Council votes feel scripted and motions are written before the debate begins. A look at the November 12 meeting raises questions about transparency and who’s really steering the discussion.
The November 12 council meeting was, for the most part, routine and uneventful. However, a few details stood out.
One item that caught my attention was the contracting of Brighter Community Planning (BCP) to develop subdivision bylaws. If memory serves, the Municipality of the District of Shelburne (MODS) recently hired Chrystal Fuller, who is affiliated with BCP. This same firm was previously responsible for drafting the Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) and Land Use Bylaw (LUB). Taken together, these connections suggest a close relationship between MODS and BCP.
Another moment that raised questions was the agenda item concerning the purchase of a tractor. The process unfolded with a brief discussion, followed by the reading of a prepared motion to purchase one of the listed tractors. The motion passed unanimously. The sequence felt rehearsed, as if the decision had already been made prior to the meeting, and the discussion served merely as a formality. How can there be a written prepared motion drawn up beforehand if everything was not already decided before the meeting? If that’s the case, then council meetings are just theatre. (I would appreciate it if someone could comment on the rules here.)
This suspicion was reinforced at the 57:29 mark of the meeting, when the Warden stated, “we have not talked amongst ourselves regarding this.” The phrasing implies that such pre-meeting discussions may be common practice. If so, this would be a direct violation of the Municipal Government Act (MGA) and the council’s own procedural bylaws, which require that council business be conducted transparently and in view of the public, with few exceptions.
Lastly, I observed the unelected Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) playing a noticeably active role in the meeting. Rather than simply supporting council decisions, the CAO often took the floor to offer opinions and steer discussion. This raises questions about the balance of influence and the appropriate boundaries between elected officials and administrative staff.
Note: Here is the audio of the meeting municipalityofshelburne.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025.11.12_Recording.mp3
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