Seat swap rejected at City Hall
Posted Apr 14, 2015 7:31 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Council has shot down a plan that would see them play musical chairs at City Hall.
The idea was to switch up chamber seating every two years to allow rookies the chance to learn from more experienced colleagues and give councillors a chance to hear different perspectives.
Shane Keating brought forward the motion hoping it would create better dialogue between council members.
“That’s all it is. Often when you network, you don’t stay in one spot and talk to the same people,” he said.
Veteran Councillor Ray Jones tells City News seating arrangements get changed all the time anyway; he’s been through 47 councillors and three mayors in his time at City Hall.
“If anybody wants to change seats I have no objections to that and I think that they’re fine doing that now. If two members of council get up and say they want to change they can do that. I think that a majority of us like the seats we’re in. I’ve had mine for 22 years so I don’t want to move,” he laughed. “It’s not at the entry where the public is screaming at you.”
The motion failed 8-6.
Mayor Naheed Nenshi told councillors if they did want to switch up their seat to send him a confidential e-mail and he’d see what he can do.
