City of St. John’s moves to independent chairs for city re-zoning meetings
The City of St. John’s will see independent chairs leading public meetings when there are proposals for property re-zoning from now on.
At the regular council meeting Tuesday (a meeting was not held Monday as a result of the Discovery Day holiday), councilors voted in favour of no longer chairing the meetings themselves.
The city already has independent facilitators — a roster of appointees, community members (who put their names forward at times when the city makes a call for anyone interested in the independent commissioner’s role), who host some other meetings for the city.
The public meetings specific to re-zoning happen, it was estimated, 10 to 15 times a year.
Coun. Debbie Hanlon was one of the council members who spoke in favour of the change. It’s one she thinks will give greater confidence to everyone involved that the proceedings are fair.
“If we interfere with the flow of conversation, we’re seen as being on someone’s side and we’ve been accused of it in the past as well,” she said, adding the meetings are meant for the developer and the public to have their say, not a council member.
“It has nothing to do with a councilor’s ability to chair a meeting,” said Mayor Danny Breen, in agreement. “It has everything to do with perceptions, and it has everything to do with appearance.”
Deputy Mayor Sheilagh O’leary was similarly supportive, saying she looks forward to also being able to watch, listen and further take in what is being said, rather than be in the chair position.
Nothing is decided at the public meetings. A report is developed by a staff member and it comes back to council for consideration, as part of the process.
Coun. Hope Jamieson was in support of the change as well, but said she was sensitive about increasing any costs. She spoke after comments from Coun. Maggie Burton, who made a motion to actually reject the idea, citing the fact the developer is responsible for any additional cost from payment for an independent chair, but no other councilor seconded the motion.
It ultimately went the other way.
For his part, the mayor said the costs would be “minimal,” as it amounts to just two or three hours of work for a meeting.