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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoard 8 Jun 1998 Minutes PublicOttawa - Carleton District School Board MINUTES 8 JUNE 1998 A meeting of the Ottawa - Carleton District School Board was held on the above date in the Board Room, 133 Greenbank Road, Nepean, Ontario, commencing at 6:00 p.m., with Trustee Scott in the Chair and the following in attendance: Trustees Cynthia Bled, Albert Chambers, Alex Getty, Lynn Graham, Patty Anne Hill, Andrew Lam, Jim Libbey, Norm MacDonald, Sheryl MacDonald, and Pam Morse. Paul Webber, Legal Counsel, Bell, Baker, was also present. David Harris, Legal Counsel, Harris & Partners, was present for the first part of the in camera session. Staff. Director of Education and Secretary of the Board, Carola Lane; Superintendent of Business and Treasurer, Michael Clarke; Superintendent of School Operations, Lorne Rachlis; Superintendent of Program and Information Technology, Barbara Stollery; Superintendent of Special Education, Judy Turriff; Superintendent of Human Resources, Jim Vair; Superintendents of School Services, Rose -Marie Batley, John Brennan, Mike Carlon, Judith Hoye, Dan Mason; Executive Liaison for the Director, Cathy Bowles; Coordinator of Communications, Peter Frayne; Assistant Secretary of the Board, Joan Melancon; Research and Planning Officer, Janice Sargent; Committee Coordinator, Brenda Cooper (Committee of the Whole - in camera); and Board Reporter, Cathy Kavanagh. On a motion by Trustee Lam, seconded by Trustee Morse, the Board resolved into Committee of the Whole to consider the items on the in camera session agenda. Trustee Getty assumed the Chair in the Committee, and the Committee later rose and presented the following report. 216. Report No. 13. Committee of the Whole (in camera). 8 June 1998 Trustee Getty presented and seconded the following recommendation: (Motion by Trustee Libbey) That the Board appoint James Grieve as Director of Education, subject to negotiation of a mutually acceptable contract as discussed in camera; and That the Chair, Vice Chair and the Chair of the Human Resources Committee be authorized to negotiate an appropriate contract with James Grieve, subject to ratification of the contract by the Board. Trustee Bled advised that she had not provided confidential information to the media. She noted that, in her opinion, the process followed for the selection of the Director was inequitable. The Chair commented that although the OCDSB has made progress in the past six months it has a long way to go in developing innovative ways of providing public education within the constraints of the new funding formula, to find flexibility that allows the special needs of communities to be met, to find the best ways to apply the skills of staff at all levels, and to maintain the same level of service as has been provided by the predecessor Boards. All of the candidates who applied had the skills and experience required for the position of Director and on behalf of the Board, she expressed her appreciation to them. She also thanked Trustee Sheryl MacDonald, Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee for the Selection of the Director, and the consultant Rick Morgan of Ray & Berndtson, Lovas, Stanley. 240 Ottawa - Carleton District School Board MINUTES 8 JUNE 1998 The Chair recognized the work of the Director over the past six months and noted that she has done good work. The Chair remarked that James Grieve has extremely good qualifications and has a reputation for providing good leadership. She indicated that the Board looks forward to continuing to build a successful future for public education with him as Director. A recorded vote was held at the request of Trustee Bled and the motion was carried on the following division: For: Trustees Getty, Hill, Lam, Libbey, Morse, and Scott (6) Against: Trustees Bled, Norm MacDonald and Sheryl MacDonald (3) Abstentions: Trustees Chambers, and Graham 217. Approval of the Agenda (2) On a motion by Trustee Morse, seconded by Trustee Lam, the agenda was approved as presented. Joan Melancon advised that the third delegation has withdrawn, but Nancy Myers will ask a question during the public question period. 218. Confirmation of Minutes 25 May 1998 . On a motion by Trustee Getty, seconded by Trustee Norm MacDonald, the minutes of the meeting held 25 May 1998, were confirmed as written, subject to the spelling of the name "Fineham" on page 228, which should read "Fincham ". In response to a question from Trustee Lam regarding the need for two motions regarding the appointment of Trustee Graham to the Ad Hoc Committee for the Selection of the Director, Joan Melancon explained that following an election, it is the Board's practice to confirm the result by a motion. There was no business arising from the minutes. 71-MYN-17274M The Chair reported the following "good news" item: John Loucks, Principal, First Avenue P.S., received a Whitton Award on 27 May, 1998. The award is presented to individuals in the community who are nominated and selected as outstanding community builders. The Director commented that public education in Ottawa - Carleton is at a crossroads and that the OCDSB and the educational community is facing many challenges. She noted that there is a wide variety of issues that the Board will have to address in the following months and years. She spoke about community spirit and said that it is her hope that it will continue. She remarked that education in a school board is very much the result of the broader 241 Ottawa - Carleton District School Board MINUTES 8 JUNE 1 "S educational community and that she has been privileged to work with the students, staff, federations, employee groups, parents and the broader community of Ottawa - Carleton, and it is these people who will preserve public education. In response to three questions asked by Nancy Myers, Paul Webber, Legal Counsel, advised that the Education Act permits meetings to be closed when the subject matter involves employment issues. The right to confidentiality is the right of the Board, not an individual. He advised that it is not for the Director or any other individual at the Board to make decisions as to what information will be released from in camera meetings. With