minutes (clerk’s role)

Summaries List

FILTER BY:

Township of Prince

January 03, 202303 January 2023

The Ombudsman reviewed two complaints about an emergency closed meeting held by council for the Township of Prince. The Ombudsman determined that even though the Township of Prince resolved to appoint a temporary Clerk for the emergency closed meeting, it did not pass a confirming by-law to ratify this resolution.

Township of Tehkummah

April 18, 201818 April 2018

The Ombudsman reviewed a meeting of council for the Township of Tehkummah. During the closed session, the clerk left the meeting room, and no closed meeting minutes were taken. The Ombudsman found that the municipality failed to fulfill its statutory obligation to record council’s proceedings. The Ombudsman recommended that the township ensure that both open and closed session minutes are kept of all meetings of council, local boards, and committees. The Ombudsman also recommended that meeting records are complete and accurately reflect all of the substantive and procedural items that were discussed, and that meetings are audio and/or video recorded.

Township of Bonfield

November 23, 201523 November 2015

The Ombudsman reviewed two closed meetings held by the Public Works Committee for the Township of Bonfield. The Ombudsman noted that the committee’s open session minutes only recorded the resolutions passed by the committee. The Ombudsman also found that the committee excluded the clerk during the closed session minutes and did not take any formal minutes for that portion of the meeting. The Ombudsman found that the municipality’s practices led to little substantive content of the committee’s discussion being recorded. The Ombudsman recommended that the municipality ensure that both open and closed session minutes are kept of all meetings of council, local boards, and committees. The Ombudsman also recommended that meeting records be complete and accurately reflect all of the substantive and procedural items that were discussed, and that meetings be audio and/or video recorded. Finally, the Ombudsman recommended that if the committee’s clerk delegates minute-taking responsibilities, and if the clerk is not attending the meeting, the delegation should be made formally in writing.