Campbell River City Councillor Ryan Mennie has taken a new job and has moved to Lethbridge, Alberta. He has stated that he will stay on, as a City Councillor, attending Council and Committee of the Whole meetings, electronically, until the end of his term as Councillor.

This petition is to represent Citizens of Campbell River who believe that the Councillor Mennie is abusing a provision in a City By-Law, to remain as a paid member of the Campbell River City Council and represent the desire of these same citizens to have Councillor Ryan Mennie resign his seat as a member of council, in the best interest of Campbell River taxpayers

Reference:

City of Campbell River By-Law No. 3277 - Council Procedures

8. (1) Provided the conditions set out in subsection 128(2) of the Community Charter are met;

(a) regular or Special Council meeting may be conducted by means of audio electronic or other communication facilities provided that the members participating have received a copy of the agenda material.

Section 128 (2) of the Community Charter for British Columbia states:

(1) If this is authorized by procedure bylaw and the requirements of subsection (2) are met,

(a) a special council meeting may be conducted by means of electronic or other communication facilities, or

(b) a member of council or a council committee who is unable to attend at a council meeting or a council committee meeting, as applicable, may participate in the meeting by means of electronic or other communication facilities

(2) The following rules apply in relation to a meeting referred to in subsection (1):

(a) the meeting must be conducted in accordance with the applicable procedure bylaw;

(b) the facilities must enable the meeting's participants to hear, or watch and hear, each other;

(c) for a special council meeting referred to in subsection (1) (a),

(i) the notice under section 127 (2) [notice of special meetings] must include notice of the way in which the meeting is to be conducted and the place where the public may attend to hear the proceedings that are open to the public, and

(ii) except for any part of the meeting that is closed to the public, the facilities must enable the public to hear, or watch and hear, the meeting at the specified place, and a designated municipal officer must be in attendance at the specified place;

(d) for a meeting referred to in subsection (1) (b), except for any part of the meeting that is closed to the public, the facilities must enable the public to hear, or watch and hear, the participation of the member.

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The Citizens of Campbell River, who have signed this petition, believe that the essence of the above By-Law and Community Charter section, are set aside for Council members who still reside in the community that they represent, but that are unable to attend meeting due to illness, work or other circumstances beyond their controland is designed to be used on an occasional basis, for convenience.

Those who have signed, from OUTSIDE the community, are doing so based on the bad precedence being set by Councillor Mennie's decision and the affect it may have on the future decisions of Civic Councillors around the province.