Approaching Council

At one time or another, you may wish to approach City Council to present your opinion regarding an issue Council is discussing, or to introduce an issue that you feel Council should consider. Residents who wish to approach Council in person must do so as a delegation. This page is designed to help individuals learn both how to become a delegation, and what to expect when accepted as a delegation.

Contact: Lori Scott, Deputy Corporate Administrator

HOW TO BECOME A DELEGATION

All persons wishing to be a delegation before Council are asked to submit a written request to the Deputy Corporate Administrator's Office. This written request should clearly outline the topic on which the delegation plans to speak and identify specific concerns the delegation has with regard to the topic at hand. Please keep in mind that all written requests must be received by noon on the Wednesday immediately preceding the Monday on which the next regular Council Delegation Session is scheduled to occur. This time restriction exists to permit the DCA enough time to prepare the upcoming committee agenda and to advise the proposed delegation if there is time available at the next meeting. The televised regular Council meetings are no longer the format for delegations, and are used instead to complete a large number of items before the Shaw Cable community camera. Delegations are now scheduled on the non-televised Mondays, during which a more relaxed schedule allows Council to listen fully to the people who wish to present their proposal. Any recommendations made at these meetings will be carried forward for ratification by Council at the next televised regular Council meeting.

A spokesperson or spokespersons are permitted to represent a group of people as a delegation providing that their full names and addresses are presented to Council prior to making their presentations.

WHAT TO EXPECT AS A DELEGATION

Each delegation may be afforded a maximum of 15 minutes to make their presentation. After the presentation is made, time will be given for Council members to ask questions of the delegation. For more information on how to approach Council, please consult the City of Quesnel Procedure Bylaw. A copy of this bylaw may be viewed at Quesnel City Hall with the Deputy Corporate Administrator, at 410 Kinchant Street, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Lynn Mamic
Executive Assistant to Mayor and Council
Telephone: 1.250.991.7477
Fax: 1.250.992.7132
Email: lmamic@city.quesnel.bc.ca

Alternative Method to Speak to Council

A letter requesting some action or a decision from Council can also be addressed to Mayor and Council and delivered, in accordance with the noon Wednesday deadline, to the Deputy Corporate Administrator's Office and be placed as a Correspondence Item on the next televised regular Council meeting, usually commencing at 7 p.m. on Monday evenings. This is often a better and quicker method as Council can deal with 12 to 15 correspondence items at a meeting, with no speakers or delegations, while there are usually no more than three or four delegations at the Council Delegation Session on alternate Mondays.

Please keep your letter brief and to the point and include full contact information (name, address, telephone number and/or email address.

COUNCIL DELEGATION SESSION

The Council Delegation Session consists of the same Council members that form our city government and these meetings occur on the alternate Mondays to the regular Council meetings (or Tuesday if Monday is a statutory holiday), specifically for meetings with delegations in a more relaxed environment. This meeting is not televised, although the public and the media are invited to attend these sessions. Time-sensitive items from staff or the public may also be dealt with on these evenings.