Let public speak about next hub report to council: Storey

A Chatham councilor believes public deputations should be allowed for an upcoming staff report on the proposed community hub downtown.

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Coun. Alysson Storey, who entered a notice of motion at the last meeting, said she was surprised to read a municipal release last week saying deputations wouldn’t be permitted for the Oct. 21 meeting on the proposal.

“There are specific requirements in our procedural bylaw about when deputations can be bypassed, namely if a public meeting has already been held for the public to give formal deputations on the issue. That hasn’t happened here,” she said Wednesday.

The proposal, if approved, would see the Civic Centre, Chatham library and Chatham-Kent Museum move to the former Sears portion of the Downtown Chatham Centre.

In its release, staff encouraged residents to email letters to [email protected] for council’s review before the meeting.

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Storey’s motion will go to a vote when council meets Oct. 7.

The report going to the Oct. 21 meeting asks council to decide whether to continue the project.

“This is not the final decision point, but rather a decision to determine if the project will continue into Phase 3, which . . . details finalization of the designs, tendering of costs, construction procurement, and pending final approval, the commencement of construction,” officials said in last week’s release.

To date, there have been three public information sessions, attended by more than 300 people, and two online surveys via the Let’s Talk platform, each drawing more than 1,000 responses.

There also have been three stakeholder engagement meetings, including representatives of the CK Public Library board and the accessibility, municipal museums and gallery advisory committees.

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Public feedback should be allowed on the night of the upcoming staff report, Storey argued.

“My motion is not about where you might stand on the proposal itself, in favor, not in favor or anywhere in between,” she said.

“It’s just to make sure everyone has a chance to have their say, in the room with their elected officials, where the decision is being made. And if that process is going to change in the future, then council and the public should be notified ahead of time so everyone is aware.

“As it stands right now, the downtown Chatham proposal could be one of the most expensive proposals in the history of Chatham-Kent. That fact alone should warrant more public scrutiny and more opportunity for the public to comment and provide feedback, not less.”

Phase 1 was completed last fall when council authorized purchase of the mall’s former Sears store. Phase 2 set up the stakeholder engagement group and created detailed concept designs.

Further council decision points are planned for the first and second quarters of next year.

The clerk’s office will release the council report two weeks in advance of the meeting, to ensure the public has time to review it.

The full report, with links to related materials, will be added to the Let’s Talk page on Oct. 7 at letstalkchatham-kent.ca/community-hub.

[email protected]

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