Committee of the Whole Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the May 7, 2024 Meeting?

Committee of the Whole this May will have what’s expected to be one of the spiciest debates of the term, and it’s all about how the next city council will be elected. The staff from the clerks’ office will be presenting the options for voting in the 2026 municipal election, and one of them is *not* internet voting, which is where the results of a year-long debate at one of our provincially-mandated advisory groups come in. Let’s get into it…! Continue reading “Committee of the Whole Preview – What’s on the Agenda for the May 7, 2024 Meeting?”

RECAP: Accessibility Committee Plots Its Own Path for Election Options

After a timing forced delay back in February, the time was finally right for the final showdown between City of Guelph staff and the Accessibility Advisory Committee about voting options for the 2026 municipal election. Well, showdown was a bit strong, but so were the concerns that the AAC has about another election without internet voting. Now the matter is going to council next month, but for now there’s the recap of this month’s AAC meeting… Continue reading “RECAP: Accessibility Committee Plots Its Own Path for Election Options”

MEETING PREVIEW: Accessibility Advisory Committee for April 16, 2024

After skipping March like usual, the Accessibility Advisory Committee will pick up where it left off in February, with questions about the direction on alternative voting methods for the 2026 municipal election. That’s going to be complicated, but fortunately much of the rest of the agenda seems straightforward with some items on heritage, waste collection and transit to consider, and then we have to get ready for a special meeting in May. Continue reading “MEETING PREVIEW: Accessibility Advisory Committee for April 16, 2024”

RECAP: Accessibility Committee Has to Punt Election Decision Due to Packed Agenda

The first Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting of the year was packed! Even more packed than usual. Good thing then that one of the things discussed was the use of consent agenda items to try and streamline things, but the biggest thing on this agenda, the item that was bound to be the most contentious and controversial, ended up having to be postponed when the committee ran out time. So how did it all shake out? Here’s the recap!! Continue reading “RECAP: Accessibility Committee Has to Punt Election Decision Due to Packed Agenda”

RECAP: The Accessibility Committee Lands on a Direction for 2026 Voting Methods

The last meeting of 2023 went to the Accessibility Advisory Committee, who had a lot business to take care before the holiday break. The big piece is that after months of back and forth between staff and committee, we finally have a direction for alternative voting methods for the 2026 municipal election. On top of that, the committee had notes about a couple of projects and the current state of the single-use plastic ban. So, for the last time in 2023, let’s recap… Continue reading “RECAP: The Accessibility Committee Lands on a Direction for 2026 Voting Methods”

MEETING PREVIEW: Accessibility Advisory Committee for December 19, 2023

There’s one more meeting before the holiday break, and it belongs to the Accessibility Advisory Committee. It’s been a busy year for the AAC, and  much of this meeting will cover business that’s been covered at other points this year including the very contentious topic of voting options for the 2026 Municipal Election. Also at this meeting are park designs, new building plans, and cycling infrastructure. Continue reading “MEETING PREVIEW: Accessibility Advisory Committee for December 19, 2023”

RECAP: The AAC Has Concerns About Election Methods As Presented

Delayed by a month due to a lack of quorum, the Accessibility Advisory Committee finally got a chance to workshop their voting method options, and the message by the end of was clear: They want all the options! Now a little less than three years until the next municipal election, the AAC has set the stage for a debate that will test just how dedicated the City Clerks’ office will be to the idea of completionism. For now, let’s recap the AAC meeting… Continue reading “RECAP: The AAC Has Concerns About Election Methods As Presented”

MEETING PREVIEW: Accessibility Advisory Committee for November 14, 2023

Take two! This meeting was originally supposed to take place last month, but the Accessibility Advisory Committee was unable to achieve quorum. So the meeting was rescheduled following October’s regular meting and this is where they landed, in the middle of November at approximately the same time that an AAC meeting might normally take place. With that kind of regularity, the meeting will have to happen this time! Continue reading “MEETING PREVIEW: Accessibility Advisory Committee for November 14, 2023”

GUELPH POLITICAST #393 – You’ve Got Mailbag!

This week’s podcast is dedicated to you, the people, who sent in questions for this Guelph Politicast mailbag over the weekend. Guelph is filled with lots of curious people who are deeply concerned about issues and politics, and some of you came up with some very deep and probing questions for this first mailbag edition since well before the start of the pandemic. Get ready for 45 minutes of one annoying person talking! Continue reading “GUELPH POLITICAST #393 – You’ve Got Mailbag!”

MEETING PREVIEW: Accessibility Advisory Committee for October 17, 2023

It’s that time again for the Accessibility Advisory Committee, on schedule, almost exactly two months since the last one. For this October meeting, the AAC will talk about that special workshop that didn’t happen, new road designs, new playground designs, the accessible future of Guelph’s patios, and a special note about how the federal government undid a whole lot of good work on plastics. Continue reading “MEETING PREVIEW: Accessibility Advisory Committee for October 17, 2023”