Chestermere City Council passed the first and second reading of a new Procedure Bylaw as amended during the March 15 regular meeting of council.
The bylaw focuses on how virtual council sessions should be conducted, the terms of the deputy mayor’s role, and points of orders and motions. At the time of the council meeting, the bylaw had not been reviewed by legal counsel, however, administration was prepared to send it to legal if council wanted.
“The Procedure Bylaw is how to conduct meetings and definitions within the meetings. It will help council move through meetings and understand the different areas,” Legislative Advisor Jerry Gautreau said.
“I read this bylaw over and over, I think it’s a good bylaw, but there are a few things that need attention or change to match what we’re trying to do within our city,” Councillor Mel Foat said.
Certain aspects of the bylaw concerned councillor Shannon Dean, and as a result, he wanted to put forward a motion to table the bylaw until the changes could be tracked. The motion was defeated four to three.
“I have a number of questions, that I’d at least like addressed before it goes to legal,” Dean said.
One of Dean’s concerns was councillors not being able to participate during in-camera sessions if they are online.
“I think that’s tremendously problematic,” Dean said.
Gautreau explained that because the provincial work from home order has been lifted, councillors that are not physically present in the council chambers are not supposed to be involved in the in-camera session as part of the Municipal Government Act (MGA).
“Now that the pandemic is over, are we secure somewhere to be online to go in- camera, it’s an extra piece in making sure we have the electronic means that’s also secure,” Gautreau said.
Dean reiterated his concern of councillors not being eligible to participate during in-camera sessions virtually and still follow COVID protocols and isolation requirements that are in place for stage two.
“The pandemic is not over, we’re in stage two of reopening. If I was to come down with COVID, I’m still technically supposed to follow isolation protocol. I don’t believe there has been an amendment to the MGA for the pandemic or that they have rescinded that part yet,” Dean said. “We all signed a code of conduct, and I want to trust the professionalism in the people I sit here with to do that.”
Dean raised another concern of how long councillors will serve as deputy mayor.
In the bylaw, councillors would serve as deputy mayor for 12 months, however, every councillor expressed that they wanted an opportunity to serve in that role.
“I would like to see the opportunity afforded to councillors for the idea of serving as deputy mayor for professional development, for growth, and for understanding further the different roles of city council,” Dean said.
The deputy mayor’s term was amended from 12 months to eight months.
The bylaw also indicates that agendas for each committee meeting would be developed by the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), or the Director of Corporate Services in consultation with administration, the chair, and the vice-chair.
“This council has talked a lot about empowering our committees to do things and removing red tape. I feel like this adds red tape, and does not empower our committees,” Dean said.
The procedure bylaw takes into consideration any committees that council sits on and was designed for any committee to have one policy in place for how they are going to conduct their meetings.
“Usually, it’s a quick review of what they want on the agenda, what’s approved, and then it’s added,” Gautreau said. “I think it’s communication and knowing what’s going on within the community.”
Mayor Jeff Colvin believes that having the CAO or the city director approve the agenda is beneficial as it gives them an opportunity to know what’s going on in committees.
“We’re in a unique situation where we have three city directors, the MGA is clear in what the CAO’s role is, and that’s to create the agendas,” Gautreau said.
“We have to remember that these are city committees. The entire purpose of these committees is for city purposes, having city guidance isn’t a bad idea,” Colvin said. “It’s a city committee that has a certain mandate that we as a council decided, we have employees doing this work and helping guide the city committees in a certain direction, which is what a mandated city committee is. I agree with this entirely.”
Dean has heard from constituents that they are worried about certain items being taken off of the agenda.
“We all ran on the idea of being transparent, wanting to answer, and should have the opportunity to do that in the chambers,” Dean said. “I’d like to see the items on the agenda as they are outlined, to continue to be outlined in the new procedure bylaw we create.”
Gautreau agreed that council should be transparent to the public, and the public should be heard.
“I’m not here to change anyone’s mind,” Gautreau said.
“I see the two as separate things, I don’t see them connected, it doesn’t mean we want to change the agenda,” Colvin said.
Dean made a second motion to ensure the agenda items that are outlined to continue being outlined through the new bylaw, so the public can expect what will be out each agenda. The motion was defeated four to three.
Gautreau assured Dean that if council receives questions for the public input session, the questions will be added to the agenda.
“Right now, our public knows that it’s there, and when our agenda package goes out, and it’s not there, they might not know that they can come and do that. I share the concern that I’ve heard from constituents about things being removed from the agenda,” Dean said.
“The bylaw is rules and regulations to follow meetings, and it doesn’t stipulate that we’re changing agendas,” Colvin said.
