District of Squamish councillors can now participate electronically at council committee meetings, which include Committee of the Whole and Standing Committee meetings.
Electronic participation is not allowed at regular council meetings due to the fact that these meetings are previously scheduled on the first and third Tuesday of the month and therefore included in councillor’s schedule.
The Procedure Bylaw earlier allowed councillors to participate electronically at special council meetings, but now they can participate electronically at committee meetings as well. Those include committee of the whole and standing committee meetings.
District spokesperson Christina Moore said there are some rules associated with electronic participation: the meeting chair cannot fulfill this role electronically; no more than two members of Council at one time may participate electronically; and members attending a Special or Council Committee meeting electronically may do so for a maximum of four Special or Council Committee meetings per year.
As well, if a Public Hearing is held at a Special Council meeting, then a member of Council would be permitted to participate electronically. If a Public Hearing is held at a regular council meeting – they would not be able to participate electronically as electronic participation is not permitted at Regular Council meetings, and is not proposed.