Photo: Town of Hanna council had a disruption to their special council meeting Nov. 26. Pictured are (from left) Coun. Fred Crowle, Coun. Angie Warwick and CAO Matthew Norburn. Rural Alberta Report/Screenshot

The Town of Hanna council approved staff applying for two provincial grants after a member of the public disrupted the meeting. The incident occurred at a special council meeting Nov. 26.

Mayor Danny Povaschuk called the special council meeting to order and stated the meeting was called so councillors could consider instructing town staff to apply for two community partnership grants.

Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Matthew Norburn stated that the special council meeting was called because the deadline for such grants was two days hence, Nov. 28.

He noted that the first grant would be a community partnership with Special Areas, and observed that community partnership grants cover certain collaborative projects up to $200,000. This one would specifically involve conducting a study into the Hanna airport.

Norburn stated the Town of Hanna has been told in the past that an airport can be an important economic driver and this proposed study could identify how best the airport could be used. Norburn stated the town would be lead on this project with Special Areas as partner and that the grant would fully fund it.

At this point a member of the public interrupted the meeting, questioning whether the special council meeting had been called properly and whether it was necessary at all. The member of the public stated a special council meeting is for an emergency and that two grant applications are not emergencies.

The mayor responded by noting the meeting had been properly scheduled and that the grant deadline two days hence was ample reason for the meeting.

The mayor also told the member of the public that council meetings aren’t open for the public to speak; however, the member of the public continued to interrupt. The mayor responded by stating he would phone the police if interruptions continued.

Councillors approved a motion to apply for a community partnership grant to examine the Hanna airport’s use.

The CAO then noted the second grant to be discussed involved a partnership between the Town of Hanna and Town of Raymond; Norburn noted that Hanna has been digitizing documents using laser fiche and that this community partnership would give four years of free usage of laser fiche technology.

The CAO stated that Raymond would be the lead municipality on this project with Hanna as partner, and that the grant would fully fund the project.

During discussion it was noted Hanna hasn’t necessarily partnered with Raymond before and that the project stems from both municipalities looking for laser fiche help.

Councillors unanimously approved instructing staff to apply for a community partnership grant for laser fiche technology.

Readers should note that regular municipal council meetings according to the Municipal Government Act (MGA) are held for councillors and staff to conduct business and aren’t necessarily held as a forum for the public to speak; usually, if the public wishes to speak at a council meeting they must register beforehand as a delegation.

Robert’s Rules of Order, generally considered a guide to how board meetings should proceed, also forbid public interruptions unless a few conditions are met, such as the board ignoring the approved agenda or a safety issue that’s not being addressed.