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Section 4 – Effective Meetings

Local Government Resource Handbook November 2009

Communities, Cultural Affairs and Labour, PEI Section 4

www.gov.pe.ca/go/municipalaffairs

Section 4

Effective Meetings

Introduction 4.1

Why hold a Meeting 4.2

Council 4.3

Council Meetings 4.4

The Planning Process 4.5

Agenda Setting 4.6

Preparation of Minutes 4.7

General Procedures 4.8

Procedural bylaws 4.9

Handling Conflict 4.10

Evaluation 4.11

Conclusion 4.12





Section 4

Introduction 4.1 Regardless of geography, population or budget, all municipalities follow similar generalprinciples when conducting meetings. This section of the resource handbook is notintended to replace municipal legislation; it is to be used in tandem with legislation. Effective meetings positively impact an organization’s resources, ensuring that time spent inmeetings is productive, efficient, and rewarding.

Why Hold a Meeting? 4.2

The appropriate location for council to discuss, and debate issues is at a meeting. Not onlyare council meetings the occasions when different views are aired and decisions made; theyare also the setting where all bylaws and resolutions must be passed. Council meetings serveboth a democratic function by providing the forum for open discussion and a legislativefunction through the formal passage of resolutions and bylaws.

Many accomplishments are achieved during a meeting of council, even when no resolutionsare passed. Meetings allow for the simple dissemination of information, the exchange ofideas and experiences, communication of internal or external changes to the workenvironment, and the growth of council as a team.

Whatever the accomplishments at a meeting, the chair and the council need to be very clearabout municipal decision making and the intended goal of responding to the needs of theresidents in a meaningful manner. Therefore, council should be mindful of the followingbasic tips when holding a meeting:

1. Build RelationshipsOften underrated, regular council meetings provide an opportunity forcouncil members to network, build working relationships, socialize, andpromote teamwork. Meeting regularly builds the groundwork for moreeffective working relationships, often leading to more productive andefficient meetings.

2. Disseminate InformationSometimes the best method of sharing community information, committeework, or council initiatives is to report the information publicly. Council maywish to consider that including visual aids and allotting time to allowdiscussion, questions, or debate on the issue are effective tools whenpresenting information.





3. Set GoalsCohesiveness in a council is important for successful outcomes. Whenembarking on a new endeavour as a standing committee or specialcommittee, goal setting can bring the team together to focus on commonobjectives. Having clearly articulated and achievable goals, as well as adefinite time frame for accomplishing those goals, is the first step towardsuccess.

4. Obtain FeedbackWhen topics are to be presented that require feedback or input from council,committee members, residents, or specific stakeholders in order to enhance,improve, or just gather new insights or ideas, a meeting of those involved canbe the best way to decide which path to take next.

5. Make a DecisionAll decisions of council must be made at open meetings of council. Theinteraction of the councillors is key to the decision making process. Councildecision-making involves a group working together to reach a conclusion,rather than an individual bringing forward an issue simply to seek input orfeedback from the group.

6. Post-Project Debrief & Celebrate SuccessIn many cases, when a council or a committee of council has been involvedin a project, the best way to wind up the process is to bring all participantsand residents together for a debriefing. This type of meeting provides anopportunity to review the processes and procedures to ensure that pre-established objectives have been met and to prepare a course of action forthe next stage, where required. Of course a very important part of thisdebriefing is to celebrate the council’s successes.

A single meeting may achieve one or all of the objectives illustrated above, however before ameeting is called, it may be helpful to have these objectives in mind.

Council 4.3Council is the decision-making authority for the municipality. It is important to rememberthat the head of council, the mayor or chairperson, does not have a vote unless a tie occurs;in effect, decision-making rests with council. Municipal legislation identifies that:





Voting 4.3.1

Each councillor has one vote.

Tied vote 4.3.2

The mayor or chairman shall vote on any matter before council only for the purposeof breaking a tie.

The Mayor or Chairperson 4.3.3

The Mayor or chair’s level of understanding of their responsibilities when running ameeting is a determining factor in how effective that meeting will be. As highlightedearlier in this handbook, the role of the mayor or chairperson is a demanding one. No matter how large or small the meeting, the head of council – the mayor orchairperson – has certain responsibilities.

The chairperson should begin by getting to know who the members of the groupare; which skill sets, strengths, or weaknesses each member brings to the table; andwhat each member might be expected to contribute.

The mayor or chairperson is responsible for planning the meeting. Planning involvesassessing the situation, deciding on goals if that has not been clearly defined,assessing the options for achieving those goals, and selecting the optimum course ofaction. Further the mayor or chairperson is responsible for ensuring that meetingsfollow established rules of procedure.

In addition, the mayor or chairperson is responsible for the involvement of groupmembers. The head of council should include and motivate, as well as educate, thecouncil. The members should be informed specifically what will be expected fromthem, the time-frame in which they are to accomplish the task at hand, and anybudgetary constraints they may have. Also, the mayor or chair is responsible fordelegating tasks according to the skill sets of the group members, and to encourage –and where necessary assist – each group member to contribute to the overall successof the project.

Council Meetings 4.4

Legislation governing the Cities and the towns of Cornwall and Stratford identifies that thesemunicipalities shall conduct monthly meetings. The Municipalities Act, on the other hand,identifies that a council must conduct at least one meeting per year. This meeting is referredto as the annual general meeting, or AGM, and is typically held in March of each year. Theproper conduct of council meetings is essential for the efficient flow of business and for the





accurate recording of what has taken place. Listed below are paraphrased excerpts ofrelevant legislation. For additional information that will assist Community Councils pleaserefer to our web site at:www.gov.pe.ca/go/municipalaffairs

Meetings 4.4.1

As noted above, legislation for the Cities and the towns of Cornwall and Stratfordindicates that those councils shall hold regular monthly meetings. These meetingsmay be cancelled, however, should a council pass a resolution to do so they mustpublish a notice of cancellation in a newspaper fifteen days prior to the meeting. These four municipalities must hold a minimum of ten regular meetings per year andmay not cancel two consecutive meetings. The administrator / CAO is responsiblefor calling for all council meetings at the request of either the mayor, the deputymayor in the mayor’s absence, or any two members of council.

