Councillor Questions Chair
Near the end of a 2+ hour Finance Policy Committee of the Whole meeting an audience member addressed council with several questions relating to the proposed financial plan.
One of those questions was asking council if they realized that not all commercial taxpayers are assessed on the property improvements on their land, but rather the profitability of their business.
An unnamed councilor I will refer to only as a mayor wannabe tried to interrupt the question by raising a point of order. Usually council members will raise such concerns when they feel the chairman of the meeting is not conducting the meeting properly by allowing inappropriate discussion.
Sometimes it might be considered just good manners to extend some leeway to members of the public when they are participating in democracy by attending such meetings. Rather than becoming confrontational and somewhat belligerent, 'cutting some slack' to the general public in such meetings is a courtesy I would like to see extended. After all, council says they are open to public input and such confrontation does nothing to encourage such public participation.
I predict some interesting meetings in the future if this FPCOW meeting is any indicator of things to come. One thing which has been an earmark of Mayor Ruttans 'style' is a genuine civility in the way he conducts council meetings.
It would be nice if all members of council followed his gentlemanly lead.
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