The move to a 3 p.m. meeting time without public consultation is still not sitting well with one Peachland councillor.
Terry Condon made his thoughts known again at council’s May 20 meeting.
“I don’t have any particular strong objection to the change,” he added. “What disappoints me about the way this has come before us is that I don’t see any kind of public consultation.”
Condon said the move seems to be with a minimal level of cost benefit analysis for the convenience of council.
“The people that are potentially most affected—our residents and the people that we’re supposed to serve—and yet we haven’t asked their opinion about this. I think it was an omission.
Condon also spoke his mind on the issue at council’s May 9 meeting.
“The shift to the 3 p.m. start is intended to improve internal efficiency, reduce staff overtime costs, and align with the consultant and third party availability during standard business hours,” Jennifer Sawatzky, director of corporate services, told council at that meeting.
Public notice of the change was provided.
Regular council meetings generally start at 6 p.m. every second Tuesday. However, council also holds Committee of the Whole, and special meetings earlier on those Tuesdays.
The new schedule is a pilot program running until the end of 2025, giving the district time to assess its effectiveness before making it permanent.
Council voted in favour of the change with Condon opposed.
