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Town of Trenton
POLICY NO. GOV-20260512
APPROVED: 2026-05-12
PAGE 1 OF 4
COUNCIL MEETINGS POLICY
SCOPE
The Council Meetings Policy establishes procedures and practices for Council Meetings. The procedural
requirements in this Policy are intended to complement and supplement, and not to replace, the requirements
contained in the applicable municipal legislation.
DEFINITIONS
Term
Definition
CAO
The Chief Administrative Officer appointed by Town Council, or their designate.
Town
The Town of Trenton.
Chair
The presiding officer at a meeting.
Council
The Council of the Town of Trenton.
Mayor
Duly elected mayor of the Town of Trenton.
Council Member
Includes to all elected members of Town Council, including the Mayor.
Majority
More than 50 percent of Council Members present.
TIME, PLACE, DATE AND NOTICE OF MEETINGS
1.
Unless otherwise specified, regular meetings of Council shall:
1.1
Be held in Council Chambers, Trenton Civic Building, 120 Main Street, Trenton NS;
1.2
Be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, except during the summer break
during the months of July and August per the annually-approved Council Meeting Schedule;
and
1.3
Commence at 6:00 pm.
2.
Notice of the annual Council Meeting Schedule, as well as all other meetings, shall be provided to the
public by posting:
2.1
On the public bulletin board in the lobby of the Town Office; and
2.2
On the Town website.
DELEGATIONS TO COUNCIL
3.
An individual or organization who wishes to appear before a meeting of Council as a delegation must
submit a written request to the CAO or through a form provided for this purpose on the Town website.
Completed delegation requests must be received 7 days in advance of the meeting date requested by
the delegation. Once received, the Mayor will review delegation applications for approval and inclusion
at a future Council Meeting.
Town of Trenton
POLICY NO. GOV-20260512
APPROVED: 2026-05-12
PAGE 2 OF 4
4.
The written request referred to in subsection 3 must include the following:
4.1
The name and address of the person who will address Council;
4.2
An explanation of the issue that is the subject of the delegation;
4.3
A clear statement of the request being made of Council (if applicable), and the reason for making
the request;
4.4
Dates on which the individual or organization is available and would prefer to appear as a
delegation; and
4.5
An electronic copy of all materials to be presented or circulated to Council.
5.
An individual or organization may only address Council as a delegation:
5.1
Once within a 6-month period on any single topic (unless the facts of the topic have changed);
5.2
Not more than once every 2 months on different topics; and
5.3
Not within 6 months of Council receiving a delegation on the same topic, if no new information
has become available,
unless that individual or organization is statutorily authorized to be heard by Council, is required by law
to be heard by Council, was invited by Council to make a further address or otherwise at the discretion
of the Mayor.
6.
The Mayor is authorized to refuse to schedule a delegation if, in relation to the matter that the
delegation wishes to present to Council:
6.1
A public hearing, or opportunity for public input, has been or will be held in accordance with an
enactment as a prerequisite to the adoption of a bylaw, or approval of a permit,
6.2
The matter deals with the Town's labour relations or other employee relations,
6.3
The matter relates to litigation or potential litigation affecting the Town,
6.4
The Mayor considers the matter to be frivolous,
6.5
The matter is outside the legal authority or jurisdiction of the Town,
6.6
The matter is about records held in confidence by the Town, unless the Town has lawfully
released that record to the public,
6.7
The matter was considered in a Council meeting that was closed to the public, unless the Town
has lawfully released information relating to the matter to the public,
6.8
The matter is related to a request for access to information under the Part XX of the Municipal
Government Act or under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act,
6.9
The purpose is to address a matter referred by Council to staff, or is the subject of a staff report
not yet presented to Council,
6.10
The matter is an election campaign or election-related issue, or
Town of Trenton
POLICY NO. GOV-20260512
APPROVED: 2026-05-12
PAGE 3 OF 4
6.11
The matter relates to publicly-tendered contracts or proposal calls for the provision of goods or
services for the Town between the time that such contract or proposal call has been authorized
and the time such contract or proposal call has been awarded.
7.
A delegation may appeal the Mayor's decision under subsection 6. An appeal under this section is
submitted to the CAO, who will present the appeal to Council at the next available meeting for a vote on
whether the previous decision under subsection 6 will be upheld. No person may make an appeal of the
same topic within a 12-month period.
8.
The CAO will schedule a delegation at a meeting of Council only after the requirements of section 4,
including delivery of the materials to be discussed, have been met.
9.
Each delegation to Council is limited to 5 minutes, unless a longer period is agreed to by majority vote
of those Council Members present.
10.
The following rules apply to all delegations appearing before Council:
10.1
Speakers are to direct all comments and questions to the Chair;
10.2
Speakers shall restrict their comments to the subject for which they have received approval;
10.3
Council members are present to listen, but will not respond or enter debate or discussion during
the presentation;
10.4
Speakers are to address Council as a whole and not direct comments or attempt to enter debate
with individual Council Members or staff; and
10.5
Speakers must not speak disrespectfully of any person, or use rude, offensive or insulting
language.
11.
If a delegation breaches the rules of conduct as outlined in section 10, the Chair may do any or all of the
following:
11.1
Stop the speaker and issue a warning;
11.2
Stop the speaker and cancel the delegation; and
11.3
Expel the speaker from the meeting.
CONDUCT IN MEETINGS
12.
The following rules apply to any member of the public attending a Council meeting:
12.1
All persons must remain quiet and respectful;
12.2
No person may speak to Council unless they have been approved as a delegation or have
received permission from the Chair;
12.3
No person is permitted to hold up signs, applaud, talk, cheer or do anything else that could
interrupt or disturb the meeting or intimidate another member of the public;
Town of Trenton
POLICY NO. GOV-20260512
APPROVED: 2026-05-12
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12.4
Anyone who uses rude, offensive, or insulting language will be asked to leave the meeting;
12.5
All electronic devices must be silenced during a meeting. Anyone in possession of an electronic
device repeatedly disturbing the meeting will be asked to leave;
12.6
Any member of the public that does not abide by the rules stated in this section may be directed
to leave the meeting by the Chair; and
12.7
Any member of the public that has caused repeated disturbances at meetings, has made
harassing, slanderous or threatening comments about a member of Council or staff, or has
otherwise caused any safety concerns for Council, staff or other members of the public in
attendance may be required to attend Council meetings virtually rather than in person for a
period of up to 12 months, at the direction of the Mayor. A decision by the Mayor to require
virtual attendance may only be reversed by a motion of Council.
CORRESPONDENCE TO COUNCIL
13.
Members of the public may always engage Council by submitting correspondence to the general Council
email identified on the Town website. All correspondence will be included on the next Council Meeting
Agenda. The Town reserves the right to redact any part of received correspondence in order to:
13.1
Protect information related to personal privacy or other confidential information; and/or
13.2
Remove language considered to be offensive, slanderous, threatening, abusive or violent.
REPEAL
14.
Policy No. GOV-20060214 is hereby repealed.