Request for open mic meeting defeated - current budget process preferred

Amherstburg town council has opted to stick with the current budget process, including holding an open house, versus bringing back an open mic format.

Councillor Diane Pouget had requested the latter, but that did not get approved during Monday night’s council meeting. 

Deputy CAO/director of development services Melissa Osborne said the 2026 budget will be tabled in November and will be public at that point. A meeting will follow with the audit and finance committee, something she noted was open to the public, with town council starting deliberations the week of Dec. 8 with the public able to delegate at those.

Pouget said she wanted to see an open mic session to hear and answer concerns of taxpayers.

Prue noted the town does have an open house, adding it is up to council to decide to bring back an open mic session.

Councillor Peter Courtney said open mic sessions were held across the community several years ago and believed they went off relatively well. He said they were done in “a peaceful, cordial way.” He wanted to know how to protect staff or deal with decorum issues.

Prue recalled open mic sessions last term of council with then-Mayor Aldo DiCarlo asked the bulk of the questions along with administration.

“It did not go well,” said Prue. “There were a lot of people upset and some of the staff especially were upset with the tenor of the questioning and the debate.”

The second meeting saw Prue chair as a member of council, freeing up DiCarlo so he didn’t have to chair and answer questions. Prue reiterated his belief the previous meeting “did not work.”

“I think it went a little better,” Prue said of the second meeting.

If this council had voted for an open mic, Prue said he should not chair it if most questions were aimed at him.

“If council wants to hold such a meeting, the deputy mayor would have to chair it,” said Prue.

Pouget suggested getting someone from the Amherstburg Chamber of Commerce, but Prue said it would be a council meeting and a council member would have to chair it. Pouget added “I can take the heat” and offered to chair.

Councillor Don McArthur said “I have an open mind about this,” but recalled tension in town the last time an open mic was held. Not everyone in the community had a positive view of members of administration at that time “and it came across at that meeting.” 

“Some things were said and staff certainly felt uncomfortable,” said McArthur.

Logistically, the meeting was not set up in an ideal format with the mayor and CAO at the front with council members among the crowd.

“It was a very strange environment,” said McArthur. “I honestly don’t think it’s prudent, safe or responsible to put staff in that kind of environment.”

In a meeting at town hall, there is decorum and council rules to follow. He believed the previous budget open mics “went off the rails really, really quickly and it didn’t serve anyone well.” Open mics around the town other times of year went better, he added.

Open houses with information boards and staff available for questions works well, McArthur believed.

“If you set up an open mic, it tends to a game of ‘gotcha’ and people are trying to trip up the mayor with really persnickety questions he can’t answer at the drop of a dime.” 

McArthur said an open mic requires an environment where staff is respected but where residents get fulsome answers to their questions. He believes the current open house format accomplishes that.

Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb said the public can appear before the audit and finance committee or budget sessions at town hall. When the budget is released, Gibb said his phone, e-mail and social media light up with questions. He said individual members of council can gather with residents and field questions on their own.

The open house format has gotten a lot of positive feedback, according to Gibb, because the experts are in the room.

“I like the way we do it now. I think we give ample opportunity for the public to express their views on the budget and ask questions. I wouldn’t support anything more that we’re already doing right now,” said Gibb.

Councillor Molly Allaire believed there are ample time for the public to address council, with multiple times throughout the process. The budget is tabled and people can address the town at the open house. The night of the deliberations, the public can also delegate.

“I appreciate the transparency. I ran on transparency and honesty but I make a point to remain accessible,” said Allaire. “I think we all do an amazing job at that.”

Allaire said council members can be reached easily, adding the “way we’re doing it now is causing a lot less stress.”

Request for open mic meeting defeated, current budget process preferred

By Ron Giofu