The Committee, which existed around 1972, was made up of two aldermen and a budget & finance advisor. It discussed Mr. Edgar Goudey's proposal for a lottery to help fund a hospital for Dartmouth.
The Dartmouth Youth Committee, which existed 1993-1996, investigated issues related to Dartmouth youth and promoted youth in a positive light. Its purpose was to carry out duties with respect to youth services and issues and to initiate projects as required.
The Committee, which existed in the sixties, dealt with all matters related to public safety, such as crosswalks, but particularly matters related to police and fire services. Members were six Aldermen, the Fire Chief, the Police Chief, and the City Administrator.
The Superintendent of Education called annual meetings of the ratepayers of school section 43 (Dartmouth) as of 1864, to make decisions about funding the local schools. The Dartmouth School Board continued to oversee the operation of schools in Dartmouth.
The Board of School Commissioners had nine members; five were appointed by Council and four by the Governor in Council. The Board managed school buildings. It could also hire and fire teachers and employees, and made regulations about: meetings of the board; duties of the employees of the board; discipline in the schools, the welfare of pupils, and the care of school property; determining the areas where pupils of each school must come from; and care and protection of school property and the hours during which the schools may be open.
The Board met monthly. In 1982 it became the Dartmouth District School Board.
The Park Commission, which existed [1889]-[1961], oversaw all work done in Dartmouth parks, approved transfers of parklands, and hired and managed Town/City employees working in parks.
The Finance and Executive Committee was formally established in 1940 and replaced a number of earlier bodies. Originally the City had a Public Accounts and Finance Committee, known to have been active between 1888 and 1907, which consisted of approximately four council members and was responsible for overseeing the city’s financial accounts. The committee examined accounts, recommended accounts for payment, recommended salary increases, and submitted annual expenditure and income estimates to city council.
In 1907 the Finance Committee, consisting of six members, took over financial responsibilities. The Finance and Executive Committee succeeded these earlier bodies in 1940 when the city underwent a number of administrative and organizational changes. This committee consisted of the mayor and six aldermen, but grew to include the mayor and seven aldermen by 1964, and by 1991 consisted of the mayor and twelve aldermen. The mayor served as chairman of the committee whose members were also appointed annually by council to form the Arbitration Committee of the city. The function of the committee as stated in chapter 56 of The Statutes of Nova Scotia, 1940, was to consider and report on city financial matters; receive, prepare, and report on committee estimates; consider and report on capital expenditures; and report to council on certain appointments. It was not responsible for the finances of the Board of school Commissioners, the Halifax Mental Hospital, the Halifax Civic Hospital, the Halifax Recreation Committee, the Visitors and Convention Committee and any board or commission. The committee was responsible for supervising the city’s Finance and Accounting Department which was originally directed by a Commissioner of Finance and Accounts who reported to the committee. The committee continued until amalgamation in 1996.
The Committee on Works was established in 1872 as the Board of Commissioners of City Works, consisting of 6 aldermen. It replaced the Commission of Water Supply, Commission of Streets, the Internal Health Committee and the Committee of City Property. By 1907 the Board was renamed the Committee on City Works and consisted of the mayor, acting as chairman, and two aldermen. The committee was responsible for the city’s works and property, including sewers, streets, bridges, and water works. The City Engineer worked under the committee to supervise the repair and maintenance of public works. By 1931 the committee was referred to as the Committee on Works and consisted of the mayor, acting as chairman, and an alderman from each ward. The committee changed again in 1940 when it took over the responsibilities of the Camp Hill Cemetery Committee and the Committee on Public Parks, Gardens, and Common and so began to oversee the management of Camp Hill Cemetery, the Halifax Commons, the Public Gardens, and other city parks, except for Point Pleasant Park. The committee now consisted of six aldermen with the mayor as chairman. The Public Service Commission of Halifax took over responsiblity for waterworks in 1945. By 1964 the committee was expanded to include the mayor and seven aldermen and by 1994 to include the mayor and twelve aldermen. The committee was active until amalgamation in 1996.
The city’s Development Department was formed by 1964 and was responsible for co-ordinating redevelopment and development projects in the city. Headed by the Director of Development, the department managed the City's land assets and real estate; regulated use of buildings, and pollution; proposed and implemented community development programs, including those focussed on low-income housing. The department contributed to the development of the Municipal Development Plan. The department had a planning division, a property division, and a traffic division, and by 1991 appears to have been renamed the Development and Planning Department.
The Housing Committee was formed in 1967 to advise City Council on a means of increasing public housing in the city and to develop a rehabilitation program to improve existing housing in the city. The committee appears to have consisted of ten members and included a representative from the Halifax Labour Council, the Nova Scotia Housing Commission, the Housing Authority of Halifax, and the Board of Trade. The committee met on a bi-weekly basis.
Sources Housing Committee, Meeting minutes, 30 November 1967, City of Halifax Fonds, Redevelopment Committee Series, Redevelopment Committee Minutes Sub-series, HRM Archives, Dartmouth, NS, 2-3.
The Halifax Industrial Development Commission was established in 1955 and consisted of the mayor and six members appointed by council. The commission was established to encourage industrial development in the city and to make recommendations to council on business and industry related issues. Meetings of the commission were supposed to be held on a monthly basis. The city’s Industrial Committee (ca. 1951) may have been a predecessor body to the Halifax Industrial Development Commission. In 1970 the commission was replaced by the Halifax Industrial Commission, whose functions were similar but expanded.