Tweaks to neighbourhood meeting schedule mulled for 2018

City council will mull changes to annual neighbourhood ward meetings for 2018 after a proposal for change by administration, despite a desire to stick with the status quo.

At council’s latest meeting, planning director Craig Guidinger pitched the idea of moving to a project-based meeting schedule over the current ward-based meeting system. This in part came as an effort to prevent “over meeting people” as administration found attendance dropped off as the number of meetings went on, despite strong attendance across the board.

“A project-based approach would make sure everyone is at the meeting for the same reason,” Guidinger said to council during his pitch. “I feel ward meetings have their place…but what I am suggesting today is a perhaps a staggered approach.”

In 2014, administration launched a new three-phase approach to neighbourhood planning. This involved annual evening meetings in each ward to discuss any and all issues. The gatherings allow residents to come face-to-face with directors and councillors to air grievances or ask questions.

But Guidinger’s new strategy would see ward meetings held every two to four years. This would stagger the annual meetings and fill the gaps with consultations when a major project or idea springs up and public feedback was sought. Guidinger suggested using surveys, focused events and social media to additionally inform residents in lieu.

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“[There are] lots of out of the box ways we can do that,” he added.

Though admitting an understanding of the thought behind the proposal and sympathetic of the taxing nature involved in sending administration out and about numerous times a year, many councillors rejected the change citing nothing but positive feedback from residents about the ward meetings.

“Quite often the phone calls and chats I have with the residents are about what’s going on in front of my house, down the street…they have nothing to do with projects,” Coun. Ted Zurakowski said, adding he “would hate to see us walk away from [the current annual meetings].”

With the community now realizing the city is holding feedback sessions, Coun. Blake Edwards believed “it is important to have these general meetings for discussion and keep people engaged.”

“Not all people are [online]. This gives a chance for people to come out, voice their opinions, have the directors there and answer some direct questions,” he said.

Most councillors around the table were vocal in their support for the status quo, saying despite the city having a set agenda, there are other pressing issue citizens like to bring forward or desire clarity on.

Not wanting “to see what was started die,” Coun. Dennis Nowoselsky put forward a motion asking for four community meetings a year where neighbouring wards would be brought together for the information sessions to ease the number of gatherings. Also proposed was tying open feedback meetings with project-based assemblies.

“I would hate to see them just die to go project analysis approach only. I am not satisfied with this,” he explained.

This was an acceptable centre ground for council, who passed the proposal, which will head to an upcoming council meeting for final approval.

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr