The municipality is one step closer to taking local council meetings to different parts of the community.
On Monday night, Chatham-Kent council unanimously approved a motion that will have municipal staff look at the possibility of holding council meetings in different locations other than Chatham.
The motion was brought forward by Mayor-elect Darrin Canniff to have staff prepare a report that will lay out the logistics of holding two meetings in each of the larger communities -- Ridgetown, Blenheim, Tilbury, Wheatley, Wallaceburg, Dresden, Thamesville and Bothwell -- over a four-year term. Meetings are currently held only in Chatham at the Chatham-Kent Civic Centre.
“Chatham-Kent needs to come together; a lot of people don’t feel like they’re a part of Chatham-Kent,” said Canniff. “This is a significant way we can move forward, bringing the smaller communities together.”
The idea was a part of Canniff’s mayoral campaign and the mayor-elect said he has had tremendous support from the community.
“I think it will be received very well. Everyone I’ve talked to is very excited about it and it’s something that Chatham-Kent really needs," he said.
After the report is prepared in December, a motion will be presented to council which will then vote on whether or not to go ahead with moving the meetings.
