Saugeen Shores, Town of

The Ombudsman reviewed a complaint that that during an open meeting on February 24, 2020, council for the Town of Saugeen Shores held an illegal meeting by discussing council business during a recess. The Ombudsman found that while a quorum of council was present at the recess, no members of council had any discussions that materially advanced council business and council did not make any decisions. Rather, the Clerk relayed potential next steps to the Mayor, who then relayed this information to council. Council returned to open session to exercise its decision-making authority. As council business was not materially advanced and no decisions were made by council during the recess, these discussions were not a meeting and therefore not subject to the open meeting rules.

The Ombudsman reviewed a complaint alleging that several closed meeting discussions held by council fro the Town of Saugeen Shores expanded beyond the scope of the descriptions of the matters that were provided in the resolutions to enter each closed session. The Ombusdman found no evidence that council’s discussions went beyond those subjects described in the resolutions to enter closed session.

The Ombudsman reviewed a closed meeting held by council for the Town of Saugeen Shores where council discussed ongoing lease negotiations for municipal property. At this meeting, a lawyer was present to provide council with legal advice related to a draft lease agreement. In each case, council provided staff with direction on how to proceed with the ongoing lease negotiations. The Ombudsman found that this discussion fit within the closed meeting exception for advice subject to solicitor-client privilege.

The Ombudsman reviewed several closed meetings held by council for the Town of Saugeen Shores where council discuss ongoing lease negotiations for municipal property. In each case, council provided staff with direction on how to proceed with the ongoing lease negotiations. The Ombudsman found that these discussions fit within the closed meeting exception for plans and instructions for negotiations.

The Ombudsman reviewed several closed meetings held by council for the Town of Saugeen Shores where council discuss ongoing lease negotiations for municipal property. The Ombudsman found that these discussions fit within the closed meeting exception for the acquisition or disposition of land.

The Ombudsman received a complaint that council for the Town of Saugeen Shores contravened the Municipal Act’s open meeting requirements on July 22, November 11 and November 25, 2019. He also received a complaint that council held an informal private gathering that amounted to an illegal closed meeting on February 24, 2020. The Ombudsman’s investigation found no contraventions of the Municipal Act’s open meeting requirements.