Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said there is a misconception in the community regarding the delegation and use of the strong mayor powers.
On Wednesday afternoon, Meed Ward wrote an open letter on her website where she explained she is delegating two of the three powers in question – those being the hiring of a new city manager, the setting of the organizational structure of the corporation (City of Burlington), and the ability to set up standing committees that consist of council, as well as chairs.
The mayor is keeping one: the power to hire/fire a new city manager, but that has already happened with Hassaan Basit expected to start later this month.
“There is a fundamental misunderstanding in the community, broadly, including on council,” Meed Ward said. “And granted, this is new legislation, we’re all still learning about what this means.”
She added council is still advancing the business of the city by majority vote, and that the three strong mayor powers in question are three very small administrative duties.
The mayor continued that each decision she makes is posted online for the public to see, and that council was part of the decision making process when hiring a new city manager.
“People think that council doesn’t make any decisions anymore, and my goodness why wouldn’t you get upset about that – if it were true?” Meed Ward said.
Ward 3 councillor Rory Nisan calls the decision to delegate strong mayor powers welcome, but leaving the decision to hire and fire the city manager to the mayor a half-measure.
"The city manager runs the entire city administration and can influence every facet of city business, so they must report to an entire democratic body, not only its head,” Nisan wrote in an email to BurlingtonToday. “The mayor delegated the powers to hire/fire senior staff, and to change the organizational structure, to the city manager, but without delegating the exclusive power controlling the city manager's role, he remains fundamentally accountable to the Mayor only.”
Meed Ward said a collaborative process was used to find the city manager, including a public posting with open calls for applicants, council reviewing the short list of applicants, and participating in the interview process. She expects that same process will be followed again should there be a new city manager needed in the future. The mayor continued that it’s important the mayor and the city manager are compatible.
The two duties that Meed Ward is delegating out to council are not going to specific members, but to council to vote on as a whole.
“This concern that by not delegating this, the mayor directs the CAO (city manager), but the truth is the CAO’s role is set out in a bylaw, and council assigns the role of the city manager together through our strategic plan,” Meed Ward said. “Council can also direct the city manager by way of motions and votes on the floor of council. There’s still all of that ability for council to define and set the director for the city manager.”
The mayor was asked by council, and agreed, to make a decision regarding the delegation of strong mayor powers by April 16.
