By Adam Swift
A motion to amend city council rules when it comes to notifications for community meetings was tabled by the council on Monday night.
Councillor-at-Large Michelle Kelley introduced the motion which sought to require internal notification among councillors regarding community meetings held by private applicants or other non-city entities, “in order to ensure transparency among all Councillors, promote equal access to information for both Ward and At-Large Councillors, and avoid Open Meeting Law concerns.”
The new rule proposed by Kelley states that any councillor who schedules, hosts, or becomes aware of a community meeting held by a private applicant or other non-city entity concerning matters that may come before the City Council shall provide notice to all City Councillors via email through the City Clerk at least 72 hours in advance of such meeting, when practicable.
“Such notice shall be for informational purposes only and shall include the date, time, location, and subject matter of the meeting, if known,” the motion stated. “Councillors who intend to attend such a meeting shall reply to the notice email indicating their intent to attend, in order to promote coordination and to avoid quorum-related concerns. Attendance at any such community meeting shall be limited so as not to constitute a quorum of the City Council or quorum of any subcommittee of the City Council, in order to avoid any violation of the Open Meeting Law.”
Kelley stated that nothing in this rule shall be construed to require, regulate, or impose notice obligations upon private applicants or non-city entities, nor shall it convert any private community meeting into a public meeting subject to the Open Meeting Law.
“This was done from the standpoint of a professional courtesy, so to speak,” said Kelley. “I think it would just be a nice courtesy to allow everyone on the council to know, to give them notice about any community meetings that are going to take place just to avoid any unintentional imbalances of information and we can have some internal transparency. We should be okay with the Open Meeting Law if we make sure these are going through (the city clerk) so that we can keep track of who plans to attend, and it’s really just giving everyone an opportunity to know about a community meeting.”
However, Ward 5 Councillor Angela Guarino-Sawaya said she took exception to the proposed new council rule.
She said the rule is unenforceable and enforces rules on councillors for meetings that are private, informal, and outside the body’s authority.
“Secondly, community meetings are not legally required,” said Guarino-Sawaya. “They are usually a courtesy arranged by private applicants and their attorneys. Councillors may be invited or not; the city council has no authority to dictate how, where, or with whom these meetings occur.”
The rule would also undermine the role of the ward councillor, she added.
“We meet residents in good faith to answer questions and explain processes,” Guarino-Sawaya said. “Suggesting we need monitoring or policing is inappropriate and diminishes the responsibility voters entrust on us. Transparency occurs, it comes from public notices, hearings, and votes, not controlling private conversations.”
Kelley took exception to Guarino-Sawaya’s exceptions.
“I think that was almost to a personal attack on me, those comments, but again, not surprising considering who they came from,” Kelley said. “This was really just coming from the standpoint of a professional courtesy. I thought it would be nice for us all to know when a community meeting is taking place just so that in case we want to attend the meeting we have the opportunity to do so.
“It had nothing to do with policing or trying to govern or say how ward councillors should … I don’t know where that all came from, it is absurd, it has no bearing, it is ridiculous … again, it was just a professional courtesy.”
Ward 3 Councillor Anthony Cogliandro said he understood why Kelley filed the motion, but noted that he has only had a handful of community meetings during his time in office.
“If there is a request for better information on them, more transparency between the councillors, I’m willing to do that,” said Cogliandro. “I just can’t support this motion as it sits because I agree that I don’t think it is enforceable. But I can say publicly to you right now that I will invite you to all of mine.”
