REPORT TO

MAYOR AND COUNCIL

PRESENTED: JANUARY 12, 2009 - SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING REPORT: 09-01

FROM: MARK A. BAKKEN, ADMINISTRATOR FILE: 0540-20
SUBJECT: ESTABLISHMENT OF THE STANDING COMMITTEES OF COUNCIL

RECOMMENDATION(S):
That Council endorse Policy No. 01-026 which guides how staff will process, interact and work
with the Standing Committees of Council subject to such modifications as may be deemed
necessary as a result of the nature of the Standing Committee or Work Program created by the
Mayor; and further

That the establishment of Standing Committees of Council be comprised of voting members, of

which fifty percent (50%) of the members shall be members of Council for:

a. Finance;
and likely at a later date;
b. Protective Services - Policing and Crime Prevention;
c. Transportation;
d. Community Planning;
e. and others as deemed appropriate by the Mayor;

be received for information, and further;

That Council receive the attached Policy/Terms of Reference (Attachment A) and the Standing
Finance Committee Work Program for 2009 (Attachment B).

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
A Standing Committee is a committee, created by the Mayor pursuant to section 141 of the
Community Charter, to which the Mayor appoints persons. At least half of the members of a
standing committee must be members of Council; the remaining members may be residents.

PURPOSE:
To advise Council of the establishment of Standing Committees of Council.

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BACKGROUND/HISTORY:
The Council of the Township of Langley acknowledges the special skills, talents and experience
of its residents in providing public involvement in the development of good governance for the
Township.

The Mayor may establish a standing committee and appoint Council and/or citizen members to
the standing committees for matters the Mayor believes would be better dealt with by the
Standing Committees.

A standing committee shall provide Council with:

• Advice and recommendations on any matters referred to it by Council;
• Advice and recommendations to Council on public issues that are part of an annual
work plan for the standing committee endorsed by Council.

Legislation:
Section 141 of the Community Charter states:

“141 (1) The mayor must establish standing committees for matters the mayor considers would
be better dealt with by committee and must appoint persons to those committees.

(2) At least half of the members of a standing committee must be council members.

(3) Subject to subsection (2), persons who are not council members may be appointed to a
standing committee.”

Financial Implications
As outlined in the Terms of Reference item 15 Budget; Standing Committee budgets, if
applicable, will be approved by Council on an annual basis as part of the annual budget
process. Staff will develop a recognition strategy, and make available funding for an annual
committee recognition event with a budget up to a maximum of $250.

The Township of Langley has a number of Select Committees and Task Forces. Assuming
there is a corresponding decrease in these entities then no budget implications are anticipated.

Respectfully submitted,

Mark A. Bakken
ADMINISTRATOR

ATTACHMENT A Policy No. 01-026 - General Council Standing Committee Terms of

Reference
ATTACHMENT B Standing Committee of Council – Finance Committee – Work Program

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ATTACHMENT A

POLICY MANUAL

Subject General Council Standing Committees Policy No: 01-026

Terms of Reference Approved by Council:
Revised:
Revised by Council:

Purpose
The Council of the Township of Langley acknowledges the special skills, talents and experience
of its residents in providing public involvement in the development of good governance for the
Township of Langley.

Pursuant to Section 141(1) of the Community Charter:

“(1) The mayor must establish standing committees for matters the mayor considers
would be better dealt with by committee and must appoint persons to those
committees.
(2) At least half of the members of a standing committee must be council members.
(3) Subject to subsection (2), persons who are not council members may be
appointed to a standing committee.”

DEFINITIONS
“Standing Committee” means a committee, created by the Mayor pursuant to section 141 of
the Community Charter, to which the Mayor appoints Council members and citizen members. At
least half of the members of a standing committee must be members of Council.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

1. COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE

1.1. Membership

1.1.1. The Mayor may appoint voting members of which fifty percent (50%) of the
members shall be members of Council.
1.1.2. The Mayor shall appoint the Standing Committee members annually.
1.1.3. Standing Committee members shall serve without remuneration on a voluntary
basis.

1.2. Community Representatives

1.2.1. Appointment of membership will strive to reflect experience, knowledge and

expertise in the areas of consideration for the Standing Committee.
1.2.2. Non-residents and representatives from external agencies, including other levels
of government, are not normally Standing Committee members but may be

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invited by the Standing Committee to provide input or assist with a specific task
or project.

1.3. Duration of Appointment

1.3.1. A voting member may be appointed yearly up to six (6) years unless extended by
the Mayor.

1.4. Resignation of a Member

1.4.1. A Standing Committee member who no longer wishes to serve on the Standing
Committee shall tender his/her resignation in writing to the Standing Committee
Chair.

