There is a movement afoot

The youth of St. Catharines are starting to speak up. They are letting people know they are ready for leadership positions. They are letting people know that their voices are as important as anyone else's and need to be heard.

When I ran for City Council in 2006, there were only a couple of serious, legitimate candidates who were under 35. This time, there are nine of us (there might be one or two others of whom we are not yet aware, as not all council candidates have submitted information to the Standard).

Over the last several years (whether during the 2006 campaign or at other times), I've heard people say that we are unable to retain the youth of St. Catharines, or attrach new youth to St. Catharines, because they are disengaged or they don't care about the City.

Clearly, with nine of 31 candidates running for Council being 35 or under, the youth of St. Catharines do care. They are engaged.

With the current average age of a City Councillor being 49 and given their role in making decisions that will impact everyone, including young families, over the long-term, it is imperative that we have a role in that decision-making. There needs to be more balance in age demographics at the Council table.

While we are all clear that we are not endorsing each other, we are equally clear that younger voices need to be heard in making decisions for the City.

Clearly there is a movement afoot...

~~~~~

Here is the link to Marlene Bergsma's article that appeared on the St. Catharines Standard website on Saturday, September 11, 2010: http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2754497, and I've also pasted the content of the article below:

Youthful candidates say St. Catharines ready for change
Posted By Marlene Bergsma

The largest slate of youthful candidates in recent municipal history has young wannabe councillors saying St. Catharines is poised for change.

Eight of the 31 candidates vying for 12 council seats, plus mayoral candidate David D'Intino, are 35 years old or less – an unprecedented number, said St. George's ward candidate Laura Ip.

Ip said she checked back through candidate profiles from previous elections and discovered this is one of the largest slates of under-35s ever to seek municipal office.

But city voters have no problem with choosing youth over experience, said St. Andrew's ward candidate Sean Polden, who organized a Saturday afternoon press conference with Ip.

St. Catharines MP Rick Dykstra and St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley were both in their 20s when they began their political careers as St. Catharines councillors, said Polden. Even St. Catharines' oldest and longest-serving councillor, St. Andrew's representative Joe Kushner, was 35 when he was first elected in 1976, Polden said.

Eight of the nine under-35s were at the Saturday gathering. Only mayoral candidate David D'Intino, a student at the University of Ottawa, was absent.

The candidates said they are not endorsing each other's campaigns or running as a block, but called attention to their ages because they think it's a sign the city is attracting energy and youthful enthusiasm to its leadership.

Several of them spoke about their reasons for seeking office and their desire to make St. Catharines the kind of city where there are jobs and opportunities for young people. Their suggestions ranged from improving the downtown, reducing the industrial tax rate (Alan Ziemianin), factoring in the job creation power of local bidders on city contracts (Polden), supporting regional transit and GO transit (David Haywood), establishing a poverty round table (Robert George) and encouraging more community involvement (Cameron Alderdice).

Ip said the average age of currently serving councillors is 49, but she and Port Dalhousie candidate Marty Mako both said it's the young people of the city who have the most at stake in the local economy.

Ip said the high level of youthful involvement in the election demonstrates that young people are not apathetic about the future.

"We do care, we are interested, and we want to be involved in the decisions that are being made, that will affect us and our families for a long time," she said.

Port Dalhousie candidate Marty Mako agreed.

"We are the ones who are going to be living and working here for another 30 years, so it makes sense that we are ones going to be making the decisions," he said. "Young people do want to be involved in civic affairs."

The young candidates are tech savvy and are using the internet and social media as part of their campaigns. On Saturday afternoon they compared notes on their websites and Facebook pages.

Ip, who also ran in 2006, said very few candidates had websites then, and no one was using Facebook. On Saturday, only Alderdice said he didn't have a website.

---------

The youthful contenders

One quarter of the candidates seeking a St. Catharines city council seat are under 35 years old. They are:

• Cameron Alderdice, Merritton, 20
• Robert George, St. Patrick's, 35
• David Haywood, Merritton, 31
• Laura Ip, St. George's, 34
• Marty Mako, Port Dalhousie, 34
• Sean Polden, St. Andrew's, 31
• Mathew Siscoe, St. Patrick's, 30
• Alan Ziemianin, Grantham, 29

Is St. Catharines/Niagara Overgoverned?

Simply put... Yes. This has been discussed by various groups for at least ten years, and I suspect at least ten years before that.

So, why haven't our local politicians pushed the province to address this? Let's see, why don't most politicians address anything of this nature...for fear of putting themselves out of a job. It's pretty nice, I imagine, for most of our politicians - who are employed full-time elsewhere - to add anywhere between $10,000+ (smallest municipality) and $27,500 (Niagara Region) to their annual income and, in the grand scheme of things/majority of cases, do very little work for it, especially when you begin to look at attendance records and response rates to citizens.

Now, I'm not suggesting that we don't have some effective politicians within the Niagara Region, but I'd be VERY hard pressed to suggest that even half of the current politicians are particularly effective.

Over the years, I've had a variety of discussions about this with a wide variety of people who have raised some interesting ideas. With a population of 400,000+ in the Niagara region, I'm not sure if the answer is to amalgamate all of the municipalities into one Municipality of Niagara, three municipalities (St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland would amalgamate with the smaller municipalities around them), or just remove the regional government and revert to 12 smaller single-tier municipalities.

There are advantages and disadvantages to all of the above scenarios, and each should be given its due consideration.

In addition to the above, if we were to pursue a multi-municipality scenario (but remove the multi-level government), we need to take a look at reducing the numbers of politicians and at creating full-time positions for the jobs in order to attract better candidates.

There are also issues with the Ward system, which can be discussed if we continue to pursue a multi-municipality system.

The one flaw that I find in the Chamber's report is their timeline. We have to remember that is the provincial government that allows municipalities to exist. The move to amalgamate or separate must ultimately come from them. Can we make this happen by 2012, based on "giving new councillors a learning curve"? I'm not sure. It NEEDS to happen by the next election in 2014, though. Needs to.