The Municipalities Act indicates that the remaining towns and community councilsshall hold at least one meeting each year and by resolution fix the date, place andtime of regular meetings. In addition, council may hold special meetings at the callof the mayor or chairperson, and the mayor or chairperson shall call a specialmeeting when so requested in writing by not less than half of the councillorscurrently holding office.

Date 4.4.2

The Municipalities Act states that community councils shall hold an annual meetingand that this meeting shall be held in March on such day as the council maydetermine. In addition to regular meetings, a council has the discretionary power to conductspecial meetings. A special meeting of council is called by the mayor or chairpersonor by written request of half the council to discuss only the business for which themeeting is called.

Special meetings 4.4.3

The council may hold a special meeting at any time after giving notice in accordancewith legislation indicating the purpose of the meeting.

Business 4.4.4

No business shall be considered at a special meeting unless it is relevant to thepurpose for which the meeting is held.

All types of meetings highlighted – regular meetings, annual general meetings, andspecial meetings – are open to the public and no person shall be excluded from these

http://www.gov.pe.ca/go/municipalaffairs





meetings except for improper conduct. In the absence of a procedural bylaw, thetime, date and place of meetings should be publicised in advance to give the residentsopportunity to attend.

Location of Meetings 4.4.5

As the legislation is silent regarding the location of council meetings, a council mayhold a meeting at any location within the municipality. As a best practice it isrecommended that meetings continue to occur at the same location and time eachmonth.

Decisions of Council & Quorum 4.4.6

All decisions of Council are made by a resolution. Resolutions are passed bymajority vote. Each councillor has a vote and the head of council shall only vote tobreak a tie. Essential to the meeting process is quorum. There must be a sufficientnumber of council members present at all council meetings to form a quorum, whichis a majority of council members excluding the Chairperson or in their absence thedeputy or vice chair. In order for a council meeting to be held, a majority of the totalnumber of council members currently holding office must be present. Only aquorum of Council may hold a meeting, make decisions by vote, or discuss businessat regular and special meetings. In some cases, meetings may commence with aquorum but end up losing it due to the departure of one or more members. Thedeparture of these members, causing even temporarily the loss of a quorum, ends ameeting of council.

Regular Meetings 4.4.7 Regular meetings may be held on any day selected by council members by resolution. Often, council will make the determination during the first meeting. Should councilhave a procedural bylaw requiring regular meetings, the schedule would bemaintained until such time as the bylaw is amended. A best practice is to state theday of the week, week of the month, hour and place of meetings. It is also possiblefor the scheduling of regular council meetings to be determined at each meeting. Forexample, a motion can be made that the next council meeting will be held on the firstTuesday of the following month. In addition, meetings falling on a holiday may berescheduled for the following day.

Written notice of regular council meetings is not necessary; the resolution in theminutes is sufficient. Again, it is good practice to provide residents notification overa 48 hour period.





Special Meetings 4.4.8 Special Meetings are normally called for a specific purpose and deal with only oneitem of business, usually a pressing matter which cannot wait until the nextscheduled meeting.

The head of council or a majority of council members may request a special meetingof council. A request by councillors for such a meeting must be made in writing andmust have the support of half of the members of council. It is the duty of theadministrator to inform all members of council of the date, time, and place of thespecial meetings. This notice should be in writing and should be delivered to allmembers of council. The written notice from the administrator should indicate thegeneral business to be transacted at the meeting. No business other than that statedin the notice may be transacted at the special meeting.

Committee Meetings 4.4.9

It is important to note that legislation does not require that all councils establishcommittees; it merely provides the statutory authority for those councils that wish toset up committees.

The Municipalities Act allows for the appointment of committees by the mayor orchair. Council committees report directly to council. Any resolution or bylawrecommended by a committee must be passed at either a regular or special councilmeeting to be valid.

Committee meetings are usually quite informal, with much discussion, and membersspeak as often as they please provided that they do not deprive other members ofopportunities to present their views. The chairperson may take an active part in thediscussion and may put questions to a vote on his or her own initiative after aninformal discussion. Council committees, as the name implies, are comprised only ofmembers of council. The mayor or chairperson is an ex officio member of allcouncil committees. The procedure for conducting committee meetings should beset out in a procedural bylaw.

Types of Committees 4.4.10 Two types of committees are common; council committees and special committees. Council committees are established to provide recommendations and direct issuesrelating to regular business practices of the municipality, such as finance, roads,environment, and development. Council may decide to refer matters pertaining tothese areas to the appropriate committee for review and recommendation.





Special committees are established to deal with a specific issue and cease to existwhen that matter is concluded. A council may appoint a special committee to makerecommendations concerning council remuneration or to consider the purchase ofnew equipment. Special committees can be set up for any purpose, but they areespecially useful for providing council with a comprehensive evaluation of aparticular situation and the preparation of policy alternatives. It is particularlyimportant when appointing a special committee that its terms of reference be clearand not overlap with an existing standing committee.

Committee of the Whole 4.4.11 A committee of the whole comprises the whole council. When a council wishes todiscuss a policy, question or bylaw under relaxed rules of procedure, a resolution tomove to committee of the whole is required and is generally put forward as follows:

"Moved by Councillor XXXX that this meeting resolve itself into committee of thewhole to consider the issue further and Councillor YYYY shall chair the meeting."

A member of council or the deputy or vice chairperson usually chairs a committee ofthe whole meeting. When the motion is put to the question and carried, thechairperson leaves the chair and the councillor so appointed takes charge. Theadministrator does not record the committee proceedings in the minutes of thecouncil meeting, but should keep a memorandum of the proceedings for thecommittee’s use. No bylaws or resolutions may be passed at a committee meeting. When the work of the committee is completed, the following motion is made:

"That the committee do rise and report."

