Investigation Report: Ombudsman Act – Rural Municipality of Harrison Park – Public Notice of Council Committee Meetings
investigations & monitoring
municipal / local body
Summary
The ombudsman received a complaint that the Municipality of Harrison Park did not provide adequate public notice of a council committee meeting. When we received the complaint, the municipality did not have a procedure to give public notice of the date, time, and place of council committee meetings. The municipality provided information to residents upon request. After the complaint to our office, the council approved a policy which requires advance posting of the agenda containing the date, time, and location of council committee meetings. We found the policy is an expedient and positive short-term solution, but the notice requirements are best suited in the municipality’s procedures by-law. We suggested the municipality amend the procedures by-law within six months, and they accepted this suggestion. We will follow up with the municipality after that time has passed to get an implementation update. The Municipal Act requires every council committee meeting to be conducted in public, with limited exceptions. The public has a right to be present. The act does not prescribe how a municipality is expected to fulfill the public’s right to be present nor does it define what constitutes conducting a meeting in public. However, the spirit and intent of these sections is to ensure councils operate in an open and transparent manner.
Case MO03035