~~~~~

Here's the link to Don Fraser's September 8, 2010, article in the St. Catharines Standard: http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2747402, and I've also pasted the article below in case the link breaks before Election Day:

Municipal shakeup urged
Posted By DON FRASER , STANDARD STAFF

Niagara is awash in $1.2 billion worth of public infrastructure spending that's either planned or underway.

This unprecedented investment is laying the groundwork for a future economic revival.

But stumbling blocks remain for business in the region's municipal governance, taxation and transportation.

These are key conclusions of a research survey of businesses from Niagara's chambers of commerce network.

The report, Supporting Prosperity Through Effective Government in Niagara, was spearheaded by the St. Catharines-Thorold Chamber of Commerce and released Tuesday.

"This survey had a lot of consistency," said local chamber general manager Walter Sendzik. "And it validates a lot of what we've been hearing over past years.

"Duplication of services came up a lot," he said. "Plus, confusion in dealing with two levels of governments and over-governance. This is what they're talking about."

The report highlights, in general, the need for more effective municipal government and streamlined services -- especially in land and building planning.

Sendzik said one example is the duplicated municipal red tape between the two tiers of government faced by businesspeople when attempting an expansion or new building.

The survey also heard Niagara needs more competitive and user-friendly regulatory and tax policies. It said Niagara needs a revamped mass transportation policy to include involvement of the private sector, with more linkages with GO Transit and Via Rail.

Sendzik said the report complements 2009's Paths to Prosperity report by the St. CatharinesThorold Prosperity Council, which suggested focusing on growth areas like new-media technology and biosciences.

In the latest report, about 3,000 businesses were surveyed, with a return rate of roughly 10% -- slightly above average for that kind of survey.

There's no intention to let the results gather dust, said Sendzik.

The chamber plans to push the report as an election issue among municipal candidates.

Its recommendations also have target dates, many of them with a 2012 benchmark.

