Arnprior Chief Administrative Officer Robin Paquette presented a “Strong Mayor 101” to Town Council Monday night about powers that are about to fall into the lap of Mayor Lisa McGee, like it or not.
McGee, in fact, says she’s open to it.
The municipality is one of 169 communities being gifted the additional powers in exchange for an implied commitment to advance Queen’s Park’s “build it agenda” in the local realm.
The Mayor assures residents the Strong Mayor powers will be used in the community’s best interest.
The new provisions roll out Thursday, and expand a framework initially extended to Ottawa and Toronto in 2022, but now encompassing all Ontario jurisdictions with six or more councillors at the table.
Among the things a Strong Mayor can do unilaterally are: establish Committees of Council, assign their functions, and appoint the Chairs and Vice-Chairs; compel staff to do research upon written instruction; hire and fire staff (with key exceptions); bypass the municipality’s procedural bylaw -force a vote at a meeting; exercise a veto over any part of the Municipal Act, the Planning Act or a Development Charges Bylaw; introduce the municipality’s Annual Budget, and receive court protection from any challenges initiated.
Lisa McGee says a former member of Town Council summarizes the situation well.
In some cases a Mayoral veto can be overridden by a two-thirds majority of the elected Council.
By Rick Stow