Mayoral Decisions
- Bring matters to Council that advance certain Provincial priorities and veto any by-laws passed by Council that may interfere with the advancement of those priorities
- Appoint the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)*
- Hire and dismiss certain City staff and determine the organizational structure of the City of Woodstock*
- Create committees of Council, assign their functions and appoint the Chairs and Vice Chairs of committees of Council*
- Propose the City's budget subject to Council amendments, a Mayoral veto and a Council override process
*The Mayor may choose to delegate these specific powers and duties
The Mayor is required to exercise those powers and duties in writing and make them available to the public, subject to the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Any decisions or directions made under the Act will be posted below.
Decisions
The following is a list of decisions issued under the Part VI.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001
| Date | Decision Number | Subject Matter |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 1, 2023 | MDE-2023-01 | Delegation of Powers of CAO |
| Nov. 1, 2023 | MDE-2023-02 | Delegation of Org Structure and Hiring and Dismissal |
|
Nov. 1, 2023 |
MDE-2023-03 |
|
|
Dec. 14, 2023 |
MDE-2023-07 |
Notice of Intention to not Veto Amendments made to the 2024 Capital Budget |
Directions to Staff
The Mayor also has the ability to direct staff to undertake research and provide advice on policies and programs of the City or implement decisions made by the head of Council under the Act. Those decisions must also be in writing and available to the public.
| Date | Direction Number | Subject Matter |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 1,2023 | MDI-2023-01 | Direction to Staff to Prepare the 2024-2028 Capital Budget |
| Jan. 30, 2024 | MDI-2024-01 | Direction to Staff to Prepare the 2024 Revenue Budget |
| Sept. 12, 2024 | MDI-2024-02 | Direction to Staff to Prepare the 2025 Capital Budget and 2026-2029 Capital Forecast and the 2025 Revenue Budget |
Bylaws
Under the Act, the Mayor may veto bylaws they feel could interfere with provincial priorities. If they choose to exercise the veto, there is a prescribed schedule for notification and override of a veto that can delay the passing of the bylaw. To speed up the process, the Mayor may provide notice in writing that they do not intend to exercise their veto, allowing it to come into effect using the standard process.
Background
Bill 3, the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022, received Royal Assent on Sept. 8, 2022, and came into force on Nov. 23, 2022. The Act initially applied to the City of Toronto and City of Ottawa, but has since been expanded to other large and growing cities across Ontario, including the City of Woodstock.
This legislation and associated regulations (O. Reg. 530/22 and O. Reg 580/22) provide the Mayor with additional powers beyond those previously set out in the Municipal Act, 2001. These powers took effect Oct. 31, 2023 by O. Reg 331/23.
Staff provided a high-level overview on the Mayor’s additional powers at the Council meeting on Sept. 7, 2023.
Additional information on the legislative framework will be added as required.