This is an informal motion that adjourns the committee of the whole, and thechairperson resumes the chairing of the regular council meeting. The committeechairperson then reports the discussions of the committee. If the council wishes totake any action arising from the committee discussions, motions must be presentedand voted upon at the council meeting. Very seldom is there any discussion on thismotion as it has already been discussed in the committee. Committee meetings maybe open to the public. It is important to note that sitting as a committee of thewhole does not necessarily close the meeting to the public.





The Planning Process 4.5

What Do You Want to Accomplish? 4.5.1

Once you have established why a meeting is necessary, the key to a successfuloutcome is to identify what you expect to accomplish and what the intendedoutcomes will be. For example, you may expect to have decisions made on a numberof items, or you may want to provide information on certain issues to staff, orperhaps you need to acknowledge and celebrate recent accomplishments.

Defining outcomes in advance allows participants to focus on the job at hand andensures greater productivity. Research shows that setting doable goals in advance,and having those goals clearly communicated to participants, will enhance thelikelihood of a successful outcome.

The Attendees 4.5.2

As Stephen Covey says in “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”, “Begin with the endin mind.” The meeting purpose will determine the focus, the agenda, and theparticipants.

The goal to be identified will depend entirely on what you expect to accomplish.Having the right people at the table may also make the difference betweenaccomplishing your goals and wasting everyone’s time. When establishing specialcommittees, determine in advance what skill sets are going to be required, whichstakeholder groups may need to be represented, and who among the residents mightbest provide the skills required to accomplish the task at hand.

If necessary, consult with council to determine who might be the most effective toinclude on a special committee. In addition, council should consider the assets at itsdisposal. It is usually better to postpone, rather than hold, a meeting without criticalstaff present.

When approaching residents to work on the project, make preliminary contact withthe individuals to explain the purpose of the committee, what you hope toaccomplish, what you expect them to contribute, and why you feel they will be animportant contributor to a successful outcome.





Follow-up this initial contact with a notice of the meeting, which will include theagenda and any pertinent background information. Include specifics on where themeeting will be held and when, as well as a list of all the participants. Ensure thateach information package contains the name and phone number of a contact personin case there are any questions.

Prior to the meeting, select one of the participants, or designate a staff person toattend in order to take notes on what was discussed, tasks that may have beenassigned, and who may have volunteered to carry out a specific task. The notesshould also indicate the expected due date for each task to be accomplished. Moredetails on recording the minutes of a meeting will follow.

Pre Meeting Information 4.5.3

Sending out information prior to the meeting is an effective way of enabling theparticipants to arrive at the meeting informed and prepared to make decisions basedon that information. However, deciding how much information to send in advancecan be a problem.

Some people will not read information provided prior to the meeting and some willconscientiously read all the supporting information they can get their hands on. Documentation that may help achieve the meeting goals might include staff reports,media reports, detailed charts and graphs, paper copies of presentations, and keydiscussion points, as well as minutes, notes, and follow-up from earlier or relatedmeetings and projects. Distribution of this kind of pertinent information will assistparticipants to become informed and to arrive ready to discuss and make decisionson topics to be covered during the meeting.

Agenda Setting 4.6

There are two essential documents produced by a meeting. The first, and some would saythe most important, is the agenda. Setting the agenda is one of the tasks that may fall uponthe person chairing the meeting, the administrator / CAO or Council as a whole. Theagenda is crucial to achieving the goals of the meeting. The agenda defines the boundariesof the discussions that participants will follow and allots a specific time frame for each item.

One of the most important components of a well-run efficient council meeting is that offollowing an orderly and comprehensive agenda. Many councils have a standard agendaincluded in their Rules of Procedure; others just use a regular agenda by habit or agreement.It is recommended that a standard agenda, along with the time limits for inclusion of itemson the agenda, and the means and timing for notice of meetings, rules of procedure andconduct be included in a Procedural Bylaw.





Why have an agenda? 4.6.1

In most cases, the agenda provides a focus for discussion, but in those cases wherecontroversy or confrontation are a possibility, an agenda is essential in order for thechair to maintain control. Agendas keep participants on track, and when each of theitems on the agenda has been covered, it provides the individual chairing the meetingwith a clear point for adjournment.

Any participant who wishes to add items to the agenda should be required to submitthose items well in advance of the scheduled meeting. This allows everyone time tobe sufficiently prepared to address any items on the agenda. One other reason forsubmitting additional items in advance is to allow enough time for printing anddistribution prior to the meeting. Perhaps more importantly, having agenda itemssubmitted well in advance allows an opportunity to ensure the topic is relevant to thepurpose of the meeting.

If certain items submitted for inclusion on an agenda fall outside of the scope of theplanned meeting, or concern topics which may have been thoroughly discussed at aprevious meeting, a councillor or the chair then has an opportunity to explain whythe item will not be included.

For example, there are situations where a participant may not be happy with adecision that has previously been made, and repeatedly attempts to raise the topicagain. In cases such as this, having a formal agenda will allow the chair to curtail anyfurther discussion as the item is not on the agenda and falls outside the intendedfocus of the current meeting.

Having the agenda prepared and distributed in advance also provides an opportunityfor the chair, as well as the participants, to come to the meeting sufficiently preparedto hold informed and intelligent discussions. The agenda also serves as a reminderfor participants as to any “homework” that they might be expected to haveaccomplished prior to the meeting.

Setting the agenda 4.6.2

In order to facilitate the smooth progress of a meeting where there may be a numberof difficult decisions to be made, it may be best to schedule one of the easier topicsfirst, then follow with the more difficult topics and finish off the meeting with someeasy or lighter items in order to end on a positive note.

Some items on the agenda might require exploratory discussion, while other itemsmight require some action or decision. List all the topics to be discussed, the nameof the person who is expected to lead each discussion, and the time allotted to eachtopic.





Having a specified time for discussion or debate on each item will help keep peopleon track and can eliminate endless debate on topics of contention. If one itemappears to exceed the time allotted by a significant amount, a member of the groupor the chair can request that it be rescheduled for the next meeting in order to allowfor more in depth research, preparation, and discussion.

