Mayor’s proclamations to be dropped from council meetings

Sault Ste. Marie city council voted Monday night to no longer include mayoral proclamations at the beginning of council meetings. 

But Mayor Matthew Shoemaker announced he'll still make proclamations on behalf of community organizations.

They just won't happen during formal city council meetings.

And Shoemaker expects they'll attract a "broader audience" on Shaw Cable and social media.

"We'll have the groups in here," the mayor said.

"It just won't be on the council agenda. The proclamations will be read, then declared. They'll be given up to three minutes to do their presentation.

"Shaw will run that several times a week on Channel 10, their community channel.

"Not only will it still be on Shaw, but we will also add it to the City of Sault Ste. Marie YouTube page and Sault Ste. Marie social media, so actually, there will be a broader audience for these proclamations than there currently are," the mayor said.

The decision by city council was part of a slate of changes to the city's procedural bylaw.

Effective at the next regular city council meeting on July 10, council meetings will begin at 5 p.m. instead of 4:30 p.m.

And city council agendas will be released at the close of business on Thursdays before council meetings.

Previously, they weren't released until sometime on Friday.