A proposed shake-up of Owen Sound’s city committees has sparked some concerns among accessibility advocates.
City councillors discussed a staff recommendation at Monday’s meeting to disband the community development, tourism and culture, and the accessibility advisory committees. Staff also proposed creating a new task force to review council’s pay.
Council ended up endorsing most of the recommended changes, but held off making a decision about the future of the accessibility advisory committee. The proposal from staff would see the local committee broken up, and the city would instead join the Grey County joint accessibility advisory committee.
City councillors ended up passing a motion — introduced by Coun. Carol Merton — to postpone a decision on disbanding the local accessibility advisory committee.
There was some pushback to the plan. Merton says members of the committee received no notice, and weren’t asked for any input before the staff recommendation came to council.
“For those who actually identify as having a disability, please help me understand how this request fulfills our safe city objective, to support inclusivity, diversity and accessibility,” Merton wonders.
City manager Tim Simmonds: “It came down to the question of ‘are we removing the ability to provide that input still?’ And when you look at the mandate of Grey County joint accessibility advisory committee … we felt as though we weren’t turning a deaf ear or losing that ability to continue forward with accessibility. But it was in a more fulsome, county-wide committee approach to save time for staff.”
A few community members also attended council question period Monday to voice their concerns. And Christine Farrell, chair of the accessibility advisory committee, asked how the change would ensure people living in the city with disabilities still have their perspectives heard?
Staff will be bringing back a report about the amount of representation the city could expect on the joint regional accessibility committee.
That report is expected to come to council at its Sept. 25 meeting.