The City of Moose Jaw’s municipal planning commission and economic development commission will be permanently disbanded even though an attempt was made to keep them functioning.
During city council’s recent regular meeting, Coun. Brian Swanson asked that council re-vote on keeping those two municipal committees around.
Planning commissions are the norm in other communities, he pointed out. Although he never sat on this particular committee, he did not support disbanding it since he thought it was important that other groups review documents and recommendations before they come to council.
“Most of time the recommendations are adopted. But I do believe the sober second thought component of this is worth having … ,” he said. “Planning issues can come back to bite you. To give two chances to look at (something) is worth keeping the committee.”
Coun. Heather Eby had never sat on the municipal planning commission during her previous time on council, but was appointed this past year. She thought there would be plenty of discussion on everything that came to the group, but discovered that was not the case; most meetings lasted only seven minutes by her watch.
She thought that was unfortunate since reports from the planning and development department were lengthy and two to three staff from city hall were on hand to answer questions about the reports. Eby mused that perhaps the committee’s chair was at fault for not encouraging the meeting to go longer.
Sometimes Eby felt committee members passed motions without even reading them. She understood that some members had been on the committee for years and appreciated their experience and the work they put in. But from her perspective, “maybe it’s not really a planning commission but an approval commission.”
“Having been there for a year, I feel that it would be OK to have those things come directly to council,” she said, adding disbanding a committee is difficult, but it’s important to value the time of city hall.
Coun. Chris Warren agreed with Eby, saying he sat on the commission for months and found the conversations to be short and the meetings to be just as short.
In the future, when reports that would have come from the planning commission come directly to city council, those reports will come as communications, explained city clerk Myron Gulka-Tiechko. Council can table the reports if it has concerns with the information. The overall intent is to fast forward the requests so council can make decisions quickly.
Council then voted 5-2 to permanently disband the municipal planning commission. Swanson and Coun. Scott McMann were opposed.
Swanson then pointed out that, while no meetings have been called within the past year for the economic development commission, he has been the only councillor to attend those meetings. While infrastructure is important to him, economic development in Moose Jaw is something to which council should pay attention.
There is a role for a committee to provide accountability and transparency, he continued. He did think such a commission was important, “especially in Moose Jaw’s current shape.”
Council then voted 5-2 to permanently disband the economic development commission. Swanson and McMann were opposed.
