Medicine Hat council requests review on closed meetings

Sharps also said having regular meetings makes it easier for items to end up on the closed agenda.

Closed session meetings are often used by municipal councils for sensitive discussions, largely due to legal ramifications.

“Just because it’s an uncomfortable subject, it doesn’t get to be enclosed,” Sharps told CHAT News after the council meeting.

There’s been several times where Sharps said she’s motioned for items to be thrown out of closed session and decided she wanted to propose a potential change.

“I felt like I needed to elevate this one more notch higher so I did.”

Coun. Andy McGrogan, while supportive of Sharp, pointed out that council has worked hard to limit the closed session items.

“I don’t want to lose this point: we have done a really good job limiting closed conversations…70 per cent of our agendas have been reduced,” McGrogan said.

Coun. Robert Dumanowski wanted it known that, just because some conversations are held in private, council isn’t doing something nefarious.

“I don’t want it suggested to the public that we are doing things in closed that we ought not do in closed,” Dumanowski said.

“There are clear criteria under FOIP and rationales whether it be Comco, collective agreements, personal, et cetera, those are legal and protected.”

Administration staff will return with options at the Dec. 18 meeting.

by Eli J. Ridder | @EliRidder

Medicine Hat council requests review on closed meetings

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