1) Heritage Registry
Council heard from Mary Forbes on the possible establishment of a Heritage Registry (which I agree with in principle) and how to save Potato House on 49 Borland Street. This matter has been referred to the Community Services Portfolio for investigation. This Portfolio is chaired by Councillor Laurie Walters. However, on the matter of starting a heritage registry, the City should contact the Cariboo Regional District and see if we can join their Heritage Registry. The City declined, in 2007, to join the Heritage Registry Function and I believe it is time to re-visit that decision. Why re-invent the wheel?
2) In-Camera Meeting
Following adjournment at last night's Committee of the Whole meeting, Council went into an In-Camera meeting (Mayor Cook did gave oral notice but had I not been there, then the public would have not known that Council was meeting behind closed doors). Again, Mayor Cook does not even take my suggestion seriously when I tell her that she needs to ensure that City Hall tells the public when Council goes behind closed doors and why. Furthermore, I had advised her a number of months ago that she needs to have a sign on the Committee Room door to state when Council is meeting in public or in closed session. It is why I and I suspect a number of community members' are seeing no reason to meet with Mayor Cook no longer - Mayor Cook doesn't take seriously the concerns that the public and I bring forward and see more benefit registering their complaints, by way of letters to the editor.
Councils' should hold as few secrets as possible and hold as few closed meetings' and when this is necessary - Council should specifically state the reason why and widely advertise this - both on the City's website and at City Hall as soon as reasonably possible. Posting this information at City Hall and on the City's website would demonstrate a commitment to openness & transparency at City Hall
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