In accordance with Provincial Ministerial Order (M-192), the Strathcona Regional District considered letting members of the public attend the August 19th board meeting. As board members do not have to attend themselves, Chief Administrative Officer David Leith described this as letting the public come into the boardroom and watch television. The only advantage being that they could see the meeting live instead of waiting for the YouTube video comes out. He added that Livestreaming may arrive in September. 

Allowing Public Attendance

The associated staff report states: “With respect to physical attendance by members of the public, Ministerial Order M-192 is clear that the Regional District must use its best efforts to allow attendance by the public while respecting public health guidelines. This will require some changes in the Boardroom seating arrangements to accommodate members of the public, local media and delegations, as well as considerations of traffic flow during meetings. There is also a need to consider whether the space normally occupied by directors can be made available on a temporary basis for public attendance until such time as directors are able to transition back to physical attendance at meetings. Planning for this gradual re-opening to public attendance is currently underway and it is anticipated that the ability to accommodate limited numbers of persons will be available starting with the next scheduled Board meeting.” 

Director Julie Colbourne said she would support opening the August meeting as a confidence building measure. 

An Alternate Motion

Regional Director Jim Abram brought forward an opposing motion, that members of the public be excluded from board meetings “for reasons of public health.” 

“Something is being missed here … In September, we are going to be open to the public and live streaming etc. The only time that we won’t be doing this is in August … Last board meeting we voted to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars into making our board is as absolutely transparent as possible. We are in the process of doing that,” he explained.

“Step back for a moment and leave some of your preconceived ideas about what this motion means and look at it carefully. It’s basically saying hang on, we are just going to wait and not have to tape off the room and do all the figuring out that Dave said, reserving room for directors to come if they are around etc etc. We just have to wait until the September meeting, that’s all I am asking … I don’t think our minister, being a very fiscally responsible person, would think that this is unreasonable.” 

Director Claire Moglove pointed out that Abram’s motion doesn’t say anything about September, just “members of the public shall be excluded.” 

Chief Administrative Officer Leitch said that while their goal is to have livestreaming installed by September, he could not guarantee it. 

Abram’s motion was defeated.

A Third Motion

Moglove brought forward a revised version of the motion “that physical attendance by the public in accordance with requirements of ministerial order M192 be scheduled to commence with the September board meeting.” 

Mayor Andy Adams pointed out, “We don’t know what September is going to look like. I just want the flexibility that we schedule it for the 16th but can adjust, should we get other information, without needing another motion or amendment.” 

He added the words ‘where practicable’ to the motion, which then passed.