Crossing Boundaries?

The Hamiltonian posed the following questions to Mayor Fred Eisenberger and City Manager Chris Murray with an invite for them to reply jointly or otherwise.

The questions are posed below, as well as the response we received, which was sent via city staff:


Good morning Mayor Eisenberger/Mr. Murray.

We are posing the following questions for publication purposes. We realize that some of these questions may be best answered together or individually, so we are directing the questions to both of you and will accept a response to these questions as you see fit.

It is our understanding that council has elected to forgo recommendations made by a consulting firm that was hired and, instead, chose its own design of ward boundaries. It is also our understanding that the city has now hired an outside law firm to defend its decision before the OMB.

In light of this, can you respond to the following:

1. Can you advise Hamiltonians what the fee arrangements are with the firm hired. The hourly rate, or other set rate, and a range of how much this can potentially cost taxpayers, or at the very least, how much is budgeted?

2. It may seem to some odd that an outside consulting firm would be hired to do a study and make recommendations, only to have city council go their own way. Can you comment on what prompted such a departure?

3. In light of a Value for Money focus within the city, and a position in place to conduct such audits, is this matter referred for a value for money audit or will it be?

4. Is there anything else you’d like Hamiltonians to know about this matter?
Thank-you Mr. Mayor and Mr. Murray.


Response received:

We have consulted with the City’s Legal Services division, the Office of the City Clerk and Audit Services. Because this file is now before the Ontario Municipal Board, we are limited in terms of the information we are able to provide. What we can share is that the services of Steven Ferri with Loopstra Nixon LLP have been retained. Specific legal fees, fee arrangements and hourly rates are not public per the City’s normal practice.

In referring to the relevant legislation (Section 222 of the Municipal Act), Council is not prohibited from approving a ward boundary by-law that may include options recommended by councillors.

With respect to your audit question, activities conducted by staff not Council fall within the purview of our Audit Services division.

Here are links to the relevant meetings so that you have them at hand:

Feb 1st GIC: Item 7.2 is the Final (Amended) Ward Boundary Consultants Report:
http://hamilton.siretechnologies.com/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=1113&amp%3Bamp%3Bdoctype=AGENDA

May 3rd GIC: Item 12.2 was the closed session item, however there was a public motion see Item 12 of the following GIC Report:
https://d3fpllf1m7bbt3.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/may3gicreport-17-010-as-amended.pdf


May 3rd GIC: Link to the agenda and livestreaming of the meeting: Item 8.4:
http://hamilton.siretechnologies.com/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=1172&amp%3Bamp%3Bdoctype=AGENDA