Richmond Hill keeps daytime council meetings despite democratic concerns

“This one is unpopular. This is fun to rally against. It’s something that needs to be done,” Regional Councillor Joe DiPaola responds.

Yorkregion.com
Nov. 27, 2019
Sheila Wang

What started out as pilot program has become permanent in Richmond Hill, except that it isn’t quite the same as what has been tried.

A majority of council voted Nov. 20 to hold council meetings at 9:30 a.m. on the third and fourth Wednesday of each month and eliminate all committee of the whole meetings for the rest of the 2018-2022 term.

The representatives approved the controversial proposal made by Regional Councillor Joe DiPaola after an hour-long debate where councillors Karen Cilevitz, David West and Godwin Chan spoke strongly against the motion.

It was a result of the tentative changes made on the meeting days and times from April to November on a trial-basis for the purpose of “streamlining the work process,” according to DiPaola.

However, the changes have got strong pushback from the public who found the daytime meetings difficult to attend in person because they have to go to work.

“It’s about participation,” said Cilevitz who opposed the motion. “This is about us being available for residents to come into the council chambers.”

The councillor also took issue with the removal of the committee of the whole meetings which wasn’t on DiPaola’s original motion and was tacked on last minute at the council meeting.

Cilevitz said it was important to have an opportunity for council members and city staff to hash out the details and receive public input before coming to the final decisions at the council meetings.

“This motion today has been called undemocratic but it is exactly the opposite,” DiPaola defended his motion. “This one is unpopular. This is fun to rally against. It’s something that needs to be done.”

Having council meetings during the day is the way large municipalities handle their business, the regional councillor stated, in response to the fierce opposition expressed by the delegates representing three residents’ groups who questioned his “integrity” and “motive.”

Council Accountability Group (CAG) organizer Marj Andre found the proposal “hostile and alienating,” and John Li, head of Yonge and Bernard Residents Association called it “self-serving and selfish.”

Li also read out loud a few letters opposing the proposal before presenting council Richmond Hill’s employment statistics in an effort to slam the motion as “a deliberate attempt to exclude majority of voters” from taking part in democracy.

Regional Councillor Carmine Perrelli took DiPaola’s side, pointing out coming to council wasn't the only way to participate and communications from the public in all forms were welcome, including emails, letters and phone calls.

He noted a majority of Richmond Hill residents were “shy” and didn’t have the “thick skin” to confront council.

Chan made an amendment to keep one meeting at 9:30 a.m. and the other at 7 p.m. so working residents can at least attend one.

Mayor Dave Barrow shot down the amendment, ruling it was 'contrary' to the original motion.

Chan challenged the mayor’s order but was voted down by a majority of council.

“I will not take the result as it is. We need fight back to 'gang of four' for this anti-democracy motion,” resident Li wrote to The Liberal after the council meeting.

It’s been a long-held tradition in Richmond Hill to have council meetings in the evenings.

At the beginning of this term, council decided to explore new days and times to hold these meetings.

Earlier in February, council adopted DiPaola’s motion by moving the council and committee of the whole meetings from 7:30 p.m. on alternate Mondays to 1 p.m. on alternate Tuesday on a trial basis from April to September.

The tentative changes were then further modified in July when the representatives decided to hold council meetings once every month on the third Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. from September to Nov. 31. And the committee of whole meeting would take place on the first Wednesday of each month at 9:30 a.m.

The next council meeting is scheduled for Dec. 18 at 9:30 a.m. in the council chambers.