TAMRMS#: B06
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Council Workshops & Training Policy
Presented by: Mary Nordvedt, Deputy City Clerk
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RECOMMENDATION(S)
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That City Council Policy C-CG-13, Council Training Workshops, provided as an Attachment to the May 28, 2018 Agenda Report entitled “Council Workshops & Training Policy”, be approved.
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PURPOSE OF REPORT
To present City Council Policy C-CG-13 Council Training Workshops to Council for approval as requested by Council on February 20, 2018.
COUNCIL DIRECTION
On February 20, 2018 Council passed the following motion:
(CM 18-021)
That by May 31, 2018, Administration amend for Council’s consideration any relevant policies, and/or develop a new policy if necessary, to specify the parameters and requirements of workshops, training sessions, Council briefings, and any other meeting types that would include the majority of Council in attendance, including standards for advance notifications to the media and/or public.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
Administration drafted a policy to prescribe the use and standards pertaining to Council Workshops. In the original draft Council Policy there were three types of Council Workshops envisioned:
1) Administrative Briefing Workshops
2) Council Training Workshops
3) Council Feedback Workshops
In order to ensure that the policy was sound in terms of current legislation and current case law, Legislative Services requested a legal review of the proposed draft Council Policy.
The legal opinion provided the following advice:
Municipal Councils ought to be cautious about meeting without the opportunity for the public to observe. Business should not be conducted in an “informal” meeting that advances the business of the City. However, “informal” meetings that are held for the purpose of educating or training councillors, and where there is no discussion or dealing in any way with any matter that materially advance the business or decision-making of Council, are acceptable.
The reason...
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