The local councils of Grey County will meet together this week in a joint session, but the public and media won’t get a glimpse of what they’re saying.
On Thursday, August 8 at 8:30 a.m., Grey County will host a joint meeting of the nine local municipal councils - The Blue Mountains, Chatsworth, Grey Highlands, Georgian Bluffs, Hanover, Meaford, Owen Sound, West Grey and Southgate. The meeting will be an online virtual meeting and will proceed into a closed session almost immediately.
The agenda for the meeting states the representatives from the nine municipalities will be discussing labour relations or employee negotiations and advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege.
The only other items on the agenda are the adoption of the agenda, the adoption of the Grey County procedural bylaw to govern the proceedings of the meeting and the confirming bylaw to close the meeting.
In providing public notice of the meeting, an email from the Town of The Blue Mountains stated: “the purpose of this meeting is with respect to shared service delivery and service efficiencies.”
CollingwoodToday sought clarification from county officials about the purpose of the meeting and why the discussion was being held in closed session.
“The topics being discussed have relevance to all Grey County municipalities. Having a single meeting with all elected officials was thought to be a more efficient and effective way of sharing information, rather than nine individual meetings,” county Clerk Tara Warder said via email. “Its purpose for being in-camera is to allow the municipalities to receive privileged advice from a solicitor, as well as have a conversation about labour relations/employee negotiations.”
Warder also added that there would be no votes during the closed session.
“I note for interest, that municipalities are not permitted to take votes in secret, unless they are procedural votes, or give directions or instructions to officers, employees or agents of the municipality,” Warder said in her email.
The open portion of the meeting will be available to view on the county’s web and Youtube pages found here.
