From the City's archived webstream of the Monday April 1st, 2019 Community Services Committee meeting I'm posting one last clip of my questions that morning on the issue of confidential Report-CS-19-31, which is described in the meeting Agenda as follows:
"Oshawa Animal Services agreement with Humane Society of Durham Region
Closed Pursuant to Section 239 (2)(d) of the Municipal Act
(See pages C62 to C94)
Recommendation
That the Community Services Committee recommend to City Council:
That based on Report CS-19-31 dated March 27, 2019 concerning a proposed agreement between Oshawa Animal Services and the Human Society of Durham Region:
1. That the City enter into a memorandum of understanding and an agreement with the Humane Society of Durham Region as set out in section 5.9; and
2. That the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized to execute the
memorandum of understanding and agreement acceptable to Legal Services and Finance Services; and,
3. That staff be directed to proceed as set out in Section 5.9 of said Report
Many citizens have been writing Council members, alarmed about what they’ve heard. To address the uncertainty and all the speculation about the City closing Oshawa Animal Services the fact is, nothing has been determined.
The confidential Report CS-19-31 was a surprise even to some members of Council.
I still find it unsettling and am stumped by how a Report from staff last year to the previous Council about a low cost spay neuter clinic morphed into a proposed agreement between OAS and the HSDR so dramatically different.
But with so much unclear and the many people who attended the Committee meeting or who have read the local newspaper article about what transpired at the April 1st meeting, and who are legitimately sharing their concerns with others, I believe the City has a responsibility to explain the situation and allay Oshawa citizens’ concerns.
I would like to advocate for this to happen as soon as possible, as uncertainty could continue for an extended period given that no time was given with the final motion that passed at the Committee meeting
To recap: after the two motions that Councillor Neal made much earlier in the meeting lost 2-4, the motion that passed at the end of the meeting 4-2, was to refer the confidential Report CS-19-31 to staff for more information and "to produce a version of the report for public consumption".
This motion was made by the Vice-Chair of the Committee. When the Committee first came out of closed session, he indicated he was writing this motion. He generously deferred moving it until after there was a discussion. Then, over an hour of deliberations later, with questions and answers by other Committee members and visiting Councillors, and a lot of unanswered questions and, imo, perplexing answers given, he made the same motion he had prepared earlier.
He clarified his motion by asking the Clerk if he was correct about "the Report for public consumption, that members of the public will be able to request to speak as delegations as the matter will be on the Agenda".
When he got a nod about that, unfortunately he gave no direction on timing, and the vote went ahead 4-2. This leaves when the Report will be on a meeting’s Agenda up in the air.
If it goes on the next Community Services Agenda which is after Easter, Tuesday, April 23rd, it could then be on the Council Agenda for April 29th. There are variables (say if there was another referral back to staff on the 23rd, or if staff needs longer to gather more information) but the 23rd and the 29th are potential scenarios.
That said, I think something should and I would hope could happen to clear up the current situation even at the Council meeting tomorrow Monday, April 8th!!!
"Oshawa Animal Services agreement with Humane Society of Durham Region
Closed Pursuant to Section 239 (2)(d) of the Municipal Act
(See pages C62 to C94)
Recommendation
That the Community Services Committee recommend to City Council:
That based on Report CS-19-31 dated March 27, 2019 concerning a proposed agreement between Oshawa Animal Services and the Human Society of Durham Region:
1. That the City enter into a memorandum of understanding and an agreement with the Humane Society of Durham Region as set out in section 5.9; and
2. That the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized to execute the
memorandum of understanding and agreement acceptable to Legal Services and Finance Services; and,
3. That staff be directed to proceed as set out in Section 5.9 of said Report
Many citizens have been writing Council members, alarmed about what they’ve heard. To address the uncertainty and all the speculation about the City closing Oshawa Animal Services the fact is, nothing has been determined.
The confidential Report CS-19-31 was a surprise even to some members of Council.
I still find it unsettling and am stumped by how a Report from staff last year to the previous Council about a low cost spay neuter clinic morphed into a proposed agreement between OAS and the HSDR so dramatically different.
But with so much unclear and the many people who attended the Committee meeting or who have read the local newspaper article about what transpired at the April 1st meeting, and who are legitimately sharing their concerns with others, I believe the City has a responsibility to explain the situation and allay Oshawa citizens’ concerns.
I would like to advocate for this to happen as soon as possible, as uncertainty could continue for an extended period given that no time was given with the final motion that passed at the Committee meeting
To recap: after the two motions that Councillor Neal made much earlier in the meeting lost 2-4, the motion that passed at the end of the meeting 4-2, was to refer the confidential Report CS-19-31 to staff for more information and "to produce a version of the report for public consumption".
This motion was made by the Vice-Chair of the Committee. When the Committee first came out of closed session, he indicated he was writing this motion. He generously deferred moving it until after there was a discussion. Then, over an hour of deliberations later, with questions and answers by other Committee members and visiting Councillors, and a lot of unanswered questions and, imo, perplexing answers given, he made the same motion he had prepared earlier.
He clarified his motion by asking the Clerk if he was correct about "the Report for public consumption, that members of the public will be able to request to speak as delegations as the matter will be on the Agenda".
When he got a nod about that, unfortunately he gave no direction on timing, and the vote went ahead 4-2. This leaves when the Report will be on a meeting’s Agenda up in the air.
If it goes on the next Community Services Agenda which is after Easter, Tuesday, April 23rd, it could then be on the Council Agenda for April 29th. There are variables (say if there was another referral back to staff on the 23rd, or if staff needs longer to gather more information) but the 23rd and the 29th are potential scenarios.
That said, I think something should and I would hope could happen to clear up the current situation even at the Council meeting tomorrow Monday, April 8th!!!