Wilmot council approves procedural bylaw changes aimed at improving meeting efficiency and transparency

By Galen Simmons

Wilmot council has approved a series of updates to the township’s procedural bylaw that will change how council meetings are scheduled, how agendas are published and how residents can participate in meetings moving forward.

At its May 25 regular meeting, council approved amendments to the township’s procedural bylaw following a review of the current meeting structure introduced in January 2025. Among the most notable changes are moving all regular council meetings to a consistent 6 p.m. start time and requiring agendas to be published six calendar days before meetings, a compromise reached following discussion at the May 4 committee-of-the-whole meeting.

“In response to that feedback, staff are recommending a six-calendar-day publication timeline as a balanced approach between responsiveness and additional public review opportunity,” township clerk Amelia Jaggard said. “Staff recognize that previous inconsistencies in agenda publication contributed to concerns regarding shorter notice periods. Staff are committed to ensuring that agendas are published in full and on time in accordance with the procedural bylaw. These proposed amendments are intended to establish more predictable and stable framework while maintaining council’s ability to defer matters or seek additional information where appropriate.

“Staff are also recommending that for clarity and consistency, the remaining regular council meetings for 2026, beginning with the regular July meeting, begin at 6 p.m.”

Coun. Kris Wilkinson, the only councillor to vote against the procedural-bylaw changes, noted he would have preferred a longer agenda-publication timeline of 10 calendar days instead of six to give residents more time to review reports. He also suggested the 6 p.m. start time for meetings as of July could be challenging for some members of the public who might otherwise attend.

“No time is really the ideal time for meetings for people,” Mayor Natasha Salonen said, “but … doing this for the rest of the calendar year gives the next council the opportunity, as well. It doesn’t hinder them from working with staff if the 6 p.m. (start time) doesn’t work for them.”

Coun. Steven Martin agreed with Salonen’s point but added that if residents can make it to their kids’ sports games by 6 p.m. on weeknights, then they should be able to make it to council meetings.

Coun. Stewart Cressman, on the other hand, raised doubts about whether there would be an opportunity this year to truly test the change in meeting time and other procedural changes given the upcoming election and the potential for council to enter into a “lame-duck” period when no significant new decisions can be made by the current council.

The approved amendments will also see the township return to holding two regular council meetings each month on the second and fourth Mondays, eliminating the current committee-of-the-whole structure introduced last year.

According to staff, the current two-step process requiring committee-of-the-whole recommendations to later be ratified by council created delays for routine matters and contributed to an increase in special council meetings needed to address time-sensitive issues.

Staff noted the township held 12 special council meetings in 2025 outside of budget discussions, many of which were needed because matters could not wait for the full committee and council approval cycle.

The township also issued 25 revised agendas in 2025, not including budget meetings, with revised agendas continuing into 2026. Staff argued the frequent revisions reduced predictability for residents and undermined the intent of publishing agendas earlier.

The changes will also affect residents who wish to delegate before council.

Under the updated rules, requests for general-interest delegations and presentation materials must now be submitted seven calendar days before a meeting, while delegations speaking to specific agenda items can still register up until 4 p.m. on the day of the meeting.

Staff said the changes are intended to improve public accessibility while ensuring council, staff and residents all have access to the same information in advance of meetings.

Council also approved removing provisions allowing routine late additions to agendas after publication, something staff said had become too common under the current structure. Urgent matters can still be added in exceptional circumstances with council approval or addressed through special meetings if necessary.

According to the staff report, the procedural changes are intended to create a more predictable and efficient framework for council decision-making while improving transparency and public trust in township processes.

The amendments are scheduled to take effect June 15 after council approves an amended bylaw at their next regular meeting.