Bracebridge, Town of

The Ombudsman reviewed two closed meetings held by council for the Town of Bracebridge. The Ombudsman found that the minutes only captured the resolutions considered during the in camera sessions, but did not capture the substance of the discussions. The Ombudsman recommended that council ensure that minutes of closed meetings reflect the actual substance of the discussion and that council make audio and/or video recordings of its closed sessions.

The Ombudsman reviewed a closed meeting held by the General Committee for the Town of Bracebridge that relied on the personal matters exception to discuss committee appointments. The committee reviewed applications, including resumes, for the committee positions. While information about an individual in their professional capacity will usually not be considered personal information, the Ombudsman noted that in this case the applications included personal information, beyond just the candidate’s work history and education. The General Committee members also provided their opinions on each applicant’s suitability for the positions while in camera. Accordingly, the discussion fit within the personal matters exception.