Council Meetings

RÈGLEMENT #712 ABROGEANT RÈGLEMENT #597 SUR LA RÉGIE INTERNE DES SÉANCES DU CONSEIL DE LA VILLE DE TÉMISCAMING

EXCERPTS FROM BYLAW #712 REPEALING BYLAW #597 ON THE INTERNAL MANAGEMENT OF town COUNCIL MEETINGS IN TeMISCAMING *

* The French version prevailed over the translated version

COUNCIL MEETINGS

ARTICLE 2
Regular council meetings are held in accordance with the schedule established by council resolution, on the days and times set therein, which may be modified by resolution.

ARTICLE 3
The council meets in the council deliberation room, known as the Desjardins Hall, at Temiscaming, located at 20 Humphrey Street, Temiscaming, Quebec, J0Z 3R0, or at any other location determined by resolution.

ORDER AND DECORUM

ARTICLE 7
Council meetings are chaired by the mayor or the acting mayor, or, in their absence, by a member chosen from among the councillors present.

RECORDING DEVICES

ARTICLE 14

The use of any photographic, video, television, or other recording device is permitted under the following conditions:
a) Only municipal council members and the officers assisting them, as well as individuals asking questions during the question period, may be recorded by a photographic, video, television, or other image recording device.
b) The presence of such devices is only permitted in designated and marked areas, described as follows:

• The council deliberation room, first row of seats.
• Press area, located to the right of the room.
  The use of any photographic, video, television, or other image recording device is only allowed if it is used silently and in no way disrupts the meeting.

ARTICLE 15
The use of mechanical or electronic voice recording devices is permitted during council meetings, provided they are used silently and do not disrupt the meeting. The device must remain in the physical possession of its user or be placed on a designated and marked table or space. Neither the recording device, its microphone, nor any other component may be placed on or near the council table or in any location other than those specified above.

QUESTION PERIOD

ARTICLE 16
Council meetings include a period during which attendees may ask oral questions to council members.

ARTICLE 17
This period lasts a maximum of thirty minutes per meeting but may end earlier if no further questions are posed to the council.

ARTICLE 18
Any attendee wishing to ask a question must:
a) Identify themselves beforehand;
b) Address the chair of the meeting;
c) Indicate to whom the question is directed;
d) Ask only one question and one follow-up question on the same topic. However, after all interested attendees have had a chance to ask a question, a person may ask another question and follow-up, continuing in rotation until the question period ends;
e) Speak politely and refrain from using offensive or defamatory language.

ARTICLE 19
Each speaker has a maximum of five minutes to ask a question and a follow-up question, after which the chair may end their intervention.

ARTICLE 20
The council member addressed may respond immediately, at a subsequent meeting, or in writing.

ARTICLE 21
Any council member may, with the chair's permission, add to the response given.

ARTICLE 22
Only questions of public interest will be allowed, as opposed to private matters unrelated to municipal affairs.

ARTICLE 23
Any attendee wishing to address a council member or the general director may only do so during the question period.

ARTICLE 24
Any attendee speaking to a council member or the general director during the question period must adhere to the rules set out in Articles 18, 19, 22, and 23.

ARTICLE 25
Attendees must refrain from shouting, heckling, singing, making noise, or engaging in any disruptive behavior.
All attendees must show respect for council members and others present.

ARTICLE 26
All attendees must comply with the chair's directives regarding order and decorum during council meetings.

WRITTEN REQUESTS

ARTICLE 27
Petitions or other written requests addressed to the council or a council member are neither included in the agenda nor read during the meeting, except as provided by law.