Owen Sound Council
has Lost it's Way
In many small municipalities across Ontario, municipal
councils are made up of part-time elected officials. Most have full-time jobs, family
responsibilities, and limited time to prepare for complex
policy discussions. This part-time structure, though
cost-efficient, creates a power vacuum that can be quietly
filled by full-time municipal staff who have the time,
resources, and institutional knowledge to shape outcomes
behind the scenes.
One common method by which staff influence council decisions
is through the structure and volume of meeting materials.
Councillors are frequently provided with extensive agendas,
staff reports, and technical appendices that can take many
hours to digest. On the top of these materials is often a
single-page "staff recommendation" — a concise
summary that tells councillors what staff believe they
should decide. With limited time to review hundreds of pages
and without access to independent analysis, many
often default to accepting staff’s recommendations.
Another mechanism of informal staff control is their
frequent and sometimes inappropriate participation in
debates during council and committee meetings. While the
procedural role of staff is to respond to questions, some staff members blur this boundary
by offering opinions, justifying their recommendations, or
steering discussions during deliberation. This can pressure councillors to align with staff positions and discourage
dissent or independent thinking, particularly for newer or
less confident council members. Check out this example -
Staff Drive the Vote!
These dynamics shift the balance of power. Instead of
elected officials directing municipal priorities and
providing oversight, staff may begin to shape policy
direction, budget allocations, and long-term planning with
minimal democratic scrutiny. While most municipal staff are
competent and well-intentioned, the potential for unelected
personnel to influence or even dominate decision-making is a
concern in a representative democracy.
Review our ideas for changing this dynamic at:
RemakeCouncil.COM
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