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Richmond Hill council changes meeting day, time starting April

Meetings will be at 1 p.m. on alternate Tuesdays

Yorkregion.com
February 28, 2019
Sheila Wang

Richmond Hill council went ahead and OKed the change to a long-standing tradition of having meetings in the evenings amid public opposition.

Council members voted on Feb. 25 at a council meeting to approve a motion that moves the committee of the whole and council meetings from 7:30 p.m. on alternate Mondays to 1 p.m. on alternate Tuesdays on a trial basis from April to September.

The motion won the support of the majority of council while Ward 6 Coun. Godwin Chan and Ward 4 Coun. David West voted against it. Ward 5 Coun. Karen Cilevitz was absent.

Regional Councillor Joe DiPaola, who put forward the motion, said conducting business during the day is intended to streamline the work process and improve productivity.

“There is no one here trying to be any less accountable. We’re not trying in any way to limit our residents’ ability to address council,” DiPaola said, noting council will come back and re-evaluate the change when the trial basis ends.

The regional councillor made the comment after Richmond Hill resident Wilhelm Bleek came before council and spoke against the proposed change of council meeting time.

“This may be the last time I’m here,” Bleek said, and that it would impossible for him to attend council meetings in person if the meetings were to be held during the day.

Coun. Chan put forward an amendment to move council meetings from 7:30 p.m. on alternate Mondays to the same time on alternate Tuesdays so that it would be easier for residents who work during the day to attend the meetings.

Based on the responses from the community and through social media, Coun. Chan said the public would like the council meetings to remain at 7:30 p.m.

But his amendment, seconded by Coun. West, failed to pass as the rest of council voted no.

DiPaola's motion was first introduced at the committee of the whole meeting on Feb. 19 where councillors were split over the proposed change to council meeting time, as yorkregion.com reported.

“We live in a technological age,” Ward 1 Coun. Greg Beros spoke in support of moving council meetings to 1 p.m., noting that people have many channels to be involved in civil affairs.

“I have a hard time believing that 200,000 plus residents of Town of Richmond Hill -- soon to be City -- believed we should be here at night, dragging staff out, paying the extra hours for them in the off chance that someone might show up,” Beros said.

Visit richmondhill.ca for the recorded meeting.