Finally, having an agenda planned in advance allows the chair to begin the meetingon time, schedule breaks when the meeting is expected to go longer than an hour,and most importantly, end the meeting on time. An agenda also provides theparticipants with a record of what was discussed and any decisions that have beenmade or tasks assigned during the meeting.

Agenda Headings 4.6.3

• Title including date and time as well as type of meeting• Call to Order• Adoption of Agenda or Adoption of the Order of the Day• Approval of the Minutes• Business Arising From the Minutes• Presentations of Recognition• Presentations – Delegations• Correspondence• Financial Reports• consideration of the financial statements for the preceding year;• the auditor's report;• approval of estimates;• projected tax rates for the year.• Payment of Accounts• Committee Reports• the chairperson's statement;• committee reports;• Staff Reports• Unfinished Business• New Business• Bylaws• Other• Adjournment

TitleThe title should state agenda for a regular or special meeting of council, the name ofthe municipality, and the date and time of the meeting.





Call to OrderThe mayor, chairperson or presiding officer calls the meeting to order. This must beat the precise time for which the meeting is scheduled. Delaying meetings sends thewrong message.

The presiding officer has an important role to play in ensuring that council meetingsproceed in an orderly and efficient manner, and that the rules of procedure are notused to obstruct, delay or thwart the business or wishes of council. However, it isalso important to note that Council can appeal a decision of the presiding officer.The precise method of appeal should be set out in the rules of procedure.

Adoption of the AgendaIt is not necessary to adopt the agenda, however it is a common practice. An agendais a guide; if council members move to adopt the agenda, it then forms part of theminutes and must be retained in the same manner. Upon adoption, it cannot bechanged except by a motion. This should be kept in mind when considering usingthis procedure.

Approval of the MinutesThe minutes of the last regular meeting and the minutes of any special meeting heldsince the last regular meeting must be approved by resolution of council. Generally,the chair will ask if everyone has received a copy of the minutes and ask for a motionto approve. If no issues are brought forward (ie. grammatical, or content), the chairwill ask for someone to second the motion and ask the question (vote).

Adoption of the minutes does not mean that everyone present agrees with theircontents, but merely that the minutes contain an accurate record of the proceedingsand decisions taken at the meeting to which the minutes refer.

Business Arising From the MinutesGenerally self evident, the minutes will reflect that staff or council will be bringing anissue forward, or that a councillor has given notice of a motion.

This is the time when councillors might ask for an update from the staff or mayor onthe progress or outcome of items discussed at the previous meeting. Any major itemsof business held over from a previous meeting might better be discussed undergeneral business.

Presentations of RecognitionOccasionally, the members of council may wish to recognize a special achievementby an individual, club, or organization. This type of ceremony is usually conducted





near the beginning of the meeting so that the recipient will not have to wait a longtime while other business is being conducted.

Presentations - DelegationsCouncil will receive requests from individuals and groups who wish to voiceconcerns or request the assistance of Council. These presentations or visits bydelegations are often made to highlight a concern or champion a cause. The agendashould indicate the name of the person or group that will address council, the topicto be discussed and an estimated time at which it will be heard and concluded. Presentations and delegations are generally dealt with near the beginning of ameeting as a courtesy, so that people who want to address council will not be keptwaiting. The members of the delegation have a right to sit through the rest of thecouncil meeting; they have no right to address council at any time after theirspokesperson has presented their case.

CorrespondenceThe agenda may include a list or copies of correspondence addressed to the councilor to the chairperson. The agenda should state who sent the letter and the topic ofthe letter. The correspondence can be sorted into general information, or requiringaction.

General information correspondence does not require any action. It is not necessaryto consider each piece of general information correspondence during the meeting. However, should a council member wish to discuss any general information item, themember must advise the chairperson and the matter is then discussed, whereas anitem of correspondence requiring action by council should be discussed or tabled toNew Business on the agenda.

Financial ReportsAt this point in a meeting, the chair of the finance committee will bring forward a listof payments made and due.

Payment of AccountsAlthough the budget is approved at the annual general meeting, council must be evervigilant of the public purse to ensure that funds spent are done so wisely. Therefore,the administrator should submit for council’s consideration bills received forpayment on all accounts and any other moneys owed by the municipality. Theaccounts may be listed as by expense category. The chair of finance should presentthe accounts during the report of finance and move the total cost be paid rather thenapprove each item individually. The benefit of this practice is seen at year end whenthe audit is conducted; the bills are categorized and filed monthly making them easilytrackable.





Committee ReportsReports of council committees or special committees that have met since the lastregular council meeting should be listed on the agenda and copies prepared forcouncil. Councils usually deal with recommendations contained in these reports atthis stage of the meeting. Motions or resolutions may come forward as a result of arecommendation of a committee at this time.

If communities are used, it must be remembered that they can only act in an advisorycapacity to council as a whole. Committees do not have any power to act on theirown and all committee recommendations must be discussed and decided by councilbefore becoming valid.

Staff ReportsThe senior municipal employee or the administrator will present a report to councilonce a month. This report is supplemental to the financial report. Information inthis report may include and highlight accomplishments of other staff members overthe past month, business conducted since the last report, identify work in progresson new policies or bylaws, or meetings that they have attended. This report shouldbe listed on the agenda and a copy should be provided to council with the agendaand minutes. During this part of the meeting, council may introduce resolutionsdealing with any recommendations that may be contained in the reports.

Unfinished BusinessAdministrators may keep a list of issues that have come before council at previousmeetings but have not been finalized. Municipal staff may be dependent ondecisions on these action items in order to resolve an issue or conclude business. Old business may also include items that have been postponed from a previousmeeting or items where information-gathering was required prior to answering aquestion or making a resolution or motion. Also under this heading are items thathave been referred to a specific committee for recommendation.

New BusinessUnder this heading, the council would list the individual items for consideration thatmay be discussed at the meeting. Items that may fall in this category might includeissues brought forward from the residents, concerns of council, petitions, andcorrespondence received by council. Some councils may use a procedure whereby a"Notice of Motion" or a “Notice of a Bylaw” is presented during the New Businessagenda item. In this case, notice is given that a motion concerning a given subjectwill be presented at the next regular meeting of council. This allows councilmembers and the administrative staff time to research the subject before the next





meeting. If a member of council has placed a specific item on the agenda withbackground material included, it may be dealt with at this time.

