Ottawa mayor delivers agenda to fledgling volunteer task force

Source: The Ottawa Citizen, Friday, June 13, 2008

Saying he’s pushing ahead with his mission to transform Ottawa City Hall, Mayor Larry O’Brien yesterday announced his team of Ottawa heavyweights that will review the city’s governance structure this summer. Mr. O’Brien has asked the volunteer members of the governance task force to review the city’s processes for longterm planning, the way citizens get involved in the government, accountability and transparency within city hall, and the structures of city council and its committees. The work is meant to complement the efforts of a separate task force on “e-government,” or how the city uses computers and the Internet to deal with the public and handle necessary paperwork.

The group first met in May, Mr. O’Brien said, and is due to report in August, when Mr. O’Brien means to convene a special meeting of city council to consider the task force’s recommendations, with the intention of formally approving changes within a few months.

“Today marks day 422 of my commitment to 1,000 days of change,” Mr. O’Brien wrote in a statement. “I am confident the members of the task force on governance will offer valuable insights to shape the debate this fall.”