City council to stream ‘open meeting’ next week
City council will hold an “open meeting” next week, though no physical access will be allowed to general public or reporters, the city clerk’s office has confirmed to the News.
Instead the proceedings will be broadcast on the city’s website. A dedicated telephone line specific to a land-use public hearing will be set up, and a conference call with reporters is scheduled afterwards.
“I never believed that we’d be doing this sort of thing,” said Mayor Ted Clugston on Wednesday. “But it’s important to have a sense of normalcy, and it’s important that we meet.”
“It’s mundane, but we’re awarding contracts and doing the business of the city.”
This week the province placed new restrictions on the size of gatherings as health authorities combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Councils across Alberta and the country have grappled with how to proceed with approving local government business while adhering to health protocols.
In Medicine Hat, a typical council meeting involves up to nine council members, five senior officials, several support staffers, and a handful of observers and media members, making for well over 20.
Legally, council must hold an open meeting to pass any piece of legislation or set substantial policy, and make that proceeding accessible to the public.
Monday’s meeting will consist of the mayor, city solicitor and city clerk in chambers along with councillors who have the option to attend in person or by telephone.
Seniors staff will also dial-in from their respective offices in case information is required.
Complete details will appear in the public notices page of the News, which is published on Saturdays.
On short notice, administrators felt the telephone conferencing was the best option available.
“We may ‘up’ our game and go to video conferencing in the future, but we’ll see how it works,” said Clugston. “I think we’re all learning that (chairing) a telephone conference call can be very distracting and difficult. It’s learning curve that we’re all facing.”
The agenda and background packages for council meetings are made available on the city’s website on the Friday afternoon prior to each Monday meeting.
With little official work coming to committees in the past two weeks, the agenda could be light.
But, two previously scheduled public hearings will proceed. One involves a development permit to build a five-storey hotel on a parking lot located at 603 First Street, S.E. That highprofile lot is zoned “Direct Control,” meaning that council must approve all development applications.
The second involves changing a residential home lot near the intersection of Aberdeen Street and Fourth Avenue to “mixed-use” so the home, which edges a neighbourhood commercial district, could be converted to become a counselling office.
A deadline to provide written submissions on either matter was noon on April 1, but questions from those affected by the items can be emailed to the City Clerk’s office (clerk@medicinehat.ca) between 5 and 6:30 p.m. on the day of the hearing. A phone line for residents to participate will be created for comments that evening. More details are set to be released soon.