Council rejects size change

But supporters of a call to abolish board of control may appeal to the OMB.
JOE BELANGER, Free Press City Hall Reporter 2005-06-14 01:55:38



The London city councillor who led the battle to cut the size of council said a decision to keep the status quo is "a double body blow" to democracy.

Last night, without debate, a slim majority of council voted 10-8 not to abolish board of control, cut the number of councillors or change the seven-ward system.

"It seems to me democracy took a double body blow," Coun. Fred Tranquilli said in an interview.

"The community's wishes from the referendum were ignored and the community's right to hear a debate by their elected officials about the issue was ignored."

Council didn't debate the issue because it first had to vote on a recommendation by committee of the whole to keep the status quo.

Had council rejected the recommendation, all options would have been on the table.

Tranquilli and others pushing for change are now regrouping to plan their next move.

An appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board is one option.

That's because council decided not to act on a 1,000-signature petition calling for a new 14-ward system and elimination of board of control.

"(Council) demonstrated very clearly they have no regard for the petition process" and they don't care what the public thinks, said Sam Trosow, spokesperson for Imagine London, the group that submitted the petition.

In a referendum during the November 2003 civic election, voters said they wanted a smaller council and to scrap board of control.

But the voter turnout of about 36 per cent fell short of the required 50 per cent to make the result binding.

Deputy Mayor Tom Gosnell, who argued to keep the status quo, offered no apologies.

"There were no arguments put forward that demonstrated the public is better served by a change in council structure," Gosnell said in an interview.

"(In the referendum), I think the public was sending a message to start showing results and for council to put aside the pettiness they saw the last few years around the horseshoe."

The petition from Imagine London, backed by the Urban League of London, asked the city to replace the existing seven, two-seat wards with 14 single-seat wards.

The proposed wards would be based on so-called "communities of interest" such as the core area, or Old East Village.

"I'm disappointed," said league president George Sinclair.

"Council in their wisdom chose to ignore the wishes of (thousands) of voters who wanted to eliminate board of control and reduce the size of council. That's a lot of votes in the next election."

To reduce the number of councillors or wards, a simple majority is required.

But to get rid of controllers, council needed a two-thirds majority -- 13 votes out of 19 -- as set out in the Municipal Act.

Tranquilli, who has been pushing the issue for the last three years, said he'll meet those councillors who opposed the status quo to discuss the next move.

One move Tranquilli has said he may try is to ask the province to reduce the two-thirds majority required to abolish board of control to a simple majority.

Mayor Anne Marie DeCicco voted against the status quo.

"From a personal perspective, I've tried to be consistent and I felt some change was possible and this was the time to do it," DeCicco said.

"I can appreciate there are some people who will be disappointed, but at some point you have to make a decision and council has decided."

DeCicco said council will now focus on other key issues, including budgets, strategic planning and securing the Shriners hospital.

HOW THEY VOTED

- In favour of the status quo were Deputy Mayor Tom Gosnell, controllers Russ Monteith, Bud Polhill and Gord Hume; councillors Harold Usher, Bernie MacDonald, Ab Chahbar, Rob Alder, Roger Caranci and Sandy White.

- Those who voted against the status quo were Mayor Anne Marie DeCicco and councillors Joni Baechler, David Winninger, Judy Bryant, Cheryl Miller, Bill Armstrong, Paul Van Meerbergen and Fred Tranquilli.

- Coun. Susan Eagle was absent.





Copyright © The London Free Press