Structural Issues Impeding Community Growth

What is a Structural Issue?

Structural Issues are systemic issues, administrative procedures, staff behaviours or staff created processes that handicap Residents or Members of Council. Structural issues can be removed by Council without being in conflict with the Municipal Act.

Some examples of structural issues are:

1. Inappropriate Staff Influence:  Staff often overstep their role by injecting themselves in the debate without being invited with the purpose of swaying the opinions of Council or a Committee. Take a look of this, Staff Influence.

2. Inappropriate Staff-Council Relationship: Last year the City Manager’s action in withholding a consultant’s report from Council so it could be massaged and “interpreted” by staff was clearly outside the role of a Chief Administrator that is outline in the Municipal Act and summarized in an Ontario Government Paper titled; “Role of council, councilor and staff”. The fact the city manager felt so confident in his relationship with Council that he would tell members of council that he was holding back a report on a study that was marketed as being “independent”, so staff could “interpret” it, gives us some insight to his perception of the relationship.

3. City Hall is NOT Resident Friendly: The mayor has been very abrasive at times cutting off both residents and other members of council and pushing changes to limit the public input. This comment was left on the site speaks volumes: "When did our city hall become such an uninviting place. I watch yesterday’s council meeting and couldn’t believe our mayor’s conduct. One resident wanted to make a few statements before asking his question and our very disrespectful mayor just kept cutting him off. He even said he would be less than 10 mins but our rude mayor didn’t care. Apparently you can only ask a question and are not allowed to put in context. No wonder no one comes to council to ask questions. What happened to that polite man at the all candidates meetings who I voted for. Perhaps after 12 years on council it’s time for some to resign."

4. Staff Attempts to Manipulate Council: Staff Overwhelming Members of Council with an unreasonable volume of reading material for a Part-Time Council. Given that the volume of paper is always topped with a one-page staff-recommendations which encourages members to just adopt the staff recommendations.

5. Unnecessary Management Growth:  Owen Sound's population today is less than it was 20 years ago but the number of managers on staff has significantly grown over this same time period..The number of managers in Owen Sound city hall is 30% higher than similarly sized municipalities. This not just increases the burden on taxpayers but it results in services being under resourced.  Take a look: Owen Sound Administration Growth.  The need for: A Lean, Highly Motivated Team.

6. Unnecessarily High Taxes:  Owen Sound not only has the highest taxes, but Owen Sound Taxes are significantly higher than the average in the counties. We have seniors who have lived in their homes for over 50 years who are living on a fixed income and just cant afford the high taxes. They face the choice of selling their family home or taking on expensive reverse mortgages.  Take a look at how we are doing: Owen Sound High Taxes