Section 3.10 of the Procedural Bylaw governs delegations.
Delegates on special interest items shall be encouraged to attend General Committee rather than Council.The request for delegation status shall be in writing and shall state in detail the nature of the matter to be presented by the delegate.
Anyone wishing to appear on a subject not on the agenda shall be directed to appear at the Open Forum Section of the meeting.Alternatively, the delegate may be placed on a committee agenda to speak to an issue that is not on the agenda.
A delegate shall be permitted to speak only once on the item.
To-night's agenda has three requests for delegation status. The nature of the matter of all three refers to Item 20.
Item 20 is a memorandum from Councillor Ballard covering an offensive, abrasive, accusatory document, critical of staff from Yvonne Cattral, a private swim club operator, who is dis-satisfied with accommodation provided to her as result of an agreement arrived at during the last term of Council through the mediation of an official from a Swim Ontario Organisation.
Two clubs using the facility gave up lanes they had previously booked, to allow Ms Cattral to be accommodated.
Council watchers may re-call the time and endless wrangling on the issue in the last term before there was resolution. The other clubs signed the agreement. Ms Cattral did not.
The point of this post is emphasize the purpose of the Procedural Bylaw. Rules are legislated so that all may know they are fair and equal.
A memorandum from a Councillor contriving to have an issue placed on an
agenda, so that delegation could be permitted on the issue, which would not otherwise be permitted, to enable a fractious individual to have another kick at the cat so-to-speak, is not conducive to good order at the Council table.
It is important and I believe should be to all Councillors, we start this term the way we mean to go on.
People need to know they will be treated fairly.
Decisions must not only be fair they must be seen to be fair.
They cannot be seen to be fair if individuals can seek out someone willing to find a way to bend the rules.
Fairness happens when the rules and reasons for the rules are understood and respected by everyone.
Tuesday 14 December 2010
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5 comments:
In previous posts you talked about how the Procedural Bylaws are set at the beginning of a council's term. Has this council set and passed the procedural bylaws for this term?
"The point of this post is emphasize the purpose of the Procedural Bylaw. Rules are legislated so that all may know they are fair and equal."
Perhaps in fairness to all, you should in fact post the section of the bylaw that you using to back up your statements. You quote a section but not allow us to read it and interpret it's meaning in order to agree or disagree with you.
I have read your blog post and am left at a loss. I was in attendance at the meeting last night and listened to all that was said. I didn't find anything said by Ms CATTREL to be "offensive, abrasive, accusatory" as stated in your blog.
I am curious however why it seems to be such a trial to equally divy up pool time. As a basic function of a democratic society a simple Representaion by Population method could be used.
Isn't this suppose to be about the children and their opportunity to swim not about whether they are a Duck or a Selkie? Each should be allowed fair and equal access to publicly funded facilities.
Maybe my view is simplistic but if there are 3 clubs, wouldn't it make sense to divide the pool time 3 ways. Surely you have an agreement in place for ice time that works? Unless there is a contractural reason I have not been made privy to I don't see why any group of children should be discrimninated against because of the club they choose to swim with. Judging by your statements, your position on this sounds more personal than professional.
I am curious how long the initial contracts signed by the Ducks and Master Ducks are for? I think there is a reason that the Selkie club is doing so well. They offer an intermediate program for children to develop in and also do so at less then half of the cost of joining the Duck's.
As it stands at the moment, the Ducks are in a fantastic business position. They are set up in a town with limited facilities for for their product and were Johnny on the spot to sign a deal allowing them a disproportionate amount of the allotted time at the facility. This has the left the taxpayers, you know us poor buggers who paid for the facilities. With the options of squeeze in the lessons here and there at multiple facilities at inconvenient times as a Selkie (affordable option) or cough up double the amount to have access at the more desirable times offered by the Ducks(not in our family budget).
Allow me to quote you:
"It is the town's obligation to be fair to all"
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