The year 2020 will see a re-start of town hall meetings in Elliot Lake. The City has held those meetings successfully in the past. The only question next year will be, how it will happen, where it will happen, and when?
One predictable fact is we likely won't have to wait too long for an answer.
With a view to keeping the City of Elliot Lake 2020 budgeting process on course, CAO Daniel Gagnon asked members of the city's finance and administration committee to decide on which dates and times for the Budget Committee meetings through January.
At their Monday afternoon meeting, he told committee members they could decide town hall meetings should be held in Collins Hall on Hillside Drive North.
It might reflect a best-case scenario, one where there were larger crowds on hand than could be accommodated in the city's council chamber.
Then the issue gets technical.
Gagnon said the big advantage at home base is that city hall is equipped with closed circuit television and audio equipment for streaming proceedings, live on the internet.
"Town halls must be very carefully managed in order to ensure that their use remains within the scope of the Municipal Act and the Municipal Procedural Bylaw," said Gagnon.
He suggested that council might want to advertise the town hall sessions as a council meeting and then post the agenda, publicly.
"There will be no decisions made whatsoever at the meeting, simply seeking input, answering questions and clarifying items as needed," added Gagnon.
He said potential broad town hall agenda items might include: 2020 budget priorities; urban vs rural service areas; rec and wellness hub; next steps/financing; service delivery by KPMC; and other items which can be added, where appropriate.
Dates suggested for the ad hoc budget committee meetings were Wednesday afternoons at 4:15 p.m., on Jan. 15, 22 and 29. Those dates came from a discussion of councillor's time availabilities at one of the busiest periods of the year.
"The main question is 'Do you want to do it here or do you want us to explore the technical requirements of doing it elsewhere?' Still, ideally televised and web-streamed may be starting to add a complexity to the town hall, but it's not insurmountable. It's just something you may need some direction on," the CAO added.
Councillor Norman Mann said he favoured holding town halls chaired by Mayor Dan Marchisella in the city's council chamber.
"If we exceed capacity in this room we'll build it bigger next time," Mann said.
"I think there's merit to having some town hall meetings with Council in place," Mayor Dan Marchisella said.
In his submission, Gagnon suggested holding one town hall meeting dedicated to a discussion on whether Elliot Lake should continue adding fluoride to the municipal water supply.
"That could be something moderated by staff, administered by staff because we'd have Algoma Public Health to outline the pros and cons. You'd have your full sides of the story administered or moderated through staff, and council, if they wish to attend as members," Marchisella said.
Councillor Ed Pearce also said any meeting about the 2020 budget and the Ad Hoc Budget Committee should be held in the council chamber. "I would ask we move fairly quickly to set up meeting dates that we can all agree to, moving forward into January."
"If you want to talk about fluoridation or whatever, then surely those town halls are good. My only concern is it has to be very tightly controlled. It would have to be done in the style of a council meeting with somebody chairing the meeting that can sort of prevent it from going off the rails," noted Pearce.
The demolition of the disused Lester B. Pearson Civic Centre was also discussed at the F & A Monday meeting. Gagnon said it was important to get the demolition tender approved before the end of the holidays after the tender closed last Thursday.
According to project manager Tulloch Engineering, there are four bids. They include Collins Haulage Inc., Wendell Farquhar, Beamish and Northern Bulk Logistics. Those bids range from a low at just over $205,000 to the highest of close to $1 million.
The lowest was received from Collins Haulage Inc. for $205,250, plus HST.
Elliot Lake Director of Public Works Daryl Halloch asked the committee for more time to study the recently arrived submissions with a view to making sure the city will be getting everything they've expected, for the price.
It should all be finalized at a full council meeting in Elliot Lake on either Dec. 19 or 23.
According to the city's tender, the deadline for removing the derelict Civic Centre wreckage from its site on Highway 108, is March 6, 2020.