The Citizen, 2013-03-21, Page 10PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2013.Community group wants input at Central Huron
Cindy Moyer believes Central
Huron Council should be open to
public input.
Speaking before a packed gallery
at Central Huron’s Committee of the
Whole session on March 12, Moyer,
who is president of the Huron-Perth
Landowners’ Association, took to
the mic on two occasions.
Moyer, who lives in Huron East,
was asked by the grassroots group to
speak on its behalf at Tuesday’s
session because she volunteered to
go over the draft procedural bylaw
line by line. Moyer, who was
introduced as the group’s
representative by Dave Hemingway,
made her first presentation by
referencing a newspaper article
that outlined some heated
comments from Councillor
Burkhard Metzger while addressing
Hemingway’s questions during the
public question period at a February
session.
At the time, Metzger suggested
Hemingway, a member of the
Central Huron Against Turbines
(CHAT) group, of posing questions
in a contrived manner during past
public question periods, which have
traditionally been used by the media
for asking for clarifications.
Moyer argued council should
welcome comments from ratepayers
and not remove the question period
from meetings, as has been
recommended by consultant Fred
Dean.
“People coming forward have a
vested interest in what you’re
doing,” she said. “I think that should
be celebrated.”
Moyer said council would be ill-
advised to remove its questionperiod from meetings as has beenproposed.
“Your public is a resource to you,”
she said, noting even irksome
ratepayers deserve a chance to
speak. “Cutting off that voice: How
does that serve you?”
Deputy-Mayor Dave Jewitt
thanked Moyer for her first
presentation, and said council does
want input.
“I don’t believe this council has
ever cut off the democratic process,”
Jewitt said.
During an approximate 30-minute
presentation on the larger issue of
council’s draft procedural bylaw,
Moyer says there are a number of
areas in need of revision, including
allowing an elected representative
other than the mayor and deputy
mayor to represent council at events,
which is an issue that has been raised
after Central Huron’s third seat on
county council, held by Councillor
Brian Barnim, was eliminated in
2011.
Other highlights of the group’s
recommendations include increasing
the maximum amount of time
allotted to delegations up 15 minutes
from the current five, and some
minor wording changes. The group
is also taking umbrage with a
suggestion to hold meetings in
accordance with Robert’s Rules of
Order, which Moyer says research
shows are outdated.
Moyer says while it is
understandable why the clerk must
receive written notice a delegation
plans to attend, the group fails to see
the logic behind forcing the
delegation to submit its presentation
before speaking to council. “What’s
the worry?” asked Moyer.
The group’s recommendationsinclude video recording all future incamera sessions in light of the
Ombudsman’s office recent
investigation into three closed door
sessions held last year. Moyer
initially suggested those recordings
be kept on hand for the public to see
though Barnim noted that the public
would not be privy to in camera
sessions. Barnim expressed support
for the recommendations and had
actively lobbied at past meetings to
ensure the group’s concerns were
addressed.
“It’s nice to see this kind of
engagement,” he said.
Councillor Alison Lobb agreed
with many of the group’s
recommendations and said they
should receive further review andconsideration.“I’m happy with almost all of the
changes they’ve suggested,” she
said.
Jewitt recommended staff ensure
none of the suggestions or wording
conflicts with requirement spelled
out under the Municipal Act, which
sets the rules for municipal
governance.
Councillor Marg Anderson
recommended deferring the vote on
the draft procedural bylaw until the
Ombudsman’s report is released. It
was released on March 13.
Meanwhile, Barnim suggested the
creation of a “review committee,”
though he also said he wouldn’t
want to support an extra expense.
“We have to make sure there is anopportunity for some morediscussion,” said Barnim. After
some debate, councillors agreed to
further review the group’s
suggestions and seek more research
from municipal staff. Councillors
agreed to again look at the
procedural bylaw at its April
committee-of-the-whole session
where interested ratepayers will
again be able to comment.
Councillor Metzger thanked
Moyer for her presentation and
noted problems in the past relate to
tone and intent.
“The reason it fell off the rails is it
wasn’t respectful,” he said.
“People’s intentions are not to shut
the public out here.”
Smiling at a tragedy
While their grins may not accurately portray it, students across the province went back to
school on Monday after their March Break last week. Despite being back at Hullett Central
Public School and the cutting wind that accompanied their afternoon recess, these students
kept on smiling. Shown are, from left: Ainsley Croft, Bailey Coles, Kiara Driscoll, Ella Sawchuk,
Brianna Graf, Rorie Bromley, Avery Boven and Kennedy Huether. (Denny Scott photo)
By Cheryl HeathSpecial to The Citizen