Examine Staff Relations

When City Staff Become Quiet Leaders

The Quiet Shift in Power in Small Ontario Municipalities

In many small municipalities across Ontario, municipal councils are made up of part-time elected officials. These individuals often have full-time jobs, family responsibilities, and limited time to prepare for complex policy discussions. This part-time structure, though cost-efficient, creates a power vacuum that can be quietly filled by full-time municipal staff who have the time, resources, and institutional knowledge to shape outcomes behind the scenes.

One common method by which staff influence council decisions is through the structure and volume of meeting materials. Councillors are frequently provided with extensive agendas, staff reports, and technical appendices that can take many hours to digest. Buried within these materials is often a single-page "staff recommendation" — a concise summary that tells councillors what staff believe they should decide. With limited time to review hundreds of pages and without access to independent analysis, councillors often default to accepting staff’s recommendations.

Another mechanism of informal staff control is their frequent and sometimes inappropriate participation in debates during council and committee meetings. While the procedural role of staff is to provide information and respond to questions, some staff members blur this boundary by offering opinions, justifying their recommendations, or steering discussions during deliberation. This can pressure councillors to align with staff positions and discourage dissent or independent thinking, particularly for newer or less confident council members.

These dynamics shift the balance of power. Instead of elected officials directing municipal priorities and providing oversight, staff may begin to shape policy direction, budget allocations, and long-term planning with minimal democratic scrutiny. While most municipal staff are competent and well-intentioned, the potential for unelected personnel to influence or even dominate decision-making is a concern in a representative democracy.

There are many examples of Owen Sound city staff applying these techniques to move their own agenda. We have pointed out the City Manager and Director, Corporate Services debating issues at Committee meetings even after there was a motion on the table.

Corporate Services Committee November 09, 2023

The Solution: A More Vigilant and Assertive Council

Councillors must remain vigilant and aware of these dynamics if they are to fulfill their democratic mandate. A few practical steps can help restore the appropriate balance of power:

Training and Education: Councillors should receive regular training on how to critically analyze staff reports and ask probing questions. Orientation sessions should include independent experts — not just internal staff — to ensure a broader perspective.
Time Management and Support: Municipalities could provide part-time councillors with access to research assistants, policy advisors, or shared administrative support to help them review documents and prepare effectively.
Clear Procedural Boundaries: Procedural bylaws should be strengthened or enforced to prevent staff from debating policy during council deliberations. Their role should be limited to providing factual clarification, not persuading council.
Use of External Consultants and Independent Reviews: When facing major policy decisions, councils should consider commissioning independent reviews rather than relying solely on internal staff assessments.
Culture of Accountability: Councillors should foster a culture where respectful skepticism is encouraged. Questioning staff should not be seen as confrontational, but as part of healthy governance.

In small Ontario municipalities, democratic integrity relies on a clear distinction between elected leadership and administrative execution. Councillors are elected to govern — not to rubber-stamp. When staff begin to lead from behind the scenes, the public loses its voice. It is time for Owen Sound Council to reclaim their authority and govern with the independence and diligence their constituents deserve.