Burlington Council Unanimously Approves New Deputy Mayor Portfolios Initiative & Appointments to Committees, Boards
I'm delighted that Council unanimously approved the new Deputy Mayors with portfolios initiative for each member of Council at our meeting on Dec. 13.Council also approved the appointments to standing committees, boards and other committees for members of Council, as well as the rotations for Deputy Mayor for ceremonial and emergency duties for the 2022-2026 term. To learn more, please scroll further down this post and/or click the link to my Mayor's Office report.In assigning councillor appointments to standing committees, boards and Deputy Mayor portfolios, the principles that were important to me were ensuring equity of opportunity, honouring as much as possible the requests of each individual councillor and maximizing on their unique skills and backgrounds.I’ve been thrilled at the response and positive feedback from Council members, staff and the community regarding the new Deputy Mayor portfolios. This is a unique model at the municipal level and will leverage the skills of this Council to work as a team on the issues and needs important to our city. I encourage each member of Council to bring their own style and put their own stamps on their roles and portfolios.I also want to thank Council members for their service on the many committees, agencies and boards. We are the smallest council of a community our size and that means each member of Council carries a larger load of extra responsibilities and demand of participation in municipal affairs.I’m excited for this term of Council. We have big challenges, but we also have big opportunities to ensure community amenities and services match growth. We are building our city not for the next term, for the next generation.DEPUTY MAYOR PORTFOLIOS
Here are the appointments to the Deputy Mayor portfolios for each member of Council and some of the main responsibilities of each portfolio:
- Deputy Mayor for Business & Red Tape Reduction: Ward 1 Councillor Kelvin Galbraith
- This assignment builds on Councillor Galbraith’s extensive experience as a business owner, and the Co-Chair with the Mayor of the Red Tape Red Carpet Task Force established in the last term of council. The portfolio will include:
- Reviewing progress from the Red Tape Red Carpet Task Force – those meetings have already begun;
- Co-sponsor on planning process improvements & legislative changes (with the Deputy Mayor for Housing), to get more housing, built faster at our strategic areas like aging retail plazas and our GO stations;
- Cutting red tape for all businesses, and our rural area, to ensure a robust agricultural economy; and
- Participating in intergovernmental advocacy on planning and legislative changes related to housing, economic development and quarries.
- This assignment builds on Councillor Galbraith’s extensive experience as a business owner, and the Co-Chair with the Mayor of the Red Tape Red Carpet Task Force established in the last term of council. The portfolio will include:
- Deputy Mayor for Community Engagement & Partnerships. Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns
- This assignment builds on Councillor Kearns’ experience in resident’s groups even before being elected, her professional experience in corporate stakeholder management, and her Institute of Corporate Directors governance designation. The portfolio will include:
- Reviewing our current community engagement models, including our advisory committee structure, with a view to community capacity building;
- Liaising with our partner agencies/boards/committees on governance, and ensuring strong connections with the city, and council; and
- Co-sponsor with the Deputy Mayor for Recreation & Community Services on community funding opportunities at the City and Region and private sponsorship opportunities for city projects.
- This assignment builds on Councillor Kearns’ experience in resident’s groups even before being elected, her professional experience in corporate stakeholder management, and her Institute of Corporate Directors governance designation. The portfolio will include:
- Deputy Mayor for the Environment: Ward 3 Councillor Rory Nisan
- This assignment builds on Councillor Nisan’s experience bringing the Climate Change Emergency Declaration last term of council, and his advocacy on transit. The portfolio will include:
- Implementation of our Climate Action Plans;
- Implementation of our Integrated Mobility Plans, including transit, cycling and walking;
- Restarting discussions with the school boards on free transit for students that was put on hold during COVID; and
- Participating in intergovernmental advocacy on transit and quarries.
- This assignment builds on Councillor Nisan’s experience bringing the Climate Change Emergency Declaration last term of council, and his advocacy on transit. The portfolio will include:
- Deputy Mayor for Housing: Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte
- This assignment builds on Councillor Stolte’s passion for attainable housing, and her experience as Chair of the community Working Group on Housing this past term. The portfolio will include:
- Implementation of our housing strategy which includes affordable and attainable housing;
- Building on the work of the Burlington Lands Partnership to leverage new land acquisition for housing, where appropriate, including surplus school sites;
- Liaison with Halton Region on assisted housing; and
- Co-sponsor on planning process improvements & legislative changes (with the Deputy Mayor for Business & Red Tape Reduction), to get more housing, built faster.
