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Council policy incorporates ethical purchasing

Powell River City Council has unanimously approved its new purchasing policy.

Powell River City Council has unanimously approved its new purchasing policy.

At the city council meeting, Thursday, July 16, Councillor Russell Brewer, chair of the city’s finance committee, said the purchasing policy grew out of a consideration for the city to incorporate ethical purchasing. Examination of the policy indicated a review was in order, which led to the revamped policy being presented to council. A number of the changes relate to establishing limits on emergency purchases that are not in the current financial plan. There was also a proposal to increase the purchasing limits for city staff members.

“They [the limits] were relatively low comparative to other communities and a bit problematic when you had to run around and get approvals,” Brewer said.

Another purchasing policy matter raised at the finance committee meeting was adding criteria in the city’s requests for proposals for consideration of using local contractors.

Making changes

A number of council financial services policies have been reaffirmed, rescinded or amended. At a recent finance committee meeting, there was a report on a number of these policies and they were brought to council for adoption. Two policies were reaffirmed and nine were rescinded because they were too old, outdated, didn’t apply any more or were covered by other legislation. Four more were amended.

Council unanimously carried the affirmations and the policies being rescinded. However, Mayor Dave Formosa opposed the amendments. He had previously taken issue at the finance committee meeting with the proposed increases to delinquent accounts receivable. The suggested penalty for late charges and late fees in the amendment was 24 per cent, which is similar to the rate charged by credit card companies.

New procedures

City Council’s Procedures Bylaw 2415, 2015 has received assent. Councillor Russell Brewer said that one of the provisions of the new bylaw is that council members moving and seconding motions would no longer be recorded in the minutes of the proceedings. Marie Claxton, city clerk, said this is a trend and essentially reflects that no individual member of council makes a decision.

“You make your decisions collectively,” Claxton said. “In past, people have taking ownership, saying it was their motion. This way, it reflects that council is making a decision collectively.”

Councillor Rob Southcott said he supports the change because he really believes it represents a deeper element of the democratic principle.

“It’s a progression in a very positive way,” he said.

The new procedures bylaw also officially moves council’s committee of the whole meeting from Thursdays, which is the same day that council meets, to the Tuesday prior to the council meeting.

Council approved the bylaw revision unanimously.