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Archive                                                             Oak Bay Watch Flash Bulletin Oct. 22, 2019

Three Committee of the Whole Council (COW) meetings are to be held on 3 consecutive days (October 22, 23 and 24) following Monday’s October 21, 2019 Federal Election. 

The 3 back-to-back-to-back-to-back Council Committee of the Whole meeting Agendas include a significant number of complex documents that include:
  • An Urban Forest Progress Report,
  • A 34 page Oak Bay District Corporate Plan
  • A Strategic Initiatives Progress Report
  • A Chief Administration Officer memorandumHome
  • A 2-hour Council Open House and
  • A 55 page, Consultant Commission Committee Review (information) Report with 17 recommendations and 14 Appendices
 
The District’s Chief Administrator’s memorandum message regarding the Consultant Commission/ Committee Review Report states: "It is for Council to consider, deliberate and subsequently provide direction to staff to action with a lens as to how to best augment Council governance role and associated decision making".

Presumably this message would apply to all Oak Bay residents, who like Council members, are given so very little time to deliberate, analyze and consider this significant amount of information.

Every one of these COW meetings would require a lot of notice for adequate public decision-making collaboration and this is why the unimplemented Mayor’s July 2018 Public Engagement Task Force #40 recommendation (of 56 recommendations) stated, “Strive to exceed minimum legislated requirements for notification, providing greatest notification possible”.