Sooke, you’ve been doing it wrong since 2009: Sooke’s Director Corporate Services sets the record straight
Following is the 15 minute Council of the Whole meeting. It runs 15 minutes in length. At about 13 minutes, the question arises of presenting to Council. Bylaw clarification is provided by Gabryel Joseph, Director Corporate Services, transcribed below. Screen shots of the two referenced sections included below.
Resources includes the link to the bylaws.
Transcribed from the above video, from speaker Gabryel Joseph, Director Corporate Services:
“Your bylaw from the time it was passed in 2009 I can’t comment on before, your bylaw is very clear, that since 2009 no one should have been speaking in front of council on an issue that wasn’t on the agenda, be it on a council meeting or the Committee of the Whole. If someone did that, then that was incorrect, and that was my advice to you last week and was also confirmed by legal counsel today. It’s very clear in Section 19 that members of the public can speak to an issue on the agenda, and it’s also clear on sections 60, that committees as well as the Committee of the Whole respond to the same rules and are bound by the same rules as council. And those bylaws are on the website.”
Resources
I just wish that they had spoken about whether we need to take a look at our policies to see whether they are supportive of Sooke residents. It almost feels like they are using the current process to restrict participation rather than encouraging it.
By the way, I loved being able to see the Council and peoples questions.
Great to see the video however. council should be made aware that audio is sub optimal and that’s being kind! One cannot hear anyone speaking from the public seating even when asking or responding to council.