Town Hall Motion

The way the city conducts town hall meetings is going to be reviewed.

Council supported a motion on Tuesday night to look into town hall procedures and make recommendations.

A recent town hall event only allowed for pre-scheduled public presentations.

Councillor Jamie Lowery, who seconded the motion, says it came about after feedback from that session.

“A number of people were looking for opportunities to speak to council,” he says. “You won’t have the answers at these kinds of meetings, but I think it’s important to have some kind of mechanism to bring people into the discussion with council.”

Deputy Mayor Maggie Horsfield supported the motion saying the town hall had already sparked some conversations about what changes or improvements could be made.

She also encourages the public to reach out to council.

“I think many of us have an open-door policy when it comes to reaching out, to have conversations, to get information and to help share and disseminate that information,” Horsfield says.

Councillor Tanya Vrebosch supported the motion and offered some insight into why it was changed a number of years ago.

“We started to see people with mental health issues that were coming and disclosing very personal issues,” she says. “We were trying to help support people. It wasn’t meant to try to muzzle anybody.”

Councillor Sara Inch put forward the motion and says the review process will start with a report to council, which can then offer input.

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