COBDEN — At least two Whitewater Region Township council members would like to see more than one council meeting a month.
“My thought is that we need two council meetings a month, but it could be a very short one at the first (Wednesday),” said Councillor Daryl McLaughlin. “We need to have room to do things. That’s my biggest concern.”
As an example, he felt it was a rush to award the curbside pick-up for garbage and recycling in the township. The reason that happened was because the next council meeting wasn’t until March 25 and the contract had to be in place by April 1, he stated.
“And that’s just one tiny example,” he said. “Tonight we were struggling with a minor variance.”
Coun. McLaughlin suggested the meeting start at 5 p.m, considering he gets up about 5 a.m. and going to 10 p.m. is difficult.
“My brain shuts down after eight or nine o’clock,” he stated. “Every meeting goes until 10.”
Reeve Terry Millar concurred.
“I would rather have one extra meeting rather than struggle through to 10,” he said. “Five-thirty until 10 is pretty heavy.”
Councillor Charlene Jackson, who is chair of the corporate services committee, said with five new council members, things will take longer to get through. However, she’s hopeful the meetings will become shorter as council gets used to the decisions that have to be made.
“We are now starting our fourth month,” she said. “I hope by June the meetings won’t be so long.”
She also noted at any time, the mayor could call a special council meeting.
Coun. McLaughlin suggested the first Wednesday of the month, there could be a short council meeting followed by the committee meetings.
The second Wednesday could be committee meetings only and the third Wednesday could be council.
He’s also concerned with getting the managers’ reports near the end of the month instead of at the beginning.
Coun. Jackson suggested, and it was agreed by the committee, the decision be tabled, since Mayor Hal Johnson was not able to be at the meeting to participate in the discussion.
