Skip to content

Five facts you may not know about city council

From the council conduct bylaw
CouncilWide
City council opted to tweak their official conduct bylaw last week. Andrew Autio for TimminsToday

Timmins city council was off this week, but they are in the process of making some changes to their official procedural bylaw.

Councilors are strongly encouraged to be aware of each line of the 23 page bylaw document.

Here are some lesser-known, but interesting facts about city council:

 1) YOUR SEAT MAY BE CHOSEN FOR YOU

The Clerk, in consultation from the mayor, shall designate the seating arrangement for media, municipal staff, and the public at council meetings. AND any person who contravenes any established seating arrangement shall be guilty of improper conduct and may be subject to expulsion or exclusion from the meeting by the mayor.

2) NO SEPARATE BEEFS

Council shall not entertain any deputations from any employer or organized labour group/union actively engaged in a labour disruption, unless the deputation pertains to a subject not related to the labour dispute.

3) WHO WANTS TO STAY LATE?

The meeting shall be deemed to be automatically adjourned at the hour of 10 p.m. if in session at that hour, unless otherwise determined by resolution passed by a majority of the members present. If the meeting continues past 10 p.m., the meeting shall be deemed automatically adjourned at 11 p.m. and each hour thereafter, unless there is unanimous consent from council to proceed.

4) THE MONARCHY MUST NOT BE CRITICIZED

No council member shall speak disrespectfully of the reigning sovereign, any member of the Royal Family, the Governor General, or the Lieutenant Governor.

5) WRAP IT UP

No member, without leave of council, shall speak to a matter, or in reply, for longer than 5 minutes.

City council meets again on Monday, July 25.