Gillies survey results to appear online

The results of a survey that queried Gillies Township residents about a possible return to in-person council meetings will eventually be posted to the municipality's website. Municipal clerk-treasurer Laura Bruni said this week the results were presented at the March 25 council meeting "and they will be posted to the website as soon as time permits." "Council will continue to have ongoing discussions relating to this matter," Bruni added. Reeve Wendy Wright was unavailable for comment this week, Bruni said. Council meetings have remained in virtual format online for an extended period because the municipality says it has received threats. Wright hasn't elaborated on the nature of the threats but has said they pertain to health and safety. A public meeting held last summer about the municipal budget was in-person, but provincial police officers were in attendance at the municipality's request. The meeting was occasionally boisterous but nobody was arrested. Wright has earlier suggested that if in-person council meetings resume, security might be required. Having security at council meetings is unusual at small municipalities, but not uncommon for city proceedings. For example, Thunder Bay has had contracted security personnel at its council meetings for several years "to ensure the safety of the public, staff and council members," one city staffer put it. A post on Gillies Township's website said most residents "have the best interest at heart for their community and are polite, well-intentioned and respectful in their interactions with staff, council and volunteers." However, the post added, "it is unfortunate that it is time again to remind residents to stop ongoing harassment." "This is unacceptable in all its forms. It makes it incredibly difficult for council to make decisions regarding more openness within the office and meetings when this is ongoing." Some residents were angry last year when the municipality passed a budget with an unprecedented overall tax increase of 26 per cent. Wright said the measure was needed to cover increased costs and to allow for not having dinged taxpayers heavily during the COVID-19 pandemic. The municipality later passed a bylaw to allow taxpayers to apply for relief on their property-tax bill. Bruni said council has yet to be updated about any applications or approvals relating to the bylaw.

Carl Clutchey, Local Journalism Initiative reporter, The Chronicle-Journal