Open Government and Fiscal Transparency

Part 1

How Public Money and Staff Are Managed

Financial Disclosure

Complete Service-Level Financial Disclosure

Full financial disclosure will cover every municipal service, regardless of how it is funded. This includes services financed through property taxes, water and wastewater rates, user fees, grants, reserves, debt, development charges, cost recoveries, and other revenues.

For each service, the City will publish:

• complete operating and capital budgets;
• every major source of revenue;
• staffing, compensation, overtime, consultants, and contracted services;
• reserves, debt, infrastructure needs, and planned capital projects;
• actual revenue and spending compared with the approved budget;
• clear explanations for rate increases, major spending variances, and service changes;
• service use, performance measures, and results.

Audited financial statements will be published as soon as they are available to City staff.

This disclosure includes:

• water and wastewater services;
• police services and the municipal funding provided through the Police Service Board;
• local boards;
• municipally operated, funded, or governed services;
• services supported through rates and user fees.

For water and wastewater, the City will publish the calculations and cost pressures behind proposed rate increases so residents can understand changes without having to file a freedom-of-information request.

For police services, the City will publish the proposed and approved operating and capital budgets, revenues, staffing categories, compensation, overtime, equipment, facilities, training, contracted services, budget variances, and service results. Specific information involving active investigations, individual privacy, officer safety, or operational security will remain protected.

Residents will be able to see the full cost of every municipal service, how it is funded, how the money is used, and what results it delivers.

Staffing and Accountable Administration

Public Staffing Information

The City will publish an annual staffing and compensation report showing each employee’s:

• name;
• position and department;
• employment status;
• approved salary range;
• applicable benefits structure.

For employees included on Ontario’s Sunshine List, the report will also include exact salary and taxable benefits.

The report will also show staffing changes over time, management positions, vacancies, overtime, benefit costs, consultants, and contracted labour.

Efficient Municipal Organization

Municipal staffing has increased by approximately 30% since 2012 while Owen Sound’s population has remained largely unchanged. Previous analysis also identified approximately nine additional management positions.

The City Manager will lead a comprehensive organizational review focused on:

• management layers and reporting relationships;
• staffing levels and workloads;
• management-to-front-line staffing ratios;
• service costs, use, and outcomes;
• vacancies, overtime, consultants, and contracted labour.

Council will establish the service priorities, financial objectives, and reporting requirements for the review. The City Manager will recommend and implement organizational changes within the authority provided through City policies, approved budgets, and applicable employment agreements.

Hiring, advancement, and staffing decisions will be based on merit, ability, experience, workload, and demonstrated performance. Every proposed new position will require a public business case explaining the service need, responsibilities, salary range, total cost, expected public benefit, funding source, and effect on future budgets.

Council-Directed Administration

The City Manager should have practical experience leading a successful business or organization, with a demonstrated record of sound financial management, effective operations, and reliable service delivery.

Council sets the City’s priorities through resolutions, policies, and approved budgets. The City Manager is responsible for turning that direction into effective results.

The recruitment and evaluation of the City Manager will emphasize:

• business and organizational acumen;
• responsible management of budgets, staff, assets, and services;
• respect for Council’s democratic direction;
• timely follow-through;
• clear communication;
• measurable improvements in efficiency, service quality, and financial stewardship.

Published Management Goals

At the beginning of each year, the City will publish clear performance goals for every municipal manager.

At the end of the year, the City will publish:

• the original goals;
• measurable targets;
• progress and final results;
• explanations for incomplete work;
• priorities carried into the following year.

Each goal will connect to the relevant budget, service, project, Council decision, or strategic priority where practical. The City Manager’s goals will include measurable targets for improving efficiency, controlling staffing costs, simplifying management structures, and strengthening service delivery.

Contracts, Audits, and Service Results

Residents will be able to review major City contracts, successful bidders, contract values, amendments, extensions, and final costs. Sole-source and emergency procurements will include a clear public explanation.

Audits, consultant reports, service reviews, and financial analyses will be released promptly once received by City staff, subject to applicable privacy and confidentiality requirements.

Each department and major service will publish understandable year-over-year measures showing:

• what the service costs;
• how many people use it;
• staffing levels;
• service outcomes;
• changes from previous years.

