Coucillors opposed to meeting Owen Sound in private
By Chris Fell - Express Staff

Meaford council received confirmation from the City that it would be sending Mayor Stew Taylor, along with councillors Bill Twaddle and Rick Beaney and staff member Craig Curtis to the meeting to set up water issues for Leith/Annan, the Genoe landfill site and other areas of mutual concern.

The meeting would mark the first formal get together of the two municipalities since the amalgamation that created the new Municipality of Meaford and Owen Sound's rejoining of Grey County.

However, while official confirmation from the City did not ask for the meeting to be private, Mayor Gerald Shortt reported that the City wished to keep the meeting closed to the public.

"The City doesn't want the public involved. They just want ours and their council," Shortt reported.

Members of Meaford council split on the issue of the meeting being held behind closed doors. Councillors Sam Luckhardt and Linda van Aalst said they weren't concerned with the first meeting being private, since no decisions would be made at the first encounter between the two neighbours.

"We're not hiding anything, if a recommendation comes out of it then it will have to go further and then both councils will have to decide," said Luckhardt, who noted that negotiations over the library agreement were being conducted in the same manner.

However other members of council were upset that the city wanted a private meeting.

"I do have a problem with this. There's no legal reason to hold a meeting in-camera. If this is strictly preliminary, that's all the more reason why it should be open and observable," argued councillor Diane Hurlburt.

Councillor Harley Greenfield said he was concerned with the City trying to dictate the terms of the meeting, while Hurlburt pointed out the City had already requested the Genoe landfill site be included in any discussions, when Meaford had originally wanted to only discuss the Leith/Annan water situation.

"Owen Sound has already expanded the topics and now they want a closed meeting. Perhaps it's time for them to have some flexibility," said Hurlburt.

Deputy Mayor Robert Reid pointed out that council was not allowed to hold a closed meeting in a public building. Meaford CAO Chris Webb said the meeting would have to be conducted as a special meeting of council, which would require a quorum to be present in order that resolutions be moved, seconded and passed.

Mayor Shortt said the private request had been relayed to him from Owen Sound Mayor Stew Taylor.

"They felt the meeting should be between the two councils. I guess it's either that way or no meeting," said Shortt.