Councillors vote against allowing staff to perform civil marriage solemnization services

Luke Edwards, Post Contributor

There won’t be wedding bells heard at town hall anytime soon.

Norwich councillors turned down a proposal from staff to allow the clerk and other staff members to perform civil marriage solemnization services. It was a service the township offered previously, but ended in 2010 after staffing changes.

“The resumption of officiating services will provide an additional service to residents who may appreciate the opportunity for a simple and inexpensive civil ceremony,” said Kimberley Armstrong, township clerk and director of corporate services.

Under the proposal, couples could have hired town staff to be an officiant. It recommended a $250 fee for ceremonies held in the municipal office during regular office hours and a $350 for offsite/off hours ceremonies. While previously only the clerk could perform the ceremony, the report recommended delegating authority to several staff members to provide the service, “in order to provide more flexibility in dates and times available for those wishing to utilize the services,” Armstrong said.

There would also have been a $25 fee for witnesses, if they were required. The fees would easily cover the staff time, staff said.

Coun. Karl Toews was opposed to the recommendation on two fronts. He said township staff are already burdened with a heavy workload.

“I’m more concerned with maintaining our current service levels rather than, it seems to me, burdening our staff with additional duties and additional tasks,” he said.

However, CAO Matt Smith, said the service is pretty straightforward, with only a couple template ceremonies offered. They’d be small in nature, and also something staff enjoy doing.

“It’s one of those things that’s just quite nice for us to be able to do. I spend quite a lot of my time saying no to people and so getting to do something that makes people genuinely happy is a very pleasant thing,” he said.

Toews’ second concern revolved around a perceived undermining of something he considers a very important aspect of marriage, asking staff if they had a licence to perform the ceremony.

Armstrong said it’s a process allowed by the province, and it can be designated to other staff members.

“We currently issue marriage licences and we do get asked if we provide officiating services,” she said.