[waterloowarrior]

News Release
For Immediate Release
August 22, 2010


Watson Proposes Smaller, More Effective Council


OTTAWA - Too many municipal politicians and not enough community engagement is undermining confidence in City Hall. Mayoral candidate Jim Watson aims to take action to fix the growing sense of drift and detachment since amalgamation with a series of initiatives aimed at improving decision making at City Hall. Today, Watson announced that as Mayor he will work to reduce the size of Council and formalize community boroughs in a move to streamline and ensure prompt responses to local matters.


"We have to reconnect with the expectations of our residents," said Watson. "We should be prepared to lead by example and we should begin by reducing Council from 23 to between 14 and 17 councillors. I believe these reforms will promote a Council that works together on big picture issues, that takes a broader view and ultimately provides better government for less." This reduction in council would take effect in time for the next municipal election.


Watson would appoint a Good Government Review Panel of experts to recommend a reduction in the size of Council within 60 days of the election. He will fight to pass that recommendation and ask council to endorse the plan within its first 6 months. The reduction in Council is expected to save up to two million dollars in annual costs for salaries and office budgets.


"I am hearing more and more from residents that our City government is turning its back on the energy and community leadership that has been such a big part of why Ottawa is a special place live," said Watson. "It is not just rural residents that are feeling disaffected with the amalgamated city. All too often when the community rallies around an idea, the bureaucratic impulse at the City to homogenize and enforce consistent policy suffocates the initiative. I think diversity is a strength that needs to be nurtured and cultivated."


Borough Councils would be implemented immediately in which groups of 2-4 City Council members would engage monthly with their community. Working together, these borough councils would enjoy delegated authority over a range of truly local issues thereby giving local ownership to local matters while streamlining City Hall efficiency. The Good Governance Review Panel would recommend the exact scope of the authority delegated to boroughs.


"Politicians ask others to tighten their belt, I'm suggesting we do the same. A smaller Council, coupled with more direct decision making at the grassroots level, will make Ottawa Council more effective," Watson said.