County amends procedural bylaw

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Wheatland County Council gave third reading to Procedure Bylaw 2023-03, being an amendment to council’s process, during the Oct. 3, regular meeting of council.

During the Sept. 19, regular meeting of council, first and second readings of the Procedure Bylaw were approved by council. 

One amendment was made to the bylaw, being the words “or Open House,” which were added to Section 14. Following the amendment, the section read as follows:

“Divisional Town Hall or Open House” means an opportunity for the public to meet with the Councillor who represents their division.

Council also requested that administration provide a process for Section 76. “Before considering motions arising from a Closed Session, the Chair of the Meeting will provide reasonable notice to the public that the Meeting is now open to the public and will allow sufficient time for the public to return to the Meeting in accordance with section 197(5) of the Municipal Government Act.”

Section 197(5) of the Municipal Government Act states that “After the closed meeting discussions are completed, any members of the public who are present outside the meeting room must be notified that the rest of the meeting is now open to the public, and a reasonable amount of time must be given for those members of the public to return to the meeting before it continues.”  

Tracy Buteau, general manager of Corporate and Financial Services, presented third reading for procedure bylaw 2023-03 during the Oct. 3 meeting of council. 

“At the last regular meeting of council, we had one amendment to the bylaw, and that was to add the words ‘open house’ to Section 14, so Divisional town hall or open house, and that change was made,” she said. “Also, section 76 was discussed, and that was before considering motions arising from a closed session – the chair of the meeting will provide reasonable notice to the public that the meeting is now open to the public and will allow sufficient time for the public to return.”

She explained county administration recommended to not amend section 76 of the bylaw, as there may be changes in how the public receives reasonable notice as technology changes or improvements are made to the system.   

“What we are creating is a procedure and with technology changing, and software changes, improvements, the procedure could change quite often.”

Instead, administration recommended to leave Section 76 as it has already been written, and a procedure will be created that will follow the bylaw amendment.

Coun. Shannon Laprise motioned to approve third reading of Procedure Bylaw 2023-03. Following no debate, the reading was passed unanimously by council.