A council’s Procedural Bylaw will normally contain some provisions about whichmotions have precedence over others and when particular motions can be moved. In order to be discussed, a motion must be moved and seconded. This is the normalprocedure if no other motion is on the floor at the time. If another motion is on thefloor, then only certain procedural motions can be moved.

BylawsThe agenda may contain a short paragraph summarizing the bylaw or the full copy ofthe bylaw may be presented to council. If the bylaw is to have first reading at ameeting, the administrator should circulate a copy of the bylaw to each member atleast 24 hours before the meeting. When adopting a bylaw, the information shouldbe read aloud; if the bylaw is lengthy it is best to explain the bylaw at the meeting togive those present an opportunity to understand the issues.

OtherAny item that does not fit into the previously discussed categories may be notedhere. Inclusion of the time and date of the next meeting of council is a goodpractice. Notices of events which may be of interest to council members may alsobe included in this section.

AdjournmentThis agenda item merely indicates that the business of the council has ended and amotion to adjourn is to be passed. After the adjourning resolution or motion ispassed, no further business may be conducted at that meeting.

Preparation of Minutes 4.7

Minutes are the official record of meeting proceedings. The administrator must keep arecord of council meetings. They should be clear, accurate, and concise, and should includethe following essential information:

• the name of the municipality;• the time & date of meeting;• the names of the members present;• the names of members absent (with or without consent);• the administrator's name (or acting administrator);• the name of the person presiding over the meeting;• the approval of the previous meeting's minutes;





• the type of meeting - special or regular;• the name of the mover of every motion, the name of the seconder, a number

assigned to each motion, a statement of every motion, and an indication ofwhether the motion was carried or defeated, and who voted in favour and whoopposed;

• the date of the next meeting (if it had not been previously set);• the time of adjournment;• the signature of the administrator and presiding officer;• the original of any bylaw adopted at the council meeting;• any other document indicated in the minutes as being "attached, forming a part

of these minutes."

Minutes are the memory of meeting. They are not kept just for short term use. They form apermanent historical record and should be written with the future in mind. The Act statesthe recording of minutes is one of the duties of the administrator – it may well be the singlemost important duty of the administrator. Minutes of council are accepted in court asevidence. They are a vital document respecting the affairs of the municipality as they recordthe council's decisions.

Recording Decisions 4.7.1

All resolutions of the council are recorded in the minutes and are intended to showwhat was transacted at a meeting, not to record individual opinions. Discussions arenot recorded in the minutes verbatim; rather general intent leading to the decision isnoted. All decisions of council must be decided by resolution or by bylaw. There isno provision in the Act to do otherwise. The Act also states that all questions on amotion must be submitted to the council and all questions are to be decided by amajority of the votes. Procedural bylaws may increase the approval requirements formotions to a number greater than a majority.

Recording Names 4.7.2 The administrator must record the names of the council members present at themeeting, the reason being that recording the names of members present will allow adetermination of whether or not a quorum was present and if business was conductedlegally. Another reason is for purposes of calculating the remuneration of councilmembers. Additionally council's remuneration may be tied to attendance at meetings,if provided for by bylaw. Councillors, therefore, are paid for the meetings theyattend, be it council, committee, or public.

Approving of Minutes 4.7.3

The administrator shall ensure that the minutes of each meeting are approved at thenext regular council meeting and that the last page of the minutes of each meeting is





signed by the presiding officer. A recommended procedure is to seal the signaturesand have the administrator and presiding officer initial each page of the minutes.

Checklist for Minutes 4.7.4 • name of municipality• type of meeting• time and date held• Record full names of members present or absent, as well as others if desired• Record the call to order (including time)• Adoption of agenda (if required)• Minutes approved from previous meeting• Business arising from minutes• Presentations or Delegations• Correspondence• Financial Statements• Payment of accounts• Committee Reports• Staff Reports• Unfinished Business• New Business• Bylaws• Other• Adjournment (including time)

Form and Neatness 4.7.5 Besides following a standard format, the minutes also should have style to enhancereadability. The following pointers are recommended in the preparation of minutes:• Use capital letters in headings.• Number resolutions (one way to do this is to start numbering at #1 each new year

- (e.g., #1/07)• Use correct spelling and punctuation.• Write in clear and complete sentences.• Bold the text of the motion and leave adequate spacing between resolutions.

Things to Avoid 4.7.6 Do not use first names when recording the names of the meeting participants.Remember, not only are the minutes a legal document, they are also a permanentrecord. Do not use white-out. Do not erase. Do not add handwritten notes orcomments in the margins. Keep in mind that original bylaws are a part of theminutes, so do not write on them either.





Correcting the Minutes 4.7.7

If errors have been discovered before the minutes have been approved, theadministrator makes the necessary minor corrections to the minutes in inkimmediately upon discovering the error. The correction is made by striking out theerror and writing in the correction.

Retention 4.7.8

Council meeting minutes must be retained permanently by the storage of minutes in aminutes book in the municipality in their original form.

A key difference between council and municipal staff is that council is the policy-setting body that makes all decisions, while the administration carries out thedirectives of council, overseeing the day to day operations of the municipalities. Municipal staff may offer information to committees of council to assist in theprocess of arriving at decisions but unless granted the authority by bylaw, or byresolution and accompanying policy, may not make decisions.

General Procedures 4.8

The main purpose of a meeting is to see that ideas or items of business are proposed,discussed, considered, and decided upon. All items of business are introduced by way ofmotions or resolutions. After receiving a motion from a councillor, the chairperson statesthe motion and calls for a seconder prior to moving to discussion or debate.

