Mayors Caucus Will be Closed to Public
Tuesday, October 2, 2012 @ 3:58 AM
Prince George, B.C. – While the next meeting of the BC Mayor’s Caucus is set to take place in Prince George in late April, the meetings will not be public. Mayor Green says they are working meetings so there is no access for the public or the media.
Mayor Shari Green says she will be working on the steering committee to plan that session and will be looking for some sponsorships to help pay for the costs and registrations fees.
The meeting held last week in advance of the Union of BC Municipalities convention focused on finance and infrastructure issues.
Councillor Lyn Hall says he supports the idea of such a caucus as an opportunity to share issues and concerns of similar communities . “There are positive things that are brought forward by Mayors, things that are working well in their communities. I think its important , I think it gives us a connection with the rest of the province.”
Councillor Brian Skakun is concerned about the duplication of work. He points to the work of the UBCM, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities “ I personally would ike to see if the Mayor’s caucus keeps going that the Mayor’s caucus is brought into the UBCM’s fold. I think that is the best thing. I do have some questions about transparency and reporting and I know we get the media release and some discussion from you ( the Mayor) on this but I’m wonder, what kind of transparency is there with this whole process? The meetings as I understand are they open to the media, the public , how does that work? ”
The short answer is no, the meetings are not open to the public or the media.
Mayor Green says “It’s a working meeting. It’s not open to the media, it’s not open to the public. The Regional District Chairs already meet once or twice a year and they do get some support from the Local Government Association around that, so it’s evolving. It’s a working meeting where we sit and have a conversation with a bit of an agenda, this one was around infrastructure funding, and every single Mayor that’s there obviously in your duties as Mayor, you represent your community and you reflect the will of your Council so policies and strategic goals and priorities of this community are at the forefront of the discussions I’m having .”
Comments
Sponsorship for a bunch of mayors to come and talk behind closed doors? I can think of a million and one more valuable causes to sponsor.
right on brian! anyway you look at this it is a duplication of the work of the UBCM.
Raising issues that are important to cities is exactly why the UBCM exists and has an elected board to carry out that work. The same conversations are occurring and the same issues are being raised so all this caucus is doing is wasting taxpayers money on pr firms to help spin the rhetoric and on meals for some already well feed mayors who like to travel on taxpayers expense.
I wonder why cutting this wasteful expense isn’t on one of the suggested opportunities for savings under the core review.
Do we really need another level of people meeting behind closed doors?????
I thought the new catch word was clarity. This kind of BS has to stop. We need to know what the various Governments are planning sooner rather than later, so that if we are opposed to the direction they are heading, we can take it up with our Councillors, MLA’ MP’s etc.
Closed meetings to discuss infrastructure wont bode well for taxpayers.
Why is it even being held here? With the majority of mayors residing in the south its just an added expense for them to all come here rather than the north travel to the south.
Anytime a meeting is held behind closed doors it raises suspicion. THese people are paid by us and we should know at least what is on the agenda, also how can they say they represent us when we dont know whats going on. Seems to be another waste of tax payers dollars to me.
In many ‘democracies’ this type of thing would be illegal running afoul of sunshine laws that require any quorum doing public work by elected officials to be open and transparent to the public.
Hiding behind closed doors shows disdain for the principles of a democracy.
hmmm looking for sponsorship to help? Would that mean good old local businesses? Maybe some good old budds?
I think the new catch word was transperacy and by the way not in Prince George.
Democracy – Only for a selected few. Closed doors in this city are a norm………
A Mayor does not make a quorum in any individual municipality nor at UBCM or FCM. Neither does a gaggle of Mayors other than at their own meeting.
Another interesting thing about a democracy is that the people, whether mayors or anyone else, other than prisoners, have a right to assemble.
I mean, should the meeting between Clark and Redford have been public? Should meetings with an assembly of Canada’s premiers be public? Based on normal practices, no.
Perhaps we should develop a new standard so that such meetings will be held in public and be televised on CPAC. We do have the technology.
Anyone know the difference between a cactus and a caucus? I do.
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