SPEAKING BEFORE COUNCIL & CORRESPONDENCE

Learn about submitting the following to Council:

INTERESTED IN MAKING A DEPUTATION / DELEGATION TO COUNCIL?

If you would like to make a deputation / delegation to Council at one of their meetings, you are required to fill out and submit the request form (click here).  Additionally, you should follow the guidelines outlined below, which are being offered to help you make your deputation / delegation as effective as possible:

  1. Written statements for Council are recommended, and are to be provided to the Municipal Clerk before noon on the Thursday prior to the meeting.  You are not expected to read your written submission as Members of Council will have already received a copy in their agenda package.
  2. Prior to addressing Council, all speakers shall state their name and organizational affiliation, if any.
  3. Address the Mayor as "Your Worship".
  4. Your presentation is to be addressed to Council as a whole, not to individual Council members.
  5. Council members may interrupt a speaker for the purposes of clarification and information.
  6. Do not interrupt the mayor or a member of council
  7. Do not speak disrespectfully or use offensive language.
  8. Be concise and to the point in making your presentation. It is important that you state your reason for appearing, please ensure your presentation includes solutions or actions that can be further considered.
  9. Be advised that Council may further discuss your presentation, but will not enter debate nor make any decision. Instead, the practice of Council is to refer requests through administration for further review, research and finally to bring a recommendation back to Council, if required.

Deputations / delegations should be 5-10 minutes in length and shall in any case be no more than 10 minutes.  A 5 minute question and answer session is allowed for members of Council to ask further questions.  The key to using this time is to be effective.  It is expected that speakers will observe the commonly accepted rules of courtesy, decorum and good taste.

DEPUTATION / DELEGATION GUIDELINES

There are some restrictions regarding deputations / delegations:

  • The subject matter must be within municipal jurisdiction.
  • Any person who has previously addressed Council on a topic will not be allowed a second deputation unless the person can prove that there is new information to present.
  • Deputations / Delegations from declared candidates for elected office shall not be permitted.
  • Deputations / Delegations shall not promote a specific business.

CORRESPONDENCE TO COUNCIL 

If you would like to provide information to Members of Council, please review the following information.  All correspondence should be addressed to ‘Mayor and Members of Council’ in order to be considered for placement on a Council agenda.  Correspondence of this nature will generally appear within the Council Consent section of the agenda, which will be referred to administration.

If you would like your letter to be circulated to certain members of Council, please specify.  In this case, your letter will ONLY be circulated to the specified members of Council and your letter will NOT be placed on an agenda.

Submissions may be dropped off at the Civic Centre reception desk, mailed, faxed or e-mailed (town@fortfrances.ca).  

Submissions must be received by 12:00 noon on the Wednesday prior to a meeting date.

Responses will be provided in the same manner in which the correspondence was received.

Do not include personal information within the correspondence if you do not wish this information to be made public.

NOTE:  Letters containing profanity or submitted anonymously will NOT be circulated nor placed on an agenda.

Individuals who make submission to Council should be aware that their correspondence may become part of the public record and may be made available to the public through the agenda process which includes publication on the Town’s website.

If you feel that there is a compelling reason that your correspondence to Council should not be included on the agenda and released to the public, please notify the Municipal Clerk’s Office.

SUBMITTING A PETITION TO COUNCIL

If you would like to express a joint public opinion to the Municipality of Fort Frances Mayor and Council, you will need to submit a petition form to the Office of the Town Clerk. You can submit the petition form in-person, by mail or email.
Learn about the petition process:
  • A petition is a written request signed by individuals in the community
  • A petition is submitted to the Municipality for consideration
  • The request and copies will be circulated to Members of Council by the Clerk
For a copy of the Petition Form Click here
 

For more information or to schedule a deputation / delegation, please contact the Municipal Clerk’s Office:

Gabrielle Lecuyer, AOMC
Municipal Clerk
Phone:  807-274-5323 ext 1215
glecuyer@fortfrances.ca

or

Chelsea Greig
Communications Coordinator and Deputy Clerk
Phone:  807-274-5323 ext 1212
cgreig@fortfrances.ca