Orillia’s municipal politicians are taking a break from prime time.
Starting May 1, meetings of council committee will be held at 2 p.m. on Mondays as part of an eight-month trial period to see if the schedule works better. Regular council meetings will continue to be held at 7 p.m. on alternative Mondays.
While the decision was approved by council committee Monday, it must be ratified at Thursday’s council meeting.
Initially, staff had suggested moving to the afternoon schedule in January. However, Ward 3 Coun. Mason Ainsworth, a Lakehead University student, has classes Monday afternoons until the end of April.
Because of that, it was decided to start the trial in May.
Ward 4 Coun. Pat Hehn was opposed to a move to afternoon sessions.
“To me, the work of council is really done during council committee meetings,” said Hehn. “It’s when we hear from our staff and when the most vigorous debate occurs.”
She said “it’s also when our citizens are most likely to attend meetings if they have a concern.”
Hehn recounted times, when in years past, people packed the council chambers to voice their displeasure at a council decision.
“By scheduling the meetings during the day, we make it more difficult for our citizens with full-time jobs to attend,” she said. “Those are the times when people can express their feelings. Although they can’t speak, their presence tells us how they feel.”
She also said it limits the people who might, in four years, consider running for a council seat.
“We’re saying to people that you need to have a flexible job or independently wealthy or retired if you want to run for council,” said Hehn. “If we’re looking to the future, I think it would be very difficult to find people to run for council if people with jobs discover they’ll have to be in a meeting every other Monday afternoon.”
But Ward 4 Coun. Tim Lauer said evening meetings prolong already busy days – especially for city staff.
“I do think during the day you’re much more productive,” he said, noting staff can start as early as 6 a.m. and are expected to stay at city hall for the meeting, which can sometimes run until 11 p.m. “I just don’t think you’re creating the best climate to make good decisions. It’s worth a try.”
In the end, his colleagues agreed. All council committee and council meetings are televised by Rogers TV. The afternoon meetings will be televised and live-streamed and will also be re-aired in the traditional 7 p.m. time slot.
Here’s council’s schedule. It’s not official until it’s ratified Thursday night:
Monday, Jan. 7 – No regular meeting
Monday, Jan. 14 – Committee (7 p.m.)
Monday, Jan. 21 – Council (7 p.m.)
Monday, Jan. 28 – No regular meeting
Monday, Feb 4 – No regular meeting (Budget Ratification meeting at 7 p.m.)
Monday, Feb. 11 – No regular meeting
Monday, Feb. 18 – Family Day
Monday, Feb. 25 – Committee (7 p.m.)
Monday, March 4 – Council (7 p.m.)
Monday, March 11 – Spring Break
Monday, March 18 – Spring Break
Monday, March 25 – Committee (7 p.m.)
Monday, April 1 – Council (7 p.m.)
Monday, April 8 – Committee (7 p.m.)
Monday, April 15 – Council (7 p.m.)
Monday, April 22 – Easter Monday
Monday, April 29 – Committee (7 p.m.)
Monday, May 6 – Council (7 p.m.)
Monday, May 13 – No regular meeting
Monday, May 20 – Victoria Day
Monday, May 27 – Committee (2 p.m.)
Monday, June 3 – Council (7 p.m.)
Monday, June 10 – No regular meeting
Monday, June 17 – Committee (2 p.m.)
Monday, June 24 – Council (7 p.m.)
Monday, July 1 – Canada Day
Monday, July 8 – No regular meeting
Monday, July 15 – Committee (2 p.m.)
Thursday, July 18 – Council (7 p.m.)
Monday, July 22 – No regular meeting
Monday, July 29 – No regular meeting
Monday, Aug. 5 – Civic Holiday
Monday, Aug. 12 – Committee (2 p.m.)
Thursday, Aug. 15 – Council (7 p.m.)
Monday, Aug. 19 – No regular meeting
Monday, Aug. 26 – No regular meeting
Monday, Sept. 2 – Labour Day
Monday, Sept. 9 – Committee (2 p.m.)
Monday, Sept. 16 – Council (7 p.m.)
Monday, Sept. 23 – No regular meeting
Monday, Sept. 30 – Committee (2 p.m.)
Monday, Oct. 7 – Council (7 p.m.)
Monday, Oct. 14 – Thanksgiving
Monday, Oct. 21 – No regular meeting
Monday, Oct. 28 – Committee (2 p.m.)
Monday, Nov. 4 – Council (7 p.m.)
Monday, Nov. 11 – Remembrance Day
Monday, Nov. 18 – No regular meeting
Monday, Nov. 25– No regular meeting
Monday, Dec. 2 – No regular meeting
Monday, Dec. 9 – Committee (2 p.m.)
Thursday, Dec. 12 – Council (7 p.m.)
Monday, Dec. 16 – No regular meeting
Monday, Dec. 23 – No regular meeting
Monday, Dec. 30 – No regular meeting
