What happens to feedback or communication provided to Council?
Public input, feedback or presentations to Council or any of Council’s Boards and Committees in the form of letters, emails, or in person may become part of the public record and may be published in a Council agenda package which is posted on the Town of Okotoks website for public viewing.
Communication addressed to Mayor and Council is included in the Council agenda package for consideration by Council. Letters for the Council agenda must be received by the Town at least 5 days prior to a meeting to be placed on the next agenda, or they will be placed on a subsequent agenda. Please note that since all meetings of Council are public, your letter is considered a public document. Your correspondence will be considered by Council, and a response will be provided following the meeting.
Where are Council meetings held and are they open to the public?
Unless otherwise communicated, regular Council meetings are held on the second and fourth Mondays of each month in the Council Chamber at the Municipal Centre. If the Monday is a statutory holiday, the meeting is usually held on the following Tuesday. Only one meeting per month is held in July, August and December. Any changes to the regular schedule, or notification of special Council meetings are posted. The public is welcome to attend all Council meetings. Although the meetings are open to the public, the public is only allowed to speak if they are presenting an agenda item or have signed in for public Delegations/Question Periods. You may choose to stay for the entire meeting, or just for the items that interest you. Please turn your cell phone off or put on vibrate while Council is in session.
Where can I find the Council meeting agenda?
The agendas are posted on the Town’s website on the Thursday evening before each regular Council meeting.
How does presenting to Council work?
The Mayor will invite you to come forward to the microphone at the presenter’s desk at the appropriate time. Begin by stating your name, address and, if applicable, the name of the organization you are representing. If several members of a group are present, one person should be appointed to act as a spokesperson. When addressing Council, remember to keep your comments brief and confined to the topic.
Delegations can be in person during the Council Meeting or by live video access by prior arrangements. Delegations are allowed 5 minutes to address Council. Following your presentation, you may be asked questions of clarification by Council, which is not counted towards the 5 minutes. If you require more than 5 minutes, you must ask Council to consider increasing the amount of time before you begin your presentation. A motion to extend the time must be approved by a 2/3 vote of Council.
You may use a PowerPoint presentation during your presentation if you wish. The PowerPoint must be provided to Legislative Affairs by 4 p.m. on the Thursday before a regular meeting. If possible, presenters are also encouraged to provide the PowerPoint to Legislative Affairs 5 days prior to the meeting so that it can be included in the Council agenda package to provide Council with an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the matter prior to the meeting. Whether or not you use PowerPoint, your presentation may not exceed 5 minutes.
After your presentation, Council may wish to ask you questions. Please remain seated at the presenters table until you are excused by the Mayor.
