Committee of the Whole · June 02, 2026 · Item 9.1
City Clerk be directed to review the Closed Meeting Protocol, the Procedure By-law, any related policies/procedures…
Main motion under the agenda item Appointment of Closed Meeting Investigator - 2026-250
Carried (13 to 0)
13 in favour, 0 against — unanimous
This was one of 2 motions on the same item
In the order council took them. A vote makes sense next to the ones around it.
- 1/2Main motionAird & Berlis LLP be appointed as the City of Guelph’s Closed Meeting Investigator. That the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized to execute an agreement…Carried (13 to 0)
- 2/2Main motionCity Clerk be directed to review the Closed Meeting Protocol, the Procedure By-law, any related policies/procedures…you are hereCarried (13 to 0)
What was voted on
The motion in its exact words, as recorded in the minutes.
That the City Clerk be directed to review the Closed Meeting Protocol, the Procedure By-law, any related policies/procedures, and best practices in the management of municipal closed meetings to identify opportunities to increase transparency and reporting, as part of the 2027 Governance Review.
Moved by Councillor Caron, seconded by Councillor Allt.
How the room voted
In favour (13)
- Allt
- Billings
- Busuttil
- Caron
- Caton
- Chew
- Downer
- Gibson
- Goller
- Guthrie
- Hauser
- Klassen
- Richardson
What council was given
The staff reports and correspondence attached to this item. The summaries are written automatically, so you can tell what a document is without opening a ninety-page PDF.
- Appointment of Closed Meeting Investigator - 2026-250.pdf
Because Local Authority Services is ending its closed meeting investigation service, staff recommend directly appointing the law firm Aird & Berlis LLP as Guelph's closed meeting investigator — the independent official who reviews complaints that Council met behind closed doors improperly. The firm has been doing the work under the previous arrangement since 2020. Council is asked to authorize an agreement and bring forward a bylaw.
- Draft By-law Number (2026) - 21249.pdf
A summary is this site’s description of a document, not the City’s. Open the document before relying on one.
What was said
335 words from the meeting recording, transcribed automatically. Times are from the start of the recording.
Read the debate(click to open)
1:37:44and a seconder for the staff recommendation,
1:37:47Councillor Allt, you said you would do that.
1:37:48Richardson will second that.
1:37:51And I'll just call the vote.
1:37:52Is there anything on that before I continue?
1:37:54I'll just call the vote on those.
1:37:56Okay, I'll call the vote.
1:37:57Is anyone against those three recommendations?
1:38:01Nobody, okay, great.
1:38:03And then tied to this one,
1:38:06I've asked Councillor Caron who was interested as well
1:38:11in bringing something forward in regards
1:38:15to recommendation of a review
1:38:20of our closed meeting protocol, best practices.
1:38:24And at the beginning of every term of Council,
1:38:27we have an opportunity to look at our procedural bylaw
1:38:31and other items that kind of revolve around that.
1:38:34So the best place time for that would be
1:38:38in the new term of Council,
1:38:40which is literally around the corner.
1:38:43It's been a while since a review of best practices
1:38:46and other opportunities has been done
1:38:48on that anyway.
1:38:49So it's kind of good timing that this is on here.
1:38:52So Councillor Caron, would you mind moving that?
1:38:56And maybe would you mind reading the motion for everyone?
1:38:59Sure, sure, Mr. Mayor.
1:39:01And thank you for bringing this to Council
1:39:04because I do think that as an organization,
1:39:07it's always a good idea to be identifying best practices
1:39:11and reviewing our procedures.
1:39:12So the motion is that the city clerk be directed
1:39:15to review the closed meeting protocol,
1:39:17the procedural bylaw, any related policies and procedures
1:39:20and best practices and the management
1:39:22of municipal closed meetings to identify opportunities
1:39:25to increase transparency and reporting
1:39:27as part of the 2027 governance review.
1:39:29So happy to table that looking for a seconder.
1:39:33Great, thank you.
1:39:34And is there a seconder?
1:39:35Sorry, Councillor Elz was bringing my ear.
1:39:37So thank you.
1:39:38You strategically placed yourself here so I could hear you.
1:39:41So that's perfect.
1:39:42Is there anything more on that?
1:39:45No, okay, I'll just call the vote on that additional motion.
1:39:48Is anyone against that?
1:39:51Nobody, that's unanimous.
1:39:53Thanks everybody for that.
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The motion, the vote and the debate come from the City of Guelph’s published record, reproduced rather than interpreted. The document summaries above are the exception: those words were written for this site.