Skip to content

Harrison Mayor addresses criticisms surrounding recent Committee of the Whole meeting

More relaxed CoW meetings are open to the public
27962891_web1_201015-AHO-HarrisonCouncil-Council_1
Harrison Hot Springs Council is currently meeting at Memorial Hall on Esplanade Avenue. (Adam Louis/Observer)

As with most other newsworthy subjects, municipal politics is not immune from social media-driven debates and criticism.

During the Feb. 7 Harrison Hot Springs council meeting, Mayor Leo Facio addressed local social media discourse surrounding a recent Committee of the Whole (CoW) meeting.

The main difference between council meetings and the more uncommon CoW meetings is the CoW format allows for more relaxed setting for discussion. Council may adopt a report on CoW agenda items, but the final decisions are to be made during regular council meetings. During regular council meetings, councillors have a number of options at their disposal when it comes to items discussed at the CoW meetings, including acting based on the findings of the report, introducing amendments or referring the matter back to staff for further consideration.

RELATED: Harrison Council considers local volunteer award

Throughout the years, village officials have faced some criticism concerning the timing of CoW meetings, which typically start early in the morning. While the meetings are open to the public via Zoom and in-person attendance, meetings during regular business hours are criticized as prohibitive to those working during the day, and this criticism in turn brought about implications of secrecy.

“To suggest (CoW meetings) are carried out in secret or not allowed is totally untrue,” Facio said during his report before council. “This shows a lack of knowledge by some. It’s unfortunate that this misinformation goes to the public.”

The mayor pointed out the village’s website has been redone to make agendas and meeting video archives more accessible. The Jan. 27 and 28 CoW meeting has been uploaded to YouTube as of Monday, Feb. 7. The village office was closed from Jan. 26 to 28 due to staff shortages, but the CoW meeting carried on in Memorial Hall online and in person.

In other council business, councilors reviewed the four-year plan at the CoW meeting on Jan. 27. They approved the first reading with the following amendments:

- Including $45,000 in finding from the COVID-19 Safe Restart Grant for three water bottle filling stations in the village

- Including expenditures for bus shelters from 2022 to 2024 for $14,000, $28,000 and $42,000.

RELATED: Harrison Council considers parking proposal

Now that council has approved the first reading, the proposed four-year plan will be available for public consultation via open house tentatively scheduled for Feb. 22 at 10 a.m. A summary of the feedback will be reported at the Feb. 22 council meeting at Memorial Hall and online via Zoom; the public will have an additional opportunity to comment on the proposed budget during the council meeting.

Coun. Samantha Piper presented the idea of an outdoor ping-pong table to be installed in Spring Park. Piper said tourists and residents in other municipalities in B.C. and beyond enjoy the tables in all seasons. The tables are typically made of metal or concrete with metal nets. Coun. Ray Hooper was concerned about maintenance costs and potential noise complaints; he also suggested a basketball court may be more suitable to the interests of younger people in particular. Coun. Gerry Palmer said there was no harm in having staff explore options, though it does ultimately come down to cost.

Council unanimously voted to have staff explore options.

The next regular council meeting is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. at Memorial Hall. Zoom attendance is also available via Zoom with links to the meeting at harrisonhotsprings.ca.