Here's the agenda for the Feb 24 council meeting. It will include a review of the township's procedural by-law. "A set of rules & principles...that govern how Council & Committee meetings should be conducted & governed."
Agenda package: calendar.wilmot.ca//townshipcalen…. Live tweets 👇
Agenda package: calendar.wilmot.ca//townshipcalen…. Live tweets 👇
Mayor Armstrong convenes tonight's meeting. He asks for a moment's silence and thoughts for "the epidemic that's crawling around the world".
Coun Fisher reads the land acknowledgment.
Coun Fisher reads the land acknowledgment.
No additions to the agenda or disclosures of pecuniary interest.
Coun Gordijk motions that acceptance of the meeting minutes be deferred until an audio recording be shared with council as she doesn't feel her request for a motion were recorded properly.
Dawn Mittelholtz (Director of Clerk's Services) says that the recording hasn't been kept as it usually discarded when minutes have been approved.
A discussion about what was said at the previous meeting is happening now.
A discussion about what was said at the previous meeting is happening now.
Coun Hallman says she seconded Coun Gordijk's motion when she asked for a solicitor to review a section of the draft procedural by-law.
The minutes for the previous meeting will be amended to reflect that, with the acknowledgment that a parliamentary error was made in not voting on the motion.
Public meeting: Ms Mittelholtz is now delivering a report on the Draft Procedural By-law Amendments.
The report includes public feedback and describes how these were addressed by staff.
One of the public comments was about the religious content of the inaugural meeting (December 2018). The respondent cited legal arguments about neutrality and referred to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Mayor Armstrong asks three times if there is anyone in the public gallery who wishes to address council; there is no one.
Coun Gordijk is reading a statement where she reiterates her request from the previous meeting that the township's solicitor review before the by-laws are brought before council to be passed.
In response to a comment from Ms Mittelholtz, Coun Gordijk clarifies that the legal review she's requesting is for the procedural by-law only.
In Coun Gordijk's read statement, she said that all of the other municipalities in Waterloo region have legal reviews of their procedural by-laws. Coun Hallman asks the clerk to find out the process other municipalities use.
Coun Gordijk lists the municipalities she spoke to (mayors and clerks), which includes the other regional townships.
Coun Hallman requests some amendments, including that the specific structure of the inaugural meeting be included in the procedural by-law. She recites the inaugural agenda from another municipality.
Coun Gordijk mentions her concerns about delaying the inclusion of reports in council meeting agendas as this would not allow much time for the public to review them.
Ms Mittelholtz provides examples when there could be legitimate justification for releasing reports later than the rest of the agenda.
Coun Pfenning: It would be useful to include comments in the by-law that say this delay would not apply to a public meeting. (This is in response to an earlier observation from Coun Gerber.)
Coun Fisher asks for quarterly committee reports to be included as part of the procedural by-law. Says he requested this about a year ago.
Coun Hallman asks for a 20-minute time limit for presentations be stipulated.
Coun Gerber suggests there should be more flexibility.
Coun Pfenning says that including the time limit in writing gives speakers an idea of how long their presentation should be.
Coun Gerber suggests there should be more flexibility.
Coun Pfenning says that including the time limit in writing gives speakers an idea of how long their presentation should be.
Coun Pfenning shares her thoughts on the religious neutrality in the Township's inaugural meeting. The jist is that places of local government should be neutral and draws a distinction between the Quebec Bill 21 that bans items of religious clothing.
Coun Hallman says she supports Coun Pfenning's comments.
Coun Hallman is discussing some further amendments to various sections of the procedural by-law, with Ms Mittelholz providing comments and clarification.
Following on from Coun Hallman's comments, Coun Pfenning asks if items that have been pulled from the consent agenda be discussed directly after the consent agenda itself to avoid confusion.
Coun Gerber agrees.
Coun Gerber agrees.
Ms Mittelholz asks where they go in the agenda be mentioned in the by-law.
Coun Hallman with comments on petitions to council, which she discussed earlier with the clerk. She would like petitions to be more user friendly.
Coun Pfenning with a grammatical correction: the plural should be Notices of Motion, not Notice of Motions.
(Personally, this has been bugging me for weeks!)
(Personally, this has been bugging me for weeks!)
Coun Hallman asks that the procedural by-law include that audio recordings of meetings be kept until after minutes have been approved.
The recommendation is carried.
Next up is a delegation from Jim Rodger, Co-coordinator of the Prime Ministers Path. There's a bit of a delay due to technical complications with the display screens.
Mr Rodger is talking about what's coming up with new additions to the five statues that are currently on display outside the admin building. He thanks 100 Women Who Care Wilmot for their donation last year, which is being used for educational projects.
Here's a CBC story about "The Unfortunate Four" statue that will be installed this summer. cbc.ca/news/canada/br…
When these four are in place, there will be nine prime minister statues in Baden. That's one more than there are on Parliament Hill, and there are no plans to add more in Ottawa.
The unveiling ceremony will be on Saturday, June 20.
Mr Rodger ends his presentation by thanking council for its support.
Mr Rodger ends his presentation by thanking council for its support.
Mayor Armstrong thanks Mr Rodger for bringing the statues to Wilmot.
Coun Hallman thanks Mr Rodger and says that she enjoys sharing history with her children by walking the Prime Ministers Path with them.
Coun Hallman thanks Mr Rodger and says that she enjoys sharing history with her children by walking the Prime Ministers Path with them.
Moving on to a report on proclamations and flag protocol. Ms Mittelholz says that proclamations are not recommended in order to avoid any appearance of favouritism.
Coun Hallman says she supports staff's recommendation on proclamations.
Coun Gordijk re: flag protocol - says she would like the Township to be consistent with federal and the ON provincial governments; i.e. if they fly a particular flag, then we should have that as an option, too.
Coun Pfenning is in favour of either all or none.
Coun Gerber says that he wouldn't want to tie Township protocols to other levels of government.
Coun Hallman says she disagrees and has reached out to Minister of Diversity and Inclusion Bardish Chagger for counsel.
Coun Gerber says that he wouldn't want to tie Township protocols to other levels of government.
Coun Hallman says she disagrees and has reached out to Minister of Diversity and Inclusion Bardish Chagger for counsel.
Coun Hallman would like to see the flags lowered in recognition of several events that are recognized nationally, including National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
Coun Fisher says he's in favour of the Township's recommendation.
The recommendation is carried.
The recommendation is carried.
The Township of Wilmot Integrity Commissioner's report has been received for information.
Announcements: Coun Fisher talks about the success of Saturday's Heritage Day.
Coun Gordijk mentions the success of Coldest Night of the Year in New Hamburg on Saturday.
Mayor Armstrong says that the scheduled council meeting for March 2 has been cancelled.
Coun Gordijk mentions the success of Coldest Night of the Year in New Hamburg on Saturday.
Mayor Armstrong says that the scheduled council meeting for March 2 has been cancelled.
We're adjourned at 8:36pm.
