Shawville mayor introduces resolution to open MRC plenary sessions to public

Shawville mayor introduces resolution to open MRC plenary sessions to public

At the MRC Pontiac council of mayors meeting on February 21, Shawville Mayor Bill McCleary put forward a resolution requesting that council vote on whether to open their plenary sessions to the public. The plenary meetings take place a week prior to the public meetings, and typically last most of the day.

McCleary said that editorials in The Equity newspaper, as well as citizens groups had long been calling for the the plenary sessions be opened to the public, and he thought it should be put to a vote. He said that since several mayors were absent from the meeting, they would be holding a vote at their next public meeting in March. Representatives of Sheenboro, Bryson and Bristol were absent from the meeting, while the municipalities of Thorne, Clarendon and Chichester were represented by their pro-mayors.

Speaking after the meeting, McCleary said that he would be voting in favour of opening the sessions, adding that “the public has a right to be bored as much as we are.”

McCleary said that the issue had already been discussed by council, and while he suspected the resolution would be voted down, he wanted a vote nonetheless.