And then there were three.
The Blue Mountains council committee of the whole meeting on June 29 featured the rare occasion when only three members of council participated in the votes to make a pair of decisions.
Coun. June Porter was absent from the meeting and Mayor Andrea Matrosovs and Deputy Mayor Peter Bordignon had to depart early to attend Grey County meetings. This left the minimum quorum of four councillors in the council chambers for a portion of the meeting.
When councillors Paula Hope and Gail Ardiel each declared conflicts on separate but back-to-back agenda items – No Mow May for Hope and a noise bylaw exemption request for a wedding on August 12 for Ardiel – just three members of council remained in positions to vote.
Coun. Shawn McKinlay, who was chairing the meeting, asked Clerk Corrina Giles for direction on the shorthanded situation.
Giles explained that the Municipal Conflict of Interest in Ontario allows a local council to be reduced to two members making decisions in the event multiple conflicts are declared on an item.
With that advice, the meeting continued.
On the No May Mow item, council approved a report that will allow the initiative to continue in 2024. Staff reported to council that No Mow May in 2023 had little impact on the community.
On the noise bylaw exemption request, council approved the request to allow the wedding to have music playing from midnight to 1 a.m. The wedding is being held in a barn on The Blue Mountains/Euphrasia (Grey Highlands) townline. Neighbours were circulated about the request and the town received no objections.