1.5. Member Attendance

1.5.1. When a Standing Committee member has failed to attend three consecutive
regular meetings of the Standing Committee without leave, the Standing
Committee Chair shall notify the member that he or she may lose their Standing
Committee membership.
1.5.2. Where a Standing Committee member has failed to attend four consecutive
regular meetings and has not provided the Chair with a request for a leave, the
Chair shall advise the Mayor of the situation and may request that the member
be removed from the Standing Committee.

1.6. Mayor’s Role

1.6.1. The Mayor is a voting member of each Standing Committee, even if not formally
appointed to the Committee.

2. COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP
2.1. In addition to acting as full Committee members, the Council members appointed to the
Standing Committee are to serve as a communication liaison to and from Council.
2.2. Any member of Council not appointed to the Standing Committee may attend Standing
Committee meetings as an observer.

3. STAFF SUPPORT
The Municipal Administrator, or designate, will appoint appropriate staff support to the
Standing Committee.

3.1. The staff support will be responsible to:

3.1.1. arrange for the production of the Standing Committee agenda, scheduling of the
meetings, and preparation of the minutes in conjunction with the Chair; and
3.1.2. provide information and professional advice; and
3.1.3. arrange for an annual orientation meeting for the Standing Committee; and
3.1.4. provide identification that recognizes the Standing Committee member as a
Township of Langley Standing Committee member.
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3.2. The Municipal Administrator, or designate, will assign a Council and Committee Clerk or
staff representative to provide clerical and administration support to the Standing
Committee.

3.3. Support to Standing Committees will be considered and may be provided, on a case-by-
case basis, and as resources are available.

4. QUORUM
A quorum for a meeting of the Standing Committee is a majority of all voting members.

4.1. Where a quorum has not been reached at the meeting, the meeting may proceed,
however the meeting notes must be approved at the next Standing Committee meeting
when there is a quorum, prior to any action being taken.

5. AGENDA
The staff representative, in consultation with the Standing Committee Chair, shall prepare
and distribute the Standing Committee agenda in a format which meets the established
Corporate Standard for Committee Agendas.

5.1. A staff representative must ensure that adequate public notice of pending meetings
have been posted in accordance with the “Township of Langley Procedure Bylaw 1997
No. 3694”.

6. MINUTES
Minutes of the Standing Committee are to be recorded by the Council and Committee Clerk
or staff representative to meet the established Corporate Standard for Standing Committee
Minutes.

6.1. Standing Committee minutes set out the decisions made and the key points of the
proceedings of all meetings, recording the place, date and time of meeting; the names
of the Standing Committee members in attendance; the adoption and correction, if
necessary, of the minutes of the prior meetings.

6.2. Following the adoption of the minutes of the Standing Committee, the Chair or other
presiding member shall sign the minutes.

6.3. The original signed Standing Committee minutes shall be forwarded to the Township
Clerk or designate for archival retention and posting for distribution for public access.

6.4. A copy of the Standing Committee draft minutes shall be placed on a Council meeting
agenda as soon as practicable and any recommendations arising from the meeting
requiring Council consideration must be clearly identified on the Council meeting
agenda.

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7. COMMUNICATIONS
7.1. The Standing Committee Chair shall meet with the Mayor and available members of
Council two (2) times per year to share information about work of the Standing
Committee and related Council issues.

7.2. Council representatives to the Standing Committees shall be provided the opportunity
to share information with Council and to respond to any questions, at the time when
the Standing Committee minutes are received by Council.

7.3. All written communications from the Standing Committee to external agencies,
organizations or individuals relating to Township of Langley Council policies, direction
or Council decisions and/or other directions that Council has established must be
reviewed and if necessary, approved by the Council or designate prior to distribution.

8. RULES OF PROCEDURES
8.1. Standing Committee meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the “Township of
Langley Procedure Bylaw 1997 No. 3694” and amendments thereto, insofar as they
are applicable, and the Community Charter and all other applicable legislation.

8.2. Questions of procedure that cannot be resolved by the Chair and/or staff support shall
be referred to the Township Clerk or designate.

9. VOTING
9.1. All Standing Committee members who are in attendance at the meeting must vote on
all questions put before the Standing Committee unless they have declared a conflict
of interest. Any voting member who does not vote will be recorded as voting on the
affirmative side.

9.2. When a motion receives a tied-vote, the vote of the chair, whether to sustain the
motion or defeat it, shall determine the outcome of the motion.

10. CONFLICT OF INTEREST

10.1. Any Standing Committee member who declares a conflict of interest must state for the
minutes what the conflict is and immediately leave the meeting until the matter has
been dealt with.

10.2. The Standing Committee member’s declaration of a conflict and their exit from and
return to the meeting shall be recorded in the minutes.

