Report to: General Committee Date of Meeting: August 28, 2006

SUBJECT: Extension of Terms of Office – Advisory Committees and Boards

PREPARED BY: Judy Kee, Committee Clerk

RECOMMENDATION:

That the terms of office for incumbents on advisory committees and boards, whose terms expire on November 30, 2006, be extended into the 2007 new year, as necessary.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

There is insufficient time for the incoming Council to complete the appointment process for vacancies on advisory committees and boards prior to November 30, 2006. It is being recommended that those members currently serving, (whose terms expire on November 30, 2006), be requested to continue to serve until the new appointments are confirmed. It is expected that the interview and selection process by Members of Council would be completed by March or April.

1. Purpose 2. Background 3. Discussion 4. Financial

5. Others (Environmental, Accessibility, Engage 21st, Affected Units) 6. Attachment(s)

To facilitate an extension to the term of office for incumbents on advisory committees and boards, whose terms expire on November 30, 2006, into the 2007 new year, as necessary.

BACKGROUND:

In May of 1994, Council adopted a policy entitled: “Guidelines/Procedures for Statutory and Advisory Committees/Boards”, which outlines the process for the filling of vacancies on various local advisory boards and committees. A summary of the procedures is attached as Schedule A.

In a non-election year, advertisements are placed in the local newspapers in September for vacancies on these boards and committees. Applications are collected and forwarded to Members of Council for review, interview and recommendation during October and November, and appointments are usually confirmed by Council before the end of the year. Recently however, applications have been deferred or delayed for months.

As 2006 is an election year, it would be more appropriate that Members of the 2007-2010 Council review and select persons to serve on the advisory committees and boards for the upcoming term, and since the Council Elect will not take office until December 1, 2006, applications would not be considered by Members until mid-December or January.

OPTIONS/ DISCUSSION:

The delay in the process due to the election would require those persons whose terms expire on November 30, 2006 to continue to serve on their respective advisory committee/board until the new appointments are made early in the new year. Letters to the incumbents to this effect will be prepared and distributed by Clerks Department staff.

In conjunction with this, it is suggested that the placement of advertisements in the local newspapers be delayed for the upcoming vacancies until early November. (A list of the advisory committees and boards with vacancies is attached as Schedule B.) Applications would then be received during November, allowing staff to process them accordingly and prepare them for distribution to the new Council Members in December. It would be expected that any necessary interviews would be held in January and February and appointments would be made no later that March, 2007.

FINANCIAL TEMPLATE:

There are no financial considerations.

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

No other Town departments are affected.

RECOMMENDED

BY: ________________________ ________________________

Sheila Birrell, Town Clerk Andy Taylor, Commissioner of Corporate Services

ATTACHMENTS:

Schedule A – Summary of Policy Regarding Procedures for Advisory Board/Committees

Schedule B – Vacancies – Advisory Committees and Boards

BRIEF SUMMARY OF POLICY ADOPTED BY COUNCIL ON MAY 24, 1994 REGARDING PROCEDURES FOR ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMITTEES

1. Vacancies on advisory boards and committees shall be advertised in local Town of Markham newspapers, unless otherwise directed by Council.

2. All candidates shall submit to the Town Clerk, an application, together with any other relevant data or resume.

3. Candidates shall not be selected unless a completed application is submitted for consideration.

4. Completed applications will be reviewed by Council in a Special Meeting and a list of candidates shall be selected for each committee.

5. Candidates shall be appointed to only one (1) committee and may not be a member of more than one (1) committee during their term of office.

6. Committee members shall be appointed by resolution, as may be required, for a term of one (1), two (2), or three (3) years, or for that portion of the term that is prescribed by Council, unless specified by legislation.

7. Candidates selected to committees shall not serve for more than one (1) term, either 1, 2, or 3 years. Notwithstanding this however, it may be necessary, from time to time, for Council to depart from this principle when it is deemed that there is a need to maintain continuity within a committee, which requires the reappointment of a member. A member may reapply to a committee after a one (1) year absence. If a person only serves 1 or 2 years they may re-apply, but if they serve a 3-year term, policy requires they take a 1-year break.

8. A candidate must be eighteen (18) years of age and a resident of the Town of Markham, unless it is deemed by Council that there is a need to maintain continuity within a committee and requires the reappointment of a member who has moved from the Town.

VACANCIES - ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMITTEES:

Achievement and Civic Recognition Awards Committee

Advisory Committee on Accessibility

Committee of Adjustment

Communities in Bloom Committee

Cycling and Pedestrian Advisory Committee

Heritage Markham

Kyoto Task Force Committee

Leash Free Markham Committee

Main Street Markham Committee

Markham Conservation Committee

Markham District Historical Museum Board

Markham Public Library Board

Markham Race Relations Committee

Markham Theatre Advisory Board

Mayor’s Senior Awards Committee

Property Standards Committee

Sign Removal By-law Committee

Traffic Safety Committee

Varley-McKay Art Foundation of Markham Board