CONCLUSION
To establish the start time for meetings of City Council in 2020 that will take place on Wednesdays and to make other amendments to Bylaw No. 9004, The Procedure Bylaw arising from changes to Council and Committee meeting dates and times.
BACKGROUND
City Council approved the 2020 meeting schedule for City Council and the main committees on November 25, 2019. CR19-101 directed that “Council meetings commence at a specified time in the afternoon, with the understanding that delegations be heard at 5:30 p.m.”
DISCUSSION
During deliberations at the November 13, 2019 meeting of the Executive Committee, there was considerable discussion about the preferred time for meetings of City Council to commence, given the tendency for meetings to run long and Council’s interest in facilitating the public’s ability to attend. There was considerable discussion respecting the implications of splitting the meeting into two parts, with delegations and related reports being discussed beginning at 5:30 p.m., and the remainder of agenda items being discussed earlier that afternoon beginning at 2:00 p.m. Other discussion focused on dealing with the entire agenda starting at 1:00 p.m. and continuing until completion while a third perspective suggested that the meeting agenda remain unchanged with all reports dealt with beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Three options were reviewed:
Option 1 - Reports with Delegations discussed at 5:30 p.m., all other reports considered beginning at 1:30 p.m. and a break from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. (Recommended Option)
Implications:
· There would be no change to public delegations as they would remain part of the 5:30 p.m. agenda; however, continuing to have delegations appear in the early evening may make it difficult for members of the public who do not work a traditional 8 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. job to appear as a delegation
· The “heaviest” part of the vast majority of City Council meetings typically deals with issues that have drawn a lot of public interest as shown by delegations appearing before Council;
· Meetings will begin at 1:30 p.m., with a one hour recess at 4:30 p.m., for dinner
· In those instances where the meeting recesses early, members of Council will have time available to address other matters
· Where the agenda is not completed prior to the 4:30 p.m. recess, remaining items will be considered at the conclusion of the 5:30 p.m. session
Option 2 - Meetings begin at 1:30 p.m. and continue until conclusion or adjournment
Implications:
· This would be a significant change from past practice of holding evening meetings; it is unclear as to the impact this would have on the interest and attendance of the public appearing as a delegation
· Depending on the agenda and the number of delegations, meetings would still have the possibility of running long, well into the early evening
· Dealing with the meeting agenda as part of one uninterrupted meeting minimizes the disruption of Council members’ time
· Reports with delegations or reports and bylaws requiring public notice or a public hearing would be considered at the beginning of the agenda
Option 3 - Status Quo - Meetings begin at 5:30 p.m., with reports with delegations or reports and bylaws requiring public notice or a public hearing considered at the beginning of the agenda
Implications:
· This option results in the least amount of change to the current system
· While meetings still have the possibility of running long, this eliminates the possibility of devoting an “entire day” to Council business as per Option 2
· As outlined previously, the “heaviest” part of the vast majority of City Council meetings typically deals with issues that have drawn a lot of public interest as shown by delegations appearing before Council
Note: under all of the options, it is recommended that Bylaw No. 9004, The Procedure Bylaw be amended to outline the immediate scheduling of a meeting that is adjourned because of a lengthy agenda.
RECOMMENDATION IMPLICATIONS
Financial Implications
None with respect to this report.
Environmental Implications
None with respect to this report.
Policy and/or Strategic Implications
The establishment of a regular meeting schedule for City Council provides members of Council, the public and media with advance knowledge of the meeting schedule and assists in planning for other obligations that arise during the year. It also assists Administration and the Office of the City Clerk in facilitating an orderly flow and process of reports going to committee and Council.
Accessibility Implications
None with respect to this report.
COMMUNICATIONS
Amendments to Bylaw No. 9004, The Procedure Bylaw require public notice. Public notice of this report and the proposed bylaw was advertised in the Leader Post, on the City’s public notice board and website on November 23, 2019.
Pending approval by City Council, the 2020 meeting schedule will be released publicly and will be available on regina.ca.
DELEGATED AUTHORITY
This recommendation requires the approval of City Council.
Respectfully submitted, Respectfully submitted,
{Signature}
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