Smithers Council will be giving the public a chance to speak for one minute per person at the beginning of council meetings.
The only catch is that you have to stick to what’s on the council agenda.
“Because otherwise, we can have people going on and on about who knows what. We do give people that opportunity still at the end of the meetings to make a comment on anything they want at all – and it can be some idea they’ve got in their head that they’d like the town to pursue or whatever,” says Councillor Phil Brienesse.
He made the motion last night at council saying it’s not always a fair process. He says sometimes larger groups of people can dominate council time limiting the time for smaller groups that came for a separate issue.
Council will be trying the idea out as a trial for now.