Changes to Port Hope council’s procedural bylaws impacts public input, citizen voices

A proposal to create sleeping cabins was before Port Hope council recently. The gallery was packed as residents wanted to be heard. When the public learned the matter was being put off to the next meeting, things erupted into chaos. Some members of the public gallery started yelling at the councillors. Decorum broke down as politicians and citizens argued. The mayor stepped in and moved the public to be allowed to speak immediately rather than waiting until the designated time for public input. Calm was restored, and people began to air their concerns. Councillor Les Andrews is going to talk about this incident. A series of bylaws govern council meetings. These procedural bylaws outline the rules for a long grocery list of ways meetings are controlled. It covers everything from the time of council meetings to public question periods. The big question is: Will it make Port Hope council more democratic?