INNISFAIL – Town council members have officially made their daytime meetings permanent.
At its regular meeting on Nov. 23, council decided to end a five-month trial period for day time meetings.
Council members voted unanimously that all future biweekly regular and Agenda & Priority meetings would now be permanently held in the day time at 3 p.m.
The decision officially ended Innisfail council’s long history of evening meetings, which started either at 6 or 7 p.m. and usually ended two or three hours later, but sometimes longer.
For the past two months the trial daytime meetings were switched from an original start time of 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., as some council members felt it would be a better fit for those who had day time business responsibilities.
Councillors Donnie Hill and Glen Carritt, both small business owners, said the current 3 p.m. time has worked for them and was the preferable time going forward.
Coun. Gavin Bates asked if the 3 p.m. permanent time was acceptable to administration.
“It certainly helps us as well, so we really appreciate that,” said Todd Becker, the town’s chief administrative officer.
Holding council meetings during daytime hours was raised earlier this year as a possible way to open up to a wider range of people who might be interested in running for council.
As well, it was suggested daytime council meetings might interest parents who have the responsibility of taking care of children after school and can’t commit to evening council meetings.
It was also pointed out that daytime meeting would be good for town staff as evening meetings created lengthy and tiring days if council meetings went as long as three hours on top of the regular day shift.
During the trial run, council meetings were live streamed on YouTube, as well as on Zoom. The modern technology was used to provide safe public access to council during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as convenience to citizens not readily accustomed to daytime meetings.
