CONFIDENTIAL ATTACHMENT
S
Toronto Zoo Board - Selection of Candidates for Interview
Reason for Confidential Information
This report deals with personal matters about identifiable individuals who are being considered for appointment to the Toronto Zoo Board.
Summary
The Civic Appointments Committee must select candidates to be interviewed by the Interview Subcommittee of the Toronto Zoo. The Subcommittee will conduct interviews at its May 3, 2017 meeting and recommend candidates to the Civic Appointments Committee.
Recommendations
The City Clerk recommends that:
1. The Civic Appointments Committee select 8 of the candidates listed in Table 1 of Confidential Attachment 1 to be interviewed by the Interview Subcommittee of the Toronto Zoo.
2. The Civic Appointments Committee direct that the confidential information contained in Confidential Attachments 1 and 2 remain confidential in its entirety as it relates to personal matters about identifiable individuals being considered for appointment to the Toronto Zoo Board.
Financial IMPACT
There are no financial implications arising from this report.
Decision History
At its meeting held July 7, 8 and 9, 2015, City Council appointed four public members to the Toronto Zoo Board for a term of office ending December 31, 2016, and four public members for a term of office ending November 30, 2018. All public members serve until successors are appointed:
http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2015.CA9.3.
Comments
Composition of the Toronto Zoo Board
The board has a total of 12 members including:
· the Mayor or designate appointed by the Mayor
· 3 Council members
· 8 public members
City Council appoints the board's chair, and the board elects a vice chair from amongst its members.
Committee members must be eligible and meet certain qualifications
In addition to the general eligibility requirements set out in the Public Appointments Policy, public members should collectively bring the following skills and expertise to the Board:
· financial management
· tourism/attractions marketing
· knowledge of zoos and the role they play in wildlife conservation and education
· largescale fundraising or public-private partnerships, leadership, and partnership development
· general public sector board experience
· a youthful perspective, defined as an individual in the 18-30 age range, is a desired qualification for at least one public member
There are currently four positions under consideration
Four positions on the board are currently held by members who were appointed in July 2015 for a term of office ending December 31, 2016, and until successors are appointed. The members are:
· Vanessa Choy
· Matthew Cole
· Tisha Tan
· Benjamin Wulffhart
The Panel may choose to nominate eligible members currently serving on the board for re-appointment.
Term of Office
The term of office for public members is four years.
Diversity data for the current public members of the Committee
Diversity data on the eight current publicly-appointed board members, collected through the Confidential Voluntary Diversity Information Survey which accompanies each application, is attached as Confidential Attachment 2.
Outreach was conducted for the current vacancy
The current vacancy on the Toronto Zoo Board was included as part of the public appointments outreach campaign in the fall of 2016 and winter of 2017.
Previous applicants were contacted regarding their interest in being considered for appointment
The Public Appointments Secretariat retains applications on file for three years from the date candidates apply. City Clerk's Office staff made best efforts to contact candidates who applied for this board since November 2014, and confirmed if they were still interested in being considered for appointment.
We have consulted with Toronto Zoo staff
The Public Appointments Secretariat consulted with Toronto Zoo staff in February 2017 to discuss current board needs and the appointments process. They indicated that appointees with knowledge of zoos and their programs and services, and skills in fundraising and partnership development would help support the Zoo's ability to effectively carry out its mandate and meet its strategic goals.
Next steps - Interviews
Once the Civic Appointments Committee selects candidates, the City Clerk's Office will contact them to schedule their interviews. Eight interviews at 15 minutes each will take approximately 2.5 hours to complete.
Contact
Aretha Phillip, Manager, Public Appointments, City Clerk's Office, 416-392-8152, aphilli@toronto.ca,
Signature
Ulli S. Watkiss
City Clerk
attachments
Confidential Attachment 1 – List of Candidates, Qualifications, and Confidential Voluntary Diversity Information Summary, and Applications for Appointment to the Toronto Zoo Board
Confidential Attachment 2 – Diversity Data for Current Public Members on the Toronto Zoo Board