Council Decides To Meet In October After Debate

In what should have been a routine motion as to when Council will meet in 2020 turned into a war of words between a Councillor and the Mayor on Monday evening.

A war of words which, whether he wanted to release it or not, had Mayor Fraser Tolmie detailing the regularity of closed door in-camera meetings as well as his likely plans to run in the November 2020 civic election.

It all revolved around a proposed schedule for Council to hold their meetings and the need, according to a report by Administration, to not create confusion for the electorate and the training of elections workers given the dates of the provincial and civic elections on 2020.

The provincial election is scheduled for October 26th and the civic election is scheduled for November 9th.

Speaking on the report City Clerk/Solicitor Myron Gulka-Teichko told Council the scheduling of the two elections and the foreseen confusion was the reason why Administration had recommended Council not meet from the last regular meeting on September 28th until November 23rd.

“There is much more of a confusion than normally the case,” Gulka-Teichko said.

The City's advance poll would be two days before the Province's election he said, adding they were “anticipating because of this two sets of training sessions for election workers…in order to get our advance polls before (the provincial election).”

Despite concerns raised in Administration's report Councillor Brian Swanson felt it was inappropriate for Council not to meet for 56 days.

Councillor Swanson said he could remember when Council met weekly and how two years ago Council meetings moved to twice a month with Executive Committee meeting on the off-set Mondays but now both meetings were together every second Monday.

He also mentioned in the past Council only had a nine day break due to the civic election and it worked out okay.

He likened it to a graph where the number of public meetings dropped but how Council's pay increased at the same time saying it needed to be graphed.

“I have that (last regular Council meeting September 28th and a break until November 23rd) as 56 days until the next meeting of Council…who benefits from that?” he asked, adding “to have six weeks before the election off…I don't think is necessary.”

Councillor Swanson then made a motion revising the meeting schedule to have meetings September 8th and 21st and October 5th and 19th. The amendment reduced the time Council would not meet from Administration's proposed six plus weeks to two and a half weeks.

“No Council meetings to me in October is to me not right..(there is) still sufficient time between the last meeting and the elections.”

Mayor Fraser Tolmie did not agree with Swanson's motion to hold Council meetings in October as it was not fair to other candidates.

“My concern is is both federal and provincial governments break prior to elections…sitting MLAs and MPs have big advantages,” Mayor Tolmie stated.

Holding Council meetings so close to elections would allow incumbents seeking re-election “face time and media time” other candidates would not have, he said.

At this point Mayor Tolmie indicated he would be seeking to be elected to the next Council by stating ‘I feel this would be a conflict of interest to support that.”

Councillor Swanson said he disagreed with the Mayor that being on television during a regular Council meeting was an advantage to all incumbents but may be the direct opposite.

“I’m sure us being on television is going to be an advantage for certain people it could be seen as a disadvantage (for others),” he said, adding “to whose advantage is that? We would still be getting a paycheque.”

Mayor Tolmie admitted “there are some disadvantages on being on camera when the election is going on” but “why the community wants is for people to have a fair chance.”

“(There are) a lot of people who don't run because they believe it is not fair,” he said.

Councillor Heather Eby came out in support of October meetings.

“I was quite taken aback how many days between our last working meeting and the election…we are elected to work up until a reasonable time,” Councillor Eby said.

“I feel it is our responsibility to work until the last day possible,” she said.

Following losing an amendment to Councillor Swanson's scheduling motion (where he was the lone vote in favour) Mayor Tolmie explained to those viewing why he would be supporting the main motion.

Councillor Eby speaking in favour of Councillor Swanson's motion said “weekly meetings were actually my preference and (I will) not try to change it now…when we were here weekly I felt that was better.”

Mayor Tolmie pointed out Council now had regular Strategic Planning Sessions they “did not have on a regular basis when we had Council meetings.”

A Strategic Planning Session is where Council meets with members of Administration in-camera (behind closed doors) and there are no minutes nor agenda kept and attendees cannot make the discussions public. They are sometimes referred to as “secret meetings” by council watchers.

“We have more meetings…we meet more than other councils,” he said.

Councillor Swanson disagreed with Mayor Tolmie setting of an escalating exchange between the two.

“We are meeting more I don't believe to be true,” he said.

Mayor Tolmie then raised concerns about Councillor Swanson's attendance at in-camera meetings.

“There has also been a concern about attendance…you have the highest absentee rate,” Mayor Tolmie said in response.

Councillor Swanson replied he had missed last week's special Executive Committee meeting dealing with Carpere because of a pre-planned holiday but in 24 years on council he had missed only three meetings.

“I stack my attendance record against anybody,” he said, adding he had left Strategic Planning Sessions do to what was happening in-camera.

“Do I sit here and listen to this inanity or do I leave?...if you want to take shots at my attendance record back that up.”

Mayor Tolmie then questioned Councillor Swanson further on his not letting other know his personal plans calling it common courtesy for council members to let Administration and Council know when they are out of town.

Councillor Swanson has walked out of meetings in the past with both Mayor Tolmie and former Mayor Deb Higgins commenting on it after his departure.

In one Executive meeting Councillor Swanson left just as former Mayor Higgins was making a point when he said he had to leave by 9 pm for an appointment. Mayor Higgins was highly critical of Councillor Swanson for his actions and lack of explanation while he was leaving and afterwards. It was later revealed Councillor Swanson's father had passed away and he had scheduled to meet the funeral home director just after 9 pm to make funeral arrangements.

At this juncture a Point of Order was called on Mayor Tolmie as the debate had turned personal.

Councillor Dawn Luhning came out in support of meeting in October.

“The time is too long…we should be here and working. We are very different than the Province or the Feds,” Councillor Luhning said.

In a unanimous vote Council approved holding October meetings.