West Hants’ mayor requesting December meetings be reinstated to prevent long council sessions

The mayor of the West Hants Regional Municipality is asking council to consider reversing its policy that cancels the council meeting in December.

As the Feb. 9 committee of the whole meeting neared the four-hour mark, Abraham Zebian brought forward a motion to gauge the support of fellow councillors.

“We’re having late meetings and I believe a lot of it is due to having that big lull between November to January,” said Zebian.

To rectify that, Zebian wants to amend the committee meeting policies to include meeting in December again.

A report produced for council noted that “not having December meetings created very busy agendas for both the January committee of the whole and council meetings, with meetings lasting past midnight.”

The report concluded: “To continue to support effective business of council and community matters, it is suggested

December meetings occur.”

Before 2017, the former council representing the Municipality of the District of West Hants would annually vote to cancel holding the committee of the whole meeting — the last one in December — if there wasn’t much to deal with on the agenda.

In 2017, council adopted a new meeting procedural policy and it was decided at that time to cease holding committee of the whole meetings in December.

Also in 2017, West Hants council voted to “Free August,” cancelling the July committee of the whole meeting, and the

August council and planning and advisory meetings. At the time, the former Windsor council was already taking the month of August off.

In April 2020, the former town of Windsor and municipality of West Hants amalgamated to form a new regional entity. Staff has been reviewing, updating and merging the various policies and bylaws so that they have unified documentation and policies.

Due to the amalgamation, the meeting days were realigned so committee of the whole would meet the second Tuesday of the month and council would meet on the fourth Tuesday. Before amalgamation, West Hants held its council meetings on the second Tuesday and its committee of the whole meetings on the fourth Tuesday. The scheduled meetings were also changed so that they would start at 6 p.m. In years past, West Hants council met at 7 p.m.

The mayor is seeking to amend Policy RCOGE-003.00 Meeting and Committee Procedural Policy, Sections 3.2(b) and 3.3(b). It’s anticipated this will be formally voted on — and adopted — at the Feb. 23 council meeting.