From October 2018 through to October 2022, I served the Municipality of Glenboro South Cypress as a councillor for Ward 4, the village ward. Through those four years, I learned a lot, served with councillors whose ideas and goals for our community sometimes coincided with mine, and sometimes did not. We dealt with issues of the day, as well as planning for long-term improvements to our community, both provincially mandated and otherwise.
Having served on this council, it became increasingly more clear to me that there was a gap between what was being said and done and accomplished in council, and what the public, the ratepayers of our community, were hearing. Often, misinterpretations of information grew to epic proportions after a few tellings, and just as often, no information whatsoever made it from council chambers, through the municipal office, to the public.
I decided that that needed to change. However, reporting to the public on issues and debates I not only witnessed but was, more often than not, part of in my role as councillor hit a little too close to conflict of interest for me.
Having decided to not run for a second term, I started playing with the idea of reporting, as clearly as possible, on council meetings… and here we are.
Municipal council meetings are open to the public. The only exception is when the council goes into an “in camera” session. These sessions must be motioned into and motioned out of – they are only allowed under very strict requirements which include issues to be discussed with regard to the personal information or employment status of a municipal employee, or if the topic to be discussed has the potential to materially harm the municipality as a whole should it be disclosed. These requirements MUST be met; “in camera” cannot be a tool used to exclude ratepayers from municipal meetings.
So, I have started the Glenboro Journal as a way to attend council meetings and report to you, the public, what is being discussed and decided upon by our duly elected council members in a clear way which doesn’t require interpretation of motions, with no other information or context being offered. I hope to include details of the discussion and reasoning behind decisions, as well as outside factors (such as provincial or federal mandates or requirements, programs, etc.), so that members of the community aren’t left to speculate. Speculation, rumour, innuendo – these are going to destroy our community if they continue. I hope that clear, informative reporting of what goes on in council meetings, and research into the topics and issues being discussed, allows for a transparency which you, as ratepayers, deserve.
As the municipal council typically meets on the second Wednesday of each month, I hope to have this updated for each meeting I attend by no later than a week later, or the THIRD Wednesday of each month. I may also include other articles related to issues being discussed, or to do with our community as a whole, the committees serving the broader community on which your council members serve (and why), as well as local issues, events, and what your tax dollars are supporting.
So, welcome to the Glenboro Journal. I hope you stick around, read, discuss with others, and help me in my efforts to open the lines of communication within our community.
Awesome!! I think this is a great idea. Look forward reading more.
Awesome!! Thank you Tracy, for being the person!