HomeMy WebLinkAbout12 Chairs' Report 4, 28 Jun 2000y
OTTAWA - CARLETON DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
REPORT NO. 4, CHAIR'S COMMITTEE
TO: Board of Education
DATE: 28 June 2000
A meeting of the Chair's Committee was held this evening commencing at 7:35 p.m. in the
Trustees' Committee Room, 133 Greenbank Road, Nepean, with Trustee Jim Libbey in the Chair, and the
following in attendance:
MEMBERS: Trustees Alex Getty, Lynn Graham, Patty Anne Hill, and Pam Morse
ALSO PRESENT: Trustees, Albert Chambers and Lynn Scott
STAFF: James Grieve, Director of Education and Secretary of the Board
Michael Clarke, Superintendent of Finance
Judy Turriff, Superintendent of Schools
Janice McCoy, Legal Advisor
Joan Melancon, Assistant Secretary of the Board
Maggie Melenhorst, Manager of Communications and Information Services
Janice Sargent, Management, Policy and Planning Advisor
Bruce Fraser, Committee Coordinator
REPRESENTATIVES: Don Cram, Ottawa - Carleton Elementary Principals' Association
Tony Pearson, Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation
Cynthia Pohran, Ottawa - Carleton Assembly of School Councils
Approval of Agenda
On a motion by Trustee Getty, the agenda was approved as circulated.
Public Question Period
There were no questions from the public.
3. Board Membership in OPSBA
Your Committee had before it Report No. 00 -161, seeking approval for the renewal of the Board's
membership in the Ontario Public School Boards' Association ( OPSBA).
Trustee Getty moved the recommendation in the staff report.
Trustee Chambers commented that all boards should be increasing their support for OPSBA to
ensure the organization can work effectively on their behalf. He suggested that the OCDSB should take the
lead in promoting the strengthening of resources for OPSBA through increased membership fees and
increased government contributions.
Trustee Scott remarked that she would like to see an increased emphasis on dealing with issues
facing large boards such as the OCDSB.
(W The motion was carried. On a motion by Trustee Getty therefore, your Committee recommends:
Chairs' Committee -1- 28 June 2000
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THAT A ONE -YEAR MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL FOR THE ONTARIO PUBLIC SCHOOL
BOARDS' ASSOCIATION (OPSBA), INCLUDING A SUBSCRIPTION TO THE MAGAZINE
EDUCATION TODAY, BE APPROVED FOR THE PERIOD 1 SEPTEMBER 2000 TO 31
AUGUST 2001.
4. Proposed Budget 2001 -02 Process and Board/Committee Schedule for 2000 -01
Your Committee had before it Report No. 00 -159, establishing a plan of action and timelines for a
revised budget process in 2001 -02 and proposing an amended schedule for Board and Committee meetings
for 2000 -01. Director Grieve introduced the report and noted that it is proposing a different approach to the
budget process in order to provide trustees and stakeholders with more time for analysis and consideration
of information and to provide staff with more time to respond to inquiries.
The Director explained that the proposed process would establish a Special Purpose (Budget)
Committee, co- chaired by the Chair of the Board and the Director of Education, which would meet twice
monthly. The Committee would involve trustees, staff and non - voting representatives and would develop
specific recommendations for presentation to Committee of the Whole (Budget). The current Standing
Committees would be replaced by an interim Standing Committee of the Whole (Public) which would also
meet twice monthly. The regular Board meetings would remain scheduled for the second and fourth
Monday of each month.
Director Grieve commented that the process was developed to address concerns raised following
the development of the 2000 -01 budget and that it makes good governance sense.
Trustee Getty moved the recommendations in the staff report.
Several Trustees expressed concern regarding the setting of agendas for the Standing Committee
of the Whole (Public) noting that the process could be cumbersome due to the number and nature of issues
that would need to be addressed. Staff suggested that issues tend to ebb and flow on a regular basis and
although the number of agenda items would be significant, the process would not increase in complexity.
In response to a trustee query, Legal Advisor Janice McCoy advised that the current Board by-
laws and committee structure could be temporarily set aside, by a majority vote, in order to pilot the
proposed process._
Staff clarified that the Special Purpose (Budget) Committee would start in September to develop a
budget for presentation to the Committee of the Whole (Budget) Committee in March. The early start to
the budget process would improve the level of communication and understanding between stakeholders and
allow staff more time to analyze the potential impact of any proposals.