One calls for establishing an independent office of the auditor general at Niagara Region, which will look closely at finance and policy implementation.

Another wants the Region to ensure the industrial tax ratio is at or below the provincial average by 2012.

"We wanted to give newly elected councillors a learning curve, then say, 'Let's get it done,' " Sendzik said.

Chamber board president David DiFelice said the report's intent is "to really bring together Niagara's business voice and crystallize the issues."

"Our goal is bring out these issues front and centre," said DiFelice, also associate vice-president of credit services for Canadian Tire Financial Services.

Outgoing Niagara Region Chairman Peter Partington said he agrees it's important to look at new ways to reduce duplication and streamline services.

"We also need to be mindful of affordability and have (infrastructure and services) that appeal to business as well as residents," he said.

Partington said the Region's portion of property tax increases has been kept to 1% over the past five years and the industrial tax ratio has been significantly reduced.

"You can't just look at tax ratios," he said. "You have to look at total tax burden and the assessment values. Niagara is in pretty good competitive shape with most of the rest of the province."

dfraser@stcatharinesstandard.ca

- - -

Problems, solutions

Supporting Prosperity Through Effective Government in Niagara, a report spearheaded by the St. Catharines-Thorold Chamber of Commerce.

Key problems:

• Niagara is over-governed
• It needs comprehensive, independent auditing
• Government services and economic development should be streamlined
• An integrated public transit system is needed
• Business tax rates must be competitive

Key recommendations (most with a benchmark of 2012):

1. Create a more effective Niagara Region government and an office of municipal auditor general
2. Streamline Niagara government services, including a harmonized zoning bylaw, single economic development office, and an office of regional building code inspector
3. Create competitive taxation policy including reducing industrial tax ratio to be at or below the provincial average
4. Revamp mass/public transportation policies including involvement of private sector carriers and linkages to GO Transit and Via Rail
5. Creation of an arm's-length Niagara Region Airport Commission

The survey/ study is available on the chamber's website at www.sctchamber.comor by calling the office at 905-684-2361.

Urban Farming

One thing's for certain... Feathers have been ruffled over City Council's recent decision to allow urban farming.

Based on letters to the editor that followed the article in the St. Catharines Standard, there are as many in favour of urban farming as there are opposed to it.

This is a tough one. I understand both sides of this argument. I get that urban farming is more environmentally friendly and healthier. I also get that residents who choose not to engage in their own urban farming are not going to be appreciative of what they feel are the downfalls of urban farming - odours, cleanliness, etc.

The one thing that I'm not sure of (because I don't have the figures) is that urban farming is significantly more cost-effective than buying free-range, organic eggs. There are, of course, costs to properly housing and caring for the permitted four chickens and two rabbits, not to mention the time involved. However, until I have actual figures on what it costs to buy/build a chicken coop, feed the animals and ensure proper veterinary care, I can't accurately comment on that point.

It appears that City Clerk, Dan Carnegie, is taking or will be taking most of the necessary and important steps to ensure that residents who want to farm within the urban boundaries are able to do so while causing as little "nuisance" (for lack of a better word) as possible for those residents who choose not to farm.
Rather than simply registering with the City, though, I think that urban farmers should have to purchase a permit, and the cost of that permit should offset the cost of a by-law/animal control officer conducting inspections of facilities before the chickens/rabbits take up residence on the property and then spot inspections at the discretion of the by-law officer or when a complaint is lodged.

What this issue requires is a great deal more thought as to the pros and cons, overall costs to the city and residents and so on. There are excellent points on both sides of the argument, and I encourage you to share your thoughts by commenting on this blog post.

The link to the original St. Catharines Standard article is here; however, I've also pasted the article below, in case the link becomes broken:

Urban farmers clucking over decision
Posted By Marlene Bergsma Standard Staff

Urban farmers will soon be legal in St. Catharines, with city councillors deciding Monday night to draft new guidelines to permit people to raise rabbits and chickens in their backyards.

