Council Monday will consider whether to lobby the provincial government for municipal term limits following a review that that did not make a specific recommendation for or against the measure.

The issue appears before council after a council committee struck earlier this year had reviewed the idea following a recommendation from the governance review citizens advisory committee (GRCAC).

This independent, third-party committee had with the acknowledgement that the province would have institute such a change.

B次元官网网址淭erm limits would resolve concerns we heard that councillors go past their B次元官网网址榖est beforeB次元官网网址� date, would permit fresh ideas and perspectives more frequently, and prevent what amounts to career politicians in Saanich,B次元官网网址� the GRCAC report read.

The recommendation and its phrase B次元官网网址榖est beforeB次元官网网址� caused considerable controversy in adding to a long-run debate about the idea.

Council received the GRCAC report, then forwarded it to the newly Governance Task Force Standing Committee for review. This committee consisted out of Mayor Richard Atwell as chair, Coun. Judy Brownoff, Karen Harper, Fred Haynes, and Susan Brice. This committee met three times to review the report, and came up with responses to each of the thirty recommendations, according to John Schmuck, who chaired the initial governance review citizens advisory committee (GRCAC) and served on the review committee as a non-voting member.

Two members of GRCAC attended each of the three meetings as non-voting members, and offer additional insights.

Saanich cannot unilaterally impose term limits. It must instead lobby the provincial government and the committee B次元官网网址� to borrow a football analogy B次元官网网址� punted on the question on whether Saanich should lobby the provincial government.

Coun. Judy Brownoff said it was not within the mandate of the smaller committee to make such a recommendation.

A memo prepared on Dec. 12 includes the following wording: B次元官网网址淭hat the Committee recommends to Council that it utilizes its discretion on advocating this suggestion to [Union of British Columbia Municipalities]/Province.B次元官网网址�

The decision to lobby the province ultimately lies with council, said Brownoff, who has previously been critical of the suggestion for the term limits, in citing the virtue of experience.

Mayor Richard Atwell agreed that the question of lobbying for term limits lies with the full council rather than a standing committee, but noted that he personally favours term limits.

B次元官网网址淎s to why the debate didnB次元官网网址檛 advocate one way or another, thatB次元官网网址檚 just how it unfolded as the motion was made and seconded,B次元官网网址� he said.

Council also punted on a number of regional issues, including the question of lobbying the province for a citizensB次元官网网址� assembly that would look into the question of regional amalgamation, with a mandatory referendum, following such a process.

This council cannot bind future councils to decisions that impact staff and finances, said Brownoff.

GRCAC submitted a total of 30 recommendations in October, and the reviewing committee said eight items covering a wide range of subjects required B次元官网网址渘o additionalB次元官网网址� or B次元官网网址渘o furtherB次元官网网址� action at this time.

Brownoff said that term does not mean that Saanich considers these issues unimportant, with staff measures well underway. For example, the GRCAC report calls on Saanich to improve voting opportunities, and a study is currently underway.

Atwell, however, predicts the public will seize on that term. B次元官网网址淚 think that is going to draw a lot of criticism, as there is always room for improvement.B次元官网网址�

John Schmuck, who chaired the initial governance review citizens advisory committee (GRCAC) and served on the review committee as one of two non-voting guests, said in an email from California that he hoped council considers each of the 30 recommendations on their respective merits in light of the invested resources, both in terms of volunteer time (some 5,800 hours) and financial support from Saanich for both consultants and secretarial support.

B次元官网网址淥ur expectation is that [council] does not gloss over these recommendations without serious consideration for further actions,B次元官网网址� said Schmuck, who will not be able to attend the meeting. B次元官网网址淚t would be a lost opportunity to pursue needed changes if no further actions were to be taken.B次元官网网址