Authority

The Co-ordinating Committee is established pursuant to Section 5 of Chapter 26 of the Acts of 2018, an Act to incorporate the Region of Windsor and West Hants Municipality (the “Regional Municipality”).

Purpose

The Co-ordinating Committee is responsible for designing and implementing the administrative structure of the Regional Municipality in accordance with the legislation (attached as Appendix “A”).

Scope

The Co-ordinating Committee has all the powers of the Council of the Regional Municipality and its Police Advisory Board until the Council first takes office on April 1, 2020. The Co-ordinating Committee will be guided in its decision-making by the Guiding Principles adopted by the Committee (attached as Appendix “B”). All acts of the Co-ordinating Committee have, upon the incorporation of the Regional Municipality, full force and effect and are deemed to have been exercised by the Regional Municipality.

Co-ordinating Committee Membership

Membership of the Co-ordinating Committee consists of the Mayor and Deputy-Mayor of Windsor and the Warden and Deputy-Warden of West Hants and the Co-ordinator appointed by the Minister. Alternate members designated in accordance with the Act will attend meetings of the Co-ordinating Committee where a member of the Co-ordinating Committee is unable to attend.

Co-ordinator Role

The Co-ordinator, Kevin Latimer, is appointed pursuant to Order-in-Council dated December 4, 2018 (attached as Appendix “C”). The Co-ordinator is the Chair of the Co-ordinating Committee with all the powers of a Commissioner appointed pursuant to the Public Inquiries Act. The Co-ordinator’s role is to oversee and facilitate the consolidation process in concert with the Co-ordinating Committee, while working with the Department of Municipal Affairs’ representatives to ensure the timely and orderly establishment of the Regional Municipality. The various duties and responsibilities of the Co-ordinator are more particularly described in the Act. The Co-ordinator shall have authority to enter contracts binding the Committee by his signature.

Project Administrator Role

The Committee shall be supported in achieving its mandate by a Project Administrator. The duties and responsibilities of the Project Administrator are generally described in Appendix “D”. The Project Administrator shall report to and take direction from the Co-ordinator.

Co-ordinating Committee Meetings

• The Committee shall meet as frequently as required at the call of the Chair to complete its mandate.
• The Committee shall meet at least once monthly with additional meetings scheduled as agreed by consensus of the Committee..
• Three members of the Committee, including the Co-ordinator and at least one member from each municipal unit, constitute a quorum of the Co-ordinating Committee.
• The Committee shall strive to make decisions by consensus, and where unable to achieve unanimity, may make decisions by majority vote.
• Meetings shall be open to the public, except where the Committee determines to meet in-camera pursuant to Section 22 of the Municipal Government Act.
• Where the Committee meets in-camera, minutes of in-camera meetings shall be taken by the Clerk or a designate and kept in the Office of the Clerk. The minutes of in-camera meetings shall be approved at the next in-camera meeting of the Committee as the first item of business of the in-camera meeting. Minutes of in-camera are not considered to be of public record.
• The Committee shall strive to alternate meetings between Windsor and West Hants.
• The Chief Administrative Officer shall attend to advise and assist in the functioning of the Committee but shall not be a voting member. Additional staff, external consultants and advisors may attend and advise the Committee as required, under the direction of the Co-ordinator.
• While meetings of the Committee are held in public, the meetings are not public hearings.
• Where possible, regularly scheduled meetings of the Committee will be live streamed over the internet. The Committee will not respond to comments during the live stream; there is no obligation of the Committee to maintain these recordings; and the Committee is not responsible to resolve any technical difficulties that may impact the live stream during a meeting.

Co-ordinating Committee Voting

All decisions of the Committee shall be determined by majority vote. The Co-ordinator may only vote on questions considered by the Committee in the case of a tie. Where the Committee is unable to decide any question concerning the design and implementation of the administrative structure of the Regional Municipality by majority vote, the Co-ordinator may determine the question, and the decision of the Co-ordinator is final and binding.

Agenda, Minutes and Resolution

Minutes and motions of the Committee shall be provided to each member of the Co-ordinating Committee within ten (10) business days after the conclusion of such meeting. The Co-ordinator will endeavour to provide each member of the Co-ordinating Committee with the agenda and required supporting documentation at least two (2) days prior to every meeting. Meeting minutes and agendas shall be posted as soon as conveniently possible in the discretion of the Co-ordinator on the StrongerRegion.ca website for public information purposes.

Conflicts of Interest

It is expected that all members of the Committee will adhere to the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, disclosing any pecuniary or indirect pecuniary interest in any matter before the Committee and refraining from taking part in, or trying to influence either before or after the meeting, any directions or decisions respecting such matters.

Where a member becomes aware of a conflict of interest the member shall, for purposes of Co-ordinating Committee meetings, adhere to the following:

i. Declare the conflict before any discussion of the issue;
ii. Remove oneself from the Committee table when the issue arises for discussion; and
iii. Refrain from any discussion directly or indirectly with Committee members on the issue.

A breach of this guideline may require the Co-ordinator to request the Minister to remove the member and appoint another member in their stead.

Resources & Budget

• The Committee shall have access to the resources necessary to make decisions and complete its mandate in a timely manner.
• The Co-ordinator shall present a Workplan for approval of the Co-ordinating Committee. The Workplan will guide the Committee in its use of project resources.
• The Co-ordinator, supported by the Chief Administrative Officer, shall present a budget to the Committee for approval. The budget will support the execution of the Committee’s Workplan.
• The Co-ordinator will provide a budget update/report to the Committee and Minister on a quarterly basis.
• The Chief Administrative Officer shall provide primary assistance to the Committee and may direct additional staff resources to assist as required.
• The Committee acting through the Co-ordinator may secure the services of such additional staff and advisor(s) as it deems necessary to fulfill its mandate on a timely and cost-effective basis.

Reporting

• Communications and reporting from the Committee shall come principally from the Co-ordinator or his designate from time to time.
• The Committee shall provide a concise progress update to the Minister and the respective Councils no less than once every thirty (30) days.
• The Committee shall provide a concise information bulletin on Workplan progress and pending activities for public awareness at least once every thirty (30) days.
• The Committee shall report to the Minister of Municipal Affairs through the office of the Deputy Minister.
• Members of the Committee shall keep their respective Councils apprised of the progress of the Committee;

Other

The Committee will review the Terms of Reference periodically for changes or amendments it may deem necessary from time to time.