Having the Mayor Lou Maieron take issue with council minutes is a recurring theme these days and Nov. 19 proved to be no exception.
It started off with Maieron posing questions on the Oct. 29 special council meeting regarding Ken Chapman’s request to speak at that meeting.
Maieron said both the clerk and CAO spoke regarding Bourinot’s Rules of Order – not allowing a delegation to appear because of the lack of notice in the request.
The reason cited in the minutes was that special meeting agendas are typically not ammended, and there was no seconder to the motion which would have amended the agenda to allow Chapman to speak.
CAO Kathryn Ironmonger pointed out that during the meeting she had also stated in addition to Bourinot’s Rules of Order, the municipality also looked at best practices governing how special meetings are to be conducted.
“It wasn’t just Bourinot’s Rules of Order.”
Regardless, Maieron said Bourinot’s Rules of Order came up quite often in the original discussion, and when items are not referred to in the procedural bylaw, it was Bourinot’s Rules to which the township referred.
“… and we also look towards best practices,” Ironmonger said.
She added a resolution was placed on the table (to amend the agend) … it was not seconded. Because of that it was defeated.”
Maieron also questioned the proceedure of council reporting out from its closed session.
At that time councillor John Brennan spoke to the matter.
Maieron said he did not speak on the issue or take part in that discussion having declared a conflict of interest.
Maieron wondered whether Brennan should have been declared as acting chair before reporting.
Brennan noted that he was the presiding officer for that portion of the closed session.
