Relations between Guelph and Wellington County continued to decline early this week when city council voted to create its own social services committee – an entity that had been a joint city-county committee.
Further, city council voted to amend its procedural bylaw to remove the land ambulance committee as a standing committee of Guelph city council, and that the general service area responsibilities of the emergency services, community services and operations (ECO) committee be amended to include responsibility for the city operated Guelph-Wellington emergency medical service.
The sudden move by city council came despite an attempt by councillor Bob Bell to defer the issue.
“I don’t think it’s appropriate they [county officials] don’t have a a member on the committee or standing on the committee,” Bell said.
County Warden Joanne Ross-Zuj said in an interview she heard about the proposal only days before it came to council.
Bell’s motion to defer was lost, with only two other councillors in favour of deferral. Councillor June Hofland asked if council needs any permission from the province in order to take such steps.
Mayor Karen Farbridge said, “To my knowledge, at this point is time, there is no legislation to prevent us from doing this.”
Council was acting on a report from Brenda Boisvert, the city’s manager of strategic planning, who said the argument with the county was control over discretionary spending.
Out of the city’s $23-million payment for social services, under $1-million is discretionary. Council heard that even a tied vote at the joint social services committee does not prevent the county from making expenditures and the city has no choice but to pay.
Boisvert did say county Treasurer Craig Dyer told her there are codes to follow for city and county delivery of social services.
One councillor stated it was troubling that the city had no control of its own expenditures in that area.
Farbridge said, “This is it.”
Councillor Gloria Kovach said with its own committee, Guelph council will be able to make sure what’s going on. Councillor Leanne Piper asked if the changes being made by the city would allow the county to form its own ambulance committee.
Boisvert said the county could do that, but instead of having formal status with Guelph, it would have to be a delegation at the committee level instead.
Bell said it seems city councillors do not feel they have proper representation on budget items so they want to make decisions at a council level. “Isn’t it hypocritical to deny the county representation on the land ambulance?”
Boisvert said, “Guelph has the right to its own committee.”
She said the city could encourage the county to set up its own land ambulance committee, and it could come to the Guelph committee as a delegation.
Farbridge noted that there was no connection with Guelph wanting to set up its own social services committee and the recent court action between the city and county.
Guelph sought arbitration to have its social services costs reduced, at the expense of Wellington County paying far more though the idea of paying social services by assessment. The county has strongly opposed that. Farbridge said that decision was expected to be announced the next day (Tuesday).
She also stressed the services will continue to be delivered.
Farbridge noted that Guelph and Wellington share the Provincial Offences Court responsibilities and “We don’t have a committee – and maybe that’s telling.”
The city has been studying the roles of the social services and land ambulance committee since late 2008.
Warden disappointed
Ross-Zuj said in an interview on Tuesday morning that she is “very disappointed” the city would take such steps with no discussion with the county officials. She added the county has even provided the city with workshops to explain how the committee works, and the recent arbitration hearing further expanded on that work.
So, on Tuesday, Ross-Zuj said county officials and its lawyers are looking into the legality of the city’s move.
Further, she said, “We will not be duplicating services with one set for the city, and one for the county.
Ross-Zuj said that she is particularly troubled that Guelph appears to be jeopardizing its “most vulnerable citizens.”
That means any city social services committee would have to meet with the county committee, because county social services committee will not be duplicating their reports and presentations to the city committee.
She added that if the county is to become a delegation for the land ambulance to know what is going on, the city will have to do the same for social services.
“We’ve never operated this way,” Ross-Zuj said. “It is difficult for the county to operate in this manner. It’s so disrespectful.”
As for the land ambulance issue, she said the safety of county residents is hugely important.
“To cut the county out of a huge service that we fund is disappointing,” she said, noting that ambulance response times for Erin are well below the provincial guidelines.
She said if the city has budget problems, it will simply have to make its own cuts to meet its budget targets.
County councillor Gord Tosh is currently the chairman of the social services committee, although the next meeting he chairs will include only county officials. Some Guelph councillors tried to have representation for at least one more meeting, until the arbitration results were announced, but city council opposed that on Monday night.
Tosh said Farbridge did send him a copy of the city proposal, but Tosh said, “I’m not sure how we can operated two committees if we’re not talking together.”
He added, “We can’t stop the services. They have been mandated to the county. We have the contract to do that. The city will have to pay for [its share]. I don’t think the province will let them. It’s really too bad. I wish we could have got past these issues.”
County Chief Administrative Officer Scott Wilson said he, too, does not think the city will be permitted to form its own committee.
“I would be very surprised if they could,” he said in an interview prior to the city council meeting. “They still have to obey the Long Term Care Act.
He also noted that the Consolidated Municipal Service Manager (CMSM) set up by the province give the county authority to deliver social services, and the city authority over land ambulance. It also gives the county control over seniors’ housing.
At one point several years ago, Guelph attempted to take control over seniors’ housing and the county asked about getting back control of the land ambulance committee. In both cases, the requests were denied by the province.
Wilson said, “We can’t start an ambulance service. They may find the same thing” for a
Guelph social services committee.
