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?