Region of Queens council is looking into the possibility of adding a Committee of the Whole to their calendar.<\/p>\n
Mayor Darlene Norman says the idea of adding a Committee of the Whole meeting was floated in an effort to more fully explore issues that come to council.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome members of council basically felt they do not have enough time to debate things and then go out to the public and get the public response,\u201d said Norman.<\/p>\n
The mayor supports the motion to add the committee brought forward by Councillor Maddie Charlton at July\u2019s Region of council meeting.<\/p>\n
In her previous terms on council, Norman says there were several committees but subsequent councils did away with them.<\/p>\n
Norman expressed concern that should they decide to replace a council meeting with a committee of the whole meeting it could slow some services down.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now, we can move a planning matter through in three months, following the recommended time for hearings and public hearings,\u201d said Norman. \u201cWith a once a month council and a committee of the whole, we\u2019re looking at five and six months to move a planning matter through.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adding another meeting is not the only option on the table to try and help councillors be better prepared to address issues at the council table.<\/p>\n
\u201cPerhaps getting the agenda a week earlier so then they have a week to go out and consult and debate,\u201d said Norman.<\/p>\n
Should council decide to bring in a committee of the whole they would also have look at making changes to their rules of order.<\/p>\n
Currently, the municipality follows Bourinot\u2019s Rules of Order, which wouldn\u2019t allow anything discussed at COW to be discussed again at council.<\/p>\n
To do anything more than vote on an issue would require council to change their own rules and procedures.<\/p>\n
Council has directed staff to come back with a list outlining the pros and cons of committee of the whole and will make a decision based on the staff recommendation.<\/p>\n