regard to the question as to payment if the interim Director sues the Board, Paul Webber indicated that there are very few winners in a law suit and generally the loser pays the costs. With respect to the third question regarding a tainted process for the selection of a Director, Paul Webber indicated that this question does not warrant a response. Lamar Mason requested an update of the Chair's meeting with the Minister of Education and Training. The Chair reported that the Minister expressed interest in the process that the Board is following with regard to school accommodation issues. The Chair noted that the choices offered to the OCDSB were not even handed. She explained that the proceeds from the sale of surplus schools will not be sufficient to fund the building of new schools. She advised that the Minister referred this issue to his staff. With regard to special education, the Chair advised that the Minister is of the opinion that the funding is generous. The Minister did not make any reference to the use of Early Childhood Educators and made little reference to the summer learning program for developmentally disabled students. The Chair advised that follow -up information was forwarded to him. 222. Delegations: (a) Concerned RatepWr re Education Development Charges - Carl Steinburg Carl Steinburg explained that he has installed a granny flat on his property for his parents and asked why he has to pay education development charges. He noted that the mobile trailer is on his property for which he pays taxes and that it is temporary. He also noted that the Township of Goulbourn does not levy development charges and requested that he be exempt from paying development charges to the OCDSB. Superintendent Clarke advised that the education development charges by -law approved by the former Boards does include charges for both mobile homes and granny flats. Paul Webber of Bell, Baker indicated that the by -law will be reviewed again in the near future, but that at this time, it is impossible to amend it on single issue complaints. The Chair advised that a written response will be provided to Mr. Steinburg's concerns. • ail.•. - •! Assembly of •• l Councils re ' •gC_U and Area R- •.•,- •: p•! Lamar Mason and Joan S12ice With the use of overhead slides, Joan Spice explained the four key program areas for which decisions must be made by mid -fall with regard to the upcoming program review i.e., French Immersion, alternative elementary schools or programs, the delivery model for special education, and school configuration. She reviewed the scope of the decisions to be made in each program area as well as how input will be sought e.g., surveys, advice of external experts. With regard to the types of meetings to be held, she asked if there will be public forums, stakeholder 242 Ottawa - Carleton District School Board 61W1 8 NNE 1998 sessions or committee meetings. She noted the importance of publicizing the plan for the review and recommended that it be in place within the next few weeks. Lamar Mason advised that OCASC is enthusiastic to contribute its energy and resources to the review and strongly urged Trustees to proceed immediately. Trustee Chambers advised that a proposal will be presented by senior staff to the Education Committee on June 15. In response to a question, Lamar Mason commented that if program decisions are made before December or January, valued stakeholder input will be sought. If program decisions cannot be made prior to that time, school closures should not take place in September, 1999. On a motion by Trustee Chambers, seconded by Trustee Hill, the Board returned to Committee of the Whole to complete the in camera agenda. The Committee rose to report at 10:30 p.m. Trustee Getty presented Report No. 13 (continued), Committee of the Whole (in camera) and seconded the recommendations in the report as follows: a) Individual Grievance (Motion by Trustee Morse) That the grievance from the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, District 43, regarding an individual teacher, be denied at step 2. (Motion by Trustee Morse) That the current eligibility provisions of the sick leave gratuity and service gratuity plans of the former OBE and CBE continue to apply to the respective employees of these former Boards who have applied for the Early Departure Plan. C) Negotiations with Elementary Occasional Teachers (Motion by Trustee Chambers) That the economic guidelines for negotiations with elementary occasional teachers be approved, as outlined in Committee of the Whole (in camera). d) Provincial Collective Bargainine (Motion by Trustee Morse) 243 Ottawa - Carleton District School Board MNUTES 8 JUNE 1998 That the Board develop a submission on province -wide bargaining to be forwarded to the provincial government which would urge that because the province is now paying for collective agreements it should be negotiating the amount of those collective agreements. e) Summer Meetings. Human Resources Committee (Motion by Trustee Morse) That the Human Resources Committee be authorized to hold meetings in July and August 1998, as required, at the call of the Chair of the Committee. f) Effective and Efficient Business Practices. Appointment of Consultant (Motion by Trustee Libbey) That the Board approve the selection of Deloitte & Touche as consultant to the Steering Committee on Effective and Efficient Business Practices, and that the Director and the Superintendent of Business be authorized to negotiate the scope of the engagement. W, X- . I 14M. his. .• (Motion by Trustee Morse) i) That the Board's legal counsel be authorized to proceed on behalf of the Board with an application to appeal the City of Ottawa By -law Number 93 -98, which enacts the new 2020Z Zoning By -law; and ii) That staff and legal counsel be authorized to begin preparation for a submission to the Ontario Municipal Board, and bring back to a future meeting of the Board, a proposed plan of action for direction. The report was received and the recommendations were adopted by the Board. It was agreed that the remainder of the public agenda will be dealt with at the 22 June 1998 Board meeting. The meeting adjourned at 10:35 p.m. Carola Lane Director of Education & Secretary of the Board 244 Lynn Scott Chair of the Board