BANFF – One of two chances for the public to have their input heard at a council meeting looks set to be scrapped.
On Thursday (Oct. 11), council voted 5-2 to get rid of public input at the end of a council meeting on items specifically listed on the agenda, with only councillors Peter Poole and Ted Christensen voting to keep the long held practice.
It’s not a done deal, though, until council passes third reading of its amended procedures bylaw, which provides the process framework for council to use in its decision-making.
Residents can still comment on agenda items during a public input session at the beginning of a meeting, but Coun. Poole argues the current practice is an important part of the democratic process.
“This removes an incentive for members of the public to stay until the end of a council meeting,” he said, adding it also gives an opportunity for residents to seek clarification or ask questions at the end of a meeting.
“If this is a matter of concern to others as it is to me, then let’s revisit it and reinstate what already exists. This is a significant change.”
Mayor Karen Sorensen and councillors Grant Canning, Brian Standish, Chip Olver and Corrie DiManno were in favour of scrapping the second opportunity for public input.
Coun. DiManno said having public input at the beginning of a council meeting makes more sense because council can consider that feedback as part of its decision-making.
“When you consider public input at the end, it’s almost like you’re having to defend the decision you’ve made and that’s not what we do at the end,” she said.
At an earlier vote in September, Coun. Canning supported keeping the second chance for public input but changed his mind last week because the original vote seemed to indicate the will of council.
“I always saw this from both sides. You can make arguments either way,” he said.
“By only having input at the beginning of the agenda, it’s my hope that people will speak up before the debate and not wait until the decision had been made.”
This year, Alberta Municipal Affairs released information on best practices that councils should consider when building their procedures bylaw.
In response to a number of issues and questions raised by council and provincial suggestions on best practices, the Town of Banff launched a more in depth review of is current procedures bylaw.
Tara Johnston-Lee, Banff’s municipal clerk, said providing a second opportunity for public input in or out of the procedures bylaw is a council decision, but noted council does not normally speak to a decision already made by council.
“Allowing the public to do so after council has made its decision is not common practice,” she said.