The limits on the number of livestock and the requirements for their care — such as separation distances from neighbours — still have to be finalized and will be the subject of a public meeting, but urban farmer Sheri Smulders Fogel is counting Monday's decision as a victory.

Smulders Fogel and fellow urban farmer Tina Dyck were at council Monday night wearing "I support Backyard Chickens" badges, and said they would be gathering support from other urban farmers and farming wannabes.

Smulders Fogel told councillors there are hundreds of North American cities that already permit people to raise food to feed their families, and there are lots of good examples for how to implement the rules.

She said having a few chickens is the only way many people can afford to eat free-range eggs. One dozen organic eggs from free-range hens costs $5, she said, making them too expensive for many families.

"Everyone should have the right to organic, free-range eggs, and not just wealthy people," she told councillors. "Sustainable, ethically raised eggs should be within the reach of every family."

She said clearing out manure every couple of days guarantees there's no smell.

She said chickens make less noise than a dog and are good for the environment because they eat table scraps, grass clippings and bugs. Their manure makes excellent garden fertilizer. There is no pollution or cost to transport the eggs from farm to table, and there's no antibiotics in their diets, she said.

Currently, urban livestock must live in their owners' homes because the city does not permit them within the urban boundary.

City clerk Dan Carnegie recommended against permitting chickens but was willing to recommend people be allowed to have one pair of breeding rabbits plus up to six baby rabbits.

"Rabbits tend to be a cleaner animal," he wrote.

But Merrtton Coun. Jeff Burch made the motion to permit both chickens and rabbits, and asked staff to prepare a report with recommended guidelines before the city hosts a public meeting and implements the new rules.

Port Dalhousie Coun. Bruce Williamson hinted that not everyone would approve of urban animals, and said it will be good to get public input.

Smulders Fogel said permitting small-scale backyard farming will demonstrate that St. Catharines is "a city that cares about the environment and its citizens' health and well-being."

CHICKEN RULES

Based on what other cities are doing, city clerk Dan Carnegie said any plan to permit urban chickens and rabbits should include the following types of restrictions.

• Only property owners (not tenants) can raise chickens and rabbits
• Chicken coops and rabbit hutches must be at least 25 feet from the rear lot line and 15 feet from a side lot line
• All chicken (and rabbit) owners must register with the city
• Animals must not be allowed to escape
• A maximum of four hens and two rabbits (plus up to six baby rabbits) per property
• No roosters allowed
• Suitable chicken coops and rabbit hutches must be provided and kept in good repair, along with appropriate food, water and shelter, light, ventilation and veterinary care
• Food stored in airtight containers
• Droppings and manure stored in airtight containers and disposed of without creating a public nuisance or health hazard
• No sale of meat, eggs or manure

CHICKEN PROS AND CONS

City clerk Dan Carnegie prepared a list of advantages and disadvantages of backyard chickens.

Pros

• Chickens can provide healthy, pesticide-free eggs
• Reduction of weekly food bills
• Reduction of greenhouse gases through reduction in food transport costs
• Chickens consume kitchen waste, reducing municipal waste problems
• Chickens produce great compost for the garden
• The path to global environmental sustainability begins with local initiatives and urban chickens are one of those

Cons

• Potential increase in the possible spread of avian flu
• Possibility of cruelty and mistreatment of chickens
• Opposition of commercial chicken farmers
• Lack of diligence with respect to odour, noise, cleanliness, disposal of deceased chickens and droppings
• Natural attraction of vermin such as rats and mice
• Additional cost and workload of animal control officers responding to complaints such as odour and chickens running at large
• Perception that property values will decrease around urban hen keepers
• Impact that chickens can have on the neighbours

Why Aren't the Incumbents Telling Us About Themselves?

On the day that I write this (September 4, 2010), we are just six days away from nominations closing for the upcoming municipal election, and I've just reviewed the City's "Meet the Candidates" portion of their website to find that only two of the eleven incumbents who are running in this election have put together some information about themselves to share with the public.

