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COMING UPoBasics of municipal organization
oA “pure weak government” model
oCity of WinnipegoMetropolitan and regional
governmentoAmalgamationoA municipal federation
STRONG GOVERNMENT: FUNCTIONS OF POLITICAL PARTIES
o SERVICES TO POLITICIANS
o SIDE-BENEFITS FOR VOTERS
o Party organization for electionso Party discipline
oPresent voters with alternative policies
oInformation and debateoPressure on politicians
HISTORY OF MUNICIPAL PARTIES
Non-partisanshipGrowth of the municipal leftThe “non-partisan
association”
THE NON-PARTISAN ASSOCIATION
Organized to win electionsVoted in unison in councilAvoided clear policiesPresented itself simply as
good, public-spirited people
WINNIPEG’S POLITICAL HISTORY: A TOUR D’HORIZON
o 1919 GENERAL STRIKEo LEFT TRADITION
o RIGHT-WING DOMINANCE
oCitizens’ Committee of 1000
oCivic Election Committee
oIndependent Citizens’ Election Committee
oLabour Election Committee
oNDP
CONTROLLING THE ADMINISTRATION
o ADMINISTRATORS
o POLITICIANS
oCommand expertiseoAre informed and current
oHave unity of viewpoints and objectives: A sub-culture
oAren’t specialists in administrative subject-matter
oBut must control those who are
NEEDED:Political control over…Policy formulation and…ImplementationTherefore, council
involvement in the process(This contradicts a maxim:
Separate politics from administration.)
EXAMPLE: URBAN RENEWAL
Discussion of the problemAgreement in principleWorking out the detailsSome councillors disagree
EMBARRASSING QUESTIONS FOR DISSENTING COUNCILLORSDo you have an analysis of
your proposal?Do you have a developer?Have you identified sources
of finance?
TO POSE ALTERNATIVES, COUNCILLORS NEED:
Understanding of administration plans
Good relations with administrators
Therefore, ongoing information
Day-to-day involvement
CHARACTERISTICS OF STRONG GOVERNMENT: RECAP
Meaningful representationMajority group controls
executiveMeaningful control over
administration
COUNCIL-COMMITTEE SYSTEM
ROLESo DEPARTMENT
o COUNCIL
oAdvisesoRecommends
oReceives committee recommendationsoMakes decisions
o COMMITTEEoSeeks technical support from departmentoIssues instructions to departmentoRecommends to council
IF THE SYSTEM WORKS PROPERLY
Committee covers off detail questions
Council concentrates on broad policy
EXAMPLE: A NEW PARKo BROAD POLICY QUESTIONS
o DETAIL FOR COMMITTEE
oIs this the right location for a park?oAre needed resources available?oHave public safety concerns been
dealt with?
oHas the right variety of grass been selected?
oWill paths be located appropriately?
