In a bid to end infighting over procedure, 91原创 Township council is calling on outside help.
A majority voted on Monday, Sept. 30 to adopt Mayor Jack Froese鈥檚 proposal to bring in a 鈥渇acilitator鈥� to sit down with the mayor and councillors in a bid to end the conflict over the way council conducts its business.
The latest battle erupted when Councillor Bob Long said something had to be done about time-consuming debates over notices of motion that any member of council can file on any issue.
Before council debates such proposals, Long said they should be reviewed by staff first.
The Long proposal would require a 鈥渞eferral to staff for an information report as to the background, financial implications and staff recommendations prior to any action being taken 鈥︹��
It would provide 鈥渕ore opportunity for reflection,鈥� Long said, and produce 鈥渇ar more intelligent debate鈥� than the arguments that often erupt at the end of council meetings when notices of motion are presented and 鈥渁 certain amount of fatigue is involved.鈥�
There was considerable push-back at the afternoon meeting, with Councillor Kim Richter calling the Long proposal 鈥渁nti-democratic鈥� and possibly illegal.
鈥淲hy are we dragging staff into screening everything?鈥� Richter said.
鈥淎ll this is doing is wrapping us in more and more and more and more red tape.鈥�
Councillor Charlie Fox defended his admittedly many notices of motion as necessary.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I bring frivolous notices of motion to council,鈥� Fox said.
Concillor Michelle Sparrow said she had problems with 鈥渜uelling鈥� notices of motion that councillors use to raise matters of concern to residents.
鈥淚鈥檝e yet to find another way of doing the people鈥檚 business,鈥� Sparrow said.
Councillor Bev Dornan said her impression is that, compared to other B.C. municipalities, 91原创 seems to generate 鈥渟ignificantly more鈥� notices of motion.
Mayor Froese said though he has no position one way or the other on notices of motion, something must be done about the battles over process.
Bringing in a facilitator would help councillors 鈥渇ully discuss鈥� the broader issue, Froese said.
His proposal was adopted with a 6-3 vote.
Councillor Steve Ferguson noted a considerable amount of time had been devoted to a 鈥渘otice of motion dealing with notices of motion.鈥�
