Once More With Feeling

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "An Appeal": 12:14... nice to see that you pay attention to the clock, too bad it's not accurate. However, the Blog's host has an issue with community groups hijacking council meetings, how can this appeal from a community group be any different? And don't tell me it's different because this is not The Town; well, it's called "Our Town and its Business"!!! ****************************** The Blog's host has no issue with community groups. I do have an issue with Council being content with a process that in no way conforms to the requirements of the Municipal Act. After taking the Oath of Office, adopting a Procedure Bylaw is first Order of Business. The Act requires that a Calendar of Meetings shall be published. Agendas are required to be published in advanced. The purpose is to inform the community when Town business will be dealt with and which items will be decided. Town business shall be open and transparent. Council is the decision-making body. It's why we have elections. As we do it, delegations can be requested until the last minute. In the last term, it became apparent the presiding officer was encouraging groups or individuals to delegate to Council. It became an accepted pattern. Yes, Council meetings are televised. It should mean the town's business is conducted openly and transparently and according to schedule. Not so when a meeting continues until midnight, one and a half hours beyond the scheduled hour of adjournment and half the agenda has to be deferred until the next meeting a month hence. There is no order in the process. There is no efficiency. There is no clarity. No evidence of competent management. Requirements of the Municipal Act are not being met.