In response to queries by non - voting representatives, staff clarified that the Standing Committee of
the Whole (Public) would include non - voting representation and that public question period and
presentations by delegations would remain, as public input is critical.
Trustee Graham expressed concern regarding the co- chairing proposal noting that the Special
Purpose (Budget) Committee should be a political body supported by staff. She also suggested that
chairing of that Committee be performed by another trustee member, as the additional workload would be
very demanding for the Chair of the Board.
Trustee Scott moved THAT the last two bullets of item 5 (Special Purpose (Budget) Committee
Meetings - September - December 2000) in the proposed Plan of Action be deleted and the following
bullets be inserted:
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friendly:
(Item 5 - Special Purpose (Budget) Committee Meetings - September - December 2000)
• provide input to staff to develop a staff recommended budget for consideration by COW
(Budget).
(Item 6 - Debate)
• staff present recommended budget to Board for approval
The amendment carried.
The following amendments by Trustee Scott were accepted as friendly:
• add SEAC under part D of the recommendations.
• include Student Trustees in part D of the recommendations, and under the second bullet in
item 1 of the Proposed Plan of Action.
During further discussion the following amendments by Trustee Graham were accepted as
• add part F to the recommendations as follows:
• A standing Committee Of The Whole (Public) structure be approved for September 2000 to
the end of March 2001.
• Amend part B of the recommendation as follows:
• the membership of the Special Purpose (Budget) Committee be comprised of the Chair and
Vice - Chair, Chairs of each Standing Committee and up to three additional trustees;
• delete the reference to the Co- Chairs and add; to be chaired by a trustee member of the
committee.
Following considerable discussion, the main motion was carried. Changes made during the course
of discussion are reflected in the recommendations.
On a motion by Trustee Getty therefore, your Committee recommends:
THAT:
A. THE PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE 2001 -02 BUDGET PROCESS BE APPROVED;
B. A SPECIAL PURPOSE (BUDGET) COMMITTEE BE ESTABLISHED FOR 2000 -01,
TO BE CHAIRED BY A TRUSTEE MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE, WITH TERMS
OF REFERENCE AND REPORTING RELATIONSHIP AS OUTLINED IN REPORT
00 -159, AND COMPRISED OF THE CHAIR AND VICE - CHAIR, CHAIRS OF EACH
STANDING COMMITTEE AND UP TO THREE ADDITIONAL TRUSTEES;
C. THE QUORUM FOR THE COMMITTEE BE FOUR (IF SEVEN TRUSTEE
MEMBERS) OR FIVE (IF EIGHT MEMBERS), AND, IN ACCORDANCE WITH
THE BOARD BYLAWS, ALL TRUSTEES IN ATTENDANCE AT THE MEETING
BE ENTITLED TO MAKE MOTIONS AND TO VOTE;
D. THE FOLLOWING GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH HAVE NON-
VOTING REPRESENTATIVE STATUS AT STANDING COMMITTEES AND COW
(BUDGET) MEETINGS AS PER BOARD POLICY P.010.GOV, BE INVITED TO
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NAME A REPRESENTATIVE TO THE SPECIAL PURPOSE (BUDGET)
COMMITTEE IN SEPTEMBER 2000:
i) OTTAWA - CARLETON ASSEMBLY OF SCHOOL COUNCILS (OCASC)
OTTAWA - CARLETON STUDENT PRESIDENTS' COUNCIL (OCSPC)
ONTARIO SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS' FEDERATION (OSSTF)
OTTAWA - CARLETON ELEMENTARY TEACHERS' FEDERATION (OCETF)
OTTAWA - CARLETON SECONDARY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS'
NETWORK (OCSSAN)
OTTAWA - CARLETON ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS' ASSOCIATION
(OCEPA)
OTTAWA - CARLETON ELEMENTARY VICE - PRINCIPALS' ASSOCIATION
(OCEVPA)
ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPORT GROUPS (ONE REPRESENTATIVE
COLLECTIVELY ON THE MOST APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE AS
DETERMINED BY THE GROUPS).
