At a Special Council Meeting last Monday, strategic planning consultant Tim Dobbie of Tim L. Dobbie Consulting Ltd. (Burlington, ON) presented the third draft of Elliot Lake’s new Strategic Plan. Notice of the Special Council Meeting was posted on the city’s website over the weekend.
According to Dobbie, the plan contains over twenty separate actions. They include plans to market our outdoor lifestyle, ensure adequate public transportation while being mindful of cost, and being an employer of choice with emphasis on council-staff relations.
Acting Mayor Wannan observed, “I guess the ultimate thing though, is also to have a good relationship with the whole city, eventually. I think this summarizes everything we’re striving for as a council and [it’s] well worded.”
The draft included cooperation with First Nations communities. Councillor Flintoff asked for more attention to this item, noting “the reconciliation process.” Council and staff supported Flintoff with additional comment.
Other actions include, but were not limited to, attracting and maintaining healthcare professionals, business retention and expansion, improving airport activity, improving internet services, and open and transparent communication.
The council has struggled with transparency during the planning process. The third draft is only the second view of the planning process that has been open to the public. Four council meetings have been held on this topic. The first two were conducted in sessions closed to the public.
The Municipal Act allows for closed session meetings in certain circumstances. Training is one of those circumstances however, to ensure transparency, the act does not allow planning to be conducted during closed session training meetings.
The Ontario Ombudsman offers this guidance, “The guiding principle has always been that municipal councils must meet in public, except in certain specific circumstances. The spirit of the law can be summed up in six words: When in doubt, open the meeting.”
Dobbie advises three or four public drop-in sessions with the actions displayed at stations on large placards.
Each station would have a host who will answer questions and receive comments from the public as they tour the stations. Dobbie suggested one day, with a possible second day if there are four sessions.
The council didn’t debate Dobbie’s recommendation of public input through placard-style drop-in sessions. Dobbie suggested the last week of June. Acting CAO/Municipal Clerk Bray observed that it might take a little more time to get the placards printed, and so early July is more realistic.
About the public meetings, Dobbie advised the council, “It will be in a format where there won’t be much in the way of presentations but people will be taken through a revised version of what you’re going to look at tonight, and we will be asking them questions.”
“Normally, the role of council is you’re welcome to come to those meetings if you wish, but they really are for the public to give input on the work that we’ve done. So, we will let you know when the meetings are.”
“If you want to come and listen, that would be fine,” he said.