- This assignment builds on Councillor Stolte’s passion for attainable housing, and her experience as Chair of the community Working Group on Housing this past term. The portfolio will include:
- Deputy Mayor for Strategy & Budgets: Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman
- This assignment builds on Councillor Sharman’s extensive experience as a professional accountant and internationally known instructor for strategy and business process improvements. The portfolio will include:
- Oversight of implementation of our Vision to Focus strategic plan;
- Development of Key Performance Indicators and progress reports so we know how we’re doing;
- Guidance on process improvements and culture change across departments; and
- Expert advice and assistance with multi-year budget preparation.
- This assignment builds on Councillor Sharman’s extensive experience as a professional accountant and internationally known instructor for strategy and business process improvements. The portfolio will include:
- Deputy Mayor for Recreation and Community Services: Ward 6 Councillor Angelo Bentivegna
- This assignment builds on Councillor Bentivegna’s decades of volunteerism in our community, including with the hospital, sports clubs, and the Gift of Giving Back – Canada’s largest youth-led food drive. This also builds on his work on our Accessibility Advisory Committee and Inclusivity Advisory Committee. This portfolio will include:
- Involvement in the review and implementation of our Recreation and Cultural Master Plan, which will occur this term. This review will determine park needs and community amenity needs going forward;
- Liaising and support to the charitable sector, and connecting non-profit organizations with City Hall and City Council;
- Promoting community pride and inclusion. This includes new ways to support all our diverse communities and cultures within our city and region; and
- Co-sponsor with the Deputy Mayor for Community Engagement & Partnerships on community funding opportunities at the City and Region and private sponsorship opportunities for city projects.
- This assignment builds on Councillor Bentivegna’s decades of volunteerism in our community, including with the hospital, sports clubs, and the Gift of Giving Back – Canada’s largest youth-led food drive. This also builds on his work on our Accessibility Advisory Committee and Inclusivity Advisory Committee. This portfolio will include:
STANDING COMMITTEES CHAIR/VICE-CHAIR APPOINTMENTSThe Chair/Vice-Chair rotation for standing committees for the full 2022-2026 term allows every member of council to serve as a chair atleast three times during the term on each of the three main Standing Committees:
- Community Planning Regulation and Mobility (CPRM);
- Corporate Services Strategy Risk and Accountability (CSSRA); and
- Environment Infrastructure and Community Services (EICS).
In accordance with our practice for the past term, Councillor Bentivegna will remain as Chair of Workshops for the entire term. The Vice-Chair will rotate each year.Audit Committee includes citizen representatives, and that Committee chooses their own Chair and Vice Chair, so there are no recommendations in the Mayor's Office report.
| Community Planning Regulation & Mobility (CPRM) Committee | ||
| Year | Chair | Vice-Chair |
| 2023 | Paul Sharman | Shawna Stolte |
| 2024 | Shawna Stolte | Lisa Kearns |
| 2025 | Lisa Kearns | Kelvin Galbraith |
| 2026 | Kelvin Galbraith | Rory Nisan |
• • •
| Environment, Infrastructure & Community Services (EICS) Committee | ||
| Year | Chair | Vice-Chair |
| 2023 | Rory Nisan | Lisa Kearns |
| 2024 | Lisa Kearns | Kelvin Galbraith |
| 2025 | Kelvin Galbraith | Shawna Stolte |
| 2026 | Shawna Stolte | Paul Sharman |
• • •
| Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk & Accountability (CSSRA) Committee | ||
| Year | Chair | Vice-Chair |
| 2023 | Kelvin Galbraith | Rory Nisan |
| 2024 | Rory Nisan | Shawna Stolte |
| 2025 | Shawna Stolte | Paul Sharman |
| 2026 | Paul Sharman | Lisa Kearns |
• • •
| Budget Committee | ||
| Year | Chair | Vice-Chair |
| 2023 | Lisa Kearns | Kelvin Galbraith |
| 2024 | Kelvin Galbraith | Paul Sharman |
| 2025 | Paul Sharman | Rory Nisan |
| 2026 | Rory Nisan | Shawna Stolte |
• • •
| Council Workshops | ||
| Year | Chair | Vice-Chair |
| 2023 | Angelo Bentivegna | Shawna Stolte |
| 2024 | Angelo Bentivegna | Paul Sharman |
| 2025 | Angelo Bentivegna | Rory Nisan |
| 2026 | Angelo Bentivegna | Lisa Kearns |
• • •
To learn more, please click the links below: