Task Force Confidential?

Friday, September 04, 2009 04:20 AM

Prince George, B.C. - The Mayor’s Task Force for a Better Downtown has representatives from various sectors of the City. Among the Task Force members there are two councillors, a rep from the RCMP, a representative from Northern Health, a hotelier, and a real estate agent.

Not one has been asked to sign an agreement binding them to honour the confidentiality of some of the Task Force’s discussions.

While this may not have seemed a item of concern in the past, recently, a City Councillor was charged for breaching the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. While that matter has yet to go to court, the accusation has thrust the issue of confidentiality at Prince George City Hall into the spotlight.

On Thursday, the Task Force held a meeting, but held part of the session in camera. Mayor Dan Rogers said it was to be held behind closed doors because the item had to do with land, and a legal opinion. Both subjects are listed under the Community Charter as acceptable reasons for such a committee to hold a meeting (or portion thereof) behind closed doors.

While none of the Task Force members has been called upon to sign an agreement of confidentiality, Mayor Rogers says he believes the members “Understand they are expected to keep certain matters confidential.”

“We weren’t talking about Parcel A or Parcel B, but rather a legal opinion about whether the Task Force has authority to do certain things” says Mayor Rogers. The Mayor adds that it will ultimately be City Council’s decision on what the Task Force does or doesn’t do.

Mayor Rogers says he reminded the Task Force members during Thursday’s session about their commitment to keep the closed door sessions confidential “I certainly have advised them that as members of this task force they may, from time to time, be privy to confidential information”. He says he has full confidence those he selected for inclusion on the Task Force, will respect that need to keep such information confidential.

While Council members have taken an oath of office, and under section 117 of the community charter, have a “Duty to respect confidentiality” where they must:

(a) keep in confidence any record held in confidence by the municipality until the record is released to the public as lawfully authorized or require, and

(b) keep in confidence information considered in any part of a council meeting or council committee meeting that was lawfully closed to the public, until the council or committee discusses the information at a meeting that is open to the public or releases the information to the public.

There is no such binder on members of the public who are taking part in committee work. In fact, the terms of Reference for Phase One of the Task Force, make no mention of confidentiality issues but clearly outlines the Task Forces work.

The Phase One Tasks were identified ( and approved unanimously by Council) as being:

· Develop a proposed shared vision for the downtown derived from the Smart Growth on the Ground which establishes and balances economic, social, cultural and environmental objectives

· Create a recommended implementation model to advance initiatives, projects and programs that are in alignment with the vision for the downtown

· Facilitate and expedite planned projects which are underway in the short term

· Identify roles and responsibilities for community partnerships to achieve the desired outcomes

· Develop a proposed public engagement and communication plan which integrates and coordinates with the Smart Growth on the Aground, Beyond Homelessness, Official Community Plan and other relevant consultation initiatives

· Present associated timelines, present an analysis of the resources required and proposed methods to secure them and

· Recommend a mandate, form and membership for the Phase Two group to cause implementation of the tasks presented as Phase One recommendations.

It does not appear there is anything in the terms of reference giving the Task Force any mandate to deal with issues of land, or the need to seek a legal opinion, the two very issues cited as the reasons for having a confidential meeting.

Mayor Rogers says having Task Force members sign a binding confidentiality agreement “May be something to consider down the road.”

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Posted on Friday, September 04, 2009 04:20 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: lmorge on September 4 2009 5:28 AM

Another inneffectual commitee I see. All the good buzz words: shared vision, Facilitate, expedite, etc. HOT AIR.

Posted by: gus on September 4 2009 8:00 AM

Nothing on the City Web site about the task force it seems.
Are the names of the members also confidential?

Posted by: Palopu on September 4 2009 9:00 AM

If the members of the task force do not have a mandate to deal with issues of land or to seek legal opinion, then there would be no need for them to be present at a closed meeting.

The fact that they were present, and were privy to confidential information disclosed at this meeting would lead one to beleive that the City itself has contravened its own confidential guidelines.

Posted by: metalman on September 4 2009 9:25 AM

Imorge said it all. Hot air!
Don't get me wrong, I am sure the players earnestly believe they will accomplish something positive, I just don't agree..
metalman.

Posted by: gus on September 4 2009 9:45 AM

BTW, people are still getting the global issue of confidentility confused with the specific issue of confidentiality of personal information which is the issue in the case of Skakun.

I doubt personal information is at issue with respect to this task force.

However, this task force is dealing with downtown. Land ownership as well as strategies to aquire land, sell land, and hear what others might want to do with land they have or wish to aquire would be considered to be issues that could and should be discussed behind closed doors.

Should those present have to sign a non-disclosure agreement when they receive such confidential information? You bet!!!!

Posted by: gus on September 4 2009 10:01 AM

Where exactly does it say that the Task Force does not have a mandate to deal with issues of land?

From the above list:

1. Create a recommended implementation model to advance initiatives, projects and programs that are in alignment with the vision for the downtown

There are both public and private "initiatives, projects and programs" in the discussion/planning stage for downtown, severl of which deal with land. How can one possbily recommend an implementation model when one does nto know what the pieces are? BTW, for those who read the newspapers, it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out what those pieces are.

2. Facilitate and expedite planned projects which are underway in the short term.

Ditto ... the same as above.

3. Identify roles and responsibilities for community partnerships to achieve the desired outcomes

Once again, the same. One of those was confidential until it was made public recently - the new owners and uses of the gaming centre. Would the members of the Task Force have known about it before? Quite possibly. Ask the Mayor. The answer may be confidential. LOL

4. Present associated timelines, present an analysis of the resources required and proposed methods to secure them and

"resources required" let me see, land? Of course that would be one of them!

So what is all the fuss about?

The real fuss, I would think, is who are these people that have been cherry-picked to have the first go at brainwashing others around them as to what should or should not happen downtown? What special knowledge to they have? When was the last time they manipulated the dying downtown of a city of 75,000 or so people and ended up with a success 20 years later?

Posted by: EatsBushesShoots&Leaves on September 4 2009 11:15 AM

These clowns don't have a clue. They just killed 20% of the parking on 4th between Brunswick & Dominion with a another useless bus stop.

Posted by: Andyfreeze on September 4 2009 11:15 AM

Always keep in mind that when it comes to politicians on any level,there is a huge difference between the words "confidential" and "sneaky".
;-)

Posted by: Harbinger on September 4 2009 4:26 PM

Does this "task force" have any power to accomplish anything other than hold meetings, write things down and express their "golden" opinions?? If not, I find it just another exercise in futility. Leave downtown alone again until six months before the next civic election. And we can talk about it again. Get back to me on this.

Posted by: gus on September 4 2009 6:54 PM

Remember the Mayor's Task Force on Air Quality?

Need we say more about the usefullness of Mayor's Task Forces?

Keep holding your breath and keep your eyes closed when walking downtown. This task force has too many tasks and no force.

Posted by: supertech on September 5 2009 5:27 PM

I hope those on the task force show more sanity than they used during the fluoride debate. Why did they call that a debate??