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11 |Friday, November 25, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Councillor questions decision-making process continued from p.1 "Oakville typically has several OMB cases on the go at a time, often on rela tively small matters and updates are common. There was no advance no tice that Saw-Whet was the file being updated, (which) usually includes the file name on the agenda," Elgar wrote in the email. "More importantly, there was no ad vance notice there could be a motion relating to Saw-Whet' s fate." The meeting was a regular P&D council gathering, attended by Town staff and all councillors (Ward 1 Coun cillor Ralph Robinson left at 8:20 p.m.), but the verbal update was handled in a confidential (in-camera) session (9:45 11:55 p.m.) and remains confidential. The names of those present, who put forward the motion, what the motion said, what was said in debate and who voted for and against the motion was not disclosed publicly, Elgar stated. "I only received clearance yesterday (Nov. 21) from the Commissioner of Planning allowing me to tell you a vote had taken place and when that hap pened," said Elgar. "You can imagine my many frustrations surrounding what happened that night. "No advanced notice Saw-Whet was going to be dealt with and that a motion about its fate was being considered." Elgar' s email further explained there was no opportunity to bring back ground and support documents to the meeting, for "quiet reflection on a large amount of new information being presented verbally," to prepare detailed questions as a result or to do additional research or consultation. "In my opinion, being blindsided like this is a poor way to conduct the business of this community. The in camera portion of the meeting ended at 11:55 that evening. That might tell you something," said Elgar. "The only public information released from our session behind closed doors said, `Direction was provided to staff and legal counsel in closed session.'" Since joining Town council, Elgar said he has never seen a "matter of this importance" being dealt with in this re gard. "I realize some matters must be dealt with behind closed doors, but generally, your council, as decision-makers and the public representatives, are given in formation about important confidential matters in advance," said Elgar. "I believe what happened at the May 16 council meeting was much more than an update because it resulted in a decision that plays a large part in deter mining the fate of Saw-Whet." On Wednesday (Nov. 23), the Oakville Beaver contacted Elgar to elaborate on the email and OMB Verbal Update. "There are lots of things I would like to talk about, but I can' t," he said. Elgar wasn' t sure why council wasn' t given advance notice of the Legal Department' s OMB Verbal Update. "That is a good question. I don't have the answer to that," Elgar said. In an email statement provided to the Bea ver Mayor Rob Burton said the Town can' t le gally discuss details of in-camera meetings and council will go "into camera" while talking legal strategies to protect its interests. "In the five weeks of hearings held prior to May 16, all of the Town' s issues were disclosed to council and the public," said Burton. "In the months following the May 16 meet ing, the Town kept council and those signed up as participants regularly informed of the work underway." When asked for comment, Ward 4 Town Councillor Roger Lapworth said he "fully sup ports" everything Elgar has mentioned publicly. News of the closed-door portion of the meet ing has outraged many Oakville residents. In a letter to the Beaver (see p.6 of today' s edition) Trevor Leathem charges it was a "total and absolute betrayal of the very principles of democracy and the trust that we, citizens, place in our elected representatives." He calls for Town council to either fully dis close what happened May 16 or for all council lors to resign. "When the Oakville participants presented to the OMB in June, they were totally oblivi ous of the fact the Town had already capitulated and reached a settlement with the developer," charged Leathem. "Politicians with nothing to hide do not meet behind closed doors and do not withhold in formation on important meetings with conse quences from that public." In an email addressed to Oakvillegreen Con servation Association president Karen Brock, and forwarded to the Beaver, resident Cyrus Derakhshan called Elgar' s email a "testimony on how these proceedings have made a mockery of due process and justice." "Given the citizens of Oakville pay the sala ries of council and that (it) works for us, it is absolutely ludicrous that (it) would have a pro cess that is not fully transparent to all citizens of Oakville," Derakhshan wrote. Last week, the Town of Oakville reached a settlement with Bronte Green over its develop ment proposal for 1401 Bronte Rd. It includes significant concessions from Bronte Green to respond to concerns raised by the Town and the public. The revised plan represents a significant change from the original proposal for the prop erty by protecting more than 10 hectares of green space and addressing key environmental concerns over wildlife protection. While the modifications include 4.25 hect ares more than the original plan, the OMB must still approve the settlement before it can move forward. 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