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Part 2

How Decisions Are Made and Reported

Open Meetings and Decision Tracking

Residents will be able to follow a public decision from the first report through implementation and final results:

1. Council reports, supporting documents, presentations, and relevant background information will be easy to locate before Council considers the matter.
2. Minutes will record decisions, motions, amendments, recorded votes, declarations of interest, delegations, presentations, links to supporting documents, and assigned follow-up actions where applicable.
3. Draft minutes for Council, committee, and other public City meetings will be published online no later than the day after the meeting and clearly marked as draft. Approved minutes will replace them after formal adoption.
4. The City will identify the responsible department and manager, Council resolution, policy or budget authority, expected timeline, cost, and outcome.
5. The City will publish progress updates, explanations for delays or major changes, and final results.

Staff reports will clearly distinguish Council-approved direction, staff recommendations, actions under delegated authority, and matters requiring a further Council decision. Meeting agendas, recordings, minutes, decisions, and implementation updates will be kept together in one searchable public record.

Automatic Release of Closed-Meeting Records

Complete Closed-Meeting Record

The City will make audio or video recordings of all closed Council and committee meetings, alongside complete written minutes.

When the reason for confidentiality ends, the City will publish the closed-meeting record within 30 days, including:

• the written minutes;
• the audio or video recording and transcript;
• reports and presentations considered during the meeting;
• resolutions, directions, and recorded votes;
• the final decision and resulting actions.

Any redactions will be limited to information that remains legally protected after the release trigger. Each release will include a redaction log identifying the legal basis and the affected page or recording time.

Automatic Release Triggers

Closed-meeting records will be released:

• Land purchases and sales: within 30 days after the transaction closes;
• Contracts and negotiations: within 30 days after the agreement is executed and any formal challenge period has ended;
• Collective bargaining: within 30 days after the agreement is ratified;
• Litigation: within 90 days after final resolution and expiry of the appeal period;
• Security matters: within 30 days after the identified risk has ended;
• Confidential third-party information: within 30 days after the confidentiality obligation expires or the source makes the information public;
• Legal advice: the factual background, resulting decision, costs, and implementation record will be released after the matter is resolved. Privileged legal communications will be released where Council formally waives privilege.

Personnel Matters

Personnel records require different public reporting rules because an employee may remain identifiable even when their name is removed.

City Manager and Council-Appointed Officers

When Council makes a final appointment, suspension, resignation, or termination decision involving the City Manager or another Council-appointed officer, the City will publish within seven days:

• the position involved;
• the employment status change and effective date;
• the public resolution and recorded vote;
• the organizational decision and resulting administrative changes;
• compensation information already subject to public disclosure;
• the total public cost of legal advice, recruitment, and organizational transition.

The related closed-meeting record will be released within 30 days after any grievance, litigation, or appeal period has ended. Personal evaluations, medical or accommodation information, witness information, unproven allegations, and privileged legal advice will remain redacted unless the affected person consents or the information becomes public through a court or tribunal.

Other Municipal Employees

After a personnel matter is finally resolved, the City will publish:

• any resulting policy, service, management, or organizational changes;
• the department affected;
• the financial and operational impact;
• confirmation that the matter has concluded;
• any follow-up action assigned to management.

Individual allegations, findings, discipline, performance records, health information, and complaint evidence will be released only with written consent or when made public through a court, tribunal, or other lawful public process.

The City will publish quarterly aggregate reports showing the number and general category of workplace complaints, investigations, grievances, disciplinary actions, and resolutions. Categories will be combined where necessary to prevent identification of individual employees.

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Part 3

How Residents Access and Discuss Information

Accessible Public Information

City information will be:

• searchable and downloadable;
• written in accessible formats;
• accompanied by plain-language summaries;
• organized so agendas, reports, recordings, minutes, decisions, and implementation updates can be found together.

Public Document Forum

The City will create an online public forum with dedicated discussion pages for public reports, budgets, audits, studies, major contracts, and Council proposals. Residents will be able to:

• discuss City documents and proposals;
• ask questions and receive visible responses;
• submit and support suggestions or alternative approaches;
• follow decisions from discussion through implementation.

Reading will remain open to everyone. Posting, voting, and submitting proposals will be available to verified Owen Sound residents. Verification will confirm eligibility while protecting personal information, and public display names may be separated from private verification information.

Clear moderation standards, searchable archives, links to source documents and Council decisions, visible staff or Council responses, accessible mobile and assistive-technology support, and summaries of recurring input will create a permanent public record of community participation.

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