Recent changes advanced by St. Albert City Council to its Public Participation Policy, Publication of Council Meeting Agenda and Procedural Bylaws relating to Public Hearing Processes deserve attention and a compliment.
I regret not being present at the last two council meetings to express support for the changes and no matter how dry the topics may appear, the changes are welcomed because it affords residents and councillors more time to understand issues prior to a decision being made.
Hopefully the changes will correct the present helter-skelter approach to public consultation and the unrealistic expectation that a resident could become sufficiently informed on an agenda item made known on the Friday before a Monday council meeting. Providing less than one business day for a resident to review, prepare and respond to an agenda item over a weekend was neither fair nor realistic for a community comprised of working residents.
Kudos are owing to Councillors Osborne, Hughes, Heron and Russell for their collective efforts to lead council into a more positive template for incorporating citizen participation.
K. Crutchfield, St. Albert
