PEMBROKE – It was a clear case of business not being conducted as usual at the council chambers of the County of Renfrew on March 17. That was the day Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency in Ontario.
Firstly, there were no senior managers in the chamber; they were monitoring the meeting remotely.
Secondly, the councillors were sitting further from each other, having adopted a new seating arrangement.
The only person in the public gallery observing proceedings was MP Cheryl Gallant.
There were three members of the media present, spaced across the width of the chamber.
The reason for the meeting was to delegate the decision making authority of the council to Warden Debbie Robinson (Laurentian Valley) and CAO Paul Moreau during the period that the council and its committees cannot meet due to COVID 19.
In her address to county councillors, Robinson said, “It is abundantly clear that we are in the midst of a health crisis which demands each one of us to be strong leaders in our community.”
Robinson said the county needs to prioritize the delivery of its services to the residents of the county.
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