Addressing Council
Addressing Council – District of Lakeland No. 521
Residents, organizations, or stakeholders may address Council either in writing or in person as a delegation, subject to the procedures outlined in Bylaw No. 4-2017.
1. Written Submissions to Council
Written communications must be formally submitted to Council through the Administrator and must:
- Be addressed to Council.
- Clearly state the matter in issue and the request.
- Include the name, mailing address, and signature of the writer (for written letters), or name and both mailing and email address (for electronic communication).
Submission Deadline:
- Must be received no later than 12:00 noon, four (4) business days prior to a regular Council meeting to be included on that meeting’s agenda.
Submission Format:
- Letters must be printed, typewritten, or legibly written.
- Electronic submissions must include full contact details.
- Bound documents or studies may be submitted but will not be reproduced by administration.
Privacy Consideration:
- Submissions containing personal information are managed in accordance with The Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (LAFOIP).
Topics Not on the Agenda:
- Late submissions on new matters will be scheduled for the next regular Council meeting.
- The Administrator will inform the sender that the matter will be deferred.
2. Appearing as a Delegation
A delegation is an individual or group requesting to speak directly to Council at a meeting. There are two categories:
A. Delegation on a Matter Already on the Agenda
To appear before Council:
- Submit a request in writing that includes:
- Must be submitted by the agenda deadline (four business days prior to the meeting).
Late requests may be considered only with the approval of the majority of Council during the agenda approval process.
B. Delegation on a New Matter (Not on the Agenda)
To speak on an issue not currently scheduled:
- Submit a formal request in writing, with the same requirements as above.
- The Administrator may defer the request to the next meeting if received after the agenda deadline.
- Delegation requests may be refused if Council has already addressed a similar matter from the same individual within the past six months.
3. Presentation Guidelines for Delegations
- Delegations are limited to one presentation per meeting.
- Speaking time is limited to 15 minutes unless extended by Council.
- Delegations should avoid repeating prior points; groups sharing the same position are encouraged to appoint a spokesperson.
- Questions from Council members are permitted only for clarification purposes—no debate with delegations is allowed.
4. In-Camera Sessions
If the matter falls under exemptions identified in Part III of LAFOIP, it may be discussed in camera (closed session). In such cases:
- The item will not be part of the public agenda.
- The discussion and documentation are confidential and will not appear in meeting minutes available to the public.
5. Public Conduct and Decorum
- Public attendees and delegations must conduct themselves respectfully.
- Offensive, inflammatory, or disruptive behavior will result in removal from the meeting, at the discretion of the Reeve.
- Delegations must refrain from:
Submitting a Request
Requests to appear or submit correspondence can be sent to:
Email: office@lakeland521.ca
Mail: Administrator, District of Lakeland No. 521
Address: 48 Main Street West Christopher Lake, SK S0J 0N0