The conduct of councillors in North Bay has been in the news this past year, and so has an effort to pass a new code of conduct bylaw. Councillors have also been criticised for how they treat citizens making presentations.
Well, our neighbours in Timmins have similar issues, and they are in the process of making some changes to their official procedural bylaw. Councilors have come up with a 23-page bylaw document.
So we thought it would be interesting to see what our northern friends have come up with. Here are some lesser-known, but interesting facts about Timmins city council:
1) YOUR SEAT MAY BE CHOSEN FOR YOU
The Clerk, in consultation from the mayor, shall designate the seating arrangement for media, municipal staff, and the public at council meetings. AND any person who contravenes any established seating arrangement shall be guilty of improper conduct and may be subject to expulsion or exclusion from the meeting by the mayor.
2) NO SEPARATE BEEFS
Council shall not entertain any deputations from any employer or organized labour group/union actively engaged in a labour disruption unless the deputation pertains to a subject not related to the labour dispute.
3) WHO WANTS TO STAY LATE?
The meeting shall be deemed to be automatically adjourned at the hour of 10 p.m. if in session at that hour unless otherwise determined by a resolution passed by a majority of the members present. If the meeting continues past 10 p.m., the meeting shall be deemed automatically adjourned at 11 p.m. and each hour thereafter, unless there is unanimous consent from council to proceed.
4) THE MONARCHY MUST NOT BE CRITICIZED
No council member shall speak disrespectfully of the reigning sovereign, any member of the Royal Family, the Governor General, or the Lieutenant Governor.
5) WRAP IT UP
No member, without leave of council, shall speak to a matter, or in reply, for longer than 5 minutes.
North Bay city council meets again on Monday, July 25, this time without cable coverage after Cogeco pulled its signal when council opted to change meeting times.
