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TheReview

Ratepayers say information meetings okay

The Sidney Ratepayers’ Associ-

ation does not object to informal.

meetings between aldermen and
staff if council agenda items aren’t
discussed in detail, says the
group's president.

“As long as the meetings are for
information purposes for the bene-
fit of enlightening new council
members, we see nothing wrong
with that, as long as they don’t
discuss items on the agenda,” said
Bob Smith.

Smith, who ran unsuccessfully
for alderman in the fall election,
Says the association agrees with
the principle of staff providing
information to aldermen.

“We don’t feel the concept they
are using is out of line,” he said.

However, he says “there’s no
way the whole agenda should be
discussed prior to council meet-
ings.” He adds the group would be
opposed if decisions are made at
the informal meetings which are
ratified by council.

Ald. John Calder contends that
is exactly what’s happening.

He is one of three aldermen who
have written memos to other mem-
bers of council opposed to the
meetings.

Calder told council last week
the. meetings had started as a
“pilot project,” but had evolved
into an informal discussion of
agenda items.

He said at the council and staff
meeting on March 25, recommen-

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dations were suggested to bring
forward to the council meeting
later that evening.

In his memo, dated March 27,
Calder writes: “I believe that
“dress rehearsals’ prior to Monday
regular council will drastically
reduce the level of public partici-
pation and their ability to under-
stand the pros and cons of an issue.

“The general public has a right
to be present at the spontaneous
dialogue between council and
Staff. This is my interpretation of
“open government.’

He said these informal meetings
could be construed as being pri-
vate and suggested administrative
heads should attend council meet-
ings on Monday night if they have
to be available for background
information.

Memos of support were written
by Alds. Dave Goulet and Bob
Jones.

“Unless the format of the meet-
ings is changed to reflect less
agenda-related topics, I will not
attend these meetings in the
future,” Jones says in his memo.

Calder asked aldermen last

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week to stop holding the informal
meetings, but the majority voted to
continue them.

Other aldermen found the meet-
ings to be informative briefing
sessions that did not result in
debates of the issues.

In a memo dated April 4 to
council members, Mayor Marie
Rosko writes: “The mayor feels
that the briefing (before the April 8
council meeting) will alleviate
members of council requesting
information from staff on an indi-

vidual basis and will help to
reduce staff time constraints,
allowing them to work on their
numerous projects and, in effect,
save taxpayers’ dollars.”

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