Meanwhile, nearly all of the candidates who are running for a first term on Council have put something together for us to read about them. I wonder if it is also noteworthy that the two incumbents who have done this were first time councillors in 2006, so are running for only their second term...

Do the incumbents think that we know enough about them? Are they trying to stand on their record (to which - without recorded votes - we don't actually have access)? Do they not care if/what we know about them? Are they relying on name recognition alone? Have they simply not have time to put a bio together? (Though, I'm not really going for this last one, as I would argue that the majority of challengers are equally busy and most of us were able to put something together to share with voters.)

I just wonder why they aren't telling us about themselves/what they stand for...

What Does Experience on Council Do For Us?

There are several councillors who have served the City of St. Catharines for three terms or more. If I'm not mistaken, five of six wards have at least one councillor who is currently serving at least a third term.

Here's something else I've noticed: for the last several years (I've lost count), the citizens of St. Catharines have complained about many of the decisions made by Council. Some directly blame the Mayor (whomever he might be at the time) without realizing that, while the Mayor has some influence, he has no actual decision-making power except in the event of a tied vote.

So, if the citizens of St. Catharines have been complaining about poorly-made decisions, but they've been returning six councillors to the table term after term, maybe it's time to change that.

I understand that change is scary, and for those of you who vote for councillors because you know them personally, I also understand that allegiances can run deep; however, (to modify a famous Einstein quote) if we continue to always do what we've always done, we'll always get what we've always gotten.

Leading up to the election and on October 25, please give great consideration to whether or not existing councillors have made decisions in the best interest of the City and - if you feel they haven't - give someone else a chance to prove that they can and will do that for you.

What is Councillor Absenteeism/Tardiness Costing You?

A City Councillor's salary is $17,785 per annum (one-third of which is deemed not to be taxable). Over the course of four years, this totals $71,140. It breaks down to $342 per week for attendance at Council meetings, committee meetings and other events.

Generally speaking, Councillors are only expected to attend five meetings per month (assuming four Council meetings and one meeting of a committee such as the Clean City Committee). Some months will require more; others will require less.

So, working from the attendance data compiled for a previous post, a councillor who fails to attend one meeting costs the taxpayers $342, and taxpayers do not receive the benefit of that councillor's input into any decisions made that night.

A councillor who misses five meetings costs taxpayers $1,710; ten meetings is equivalent to $3,420; fifteen meetings, $5,130; twenty, $6,840... No one has missed twenty meetings yet, but could it happen before the term ends on November 30, 2010?

Of course, none of the above speaks to the cost of tardiness, mostly because I wasn't about to do a minute-by-minute breakdown of costs. However, how often can you be late for work before your employer pursues disciplinary action?

Are Your Councillors Attending Meetings?

Council meetings take place at 6:30 p.m. every Monday, except for holidays. Most in-camera discussion takes place before this time (occasionally, Council will go in-camera during the public portion of the meeting).

Some councillors are absent (or show up late) more often than others. I wonder...what effect might their absentia have on decisions made. Would their attendance have changed some decisions (we won't know, for the most part, as most decisions are not subject to a recorded vote).

Here's the data on attendance. Are your councillors showing up? How much of your job can you be late or absent for before someone says something?

Council Meeting Attendance – December 4, 2006 through August 23, 2010

Of the 138 meetings to date, we have recorded the number and percentage of meetings for which councillors were either late or absent.

Absent
No one absent: 54 (39% of meetings)
Mayor Brian McMullan: 5 (4% of meetings)
Councillor Jeff Burch: 10 (7% of meetings)
Councillor Dawn Dodge: 8 (6% of meetings)
Councillor Mark Elliott: 3 (2% of meetings)
Councillor Heather Foss: 2 (1% of meetings)
Councillor Andrew Gill: 4 (3% of meetings)
Councillor Joseph Kushner: 4 (3% of meetings)
Councillor Bill Phillips: 4 (3% of meetings)
Councillor Peter Secord: 7 (5% of meetings)
Councillor Len Stack: 4 (3% of meetings)
Councillor Jennifer Stevens: 7 (5% of meetings)
Councillor Greg Washuta: 7 (5% of meetings)
Councillor Bruce Williamson: 9 (7% of meetings)

