Focus of many councillors on wording of bylaws
Lakeland Ridges Council spent much of its Oct. 7 meeting reviewing proposed changes to municipal by-laws and policies, including meeting procedures, council conduct and fire services.
One of the main items discussed was the municipality’s procedural bylaw, with proposed changes to the regular council meeting schedule and locations.
Under the proposed wording, regular meetings would be held on the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m., with meetings rotating between the municipality’s wards.
“If the second Monday of the month is a holiday, the meeting shall be held on a date within that week, decided by motion of council,” councillor Rhonda Alward said.
Council also discussed changing the deadline for agenda submissions and when it distributes agendas to councillors.
Another significant discussion centred on the municipality’s code of conduct process.
Councillors questioned the current wording surrounding complaints, including when a complaint must be brought before council, what information must be made public and when a matter can move into a closed session.
“It is clear,” Alward said during the discussion, while councillors continued to work through the process.
Council was reminded that it cannot make decisions on code of conduct complaints behind closed doors, and that the initial process requires presenting information appropriately in an open meeting.
The municipality is also reviewing several older bylaws to determine which remain relevant and which have been replaced by newer legislation or regional services.
Council also discussed a proposed policy for conduct in council chambers. The policy would establish expectations for respectful behaviour during meetings, prohibit disruptions, and establish rules for attendees and media.
Councillors also talked about the municipality’s fire service policy and agreed that the fire chiefs should meet to review the document and bring proposed changes back to council.
