Richmond city council has asked its staff to create a policy to routinely release minutes and decisions from closed meetings when they’re no longer considered confidential.
The motion was brought forward by Coun. Kash Heed, who said he was looking for more “openness and transparency” about decisions made behind closed doors.
He also called for the in-camera minutes to have more detail on what was discussed.
“Our in-camera minutes don’t say much at all and I think we got to make sure that they’re more comprehensive in what is discussed in camera,” Heed said.
“So, when it is actually released, the public can have an understanding of what was discussed and what the vote was.”
He added this is the “transparency the public is looking for.”
Closed meetings, referred to as “in-camera meetings,” are usually held when matters pertaining to legal issues, legal opinions, land transactions and labour/personnel issues are discussed.
Heed said he’s not looking for “highly sensitive” information to be released, rather the “common things” that the public should be aware of.
The current policy, written in 2006, requires resolutions and reports from closed meetings be "made routinely available ot the public" once they're no longer considered confidential.
It doesn't, however, refer to meeting minutes being released.
On Monday (March 3), when the motion was dealt with at a committee meeting, Coun. Bill McNulty suggested minutes should include reasons why city council members voted against an item.
The meeting minutes never show comments from someone who spoke against a motion or a policy, he added, and he'd like to see a “narrative” showing the pros and cons of the issues council is dealing with and debating.
“It’s sad that we don’t because sometimes the contrary is something to look at as well,” McNulty said.
Coun. Alexa Loo said she’s looked at minutes from 1990, and they contained a lot of “inane comments” compared to present-day minutes.
A policy was passed in 1995 to exclude “debate by members of council” and questions posed to city staff and the answers to those questions.
Loo questioned whether the idea was to go back to the “olden days” when there were more details.
City staff has been directed to come back in three months with policy change suggestions.
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