City council sets eight-hour meeting limit

Hamilton council hopes the days of marathon meetings are relegated to the dustbin of municipal history.

In an effort to avoid overtime sessions, city politicians have set a limit of eight hours and mandated a 30-minute recess after five hours of deliberations.

Those are welcome changes for politicians with youngsters at home, Coun. Nrinder Nann suggested.

Clear expectations of how long meetings run will allow for predictable child care, Nann told her colleagues this week.

“There were so many meetings … last term where I was in a bind, where those meetings went past 10 hours.”

It was a scramble that forced her to leave to be with her child or arrange for last-minute care, Nann said.

Councillors are “also human beings,” despite not falling under Employment Standards Act provisions, said Coun. Cameron Kroetsch, who pushed for the changes.

Like everyone, they learn, discuss issues and make decisions more effectively when not pushed to endure long, uninterrupted hours of city business, he said.

“I think collectively taking a break is an important part of these long and enduring meetings.”

But Kroetsch noted his proposal still allows council to extend meetings beyond eight hours through a majority vote.

Breaks and efficient meetings are important, Coun. JohnPaul Danko agreed, although he saw little value in the motion.

“To be honest, I don’t see the point.”

Last term, only a “handful of meetings” lasted more than eight hours, and so far this term, such lengthy proceedings have been “really rare,” Danko said. Moreover, there’s a “certain public expectation” for elected officials to do what’s required to get the job done, even if meetings run long.

That policy, suggested Coun. Brad Clark, would push agenda items to future meetings clerks must organize. “We’re now adding more work on our staff.”

A level playing field for parents of young children was her first thought in seconding Kroetsch’s motion, said Mayor Andrea Horwath, echoing Nann.

And “the way that this council operates is not family friendly; it’s just not,” Horwath said.

Years ago, a similar debate at Queen’s Park resulted in changes for MPPs, the former Ontario NDP leader added.

It didn’t boil down to how many hours MPPs should work, but doing their job in a way that didn’t “create undue hardship.”

Those considering electoral politics should know they can have time outside work to spend with family, friends and in their communities, Horwath said.

“I think all of those things are valuable and beneficial.”

Kroetsch’s motion passed on a 9-5 vote.