When a motion is made, it is then open for discussion or debate. The chairperson regulatesthe discussions. All members may speak for or against a motion, make or moveamendments, and ask questions to gain information on a particular point. It is usuallycustomary for each member, other than the mover, to speak once on a motion. After acouncillor has spoken, they will wait until everyone has had an opportunity to speak beforespeaking again on the motion. A motion (proposed action) becomes a resolution (action)after the motion is voted on and passed.

Out of Order 4.8.1 Occasionally, a person, or a remark, is out of order and does not follow theapproved rules of procedure. This presents a difficult situation for the chairpersonbecause the chair must halt the proceedings and direct the council back to the topicof discussion. When this situation arises, the chairperson must act immediately andmake three separate statements:• first, stopping the debate because something is out of order; • second, explaining what it is that is out of order; and





• third, stating what is in order.

Any member of council may "rise" (doesn't actually have to get up) on a point oforder to point out to the chairperson that the member believes something is out oforder. A person is out of order when the person begins to speak without recognitionof the chair. When someone speaks from the audience, that person is also out oforder. A remark is out of order when it violates rules of the council. Thechairperson cannot refuse to accept a motion if it is in order; that is, if it relates tothe subject matter being discussed, however no more than one motion can bedebated or discussed at one time.

Dividing Motions 4.8.2 At times, a motion may be worded in such a way that part of it could be supportedand another part not supported by the same member. The chairperson would becorrect in asking that such a motion be divided into two motions. For example, theoriginal motion may be:"That we purchase a new computer for the office and a new filing cabinet for thelibrary." A council member could be in favour of purchasing the filing cabinet butnot in favour of purchasing the computer. Therefore, if the motion is separated intotwo distinct motions, it clarifies the intent of the members.

Negative Motions 4.8.3 It is correct for the chairperson to ask that a negative motion be rephrased to make itread in a positive manner. Negative motions should be brought to council's attentionand the member should be asked to re-word the motion:"That a letter be written to the plumber, requesting that no future repair work bedone at the public works building without council's approval."

This same motion written in a positive form would be:"That the administrator inform the plumber that he must obtain council's approvalbefore doing any work at the public works building." Council members shouldavoid putting forward negative motions.

Voting on a Motion 4.8.4 When the mayor or chairperson feels the discussion has been sufficient and hasencouraged all those who wish to speak to do so, the chairperson may ask theadministrator to read the motion and asks for a vote. Generally, all business can bepassed by a simple majority of those present (provided there is a quorum). Oneexception to this is the reading of a bylaw; the Act indicates that two readings arerequired in this instance.





Procedure 4.8.5

A bylaw is made if:• it is read and formally approved by a majority of the councillors on two

occasions at meetings of the council held on different days;• after being read a second time, it is formally adopted by resolution of the

council; and• it is signed by the mayor or chairman and the administrator, formally

declared to be passed, and sealed with the corporate seal of the municipality.

Defeated Motions 4.8.4 When a motion is brought to a vote and defeated, it appears in the minutes as adefeated motion. The motion may be reintroduced for debate at the same meeting ifa majority of the members vote to do so. Once a motion is disposed of and theresult announced by the chairperson, it may be reconsidered at a subsequentmeeting.

Motion to Amend 4.8.5

Amendments are moved for the purpose of changing or improving a motion beforethat motion comes up for a final vote. A motion is open to amendment up to thetime the question (vote) is called. A motion may be amended by leaving out certainwords, adding certain words, or deleting certain words and replacing them withothers. To be in order, amendments to a motion shall be relevant to the questionbut shall not cause the purpose or intent of the original motion to change.

Amendments to Motions 4.8.6

An amendment must be voted on before the vote on the original motion is finalized. If the amendment is defeated, debate continues on the original motion, at which timefurther amendments may be proposed. In view of the procedure to amend motions,note that only one amendment to the main question may be presented at a giventime, and only one amendment to the amendment.

Samples of motions to amend:"I move to amend the motion by inserting between and .""I move to amend the motion by adding after _____.""I move to amend the motion by substituting instead of .""I move to amend the motion by striking out and inserting ."

Only three questions may be before council at one time: • the main motion, • an amendment to the main motion, and • an amendment to the amendment.





After all amendments are voted on, the chairperson calls for a vote on the originalmotion, whether amended or not.

Withdrawing a Motion 4.8.7 The mover may request the withdrawal of the motion if the vote has not yet beentaken. The chairperson will ask if there is any objection to the withdrawal of themotion. If there is none, the motion is withdrawn automatically. The administratorshould record the motion as withdrawn. If a member voices an objection, theChairperson may put the matter to an informal vote. A simple majority will allowwithdrawal of the motion. Motions should be withdrawn in the same order that theywould be voted upon. That is, an amendment should be withdrawn before a mainmotion.

Motion to Table 4.8.8 A motion to table is used when council desires that the matter in question betemporarily put aside while another matter is discussed. It is not in order to table amatter until a specified date or time. In that case, a motion to postpone should beused. A motion to table is stated as:"I move to table the main motion."

A tabling motion is not debatable and must be voted on at once.

Motion to Take 4.8.9 A motion to ‘take from the table’ brings a previously-tabled motion forward forimmediate discussion. A motion to take from the table may be moved at the samemeeting as the motion to table if some other business has been transacted betweenthe two motions. The motion to take from the table is not debatable. A motion totake from the table cannot be moved when any other motion is before the council.The motion would read:"I move that the motion be taken from the table."

Motion to Postpone 4.8.10

A motion to postpone may be used when a council wants more information beforemaking a decision. In the motion, the mover specifies a particular day on which thequestion will be dealt with by council. A motion to postpone may take the followingform:"I move that we postpone consideration of this motion until the next regularmeeting of council on (date)."

The motion to postpone may also move to postpone the matter indefinitely asfollows:





"I move to postpone this motion indefinitely."

If the motion is carried, the matter cannot be raised again at the same meeting or atany other time, except by a motion to reconsider.

Motion to Refer 4.8.11 When a council wishes a committee to study a motion or make recommendationsconcerning it, a member of council may move that the motion be referred. Amotion to refer may be stated as follows:"I move that the motion be referred to the Roads Committee for itsrecommendations."

