Mayor & Council

General Public Inquiries shall be limited to five minutes in length per person and to a total duration of 15 minutes for all public inquiries section of the agenda. 

The Clerk shall advise the Chair once the prescribed time limit has lapsed. 

Attendees wishing to speak shall stand and await approval from the Chair before commencing. Once approval is granted, the attendee shall state their first and last name which the Clerk will record in the minutes. Questions will be taken one at a time, in the order received. 

Attendees wishing to ask more than one question shall give all other attendees the opportunity to speak before being permitted to ask a second question. 

The Chair shall be given first opportunity to respond to the attendee and may ask members of Council or staff for further input. Questions requiring a lengthy answer, or which require research shall be directed to staff for further review. 

The Chair shall have the right to curtail any questions which are not related to an agenda item, that has previously been presented to council or questions which are deemed to be inappropriate, derogatory, or otherwise not suitable for discussion in an open meeting. 

This opportunity to speak shall not be used to file complaints of any nature. Attendees wishing to file a complaint shall direct the information to municipal administration staff outside of meeting times.

No person at a meeting shall:

1. Speak aloud at a meeting or address members without receiving permission of the Chair to do so;
2. Use profane or offensive words or insulting expressions against the Council/Committee or against any member, staff or guest;
3. Resist the rules of Council/Committee or disobey the decisions of the Chair or of Council/Committee on questions of order or practice or upon the interpretation of the rules of Council;
4. Leave his/her seat or make any noise or disturbance while a matter is being considered or discussed by Council/Committee; while a vote is being taken; or until the results are declared;
5. Disturb another, or the Council/Committee, staff or guest, by any disorderly conduct disconcerting to the speaker or the assembly;
6. Interrupt any member who has the floor through speaking out, noise or disturbance, except for a member of Council/Committee to raise a point of order;
7. Enter the meeting while a vote is being taken;
8. Be permitted to attend another meeting of Council after being ordered to vacate, having committed a breach of any rule of the Council, and without having first met with the Mayor/presiding officer and the Clerk, and having satisfied the Mayor that the person’s conduct at future meetings will be in conformance with the rules of this by-law.

Section 6, By-Law 2001-02

From Section 224 of the Municipal Act...

It is the role of Council,

(a) to represent the public and to consider the well-being and interests of the municipality;

(b) to develop and evaluate the policies and programs of the municipality;

(c) to determine which services the municipality provides;

(d) to ensure that administrative policies, practices and procedures and controllership policies, practices and procedures are in place to implement the decisions of Council;

(d.1) to ensure the accountability and transparency of the operations of the municipality, including the activities of the senior management of the municipality;

(e) to maintain the financial integrity of the municipality; and

(f) to carry out the duties of Council under this or any other Act.  2001, c. 25, s. 224; 2006, c. 32, Sched. A, s. 99.

From sections 225 and 226 of the Municipal Act...

It is the role of the head of Council,

(a) to act as chief executive officer of the municipality;

(b) to preside over council meetings so that its business can be carried out efficiently and effectively;

(c) to provide leadership to the Council;

(c.1) without limiting clause (c), to provide information and recommendations to the council with respect to the role of council described in clauses 224 (d) and (d.1);

(d) to represent the municipality at official functions; and

(e) to carry out the duties of the head of Council under this or any other Act.  2001, c. 25, s. 225; 2006, c. 32, Sched. A, s. 100.

As chief executive officer of a municipality, the head of Council shall,

(a) uphold and promote the purposes of the municipality;

(b) promote public involvement in the municipality’s activities;

(c) act as the representative of the municipality both within and outside the municipality, and promote the municipality locally, nationally and internationally; and

(d) participate in and foster activities that enhance the economic, social and environmental well-being of the municipality and its residents.  2006, c. 32, Sched. A, s. 101.