City council has agreed to maintain the practice of allowing residents to provide written submissions to be read out by senior staff at council meetings.

Senior administration was proposing to drop the provision and instead have residents call into council and read out their presentations themselves.

But at their meeting Monday, members of council were in favour of also maintaining the option of having city staff read submissions into the record during meetings, as well as the provision of allowing residents to call in and read their submissions.

Council meetings remain closed to the public as part of the temporary emergency procedures adopted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coun. Samson Hartland noted his concern about the potential impact on the hearing-impaired or blind residents by removing the option of having staff read submissions on behalf of residents.

The provision of allowing residents to have their presentations read by staff was included in the third and final reading Monday of the bylaw updating procedures adopted by city council.

“The council procedure bylaw makes rules for governing council’s procedures, including rules respecting the calling of meetings, the appointment of members of council to council committees, and any other matter that relates to the efficient administration of council’s decision-making process or council meetings,” says the administrative report.

The bylaw, for instance, lays out the rules governing the conduct of council members, and how public hearings and public input is managed. It deals with council procedures during the election period.

Residents wishing to make submissions to council are required to notify city staff no later than noon on the day of the meeting.