowknife, which have a written policy for the filling of vacancies, all other
municipalities surveyed follow the provisions of their applicable Acts; that generally, these Acts provide for all vacancies to
be filled through a by-election except when the vacancy occurs within a defined time frame before the next general election
(usually either six or twelve months); that Ontario's Municipal Act appears to be unique in giving a council total discretion
in filling a vacancy through either the conduct of a by-election or an appointment; and recommending that this report be
received for information.
(iii) (November 17, 1999) from the City Solicitor responding to the Committee's request for a report on issues concerning
the appointment of persons to fill a Council vacancy, also addressing the eligibility of persons to hold the office of City
Councillor who have been charged or convicted of a criminal offence, including municipal corruption; and recommending
that this report be received for information.
__________
The following Members of Council appeared before the Administration Committee in connection with the foregoing
matter:
- Councillor Milton Berger, North York Centre South;
- Councillor George Mammoliti, North York - Humber;
- Councillor Frances Nunziata; York - Humber; and
- Councillor David Shiner, Seneca Heights.
(b) Contribution Rebate Program and Advance Voting Days.
The Administration Committee reports having:
(1) requested the City Clerk, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, to review and report
to the Administration Committee on the idea of giving a financial incentive to contributors who apply for the rebate
to encourage them to take the rebate in a form of property tax as opposed to a cheque as a cost-savings measure;
(2) recommended to the Policy and Finance Committee that budgeting for any rebate program in future years be
over the three years of the term of Council; and
(3) received the following report (December 7, 1999) from the City Clerk:
(December 7, 1999) from the City Clerk providing a review and the impact on the planned advance voting days given the
recommendation to amend the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, to move voting day to the Thursday after Thanksgiving in
October and additional information on the impact of adopting the Provincial rebate percentages for the City's contribution
rebate program and the impact of refunding the contribution rebates by way of a property tax credit versus the production
of a cheque; and recommending that this report be received for information.
(c) Special Meeting of the Administration Committee
The Administration Committee directed that a Special Meeting of the Committee be held on December 15, 1999, at
8:30 a.m. to consider recommendations from the Council Selection Panel on the appointments of a Commissioner of
Urban Planning and Development Services and a Commissioner of Corporate Services.
Respectfully submitted,
COUNCILLOR LORENZO BERARDINETTI,
Chair
Toronto, December 8, 1999
Patsy Morris
Tel. (416) 392-9151
