In case you missed it, as of January 8, Burlington City Council changed the structure of standing committees that feed into council meetings. The three committees still exist but instead of each committee meeting on a separate day, they’re all scheduled together, beginning at 9:30 a.m., one after another on the same day — usually the first Monday of the month.
This “Committee of the Whole” will take over the roles of three existing committees: the Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk, and Accountability Committee (CSSRA); the Environment, Infrastructure, and Community Services Committee (EICS): and the Community Planning, Regulation, and Mobility Committee (CPRMC).
Should this Committee of the Whole extend past the cut-off time of 4:30 p.m., the meeting(s) will continue at 9:30 a.m. the following day.
Each committee still has its own councillor to chair that portion of the meeting and in between committees, the mayor and councillors play a game of musical chairs as they each re-position themselves according to who does what and what deputy mayor role they play.
The Regular Meeting of Council (the official final word and approval process) still occurs on a separate day (usually the second Tuesday of each month).
Occasionally, there may be a special council meeting called to discuss a matter of urgency. Workshops can also be called as required, to allow staff and/or consultants to explain, prepare, or report on a specific topic so that councillors can be informed before the matter goes to committee.
Until further notice, all meetings are a hybrid of in-person (council chamber) and online (Zoom or Microsoft Teams). Delegations to all three committees will take place on the day any of those committees meet (as Committee of the Whole).
This has made some regular council watchers and the many residents who delegate frequently wonder if their delegations will be given their due attention given that a delegation affecting one committee might be heard in the early morning, but the topic may not be discussed until later in the day, or even the next day.
Also, with committees and the Regular Meeting of Council being held during the day, what happens when a delegate can only attend meetings in the evening?
These questions may be answered in the coming months.
In the meantime, here are a few items to look for at the upcoming Committee of the Whole meeting on Feb. 5.
Consent items are reports of a routine nature, which are not expected to require discussion and/or debate. For this Monday’s meeting, the following consent items are on the agenda:
- Burlington Hydro Inc. (BHI) had a net income (profit) of $5.36 million on $49.2 million in retained earnings in 2023. BHI will give the City of Burlington a dividend of $2.7 million in 2024.
- An agreement between the two Halton school boards and the city has municipal staff clearing snow from some 1.6 km of sidewalks on school properties at a cost of $2,600, of which $1,200 will be paid by the school boards.
CSSRA
A $30,000 community survey (via telephone) was conducted by Deloitte Canada to determine levels of satisfaction by residents. Residents gave ratings of municipal services a rating of 92%, a slight decrease from 2021 (95%). 57% said they would support a tax increase. When asked how they would rate Burlington as a place to live, 79% said “excellent” or “very good.” More questions and results will be presented by the consultants.
EICS
Staff are to report on Phase 1 of the Robert Bateman Community Centre construction and site development. “As of the end of January 2024, the demolition and abatement activities for the construction are 95% complete and anticipated to be substantially completed by mid-February. The project remains on schedule and on budget for occupancy by major tenants for fit up in Q2-2025.”
Various options are to be discussed for parking needs and the playing field behind the school.
CPRMC
Council will discuss the establishment of a permanent city-wide seasonal outdoor patio program beginning in 2024.
Increases of the hourly parking rate by $0.25, from $1.75 to $2.00 per hour for on-street spaces, off-street facilities, and lots in the downtown will be reviewed.
An extensive report on traffic flow, pedestrian safety, and cycling options for the Sheldon Creek neighbourhood will be presented.
You can register to speak at this or any other meeting by completing the city’s delegation registration form or by emailing your request to clerks@burlington.ca. You must register by noon the business day before the meeting (in this case by Friday).
