Councillor Darcy Zaharia wants residents to have access to more information regarding what happens at regular meetings of Council.聽聽
So, at the regular meeting Monday Zaharia made a motion to have the City鈥檚 Public accounts and Council Meeting packages put on the City鈥檚 website.聽聽
Zaharia began his comments on his motion by stating in looking at 13 Saskatchewan city websites 鈥渁ll but two had their public accounts online.聽聽
鈥淚 can鈥檛 see why the City of Yorkton can鈥檛 do that.鈥澛犅�
For those unfamiliar public accounts are a listing of city accounts, and includes staff salaries in excess of $50,000 annually. The accounts are presented to Council annually.聽聽
As it stood in Yorkton the accounts have always been available to residents for a fee, which Ashley Stradeski, Director of Finance with the City explained was simply 鈥渁 cost recovery fee鈥� associated with printing the material.聽聽
In terms of Council packages, Zaharia noted that at present the agenda for meetings is all that is posted, adding 鈥渢hat don鈥檛 give a lot of the information.鈥澛犅�
Zaharia said if the full package was posted it would give residents more information in matters in Council and with more information they would be able to ask 鈥渂etter informed questions.鈥澛犅�
While Council was generally favourable to the idea there were concerns regarding the timing.聽聽
City Manager Lonnie Kaal noted that Council materials shouldn鈥檛 be made public until after they are officially entered into record at a Council meeting.聽聽
After a friendly amendment by Zaharia -- to put public accounts and meeting packages online, but only after they are presented in a meeting -- the motion passed.
