City Approves New Committee Structure & Names, Cutting Public Seats on One Committee
Owen Sound council approved a new 2027 structure including "Resilient," "Sustainable" and "Vibrant" advisory committees, with one key committee no longer offering seats to public members.
Owen Sound council has approved a new committee structure for 2027 that will remove public members from a committee responsible for budget and internal operations, while renaming existing committees and consolidating some functions into a council-only body.
The changes passed Monday night in a recorded 6–2 vote, with Councillors Jon Farmer and Carol Merton opposed.
Voting in favour were Councillors Travis Dodd, Brock Hamley, Marion Koepke, and Suneet Kukreja, along with Deputy Mayor Scott Greig and Mayor Ian Boddy. Councillor Melanie Middlebro was absent.
What Actually Changes for the Public
The most significant change is the creation of a new “Resilient” Community Advisory Committee, which will be made up of all of council and no public members.
That committee replaces the current Corporate Services Committee and the Service Review Implementation Ad Hoc Committee, combining their work into one body that will also take on communications matters.
According to staff, the “Resilient” Community Advisory Committee will review the operating and capital budget, union mandates, internal operations, and related city services. It is scheduled to meet on the first Tuesday of each month at 9 a.m.
Staff said the daytime meeting schedule was proposed because the committee would not include public members and because the matters it reviews relate to internal operations.
That change drew concern from two members of council, who argued the new structure reduces public participation in city decision-making.
New Names, But Also a Shift in Structure
Under the new model, all committees will be called advisory committees rather than standing committees.
The current Operations Committee will become the “Sustainable” Community Advisory Committee.
The current Community Services Committee will become the “Vibrant” Community Advisory Committee.
The Tom Thomson Art Gallery Advisory Committee will keep its name.
Staff said the renamed committees are intended to reflect the City’s Vision 2050 strategic plan and acknowledge that city work is increasingly cross-departmental. But in practical terms, the most significant structural change is that one committee will no longer include public members.
The “Sustainable” Community Advisory Committee will continue to include public members and will also take on animal control, bylaw enforcement, and fire services. It will meet on the third Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m.
The “Vibrant” Community Advisory Committee will continue with the same composition and scope as the current Community Services Committee, also meeting at 5:30 p.m. on the last Wednesday of each month.
The Tom Thomson Art Gallery Advisory Committee will remain in place, although its chair and vice-chair will now be council members.
Staff Also Proposed Less Formal Working Groups
Council also approved a new working group model intended to allow issue-specific groups to be set up more quickly.
These working groups can include public members and up to four council members, as long as council members make up less than half the group.
But they will not be subject to the City’s procedural bylaw. That means no formal agenda, no minutes, no livestreaming requirements, and no quorum requirement.
Staff said this was intended to allow more flexibility and quicker turnaround on specific projects or issues.
Concerns Raised About Public Input
Councillor Jon Farmer said he could not support the recommendation as written.
“There are components that I support, like making the process of striking a working group clear, updating the terms for committee membership, and earlier agenda publishing,” Farmer said. “But on the whole, I can’t support it.”
He said his opposition rested on two concerns: that the plan reduces the number of seats for public members on city committees, and that it misses an opportunity to more meaningfully align committee structure with the City’s Vision 2050 plan.
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“We heard clearly from members of the public and committee that having public members adds value to our discussions,” Farmer said.
Councillor Carol Merton also voted against the proposal.
“The Resilient Community Advisory Committee that does not have public representation concerns me when I look at the scope,” she said.
Merton said she was also concerned about the balance of council and public members on the other committees, and said she would have supported fewer council members and more public members.
Earlier Agendas and Earlier Appointments
Council also approved staff direction to amend the procedural bylaw so committee agendas are published one week in advance, with republication permitted 72 hours before a meeting in extenuating circumstances.
That gives the public more time to review material before committee meetings.
Council also approved changes to the timing of board and committee appointments after the 2026 municipal election.
Under the new timeline, council member appointments would begin December 15, 2026, rather than February 1, 2027. Public member board appointments would also begin December 15, while public committee terms would begin January 1.
Staff said early approval of the 2027 committee structure and calendar would give prospective election candidates and the public more information ahead of the next municipal election.
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