City council is eying ways in which it can limit the amount of discussion occurring in closed session.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
City council may look at how it schedules meetings as a potential way to cut down on the amount of material that’s dealt within closed sessions.
On Monday, Coun. Shila Sharps said that as standing practice, scheduling a two-hour block for closed, or in-camera, sessions prior to regular open meetings has the potential to move more non-sensitive items out of public view or simply be a waste of time when there’s not enough to discuss.
“If we plan for closed meeting we should have a plan for closed meeting,” she said. “It might sound selfish, but if I don’t have to be here until 6 (p.m. ahead of the 6:30 p.m. open) meeting … I feel strongly that if we always plan to have a closed meeting we’ll always have a closed meeting.”
Council voted 7-2 in favour of the administration and legislative committee reviewing the issue.
Council can meet in closed session to discuss a limited number of issues, such as personnel, financial dealings, negotiating strategies, or other advice from officials covered under the Municipal Government Act.
According to the minutes of the Nov. 6 council meetings, the standard closed session began as scheduled at 3:45 p.m. and ended at 4:35 p.m., about two hours before the open session began as scheduled at 6:30.
The Oct. 16 meeting however, began on time but lasted until 6:05 p.m., allowing about 15 minutes for a dinner break before open session.
Coun. Andy McGrogan said council has been conscious of reducing the number of discussions taking place in closed session, estimating 70 per cent less time had been spent in-camera.
But, he said, having a standard time for closed may send the wrong impression to the public.
“If we go into closed after meeting, I’m not sure what would come out of … going very late into the evening,” he said. “But I will support the motion to look at it.”
Council veteran Robert Dumanowski says in years past it had been standard to schedule a standing closed-session meeting before the open meeting begins at 6:30 p.m.
But, each would typically have a flexible start time and be longer or shorter depending on the topics or volume of material to go through.
That can include sensitive material and complex topics related to the utility business, said Coun. Darren Hirsch.
“When we need to be transparent, we absolutely are,” he said, adding that having a closed meeting after regular meetings, which can go until 9 or 10 p.m., could leave staff waiting hours to present closed meeting reports.
