Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - October 11, 1997, Winnipeg, Manitoba Afi saturday free october h c u i h i p o replacing cites Board a hot Issue Baldos Dritz a try Hall reporter a Brilliant analysis of a Frame up those of e the diverge to Opin ions on some of the most cof Trover Sial findings and recommendations about the City Edmonton consultant Geofge cuff said that the Board of commissioners cites most senior admin Tistha tors has abandoned its leadership role and is one of the obstacles to change and Progress at City but some councillors simply Dis controversial findings result in opposing viewpoints agree with the 1 wont support dissolving the said to Taffy that the Only thing i Daft ban Vandal said the efforts of the four commissioners were singled out during last Springs adding it was Only through their careful plan Ning and preparation that the City was Able to avoid its a Heck of a Reward a few months later to see the criticisms in this Vandal Boniface chief commissioner Rick Frost refused to comment on the specific recommendations but added he and the other Board members agree changes need to be made and they will work with councillors to bring them into Bill Clement said replacing the Board int a reflection Oft their abilities but an Issue of the directors and the Board of commissioners Are doing a Good Job and they have my full said Clement butt the system we have in place Doest support the changes that have occurred at City mayor Susan Thompson said cuffs criticisms Echo those Shes been Mak five adding some Board of lepers have been resisting her efforts to tiring change into City t smote if urn a mandate of 1 challenged them and Treyve resisted me All the off n Murray said problems with the Ward Only developed after Thompson won election m 1992 with a Promise to eliminate we didst have a problem with tote Board of commissioners when Bill Norrie was the Murray Pott Rouge the problems reflect that the mayor has difficulty working with Murray said cuff concluded the Public Doest have Access to the sys tem but he then Calls for the disband ing of residents advisory groups and Community he said those forums gave the Public direct Access to politicians and let people have input into Basic issues that faced the new Powers form mayor the mayor would have two votes fit City Council giving her the Power to pro Duce a tie vote or break a tie the mayor would be Able to suspend the proposed chief administrative officer for up to three Days after which the action must be addressed by the executive policy com the mayor could appoint the chairman of the recommended subcommittee on Fis Cal policy who would be a councillor not on the m the mayor could also make Council appointments to numerous boards and including the Board of Community and race Conven Tion Centre tourism Winnipeg Art Winnipeg and the zoological society of a Powers being recommended for the mayor need the approval of full Council or pc for Many of the Deci new Powers for the executive f policy committee j can either suspend the proposed chief administrative 4ojficer for a fixed period of not Floore than 30 dismiss or order reinstate coordinate the recruit rent process of a chief administrative recon the appointment or Dis Missal of the and accept the Caos Resigna set the Caos salary level within the Council approved without Council the hiring or firing of department Heads As rec commended by the Joe free press Thompson has argued that the cites current management system int working As Well As it it just might says prof by Dan Lett staff reporter a proposed administrative overhaul of City Hall has tremendous potential for Posi Tive change if those involved can learn to live and work an expert on municipal affairs University of Winnipeg Urban affairs professor Chris Leo called manage ment changes envisioned in the cuff report imaginative and in a recommendation to take 19 existing City departments and transform them into 40 smaller and More efficient units is original and potentially very Leo this is a very significant reorganization of the he said although he has not yet reviewed the entire its possible that it will the effectiveness of the system will have As much to do with personalities and How the various play ers interact As management Struc he any municipal system of govern ment relies on a delicate relationship Between politicians who make policy and the administration who carry out the Leo in some the admin what cuff found findings and observations of George cuff the decision making culture apparently at work in the City of Winnipeg is a incremental process or none at there is serious Lack of Trust among councillors and the mayor which will not be resolved by any of the recommended the fractious nature of Council pre vents it from developing a coherent there will a congenial atmosphere among the cur rent members of councillors Are confused about their role in relationship to senior administration and department the Board of commissioners has become somewhat redundant or at least less effective in its role As adv coordinators and the chief commissioner has usurped the responsibility of the full Board of commissioners and is acting like a City a majority of Council indicates a Lack of Trust in the Board of commis is ration has been allowed to take Over policy functions from the in that has been the Case in Winnipeg at times Over the past number of Leo mayor Susan Thompson has said a number of times that the Board of com missioners has been More of an Obsta Cle than a help in implementing her in any system of municipal Man the politicians have to guard against losing Power to the administrators while at the same time ensuring they have a Good relationship with those who provide the information to Leo and while the proposed administrative changes seem they will not be a Mureall for the kind of problems that now he in some there Are things in place that make it impossible for the politicians to do their jobs but that is not the Case in Leo if the politicians Here have lost control to the then i blame the cuff Calls for i cuffs major propose major i cuff report replace the of commissioners with a cd left administrative officer and five Al eliminate 36 other is Tralve for ing of give More Powers including a Ell meetings to expand Powers policy extend Council years to four and Date of election from s f m councillors should withdraw their habit of micromanaging a restrict their activities to setting by and hire administrators they to carry out the eliminate the residential groups and the Community overhaul the civic replacing the existing 19 ments with 49 units reporting to f general managers and a chief fir Cial All of whom wow r to the new chief adm Leistn maintain four standing tees to oversee the new Tal Structure but with a slight in responsibility for each r changing City a complicated Bald Santin City Hall reporter its anyone guess How quickly and How Many of consultant George cuffs recommendations can be implemented at City while cuff held out the Promise of a million saving with his dramatic overhaul of the administrative and political he offered no suggestions As to How they can be complicating the Issue is that most of the political changes require approval from the it could take time and there is no Assurance of the City is in the Middle of its budget preparations and administrators have Little time to design budgets for another the worst thing we can do is move said Ullian but Speed is mayor Susan Thomp sons watchword has been scheduled for the next three with intent to imply seme of the changes by Thompson said she Reco cuffs report needs provincial but added be hoped the bulk of the changes would be in place much sooner tbsp the october 1988 Thompson said cuff proposed the four member Hoard with Wuerful chief administrative officer who has five general managers and a chief financial officer reporting to according to the the cites 19 departments would be broken Down into 49 smaller units and grouped wider tie responsibility of a Genera toe City will need to Tore a chief officer and the general carve up the 19 departments and appoint 49 new department at the political the cites four standing committees must be remade into four different committees that would assume responsibility for about 40 of the new civic j while All this is going someone at the City must Appeal to the province to give the mayor and the executive policy committee greater Bill a member of Thompsons executive said the City would be wrong to implement any changes within the next three i dont support moving that quickly and j dont believe some of these things have to be in place by Clement Charles Woodst Garry theres nothing wrong with taking two to three months to work these things Cou Harry Lazarenko said he favours a lengthy phase in period for the Glen Murray said politicians should not implement cuffs recommendations without first going to the there Are a great number of changes being proposed Here and in not sure everyone even on Council really understands the burrs fort Rouge Council soul its time to assess to teen and we j r ;