While some council meetings are longer than others, it is a rare occurrence for a meeting to last more than one night.
But that is what happened here on March 20.
A lengthy presentation by Wellington County staff, and a behind-closed-doors session that lasted almost two hours left little time to address council agenda issues.
After three-and-a-half hours and as 11pm approached, council was only a third of the way through its work – without final passage of its budget or a site alteration fill bylaws.
Mayor Lou Maieron said, “We’re approaching the hour of 11 and I don’t think we’re going to get through this completely.”
He asked if council wished to proceed because some of the items were time sensitive.
Councillor Barb Tocher recommended council not rip the agenda apart to pick and choose what to discuss. “We can come back tomorrow night to finish this,” she said.
Councillors were generally agreeable.
“I’m not staying past 11pm … I can tell you that right now,” Tocher said.
Councillor Deb Callaghan agreed council was not even close to finishing the agenda that night (March 20). “I’d rather come back tomorrow night,” she said.
Councillor Josie Wintersigner agreed. “It’s just too much.”
Just shy of 11pm, council deferred the remainder of the meeting until the following night.
