It was like deja vu all over again as Saugeen Shores citizen John Mann went head-to-head with Saugeen Shores council for a right to speak which created a recess in proceedings.
Two weeks ago at a Committee of the Whole meeting but through a point-of-order, Mann was allowed to speak even though it contravened the 6-month rule of speaking on the same thing during that time frame.
John Mann says this time though council cleared the chambers in recess and police were called to remove him.
Mann feels he has a right to address council, according to his interpretation of Open Forum and delegation bylaws.
He states the Open Forum portion of the meeting faces the same restrictions as that of delegations.
Mann says, “Delegations shall not be permitted to appear before council whose subjects relate to, and then there are five subjects–none of which are the six month rule.”
He says the bylaw is “too vague and just flat-out unconstitutional.”
Mann did not return to the council chambers and councillors got on with the business of the day, after a 20-minute stoppage.
On Twitter this morning Saugeen Shores Mayor Luke Charbonneau says Mann's open forum delegation “was ruled out of order because he had spoken on the same subject within the last 6 months (2 weeks ago to be exact). He was removed from the chambers because he was disrupting the meeting.”
@SSPSofficial arrived and it ended shortly @SaugeenShoresON council. 10 minute delay. @NewsBayshore @98thebeach pic.twitter.com/gdiWUVHIfT
— John Divinski (@JDivinski) March 9, 2020