County CAO highlights risks of informal meetings

Peterborough County councillors chose to continue gathering for informal luncheons after chief administrative officer Troy Speck highlighted the potential risk of talking about council business outside of council chambers on Wednesday.

The lame duck council, sitting for a final time before a new council is sworn in Dec. 12, was reminded not to discuss council business during any large gathering of council, including lunch breaks in the committee room during council meetings.

Under Section 239 the Ontario Municipal Act, all council meetings must be open to the public, with some explicitly stated exceptions, Speck wrote in a report, pointing out luncheon gatherings are not included.

The act authorizes municipalities to appoint a closed meeting investigator to probe claims council has violated the open meeting provisions of Section

239.

Over the years, investigators such as the Ontario Ombudsman’s office have made findings around the issue of whether informal meetings such as lunch gatherings constitute a meeting of council and therefore be subject to requirements of the act, Speck wrote.

Council meetings must be open to the public and advance public notice and an agenda must be provided, while a clerk must attend to take minutes, for example.

Longtime Coun. Dave Nelson said the gatherings are beneficial and said he has not experienced decisions being made outside of council chambers.

He created a motion to receive the report and to continue with current council tradition, which was carried after a discussion.

Coun. Doug Hutton agreed, pointing out that councillors normally only speak with the person next to them. “You are certainly not meeting as a group to forward the business of council in any shape or form.”

Even the Ombudsman, in a report, highlighted the social benefits of a council meeting informally, Warden Joe Taylor added.

Coun. J. Murray Jones suggested the new council be reminded not to discuss business, following meetings, to alleviate any potential risks.

Coun. Ron Gerow pointed out that county and township councillors regularly meet as a group with provincial ministers to advance issues before the point was applauded by his colleagues. “I think it’s all in the interpretation, Mr. Warden.”

Surplus funds moved into reserves

Councillors approved moving a 2017 surplus of $298,257 into four areas Wednesday.

Some $12,369 will go to the land division working funds reserve, $15,000 will fund council orientation this year and next, $50,000 will fund recruitment assistance in 2018 for retiring staff and $220,888 will go to the general working funds reserve.

The county’s previous $9.8 million in reserves represented the “floor,” finance director and treasurer Trena DeBruijn wrote in a report, recommending the surplus be used to move county coffers closer to the “ceiling.”

Incoming warden affirms uncontested bid

J. Murray Jones affirmed his intention to return to the warden’s seat, after his bid was formalized by clerk Lynn Fawn on Wednesday. The move was met with a round of applause. Jones, the lone councillor to submit a ballot handed out in late October, will be acclaimed for the next two years during the first meeting of the new county council on Dec. 12.

Taylor, who did not seek reelection to the chair, congratulated Jones and offered him any assistance he could offer to make the transition seamless.

Paramedics shine in recent audit

County/city paramedics Chief Randy Mellow told councillors about how pleased he was with a recent intensive tri-annual audit of the service.

The review found the organization fully compliant, or more than 98 per cent compliant in areas including patient care, training, equipment and supplies, vehicle maintenance, employee qualifications and documentation.