There were a few unhappy councillors at the end of Monday含羞草研究社檚 (Apr.22) meeting following a failed attempt to reconsider pay raises voted on and passed a week ago.
Councillor Ron Cannan made the motion to reconsider which was supported by Coun. Mohini Singh.
含羞草研究社淐an we ask for greater clarity on why, we make so many decisions day in and day out, we need to reconsider this decision?含羞草研究社� asked Mayor Tom Dyas.
Cannan pointed out that he made a request at the end of last week含羞草研究社檚 (Apr. 15) meeting that he wanted to be on the record as opposed to adopting the remuneration bylaw.
Dyas asked Cannan why he had a change of heart.
含羞草研究社淭here wasn含羞草研究社檛,含羞草研究社� Cannan replied. 含羞草研究社淚 missed the vote it was my mistake. I waited until the end of the meeting so as not to disrupt proceedings含羞草研究社 asked to be on the record as being opposed. I was told I can含羞草研究社檛 because our council procedure bylaws require it to come back for reconsideration.含羞草研究社�
City clerk Laura Bentley confirmed that 含羞草研究社渃ouncil may put forward a motion to reconsider a decision already made.含羞草研究社�
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During the Apr. 15 meeting, an item before the remuneration bylaw was removed from the agenda, which appeared to confuse some councillors as to which matter they were voting on.
含羞草研究社淚 made a mistake,含羞草研究社� admitted Coun. Rick Webber regarding the deleted item. 含羞草研究社淚t had been taken off the agenda kind of on the fly and I hadn含羞草研究社檛 caught on to that, I was distracted.含羞草研究社�
Webber said by the end of that meeting he wondered if council actually voted on remuneration. 含羞草研究社淚 had to go back and look at the tapes and saw indeed we did vote, and we all voted yes. It was later I realized I voted on the wrong thing.含羞草研究社�
Although, Webber added he did not see a need to reconsider the matter as the result is not likely to change.
Councillors Singh and Gord Lovegrove said they made similar mistakes. Singh said previously that she is not opposed to a raise, just the amount.
含羞草研究社淚 would like to see my vote documented as being against it, but I don含羞草研究社檛 have a big problem with it.含羞草研究社�
Lovegrove said he and his colleagues voted on something they missed.
含羞草研究社淲e were distracted, whatever words you want to use. Reconsideration could overturn that bylaw and that含羞草研究社檚 not where I含羞草研究社檓 going with supporting this motion.含羞草研究社�
Coun. Loyal Wooldridge said that revisiting the decision would set a dangerous precedent.
含羞草研究社淚t is incumbent on us to be paying attention to the agenda and the clerk does a great job of ensuring where we are at in the agenda.含羞草研究社�
Lovegrove attempted to make a motion, citing a parliamentary rule that would allow council (with 75 per cent support) to amend the minutes of the Apr. 15 meeting to reflect the non-support of the four councillors.
Dyas didn含羞草研究社檛 allow that, prompting Cannan to call for a point of order and ask the city clerk if that was a possibility. Bentley noted that the minutes had already been adopted by council.
含羞草研究社淭he minutes reflect what transpired in the meeting含羞草研究社t含羞草研究社檚 not practice to amend them after the fact.含羞草研究社�
Dyas said in reviewing the video of the Apr. 15 meeting it was clear to him how councillors voted.
含羞草研究社淚 do not want to get into a practice of turning around and revisiting decisions especially when we含羞草研究社檙e dealing with major developments and if something gets into a 5-4 vote and want to change our vote at the end of a meeting I don含羞草研究社檛 want to set that precedent.含羞草研究社�
Council voted down Cannan含羞草研究社檚 motion.
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