There soon may be new ways, and new rules, for you to get your questions answered at Elliot Lake City Council.
City Clerk Natalie Bray suggested to members of the Finance and Administration Committee on Thursday they look at changing the public question period in council meetings, to a public input session.
Bray observed the city's procedural bylaw will have to be changed to replace the traditional public question period near the end of council meetings.
There have been complaints over the period of electronic virtual meetings held due to COVID-19 about people not being allowed to ask questions on agenda items at council.
Before virtual meetings became the norm, members of the public were invited to ask their questions verbally during a question period near the end of council meetings.
In her written report on the proposed new process, Bray noted that, just as in live meetings, in virtual meetings, public presentations, delegations and question period remain the three ways people can present to council.
But there's a major difference.
"All three are limited to providing submissions in writing to be read out by the chair, while still having to meet the required submission deadlines," Bray said.
She said virtual meetings, "removed any attendance by the public at an electronic meeting."
"Staff, council and the public have expressed that public question period falls too late in the meeting," Bray also said.
"However, having questions prior to council debating an item does not allow council the ability to answer the questions from the public," Bray concluded.
To address these issues it's recommended that public question period be changed to a public input session and moved to agenda item four, right after adoption of the previous minutes on the agenda.
The proposed public process would involve 15 minutes at each meeting. People would have to register to speak by noon on the day of the council meeting.
Another limit, no more than five people would be allowed to speak and for no more than two minutes each, and they must stick to subjects on the council agenda.
Mayor Dan Marchisella said he hopes changes in the new process, "increase transparency and public input into council deliberations."
Coun. Sandy Finamore added and the idea is a positive one.
"I really like this idea. What we're doing now doesn't work," Finamore said.
"This would give everyone the same time limit and if they can get six questions in, in two minutes, then that's what they can do.
"As to the mayor's concern about discussing things twice or not debating, we would be able to answer the questions during our debate," Finamore concluded.
Bray said the electronic meetings would be controlled by the host.
She said whoever hosts has the ability to mute or sign somebody out of the meeting. That should also help in sticking to the two-minute deadline.
The public input session change up will go to the next meeting of council on March 14.
Also on that meeting agenda is a call for re-working the City Hall committee system.
Deputy Clerk Amanda Laurence said 14 council and committee meetings are held each month including two council meetings.
"As you can see, most terms of reference and mandates are outdated and none of them follow a structure," Laurence wrote.
"In a future report, staff will be recommending a bi-monthly meeting schedule for advisory committees.
"Currently committees struggle to meet quorum and there is often a lack of agenda items," Laurence added.
She said the resulting unnecessary effort consumes staff time and resources, and takes away from daily tasks and other projects.