PROBLEM: REPETITIVE DEBATE ON COUNCILMavericks re-debate
questions previously settled in committee
Council becomes ineffectivePower vacuum is filled by
administrators
IN A PARTY SYSTEMParty strength on committee
proportional to strength on council
Both committee and council decisions reflect party policy
Less motivation and opportunity for mavericks
THE MAYORElected at largeThe city’s chief
executiveOverall supervisor
of city activities
TYPICAL ROLESoChairs council meetings (not in
Winnipeg)oChairs one or more committeesoSometimes appoints committee
membersoEx officio member
oOf all committeesoOf special-purpose bodies
POWER LIMITATIONSo“Only one vote on council”
oSeen as everybody’s representative
oFormal duties: ribbon cutting
POWER DEPENDS ON:oVisionoUse of high public profileoAbility to use media
exposureoKey role on council and
committeesoAbility to flatter, overawe
EXAMPLESoSusan ThompsonoGlen MurrayoSam Katz
CITY MANAGER SYSTEM
Strict policy/administration separation
Small council, elected at largeMayor elected at largePowerful city manager
CITY MANAGER SYSTEM
Voters
Appointment & dismissal only
Direct control
Public Works Finance Parks and Recreation
City Manager
Council(Small)
OOOOO
Mayor
COUNCIL-COMMITTEE SYSTEM
CITY MANAGER SYSTEM: ADVANTAGES
Sound managementGood co-ordination among
departmentsIndependent, professional
public service
STRONG GOVERNMENT: RECAP
Meaningful representationMayor elected by councilParty systemMeaningful political control
of administration
COMPARISON WITH STRONG GOVERNMENT
Usually, no political partiesUsually, no constituenciesMayor elected at largeNo meaningful political
control of administration
WINNIPEG UNICITY: ORIGINAL CONCEPTStrong government
(parliamentary principles)Highly participativeMayor elected from councilCommunity committeesResident advisory groups
WINNIPEG CITY COUNCILTODAY 15 members, elected by wards 4-year terms Final decision on hiring top administrators Sub-divided into community committees Establishes and appoints standing
committees Appoints committee members, but not chairs Appoints speaker Decides number, but not membership, of
Executive Policy Committee
STANDING COMMITTEES
Consider issues raised by council or departments
Recommend to EPCStanding committees:
o Financeo Infrastructure Renewal & Public Workso Property & Developmento Protection & Community Serviceso Downtown Development, Heritage and
Riverbank Development
EXECUTIVE POLICY COMMITTEE
o 7 members (mayor included)o Appointed by the mayoro Receives recommendations from
standing committeeso Recommends to councilo Members include:
oMayoroDeputy mayoroStanding committee heads
CITY OF WINNIPEG
WHY TWO TIERS OF STANDING COMMITTEES?
oLower tier: well-informed enough to ask the right questions
oEPC: Overview of city policy, prevent silos
THE MAYORoPowerful municipal executive
oAppoints EPC members
oCan suspend CAO for up to 3 days
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER (CAO)
oHeads the administration
oCan recommend hiring & firing of top administrators
oRecommends action to the EPC
oEPC & Council decide
STRONG GOVERNMENT: RECAP
Meaningful representationMayor elected by councilParty systemMeaningful political control
of administration
COMPARED WITH STRONG GOVERNMENT:
Hidden, unaccountable party systemLarge wards: Weak representative
functionCommittee system capable of
exercising effective controlMayor has PM-like powers, without
similar accountability
WHAT DOES METROPOLITAN MEAN?
oOriginally, “mother city” oPrinciple city of a country or area
oNow, any major cityo“Commutershed”
METROPOLITAN & REGIONAL GOVERNANCE: RATIONALE
oUrban growthoEquityoPlanningoService delivery
SERVICE DELIVERY: EXAMPLESoFIRE PROTECTION
o ROAD MAINTENANCE, TRAFFIC CONTROL
oSpringfield Township, York County
oMajor arteriesoThe road from Springfield
Township to Kingston
FORMS OF METROPOLITAN GOVERNANCE
oAmalgamationoTwo-tier (federation)oAgreements to co-operate (new regionalism)
oProvincial rules
AMALGAMATIONSingle city government for
the regionCentralization of all servicesCostsImplications for the inner city
METRO SCHEMES:WHOLESALE-RETAILMETRO LOWER-TIER
Water supply and trunk mains
Local distribution
Sewage treatment and trunk sewers
Collector lines
Major roads Local streets
NEW REGIONALISM VS PROVINCIAL RULESNew regionalism: Public choice
approachMetropolitan inter-municipal
competition: Zero-sum gameCapital Region Committee:
Avoidance strategy
PROVINCIAL RULES EXAMPLES:Tax equalizationUrban growth rules
Growth boundaryAgricultural land
reserve
REVIEWWhy are there two tiers of council
committees?What’s the job of the Chief
Administrative Officer (CAO)?What’s amalgamation?What’s the difference between a
standing and an ad hoc committee?What’s governance?
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