Late
Councillor Heather Foss: 1 (1% of meetings)
Councillor Peter Secord: 4 (3% of meetings)
Councillor Greg Washuta: 8 (6% of meetings)
Councillor Bruce Williamson: 13 (9% of meetings)

Absent or Late
Councillor Heather Foss: 3 (2% of meetings)
Councillor Peter Secord: 11 (8% of meetings)
Councillor Greg Washuta: 15 (11% of meetings)
Councillor Bruce Williamson: 22 (16% of meetings)

Data by Individual Meeting:
August 23, 2010
Absent: Councillor Bill Phillips
Late: Councillor Peter Secord (arrived at 6:36 p.m.)

August 9, 2010
Absent: Councillor Andrew Gill, Councillor Joseph Kushner

July 26, 2010
Absent: Councillor Joseph Kushner, Councillor Bruce Williamson

July 12, 2010
No one Absent

June 21, 2010
Absent: Councillor Bruce Williamson

June 14, 2010
No one Absent

May 31, 2010
No one Absent

May 17, 2010
No one Absent

May 10, 2010
No one Absent

May 3, 2010
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge

April 26, 2010
Absent: Councillor Greg Washuta

April 19, 2010
Absent: Councillor Peter Secord

April 12, 2010
Absent: Councillor Len Stack

March 29, 2010
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch, Councillor Bill Phillips

March 22, 2010
Absent: Councillor Bill Phillips, Councillor Andrew Gill

March 8, 2010
No one Absent

March 1, 2010
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge

February 22, 2010
Absent: Councillor Joseph Kushner, Councillor Jennifer Stevens

February 8, 2010
No one Absent

February 1, 2010
Late: Councillor Len Stack

January 25, 2010
No one Absent

January 18, 2010
No one Absent

January 11, 2010
No one Absent

December 14, 2009
Absent: Councillor Bruce Williamson

December 7, 2009
No one Absent

November 30, 2009
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch

November 23, 2009
No one Absent

November 16, 2009
No one Absent

November 9, 2009
No one Absent

November 2, 2009
Absent: Councillor Peter Secord

October 26, 2009
No one Absent

October 19, 2009
Absent: Mayor Brian McMullan

October 5, 2009
No one Absent

September 28, 2009
No one Absent

September 21, 2009
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 7:09 p.m.)

September 14, 2009
Absent: Councillor Mark Elliott

August 24, 2009
Absent: Councillor Peter Secord, Councillor Jennifer Stevens, Councillor Greg Washuta

August 10, 2009
Absent: Councillor Bruce Williamson

July 27, 2009
No one Absent

July 13, 2009
Absent: Mayor Brian McMullan

June 22, 2009
No one Absent

June 15, 2009
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:49 p.m.), Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:46 p.m.)

June 8, 2009
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:44 p.m.), Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:49 p.m.)

June 1, 2009
Late: Councillor Heather Foss (arrived 6:38 p.m.)

May 25, 2009
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:55 p.m.)

May 11, 2009
No one Absent

May 4, 2009
Absent: Councillor Bruce Williamson

April 27, 2009
No one Absent

April 20, 2009
Absent: Councillor Jennifer Stevens, Councilllor Bill Phillips
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:56 p.m.)

April 6, 2009
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 7:10 p.m.)

March 30, 2009
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:37 p.m.)

March 23, 2009
Absent: Mayor Brian McMullan

March 9, 2009
No one Absent

March 2, 2009
Absent: Councillor Heather Foss, Councillor Andrew Gill

February 23, 2009
No one Absent

February 9, 2009
No one Absent

February 2, 2009
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:40 p.m.)

January 31, 2009 (Special Meeting)
Late: Councillor Peter Secord (arrived at 9: 11 a.m.)
Left Early: Councillor Bruce Williamson (left at 10:10 a.m.)

