In an effort to make Grande Prairie City Council Committee meetings “more transparent,” council has begun discussing some possible changes regarding how committee meetings are run.
Currently, city council holds a series of five committee meetings consisting of different councillors and the mayor; however, Deputy Mayor Gladys Blackmore says most councillors stay for all five meetings whether they are an official member or not. She says changing the format to “Council Committee of the Whole” would open the floor to all councillors to have a say on what goes to Monday’s meetings.
“I just really feel that if we’re all at the table having a discussion, then lets call it what it is, which is Council Committee of the Whole,” she says. “Everyone then speaks to the subjects on the table, everyone gets a vote for what’s on the table, and then it would come to council.”
Blackmore says the meetings would not look any different physically; however, the change would allow for easier logistical processes, saving time for viewers and councillors alike.
“The process would be more transparent, but wouldn’t necessarily look different, or take any different amount of time,” she says. “You would save 10-15 minutes of the switching back and forth on the camera.”
Council is scheduled to vote on the matter at a later meeting in February.
