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North Bay resident and frequent municipal government critic Don Rennick is mulling a return appearance during the City of North Bay's next virtual town hall meeting.
Citizens have until noon on Monday, Sept. 13, to register to make a presentation during the planned two-hour town hall meeting — scheduled for later that day at 5:30 p.m. — on matters that fall within the jurisdiction of the municipality, including the upcoming 2022 budget process.
The City advises presentations can only be made electronically. According to the procedural by-law, town hall meetings are not a statutory requirement but are offered as an added opportunity for dialogue with the community.
Rennick, a prolific author of letters to the editor on municipal affairs and a 2018 council candidate tells BayToday he still has a bone to pick about unfair hydro rates and might opt to relay his message to Mayor Al McDonald and North Bay City Council via a virtual presentation, Monday.
Rennick only got one minute into his November 2020 town hall presentation before frequent foil McDonald cut his audio. Rennick claims he was set up. The two have a long history of interactions ending abruptly.
See related: You're out of order!
See also: Silent protest confronts mayor at council meeting
The City's Procedural By-Law includes language governing town hall meetings (Section 10), rules of conduct (13), presentations (38.3) and sanctions (38.4) that must be observed by participants.
Rennick — although not directly referred to by name by the City — has also possibly influenced evolving municipal policy surrounding Freedom of Information requests.
See also: City Hall tells citizen activist to go FOI himself
Interested town hall presenters may register with the Clerk at [email protected] and are asked to provide a brief outline of their presentation. Each participant may speak for up to three minutes. Members of the public who are unable to participate can make written submissions to the Clerk, which will be circulated to Council.
The town hall meeting will be conducted electronically through Zoom and broadcast live on the City’s website and on YouTube, beginning Monday at 5:30 p.m.
