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Harrison mayor denies request for closed council meeting

Couns. Facio, Vidal requested closed meeting to discuss “concerns in administration”
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The 2022-2026 term for the Harrison Hot Springs Village Council began with a special meeting in response to a request from re-elected Couns. Michie Vidal and Leo Facio to discuss administrative concerns. (File Photo)

The 2022-2026 term for the Harrison Hot Springs Village Council is off to an unusual start.

Nearly a week ahead of their first post-inauguration meeting, the village council convened in a brief special council meeting at Memorial Hall (290 Esplanade Avenue) on Tuesday (Nov. 15) morning. The meeting came after Couns. Leo Facio and Michie Vidal submitted a request for a closed special meeting. Mayor Ed Wood denied the request.

Special council meetings are not particularly common in Harrison; there were two held last year and none for 2022 until Tuesday. According to Section 126 of the Community Charter, two or more council members may request the mayor to call a special council meeting under certain circumstances. In this case, Vidal and Facio sought to call a meeting to discuss “the concerns in administration.”

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Wood told The Observer he denied the request because a “closed” meeting runs contrary to regulations concerning openness, transparency and accountability as set forth by the provincial Office of the Ombudsperson. He said “administration” was not an adequate description of why a meeting should be closed.

“It is vital that these concerns be held in the public, and not closed meetings, unless absolutely necessary,” Wood stated. “As your new mayor, I will ensure that closed meetings that should not be closed, are in fact open, and to see that the law for the improvement and good government of the municipality is carried out.”

He added unnecessary closed meetings undermine the public’s confidence in municipal government.

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Wood moved to proceed to a closed meeting to discuss employment, which does fall under in-camera or “closed” meeting regulations, immediately after the public portion of Tuesday’s meeting. There was no seconder, and the motion to enter a closed meeting failed. Tuesday’s meeting ended shortly after.

The Observer has reached out to Facio and Vidal for further comment. Vidal did not comment, citing the village’s current media communications policy, which states that “The Mayor or his designate will be the spokesperson for the Village of Harrison Hot Springs and will make every effort to address issues and make decisions.”

Facio has not responded to The Observer’s request as of press time.

The video footage of the special meeting has been posted on the village’s YouTube page.

The next regular Harrison Hot Springs Village Council meeting is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 21, at 7 p.m. at Memorial Hall. Online attendance is also available via Zoom; those interested can register through harrisonhotsprings.ca. Video recordings of the meetings will be archived on the village’s YouTube page.