Motion to Reconsider 4.8.12 A motion to reconsider is used to deal with a previous motion that was voted on andeither passed or defeated, but where a member of council who voted with themajority now feels the motion was not fully considered at the time. A motion toreconsider is in order at the same meeting where the motion was originally voted onor at the next succeeding regular meeting. This motion must be moved by a memberof council who previously voted with the majority. A typical motion would be:"I move that this council reconsider the resolution on (state the resolution orresolution #)."

If a motion to reconsider is adopted, its effect is to resume debate on the originalmotion as though council had not disposed of it. If the motion to reconsider iscarried, therefore, the chairperson will then reintroduce the resolution referred toand the council will resume debate on the motion.

If an action cannot be reversed, the resolution cannot be reconsidered. For example,if council had passed a resolution to pay John Doe $1,000 for gravel, and thepayment was made and the gravel delivered, it is not possible for council toreconsider that resolution. The motion to reconsider is debatable only if theresolution in question was debatable.

Motion to Rescind 4.8.13 When rescinding a resolution, it should be noted that it is the resolution that iscancelled and if any action had been taken due to the passing of the motion, thataction cannot be rescinded.A motion to rescind may read:"I move to rescind the resolution ."

Notice to rescind:"I give notice that I shall move to rescind at the next meeting."The motion to rescind is a debatable motion.





Motion to Adjourn 4.8.14 The motion to adjourn is one of the most common motions and one of the mosthighly privileged, provided the time for the next meeting is already determined, as itusually is in most municipalities. The purpose of the motion is to close the meeting. The motion may not interrupt a speaker but is in order at any time. It is neitheramendable nor debatable, and must be put to an immediate vote.

A motion to adjourn may be made at any time, even if council’s Procedural Bylawcontain a set time for adjournment. The motion must be seconded, but it is notdebatable. It takes precedence over any other motion on the floor and must be votedon before debate can continue on some other manner.

Question of Privilege 4.8.15 A member of council may raise a question of privilege that may relate to the privilegeof the whole council or of even a single member. Questions relating to the privilegeof the whole council include the following:• the comfort of its members, such as the heating, lighting or ventilation of the

chambers;• freedom from noise and disturbances;• disciplining a member for improper conduct;• accuracy of published reports of proceedings.

Questions of personal privilege must relate to the individual as a member of councilor else relate to charges against the person's character which, if true, would seriouslyjeopardize the person's position as a council member. A member wishing to raise aquestion of privilege does not need to wait for recognition from the chair. Thefollowing exchange is typical: a councillor addresses the chairperson:Councillor: "I rise on a question of privilege."Chairperson: "Please state your question of privilege."Councillor: "I request that the public seated in the gallery be asked to stop talking."

The Chairperson rules on the question of privilege at once.

Any member of council may raise a question of privilege. This procedural motionneed not be seconded, is not debatable, and can be raised even if another memberhas the floor. The point of privilege may pertain to either council as a whole (such astemporarily suspending debate until the noise has subsided) or an individualcouncillor (if, for instance, one councillor makes an incorrect or offending remarkabout another councillor).





Points of Order 4.8.16

A member rises on a point of order when he or she feels that the chairperson is notfollowing the correct parliamentary procedure or the order of business. A memberrising on a point of order does not need to wait for recognition from the chair. Thefollowing is a typical way to raise a point of order:Councillor: "I rise on a point of order."Chairperson: "State your point of order."Councillor: "The motion just proposed is out of order because there is already amain motion before the council."

The chairperson then rules on the point. Unless the chairperson’s ruling ischallenged, the decision will stand and the incorrect procedure or order of business iscorrected.

Motion to Appeal 4.8.17 This is sometimes referred to as "challenging the chair." In this situation, a councillordoes not agree with a decision the of the chair: without waiting to be recognized, themember of council says, "I appeal the decision of the chair." The chairperson shouldstate the question and issue, and if so desired, the reasons for the decision. After thechairperson has asked for debate on the subject, the question is then called. Anexample is as follows:"Those in favour of sustaining the chair, please signify.""Those opposed, please signify."

The chairperson will then announce the outcome of the vote and must accept thedecision of the meeting. If a majority of those present are opposed to thechairperson's original decision, it must be reversed.

Councils are empowered by the Municipalities Act to govern through a democraticprocess. The Act enables a Council to make rules in the form of bylaws. Included inthe rules of the municipality can be rules governing council proceedings calledprocedural bylaws.

Procedural Bylaw 4.9

A procedural bylaw sets out the procedure that a council follows when conducting business. By deciding in advance how matters are to be dealt with, council can avoid wasting timearguing. Councils that have enacted procedural bylaws generally find they make moreefficient use of their meeting time. Meetings are more orderly and easier to follow,benefiting not only the council members and staff, but also members of the public. Procedural bylaws establish the rules by which council business will be conducted and state,





in general, how business is to be transacted. Procedural bylaws, however, cannot contraveneor override municipal legislation.

Contents 4.9.1 A procedural bylaw can be as detailed or as simple as a council wishes. A simpleprocedural bylaw should cover the basic items such as notice of meetings, order ofbusiness, and conduct of members. A more detailed procedural bylaw would covermost procedural questions and issues that might arise in council or committeemeetings. The following is a guide when drafting a procedural bylaw for themunicipality:

• Public Notification Procedure; • Calling the Meeting to Order, Type of Meeting Called and Quorum• Postponement of Meetings• Agenda• Minutes• Petitions and Communications• Delegations• Bylaws• Duties, Roles and Responsibilities of Council and Staff• Conduct of Members• Rules of Debate• Voting on Motions• Committee of the Whole• Committees and Committee Meetings• Special Committees• Payment or Honoraria

Maintaining 4.9.2 Even the most well-prepared procedural bylaw will need to be amended to keepcurrent. Review and updating the procedural bylaw by the council will keep thebylaw useful, and make council members aware of the contents of the bylaw. Drafting a procedural bylaw is a complex undertaking; council should contact asolicitor for advice.





