Coleman's Note: Naming or Not Naming Civic Managers – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

April 16, 2019
Viv Saunders of the Lakewood Beach Community Council is one of Hamilton’s most engaged citizens; a citizen who I regularly learn from in her commentary and analysis of civic issues.
Today, in front of Council representing LBCC, Saunders stated to Council that she does not know who the Manager of Development Planning is.
That Saunders does not know this causes me pause, have I failed to properly inform the public?
Her comment was in the context of explaining to Council their options in controlling the proposed three tall buildings development at 310 Frances Avenue in Stoney Creek.
Specifically, Saunders was providing an excellent explanation of the Planning Act’s regulations on Site Plan approval, and that Council retains ultimate authority on Site Plan approval.
Council has delegated that authority to the General Manager of Planning and Economic Development, who has sub-delegated the authority to the Manager of Development Planning.
I did not realize this, having assumed that the authority was with the Director of Planning Steve Robichaud, more commonly known by the second half of their title – the Chief Planner. The Manager of Development Planning reports to the Chief Planner.
In government, the civil service is generally nameless. They serve the public interest by advising the government, and the practice of not naming individual civil servants is reflective that they represent an entity and not themselves.
My general practice is to only name staff in the top-three layers of City Hall management: the City Manager, General Managers, and Directors.
The naming of managers is only when a position holds significant responsibilities of authority, is a spokesperson or in a public facing role, or is acting in a manner that the public should be aware of – both good and not so good.
With this delegated authority, the Manager of Development Planning is someone who should be named in my reporting.
This brings us to who is the Manager of Development Planning. The full title of the position is Manager of Development Planning, Heritage and Design.
Anita Fabac is the holder of this position. A Registered Professional Planner, Fabac is a career civil servant who has worked for Halton and Hamilton as a planner, progressively advancing in responsibility.
Fabac is a very competent manager, a good planner, well respected by both developers and community members who interact with her. She was a key architect of the Downtown Hamilton Secondary Plan.
Fabac does her job well, and never seeks the limelight.
As many of you know, I was on the executive of the Beasley Neighbourhood Association from 2015 to 2018, and in this role I represented the BNA in some planning matters. Prior to being on the executive, I was at times requested to assist with files.
One of these files was a Site Plan meeting where a developer requested the Beasley Neighbourhood Association be present to address demands from the Public Works department for road widening, and major sewer studies.
(Aside rant: the City continued to dream of making Wilson Street six lanes, sigh, the amount of time we in the community have to consume on these silly things)
Fabac was staff chair of that meeting, Site Plan meetings are not open to the public, and managed the meeting very well. Public Works staff objected to the BNA being present at the meeting, Fabac thoughtfully explained why she as Chair would allow me to be present on behalf of the BNA.
I left that meeting impressed with her abilities.
Since this time, I’m regularly observed Fabac’s professionalism, honestly, and integrity.
As for why she’s never been named in my coverage, despite having such a key role in Planning?
All of us media covering City Hall generally quote the City’s Chief Planner or General Manager of Economic Planning and Development. Searching using Google finds only 22 mentions of Fabac between myself, TheSpec, Hamilton Community News, and CBC.
I went further into checking my coverage, to see if I had given different coverage to the now Chief Planner when he was the Manager of Development Planning. I did not mention him when he was manager.
Moving forward, I will make note of Fabac when she is engaged in managing files or issues, alongside the Chief Planner.