Town of Collingwood councillors could be meeting less often, but for longer per meeting moving forward, should a decision made at committee this week gain final approval from council at the end of the month.
Proposed changes to the town’s procedural bylaw were discussed by councillors during the March 6 strategic initiatives standing committee meeting, which include a move to a committee-of-the-whole structure, meeting schedule changes to avoid having meetings during Christmas and March Break and that agendas be published five days in advance of a meeting.
Back in December 2022, Deputy Mayor Tim Fryer first suggested a change might be warranted, and asked that all members of council sit on all committees until at least March, to get a feel for the existing structure before making any decisions on a change.
“I guess the main difference is you have all nine members here, instead of five,” said Coun. Kathy Jeffery. “I have to tell you, this has been gruelling.”
As of now, members of council meet for three different committees monthly, in addition to two council meetings per month. The committees include strategic initiatives, corporate and community services, and development and operations.
The existing system divides up the range of council responsibility into specialized areas of interest. All council members serve on the strategic initiatives committee, but the other two committees are made up of four (of eight) council members plus the mayor. There are also two regular council meetings at the end of each month to ratify the business discussed at the three meetings.
A committee of the whole would be comprised of all members of council who fully participate in debate and forward recommendations to council for final decision. The format is less formal and typically conducive to more discussion.
Under the change proposed and given initial approval on Monday, the first and third Mondays of the month would have both a council meeting and a committee of the whole meeting, starting at 2 p.m. The council meeting would be tasked with making final decisions on the matters heard two weeks prior during the previous committee of the whole meeting, while the committee of the whole meeting would be for new business.
Mayor Yvonne Hamlin noted that the Christmas and March Break meeting change was important to her.
“I really would like our council to be seen as family-friendly for our members and those who might run in the future,” she said. “I have also long been a proponent of the agenda coming out earlier.”
The committee voted unanimously in favour of moving to a committee-of-the-whole structure as a pilot project starting in May until the end of the summer break in 2023 before deciding on a permanent change, as well as not having meetings over the Christmas and March Break and publishing agendas five days in advance of meetings. Coun. Rob Ring was absent from the meeting.
The decision will be coming to council on March 20 for a final vote before going into effect.
