Council Meetings

Televised Council Meetings

Televised Council meetings are shown live on Rogers Cable 20 throughout the year. The 2020 dates for Televised Council Meetings are:

• March 24
• June 2
• September 1
• November 10

Budget Meetings

2020 budget meetings will take place on January 7, 9, 14 and 16 in Council Chambers. Agendas for budget meetings are prepared and published to the Council and Committee Calendar. The Budget and Reporting page has more information on past budgets, financial statements and performance measures.

Public Input

There are many ways members of the public can provide input on the budget:

• Contact a member of Council - provide your feedback directly to your Council representative.
• Submit written comments - submit written comments to be included in the budget meeting agenda to the Council/Committee Facilitator using the contact information below.
• Speak before Council - Budget meetings are open to the public and anyone may register as a delegation to speak to Council. See Speak Before Council below for more information about registering as a delegation.

Committee of the Whole vs. Council Meetings

Committee of the Whole meetings are less formal than Council meetings and are chaired on a rotational basis by Members of Council. Any decision made by the Committee is not formally approved until it is ratified at the following Council session. 

Council meetings are generally held the week following a Committee meeting and are Chaired by the Mayor. 

Closed Meetings

All meetings are open to the public unless otherwise permitted to be closed under the Municipal Act.

Woolwich Township is committed to accountability and transparency. Council will only discuss business in a closed meeting after passing a resolution at a meeting open to the public which describes the general nature of the closed business or the authority to hold the meeting in closed session. 

Register as a Delegation

To register as a delegation to speak before Council, please complete an online delegation request form or contact the Meeting Facilitator if you have questions.

When requesting a meeting date:

• Review the 2020 Council Meeting Schedule
• Delegations are encouraged to attend Committee of the Whole meetings rather than Council meetings. The meeting facilitator can help you decide what meeting to register for.
• The Clerk may limit the number of delegates each meeting.

Speaking to New Items - Regular Agenda 

The meeting agenda is prepared on the Friday morning before the meeting and then posted online by 2:00 p.m. that day. The deadline for registration of delegations is 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday prior to the meeting. 

Speaking to an Item on the Agenda - Revised Agenda

The meeting agenda may be updated on the day of the meeting. Anyone may register as a delegation for an item shown on the regular agenda by calling the Meeting Facilitator by noon on the day of the meeting. New items are not accepted for the revised agenda. Any revisions are posted online by 2:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting.

Presentation Materials

Delegations are encouraged to submit written material outlining their position by 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday preceding the meeting. Material submitted by this time will be included in the Agenda package. If a delegation is unable to submit the written information in advance of the meeting, he/she should provide 16 copies for distribution to Council and staff.

If you will be using a PowerPoint presentation or other visuals, an electronic copy must be provided to Township staff by the Monday preceding the meeting. If you have any additional audio/ visual requirements, you should let staff know at the time of registration.

The Township encourages members of the public to comment on matters of interest to them. However, delegations are cautioned that if derogatory or inappropriate remarks are made, the delegation will not be permitted to continue speaking, and the comments will not be recorded in the meeting minutes. Applause, booing, or other audible demonstrations of support or opposition are prohibited.

Delegations are requested to respect all citizens, members of Council and staff, regardless of differing opinions and views. Please display the same courtesy and respect to others that you expect for yourself.

As a delegation, you must also be aware that all Committee of the Whole and Council meetings are open to the media, and your comments may be reported in the newspaper or on television.

The use of cameras and recording equipment is generally allowed but may be prohibited if disruptive to the meeting. Picket signs or placards are not allowed in the Council Chambers or on any Township property where a meeting is being held.

2020 Acting Mayor Rotation