The County of Wellington is poised to hire a London-based consultant to replace retiring closed meeting investigator Norm Gamble – and Minto council wants to participate in a joint service agreement.
Gamble, a former municipal administrator from Grey County, has been providing services to the county since 2008 and is currently investigator for all lower tier municipalities in Wellington except Guelph-Eramosa. He recently announced he plans to retire at the end of the year.
A report on appointing Gamble’s replacement was on the agenda for the Nov. 25 meeting of the county’s Administration, Finance and Personnel Committee.
The report, from county clerk Donna Bryce states the county recommends entering a two-year agreement with John Maddox of JGM Consulting commencing Jan. 1. The report indicates Maddox has 30 years of experience in the municipal sector as a former CAO and regional director with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Since his retirement in 2006, he has been retained by over 50 municipalities as a closed meeting investigator, including Hastings, Simcoe and Elgin counties.
The report states six Wellington municipalities have indicated an interest in joining in the agreement with the county: Centre Wellington, Mapleton, Wellington North, Puslinch, Erin and Minto.
Maddox’s fees include an annual retainer of $1,000 for the county and $300 for each lower tier municipality, which would be covered by the county. The hourly fee will be $100 plus expenses, including the respective municipal mileage rate. Under the proposal, the municipality in which the investigation is being conducted will pay the hourly fee and expenses.
Gamble’s fees included a $200 retainer and fees of $350 per day and $175 per half day, plus mileage and expenses.
Minto council, at its Nov. 18 meeting, approved a staff report recommending the town enter a shared service agreement with the county to appoint JGM consulting as closed meeting investigator.
“We believe all the other member municipalities are willing to use him as well,” Minto CAO Bill White told council.
The staff report presented at the meeting states charging a fee to applicants who submit a request for an investigation is an option. However, White said there are no plans to establish such a fee. “Staff was raising the issue in the event council wanted such a fee to be considered and I did not take from the discussion that Minto would be considering putting a fee in place,” he wrote in an email to the Advertiser.
Ontario Ombudsman Andre Marin’s office is the default investigator for complaints about municipal meetings that are held behind closed doors, except in those municipalities that have decided to appoint their own investigators. The ombudsman’s office does not charge municipalities or applicants for investigations.
The authority of closed meeting investigators is limited to determining if a closed meeting of council was held in-camera legally under the provisions of the Municipal Act and municipal procedural bylaws.
Wellington County council was slated to deal with the administration committee’s recommendations on the report at its Nov. 27 meeting.
