Greater Napanee, Town of

The Ombudsman investigated the meeting practices of the Greater Napanee BIA and found that the Greater Napanee BIA provides notice of its board meetings via an email distribution list. The Greater Napanee BIA does not post notice of its board meetings on the BIA’s or the municipality’s website, or in any other public fashion. Going forward, the Ombudsman recommended that the Greater Napanee BIA should ensure that it provides notice to the general public for each of its board meetings, as required by the Municipal Act, 2001.

The Ombudsman investigated the meeting practices of the Greater Napanee BIA, who had been holding electronic meetings in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ombudsman’s investigation found no evidence that the BIA had amended its procedure by-law to allow electronic participants to count for quorum. The Ombudsman urged the Greater Napanee BIA to ensure that its meetings are in compliance with the Municipal Act’s quorum requirements.

The Ombudsman investigated a complaint that a quorum of board members for the Greater Napanee BIA met in a private local business on June 24, 2020, contrary to the Municipal Act’s open meeting requirements. The Ombudsman found that the board members’ discussions related to social matters and how each business owner was coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, this gathering did not materially advance the BIA’s business or decision-making and was not a “meeting” contrary to the Municipal Act’s open meeting requirements. 

The Ombudsman investigated the meeting practices of the Greater Napanee BIA. The Ombudsman struggled to obtain copies of meeting agendas and minutes for BIA board meetings held between March and June 2020. The Ombudsman noted that, as a best practice, the BIA board should ensure that all its meeting minutes are accessible by BIA staff and board members, as well as being available to the public for review.