A discussion about the proposed 2020 city council schedule turned into a verbal sparring match between Mayor Fraser Tolmie and Coun. Brian Swanson, with the former accusing the latter of missing meetings too often.
City administration presented a report during council’s Oct. 28 regular meeting that looked at the schedule for regular council and executive committee meetings for next year. The area that caused tempers to flare was around when this council’s final meeting is of its four-year term and when the first meeting is for the newly elected council; a municipal election is set for Monday, Nov. 9, 2020.
Specifically, administration proposed that the final meeting for this council would be Monday, Sept. 28, 2020, and the first official meeting of the new council would be Monday, Nov. 23, 2020 — a break of 56 days.
Lighting the match
Swanson didn’t think it was necessary to have a 56-day break, nor was it necessary to shut down elected officials for so long. He put forward an amendment that council should meet Sept. 8 and 21, 2020, and Oct. 5 and 19, 2020. This would still give candidates nearly three weeks to campaign before the municipal election.
“To have no council meeting in October is not right,” Swanson said, adding there would be a 35-day break between council meetings based on his suggestion.
The first three dates Swanson proposed were acceptable, but the final date in October was problematic, said Tolmie, who put forward another amendment to remove Oct. 19. He thought residents running in the municipal election should receive the same amount of time to campaign and the same media coverage as those already on council.
Provincial and federal politicians also break early before elections since they have an advantage — more media coverage — over people running against them, he added.
Stoking the fire
Those politicians break early since they have a further distance to travel, replied Swanson. If an MLA represents Meadow Lake and has to travel from Regina, that politician is at a disadvantage compared to someone already in the community. Meanwhile, MPs from British Columbia have to travel across the country from Ottawa to reach their ridings.
Dropping the Oct. 19 date means council wouldn’t meet for 48 days, which is still too long, he added.
“… I feel one thing the community wants when people are running is for people to have a fair chance. I feel that there are a lot of people out there not running because they don’t feel it’s fair,” said Tolmie, adding it would be ethical to give others running to be mayor the same opportunity as he has.
Council then voted 6-1 against the second amendment to remove Oct. 19 from the first amendment; Tolmie was in favour.
Pouring on the gasoline
Coun. Heather Eby supported the original amendment, saying she was surprised at the proposed 56-day break and when council next met. She understood there were logistics to running a provincial election — to be held two weeks before the municipal election — but thought council had been elected to work until the last possible date.
Her preference for a schedule was to have weekly meetings on Mondays, with the regular and executive committee meetings alternating. She thought that served council better in the past.
Council is meeting more than during the previous schedule since it holds planning meetings in between council dates, said Tolmie. It never used to do that during the previous schedule.
It’s untrue that council meets more often than in the past since council members still have the first and third Mondays free, said Swanson.
Creating an inferno
There has been a concern about Swanson’s attendance considering everyone else shows up for council meetings and planning sessions, replied Tolmie.
“So I think that, Coun. Swanson, I would be concerned about the comments you’re bringing forward because you have the highest absentee rate,” he added.
Turning to look at the mayor, Swanson pointed out he had served on council for 24 years and had missed three council meetings. He missed the recent planning session since he was on vacation.
“I’ll stack my attendance record up over time with anybody’s,” he continued. “If I sometimes miss a meeting or two it’s because my gorge begins to rise and I have to make a decision — do a sit here and listen to this inanity or do I leave? …
“If you want to take shots at my attendance you better be able to back that up.”
Combustion
Common courtesy is to tell other councillors and city administration if you don’t plan to be at meetings, said Tolmie. Councillors are elected to serve the community, so it’s important to have scheduled meetings written into agendas.
“And if it’s based on your temperament, well, Coun. Swanson … ,” Tolmie began, before Swanson rose from his seat to call a point of order.
“I do not have to listen to the mayor give me a lecture,” Swanson remarked, a statement with which Eby — the deputy mayor — agreed and who called the meeting back to order.
“Alright, that’s fine,” replied Tolmie.
Council then voted unanimously to approve the amendment and the motion as amended.
Council next meets on Tuesday, Nov. 12.
