The only opportunity residents have to comment on an agenda item prior to council making a decision is at the gallery question period, at the start of regular council meetings.
Previous council initiated this to increase transparency and it has been very successful, well liked and appreciated by the community at large. I’m vehemently opposed to losing the opportunity to speak, educate and inform council prior to the meeting. In fact, I would like to see a gallery question period added before and after each P&P meeting.
Furthermore, as a council that ran on transparency, it’s very difficult to tell. In eight short months, they have cancelled the gallery question period at the front of meetings, stopped including who spoke and the comments from the gallery, and a majority (of councillors) don’t provide written reports on meetings they attend on behalf of council.
Due to the total lack of discussion they are either doing most of their discussions outside of the public eye or are coming to the table already having made a decision, both of which are frowned on by Municipal Affairs.
In April, council started having P&P meetings that are poorly advertised or advertised when they aren’t happening and occur the same day as the regular council meeting, at 4:30 while many people are still at work. Why? Council’s own rationale was they didn’t want to spend another evening at council every month.
Sadly P&P has become where most of the open discussion happens. Then at the (regular council) meeting, they simply vote on the motion with little or no discussion. This was where council decided that their time was important so that they should be allowed to round up to the next half hour? The example used was if they attend a meeting that goes until 4:37 p.m. they should be allowed to bill until 5 p.m.
I believe in candid, open meetings, open discussions and engagement and participation with the community. Council continues to spend too much time doing business in camera; not to mention many of the things discussed there belong in the public purview at regular council meetings including budget discussions, COLA (cost of living allowance) raises for staff, a new staff grid for a planning officer, library terms of reference, CAO salary and budget, to name a few instances. They misuse the MGA guidelines for land, legal and labour.
If you look at the 2017 budget on the Town of Didsbury website, it is 51 pages including details for each department, transfer to reserves and amortization. The 2018 budget is a one-page summary? Compare capital budgets? 2017 is 15 pages, includes reserves and details of the rationale for capital projects, an asset inventory for capital equipment along with a 10-year capital plan that goes to 2024. The 2018 capital budget online is a one-page summary?
It is essential for this council to focus on their goals, whatever they may be, and walk the walk of transparency.
Joyce McCoy
Didsbury
