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The Ombudsman found that council for the Municipality of The Nation failed to state in its resolutions to close meetings on December 17, 2018, January 7, 2019, and January 14, 2019 the general nature of the subjects to be discussed. Instead, council only referenced the Municipal Act exceptions relied upon to close the meetings.
The Ombudsman found that after its closed session discussions on December 17, 2018, January 7, 2019, and January 14, 2019, council for the Municipality of The Nation did not report back in open session about its discussions in camera. The Ombudsman made a best practice recommendation that the municipality report back after closed sessions and provide general information about what occurred in camera.
The Ombudsman found that council for the Municipality of The Nation did not violate the Municipal Act, 2001 on December 17, 2018, when it discussed in closed session the hiring of individual contractors. The discussion fit within the exception cited under the Act for personal matters and could also have fit within the exception for labour relations or employee negotiations.
The Ombudsman found that council for the Municipality of The Nation did not violate the Municipal Act, 2001 on January 14, 2019, when it discussed in closed session litigation involving the municipality. The Ombudsman found the discussion fit within the exception cited under the Act for litigation or potential litigation.
The Ombudsman found that council for the Municipality of The Nation violated the Municipal Act, 2001 on January 14, 2019, when it discussed in closed session the subject of economic development activities, as this discussion did not fall within the “personal matters” exception that was cited for closing the meeting.
The Ombudsman found that council for the Municipality of The Nation contravened the Municipal Act, 2001 when it discussed in closed session the subject of changes to councillor remuneration. The Ombudsman found this discussion did not fall within the exception for personal matters that was cited for closing the meeting.