The Municipality of the County of Colchester has been advised by the provincial government regarding the frequency of its closed-door council meetings. In a letter sent by Municipal Affairs Minister John MacDonald in July, concerns were raised about the council’s utilization of in-camera sessions. Every regular council meeting in the past year has discussed at least one confidential matter, leading to the exclusion of the public and most municipal staff. Topics covered included property issues, legal matters, and operational discussions related to the Rath Eastlink Community Centre.
Mayor Christine Blair defended the practice, stating that closed sessions enable members to discuss sensitive topics more openly. She expressed confusion over the provincial letter, emphasizing the council’s adherence to strict procedures for closed-session matters. MacDonald clarified that his intention was to prompt the council to review its practices and advised directing inquiries to the municipality’s legal adviser. The letter did not imply any violation of the Municipal Government Act by the Colchester council.
Recently, during a closed meeting that lasted over three hours, the council deliberated on a code of conduct complaint filed by Coun. Tim Johnson against Coun. Lisa Patton. The complaint, filed in May, concerned Patton’s Facebook posts regarding council decisions on the Rath Eastlink Community Centre and the Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition Complex. Following the closed session, council voted 8-2 to uphold the investigator’s findings and instructed Patton to issue a formal apology. Patton indicated her reluctance to apologize to reporters before the decision.
Blair mentioned that if Patton refuses to apologize, the matter will be referred back to the investigator. The council’s motion specified that the investigator’s report and related evidence would remain confidential. The municipal policy allows code of conduct complaints to be addressed in either open or closed sessions.