When are meetings not public?

When are meetings held in the Township of Cramahe Colborne offices not public?

The question came up when Cramahe Now reporter Bob Owen showed up at a meeting on Tuesday at the invitation of one of the participants. The meeting, called by Township Development Officer, Rebecca Goddard-Sarria, was set up to discuss a proposal she made to Council on August 11. The proposal asked Council to approve a request by the Colborne Art Gallery to erect a sculpture in front of the former registry office in Colborne.

After learning on August 11 that Ms. Goddard-Sarria and the artists had not consulted Heritage Cramahe about the effect on the designated building, or the neighbours, council asked the artists to go back to the heritage group and the neighbours and gather their opinions.

The meeting convened by Ms. Goddard-Sarria on September 1 brought together three artists, three members of Heritage Cramahe, Councillor Ed Van Egmond and Township CAO, Christie Alexander.

After finding out the reporter had been invited by one of the attendees, Ms Goddard-Sarria spoke, expressing openly her desire to close the meeting to the press. She stated, "I feel we should meet and then report."

Ms. Alexander added that it was not a committee meeting, (so therefore the press did not necessarily have access). She went on to say that if everyone wasn't comfortable the reporter should leave.

At that point the attendees were canvassed.

Artist Barbara Buntin stated it was not what she had anticipated and set a tone she hadn't anticipated. She wanted to "set the record staight and mend fences, but not on the public record". Her comments were confirmed by fellow artist Terri McDonald.

Ms. Goddard-Sarria reiterated her previous comment.

Heritage Cramahe Chair Lenna Broatch, suggested a press report might present a favourable picture and added that the group was discussing a public building (The Registry Office is owned by the Township of Cramahe.).

With not everyone in agreement, the reporter left.

He was followed shortly after by Councillor Van Egmond who later commented, "I thought it was great to clear the air and settle differences and a great opportunity for everyone to speak one-on-one and be recorded. It was an opportunity missed."

The loss of public scrutiny raises numerous issues.

When taxpayer-owned buildings are being discussed, when should the discussion be public?

What is the township policy on open meetings? One could not possibly determine any policy when the head of staff bowed to the wishes of one of the parties in the meeting and one of her staff.

What was so secret that could not be discussed? The artists want to mount a sculpture in front of the gallery. Heritage Cramahe expects to be consulted.

If the artists wanted to apologise for their previous oversight, why not make it public and undo some of the previous public relations damage?

Why were township policies regarding heritage properties not followed? It is a lame excuse to suggest that a 10-foot-tall sculpture on the boulevard in front of the gallery does not affect the heritage building.

Traditionally in this township people who want to make changes related to a designated building go to a meeting of Heritage Cramahe and the heritage group then makes a report to council.

That procedure wasn't followed prior to the August 11 meeting of Council and the September 1 meeting is evidence the procedure wasn't followed again.

So, are the artists villains or victims?

Is Heritage Cramahe being bypassed or is staff ignorant of the procedures governing township activities?

If staff doesn't know the rules, why not? Are they not written down? If the rules aren't written down, shouldn't staff do some digging before walking out on a limb?

This situation is remarkably like the one where staff didn't appear to know there was a bylaw governing farmers' markets in Colborne - and that was written down.

The whole situation gets even sillier when we learn the outcome of the September 1 meeting. The artists, who are tenants in the Registry Office, will go to the next meeting of Heritage Cramahe (which is open to the press) and make a presentation. Then Heritage Cramahe will report to Council.