11. ANNUAL REPORT AND WORK PLAN

11.1. On an annual basis in November, or in December in a Local Government Election
year, each Standing Committee Chair shall meet with Council to review and discuss
the Standing Committee’s annual report and draft work plan for the following year, with
invitation to attend the meeting being extended to all Standing Committee members;
In an election year, this may be deferred until the start of the next year.

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11.2. The annual report will include:

11.2.1. a summary of the activities undertaken in the current year;

11.2.2. any suggestions for revisions to the Standing Committee’s current Terms of
Reference and/or mandate; and
11.2.3. the proposed work plan for the following year and budget requirements, except
as provided in paragraph 11.1.

12. AUTHORITY
12.1. The Standing Committee and their members will conduct their business in accordance
with the authority approved to them and the terms herein.

12.2. The Standing Committee members will not misrepresent themselves as having any
authority beyond that delegated by Council.

12.3. Neither the Standing Committee nor any member thereof shall have the power to
pledge credit of the Township of Langley in connection with any matters whatsoever,
nor have any power to authorize any expenditure charged against the Municipality
without the expressed prior approval of Council or to have any authority beyond those
delegated by Council.

13. MEETINGS
13.1. The Standing Committee will meet a minimum quarterly (four times per year) and may
schedule additional meetings by resolution.

13.2. The Standing Committee will not meet during July and August, unless there is a
Standing Committee resolution to do so.

13.3. All changes to meeting dates, times and location must be reported to the Township
Clerk or designate a minimum of two (2) weeks prior to the effective date so the
necessary notifications can be issued.

13.4. Special meetings may be called at the discretion of the Chair of the Standing
Committee provided regulatory notice provisions are met.

13.5. Meeting procedures shall be conducted in accordance with good meeting practices
and the “Township of Langley Procedure Bylaw 1997 No. 3694”.

14. MEETINGS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

14.1. All meetings of the Standing Committee are open to the public, unless excluded in
accordance within Section 90 of the Community Charter – Meetings that may or must
be closed to the public.

14.2. The Standing Committee may receive reports and schedule delegations and/or
presentations to be heard by the Standing Committee.

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14.3. The role of the public at the Standing Committee meeting shall be as an observer only
of the proceedings, unless the meeting is being held in a “Special Closed Meeting” in
accordance with the appropriate legislation, in which case the public would be
excluded from attending.

14.4. Any questions or comments by the public must be submitted in writing to the Council
and Committee Clerk or staff representative, before or after the meeting, who will refer
them to the Chair or support staff for disposition.

14.5. If the Standing Committee Chair, at a Standing Committee meeting, considers any
member of the public guilty of conduct causing disruption of the meeting, she/he may
expel and exclude that person from the meeting.

15. BUDGET
15.1. Standing Committee budgets, if applicable, will be approved by Council on an annual
basis as part of the annual budget process. Staff will develop a recognition strategy,
and make available funding for an annual committee recognition event with a budget
up to a maximum of $250.

15.2. The Standing Committee will have reasonable use of miscellaneous services such as
photocopying, paper supplies, meeting areas, and other requirements which are
primarily provided through its staff support. Unless otherwise arranged, Standing
Committee meetings will be held at the Township’s Civic Facility Committee Meeting
Room.

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 ATTACHMENT B

Standing Committee of Council

Finance Committee

Work Program

Mandate

The mandate of a Standing Committee is to review and consider matters requested by the
Mayor and/or Council and report findings and recommendations to Council.

As specified, it is to provide a forum for detailed examination of issues as specified by the Mayor
and/or Council.

The Committee will provide advice to Council on the Township of Langley’s financial affairs,
consistent with the general purpose described above, and more particularly provide advice to
Council on various financial matters including but not restricted to the following:
• Budget review, structure, formulation and reporting
• Investment policies
• Expense policies and reporting
• Reserves - infrastructure and capital
• Purchase cards
• Property Review – Portfolio Management / Sales and Purchase Process
• Tax collection policies
• Over and short spending policies
• Contracts
• Debt and debt servicing
• Purchasing policies
• Revenues, usual and unusual
• Benchmarking
• Overtime/ travel time
• Legal fees
• Audit fees

Membership

The Committee shall consist of six (6) members, appointed by the Mayor, who shall serve
without compensation as follows:

• Three (3) members of Council, including one to serve as Chair (Mayor) and another to
serve as Vice-Chair;

• Three (3) community members

Staff Liaison: Finance Department and Administrator

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2009 Membership List:

Chair: Mayor Rick Green
Vice-Chair: Councillor Kim Richter
Councillor Steve Ferguson
Mr. Ken Baker CA
Mr. Calvin Paterson (Lawyer)
Mr. George Luciani

Staff Liaison:
Hilary Tsikayi, Director of Finance
Mark Bakken, Administrator

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