January 26, 2009
Absent: Councillor Mark Elliott, Councillor Greg Washuta

January 19, 2009
Absent: Councillor Greg Washuta

January 12, 2009
Absent: Councillor Greg Washuta

December 15, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:40 p.m.)

December 8, 2008
No one Absent

December 1, 2008
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge, Councillor Jennifer Stevens

November 24, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived 6:34 p.m.)

November 17, 2008
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch

November 10, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:38 p.m.)

November 3, 2008
Absent: Councillor Peter Secord, Councillor Greg Washuta, Councillor Bruce Williamson

October 27, 2008
No one Absent

October 20, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:37)

October 6, 2008
Absent: Mayor Brian McMullan
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:43 p.m.)

September 29, 2008
No one Absent

September 22, 2008
No one Absent

September 15, 2008
No one Absent

September 8, 2008
Absent: Councillor Greg Washuta

August 18, 2008
Absent: Councillor Bruce Williamson

July 28, 2008
No one Absent

July 14, 2008
Absent: Councillor Joseph Kushner

June 23, 2008
Absent: Councillor Len Stack

June 16, 2008
Absent: Councillor Bruce Williamson

June 9, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:40 p.m.), Councillor Peter Secord (arrived at 7:40 p.m.)

June 2, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 7:40 p.m.)

May 26, 2008
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 7:03 p.m.)

May 12, 2008
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch

May 5, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:40 p.m.)

April 28, 2008
No one Absent

April 21, 2008
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge, Councillor Peter Secord, Councillor Bruce Williamson

April 14, 2008
No one Absent

April 7, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:55 p.m.)

March 31, 2008
Absent: Councillor Jennifer Stevens

March 17, 2008
No one Absent

March 3, 2008
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch

February 25, 2008
No one Absent

February 11, 2008
Absent: Councillor Bill Phillips

February 4, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:45 p.m.)

January 28, 2008
Absent: Councillor Mark Elliott

January 21, 2008
Absent: Mayor Brian McMullen, Councillor Andrew Gill

January 14, 2008
Absent: Councillor Len Stack
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:37 p.m.)

December 17, 2007
Absent: Councillor Bruce Williamson
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:55 p.m.)

December 10, 2007
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch

December 3, 2007
No one Absent

November 26, 2007
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch

November 19, 2007
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:45 p.m.)

November 12, 2007
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge

November 5, 2007
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge, Councillor Peter Secord

October 29, 2007
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge

October 22, 2007
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge

October 15, 2007
No one Absent

October 1, 2007
No one Absent

September 24, 2007
No one Absent

September 17, 2007
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:50 p.m.)

September 10, 2007
Late: Councillor Peter Secord (arrived at 6:45 p.m.)

August 27, 2007
No one Absent

July 30, 2007
No one Absent

July 9, 2007
Absent: Councillor Heather Foss, Councillor Joseph Kushner

June 18, 2007
Absent: Councillor Bill Phillips, Councillor Peter Secord
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 7:00p.m.)

June 11, 2007
Late: Councillor Peter Secord (arrived at 5:20 p.m.)

June 4, 2007
Absent: Mayor Brian McMullan, Councillor Bruce Williamson

May 28, 2007
No one Absent

May 14, 2007
No one Absent

May 7, 2007
Absent: Councillor Jennifer Stevens

April 30, 2007
No one Absent

April 23, 2007
Absent: Councillor Andrew Gill

April 16, 2007
No one Absent

April 2, 2007
No one Absent

March 26, 2007
Absent: Councillor Jennifer Stevens

March 19, 2007
No one Absent

March 5, 2007
No one Absent

February 26, 2007
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch

February 19, 2007
No one Absent

February 12, 2007
No one Absent

February 5, 2007
Absent: Councillor Len Stack

January 29, 2007
No one Absent

January 22, 2007
No one Absent

January 15, 2007
No one Absent

December 18, 2006
No one Absent

December 11, 2006
No one Absent

December 4, 2006
No one Absent