ii) THE SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (SEAL) AND OCDSB
STUDENT TRUSTEES ALSO BE INVITED TO NAME A NON -VOTING
REPRESENTATIVE TO THIS COMMITTEE;
E. THE SCHEDULE OF DATES FOR SPECIAL PURPOSE (BUDGET) COMMITTEE
MEETINGS FROM SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER 2000 BE APPROVED;
F. A STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (PUBLIC) STRUCTURE BE
APPROVED FOR SEPTEMBER 2000 TO THE END OF MARCH 2001;
G. THE AMENDED BOARD CALENDAR, INCLUDING STANDING COMMITTEE OF
THE WHOLE (PUBLIC) AND SPECIAL PURPOSE (BUDGET) COMMITTEE, FOR
SEPTEMBER THROUGH DECEMBER 2000 BE APPROVED;
H. A PROPOSED CALENDAR FOR JANUARY - APRIL 2001, IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE 2001 -02 BUDGET PROCESS, BE
BROUGHT FOR APPROVAL TO THE BOARD ON 28 AUGUST 2000.
Trustee Electoral Boundaries
Your Committee had before it for consideration, Report No. 00 -163 providing information
regarding the trustee elections in November 2000, including several possible scenarios for trustee
distribution in the new City of Ottawa.
Janice McCoy introduced the report and noted that the new regulation is not yet available but that
it is expected to parallel the existing regulation on trustee distribution. It is assumed that there will
continue to be twelve trustees based on the total electoral population and staff will bring any significant
changes to the regulation back to the Board for consideration. Ms. McCoy noted that a reduction to the
number of trustees would require a legislative change and that the issue would not be addressed until the
fall. Staff explained that the report was provided for consideration and input with the expectation that a
decision, subject to the legislation, would be made at the 4 July 2000 Board meeting.
Trustee Chambers expressed concern regarding the short timelines involved with the restructuring
and suggested that the process should allow for public consultation. Trustee Scott noted that the last
election involved electoral boundary changes and that the Local Education Improvement Committee
(LEIC) received minimal public input. Staff will provide information on the public consultation process
used by the LEIC with respect to electoral districts.
Chairs' Committee 4- 28 June 2000
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In response to a query, staff explained that trustee zones must be consistent with the new City of
Ottawa wards and that the following factors were considered in the development of the various scenarios:
• maintaining the existing zone structure where possible;
• as equitable a distribution of the electoral population as possible;
• historical and geographical relationships between areas.
Staff noted that comments and feedback from trustees would be used to eliminate any unworkable
scenarios. Trustee Morse requested that staff consider the transportation and time challenges faced by
trustees representing large rural areas.
Trustee Chambers requested that additional statistical analysis be provided to rank the models in
order of deviation from the electoral quotient of one. He expressed the view that the Board's decision
should reflect what is fairest to the electorate in terms of representation.
Staff advised that any input received from trustees will be consolidated into a report for the 4 July
2000 Board meeting and that options based on two or more trustees representing the same area will also be
included.
6. Public Information Campaign
Maggie Melenhorst circulated proof copies of Formula Facts, a publication developed for the
Public Information Campaign regarding funding issues. She noted that this is the third revision and that
feedback from trustees has resulted in a hard hitting but balanced document that should stimulate
discussion by the public. Ms. Melenhorst explained that the document will be published in August as an
attachment to the Continuing Education Department's Learning publication and requested that additional
feedback be provided by 4 July 2000.
Several trustees requested that the distribution of the brochure be supplemented with other
methods. Staff will research a supplementary distribution process for the printed material and provide the
information to trustees via BEAM. It was noted that alternative promotional vehicles will also be used,
such as the OCDSB Website and advertising campaigns, to ensure the information reaches a wide audience.
Distribution of Material via Students
Your Committee had before it, Report No. 00165 providing an interpretation of Policy
P.046.SCO, School Communications: Distribution of Materials via Students.
Some trustees expressed concern with the distribution of any material that is political in nature due
to the potential negative reaction from parents. Staff noted that they are conscious of the content of
material and the implications of using students as vehicles for the communication of information.
Superintendent Turriff advised that the number of requests for material is increasing and that mailing costs
are reduced if the material is distributed by the students.
Trustee Chambers suggested that further discussion of this issue is required to prevent restricting
the Board's options.
8. Chair's Report
There was no report from the Chair.
9. Director's Report
(awl There was no report from the Director.
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The meeting adjourned at 12:20 a.m.
Jim Libbey
Chair
Chairs' Committee
BAF
CC/280600
Chairs' Committee -6- 28 June 2000