On the Cariboo RD Board Agenda is a special report (No. 34) of the BC Ombudsperson Kim Carter regarding concerns raised over how local governments have closed meetings. As my readers' know - Quesnel's City Manager Byron Johnson recently addressed this topic, given the 'misunderstandings' around when a local government may or must go 'In-Camera' and the process for doing so. Read the report of Mr. Johnson here. It should be noted that Pat Morton, a very vocal critic of Quesnel Mayor Mary Sjostrom asked about Mr. Johnson's report at the Sept 17th Quesnel Council meeting during 'Question Period'
In the meantime - Ms. Carter, in her report, encourages local governments to keep a 'checklist' on what a local government should do if the necessity for a closed meeting should arise and what steps should be taken to ensure that a local government holds to the highest principles of openess and transparency including posting of a closed meeting notice online (something I've asked for in Williams Lake) and routine release of In-Camera Meeting Minutes (where/when legally permitted) and finally how to answer the question When a meeting is a meeting and includes a 'Best Practices' guide for 'Open and Closed Meetings'
Read below:
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