Handling Conflict 4.10

Most experts in the field of conflict resolution emphasize the importance of dealing withdisputes quickly and openly. The sooner controversy or disagreement between teammembers is dealt with, the easier it is to resolve the conflict.

Conflict in itself may not necessarily be a bad thing. When conflict is managed properly, itcan result in benefits to council. Allowing councillors the freedom to air their views andconcerns in a controlled setting may result in creative or innovative ways of addressing theissue. The key is to have a chairperson or group leader who can maintain control and alloweach person to speak, and insist that the others listen to each point of view before coming toa decision.

There are specific steps to follow in resolving conflict and they are similar to the steps onewould follow in solving a problem.

� First the group needs to recognize that there is a problem and to identify and defineexactly what the problem entails. Quite often, only one member of the grouprecognizes that a problem exists and the onus is on that individual to bring the issueto the attention of the rest of the group.

� Second, it is essential that the group has all the necessary information required toaddress the problem. The group needs to share and fully understand all pertinentinformation in order to properly assess the possible cause or causes. Only by havinga thorough understanding of all sides of the issue can areas of agreement beidentified.

� Third, potential solutions can now be proposed based on information andunderstanding. A mutually acceptable resolution may result from discussing thealternatives.

� Finally, implement the selected option and evaluate the successes or failures based onhow the group perceives the results.

When meetings get out of control over controversial issues, it may be beneficial to schedulea break in the discussions at about the time that issue comes up on the agenda. If possible,arrange for refreshments and allow for participants to have an opportunity to chat andbecome acquainted.

When the meeting reconvenes, do a short recap of what was discussed, briefly outliningopposing perspectives. In some cases, it may be useful to have each side summarize theopposing position. Again, with a thorough understanding of each side of the issue,participants are more prepared to come to a mutually acceptable solution.

Responsibility for agenda items:When committees are formed, teams assembled, or individuals made responsible for certainagenda items, a brief note in the minutes provides a convenient reminder to the participants





of what was agreed to and what responsibilities have been delegated. It may also bebeneficial to make clear what authority the committee as a whole or individual committeemembers may have. Do they carry through with a decision and report back to the largergroup, or are they supposed to plan a strategy and report back to the group before it isimplemented?

This may be extremely helpful for the participants to determine the criteria for their successand to avoid any confusion later with regard to any authority the working group orcommittee may have.

Evaluation 4.11

Evaluating the meeting may simply involve asking participants to complete a paperevaluation and share results. Evaluation may be as simple as posing informal questions toparticipants such as, "Do you feel like we accomplished what we needed to today?” or “Howdo you think the meeting went?”

In some cases, particularly large meetings, a more detailed evaluation would be helpful and aquestionnaire can be distributed to each participant to answer. Questions on each aspect ofthe meeting such as the suitability of the location, the quality of the presentations, or thequality of the food can be covered in such a survey. When a questionnaire is used, it isusually helpful to provide a space for participants to respond with their comments. It may ormay not be helpful to have them put their name on the questionnaire, depending upon thecircumstances.

Some questions that may be formulated to evaluate the value of the meeting might includetopics such as:

� Location: Was the facility appropriate for the occasion? Was there sufficient parkingclose by, were the facility staff helpful and available? Was the room large enough, ortoo large, too stuffy, too hot, or too cold?

� Refreshments: Was the food appropriate, enjoyable, served on time,sufficient in amount, too hot, too cold?

� Timeliness: Did the meeting start on time and end on time? Are the meetingsbeing held too frequently? Not frequently enough?

� Presenters: Were the presenters appropriate for the intent of the meeting?Was the session informative and useful? Were the speakers interesting, wellinformed and engaging, or were the sessions boring?





� Focus: Are the participants staying on topic? Was the agenda clear and welldefined? Were there items that should have been included that were not?Were there items discussed that would have been better left for anothervenue?

� Participation: Are all those in attendance actively participating in discussionsand decision-making? Is the atmosphere conducive to having peoplecontribute?

� Follow-up: When tasks are assigned are there progress reports at subsequentmeetings? Are people accomplishing the tasks that they are assigned? Are oneor two participants doing all the work?

Brief paper surveys are a good way of gauging how successful your meeting was, butthe key is to keep it as brief as possible. No more than one page should be devotedto surveying the participants in order to keep response rates as high as possible.Survey results should be aggregated and shared with the organizing group. Any weakspots should be identified in the evaluation review at a follow up meeting, and stepstaken to amend the process so that future meetings will be improved. A samplequestionnaire for evaluating a meeting may look something like the following:





How Good are Your Meetings?Yes No Sometimes

1. There is a clearly defined, results-focusedtheme and agenda.

G G G

2. They are without conflict. G G G

3. Everyone contributes. G G G

4. No one dominates discussions. G G G

5. Communication is open and positive. G G G

6. Creative ideas are generated. G G G

7. Alternative ideas and solutions areexplored.

G G G

8. Everyone is energized and focused. G G G

9 The knowledge and expertise of allparticipants is welcomed.

G G G

10. Meetings begin and end on time. G G G

11. Participants meeting skills arecontinually developed.

G G G

12. The desired results are achieved. G G G

13. There are concrete measurableoutcomes.

G G G

14. The process is enjoyable. G G G

15. The meetings are effective. G G G

16. Decisions made as a result of themeeting are implemented.

G G G

17. Meetings are not called unnecessarily. G G G

Source: M ind your m eetings: H ow to become the catalyst for culture change.

Com munication W orld. San Francisco: Feb/M ar 2003. Vol. 20, Iss. 2; pg.26, 4 pgs.





Conclusion 4.12

There is a wealth of information available to anyone who wishes to delve into the subject ofeffective meetings. The internet is a valuable tool and there are also assorted publicationsdedicated to the subject.

Basic tenets of the literature have been covered in this section but for more detail, the readeris encouraged to seek out other sources to pursue other information that will aid indeveloping meeting skills.

The reader is also advised to review the Municipalities Act, Charlottetown Area Municipalities Act,and the City of Summerside Act and to become familiar with Freedom of Information and theProtection of Privacy Act.

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