Closed Meeting Investigator Process
As of January 1, 2008, changes to the Municipal Act, 2001 allow citizens to lodge an official complaint to determine whether a municipality has complied with the Open Meeting requirements contained in S. 239 of the Act, relating to any meeting or part of a meeting of Council or a local board or a committee of either of them that was closed to the public. The Town of Fort Frances, in conjunction with other municipalities in the region, has appointed a Closed Meeting Investigator to facilitate this process.
The Town commits to ensuring that each request for an investigation under S. 239 is dealt with in a fair, open and expeditious manner and therefore commits to full co-operation including the timely provision of all information requested by our appointed Closed Meeting Investigator, to assist him with his investigations. In addition to meetings of Council or committees of Council where at least 50% of the members are comprised of members of Town Council, the Closed Meeting Investigator process applies to Local Boards and their subcommittees with the exception of the Police Services Board and the Public Library Board. In Fort Frances currently, the meetings of Council, Council Executive Committees: Administration & Finance, Operations & Facilities, Community Services, and Planning & Development; and the Business Improvement Area Board of Management and its subcommittees fall under S. 239 of the Act.
Further information regarding this section of the Act can be accessed by clicking on the following link: http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/Download?dID=321041#BK290
Complaints Process
Members of the public may submit complaints on a complaint intake form to the Closed Meeting Investigator relating to non-compliance with the Act for meetings or part of meetings that are closed to the public. All complaints will be treated as confidential, and handled directly by our duly appointed Investigator for this purpose (see contact information below).
The Complaint Intake Form may be obtained by clicking on the following link:
Click here to access form
Our Closed Meeting Investigator:
Mr. P. S. Heayn, Municipal Consultant
41 Clearwater Crescent, Dryden, ON P9N 3H8
E-mail: psheayn@drytel.net