Council shelves media policy for further review

Local Journalism Initiative

Mayor says draft would protect council’s reputation and ensure media “inform, not influence”

Crowsnest Pass council deferred discussion of a proposed media policy on Feb. 10 after councillors said the document arrived too close to the meeting to review properly.

Mayor Pat Rypien introduced the topic during council inquiries and framed the draft as a tool to guide how council and administration interact with the media and how the public understands municipal decisions.

“I’ve circulated the media policy. Why do we need a media policy?” Rypien said, adding it should “protect Council’s reputation, administration, support transparency, and build public trust.”

Rypien said a policy should help councillors understand “their role in expressing personal views” and what to avoid, including “confidential information, and or undermining council decisions,” and she also described the media as “a connection between council and the public.”

“The media is a connection between council and the public and have a responsibility to share accurate information while helping to educate the public,” she said.

Rypien also said the draft included an expectation that media “be fair, accurate, and perform their role by informing and not influencing.”

Councillor Dean Ward said he wanted more time to review the material.

“The only thing I ask is, we normally get all our information from council prior to the meeting, right? So, we have time to review it and all that good stuff,” Ward said. “We were given this a few minutes before the meeting tonight, can we take this away and bring it back next meeting?”

Rypien agreed to defer, and administration said a motion was required. Council carried the motion.

The media policy discussion followed an evening that included two public hearings, several bylaws and lengthy public input focused on development transparency, process and public participation.

Council also deferred a separate notice of motion on a professional services review. Councillor Doreen Johnson said she wanted to add additional information before bringing it forward.

“I’d like to defer that as well because there’s other things that have come up since [that] I’d like to incorporate so I’ll defer that motion until next week,” Johnson said.

Council ratified names for two previously unnamed roads in the east end of the municipality to address civic addressing confusion. Nastasi argued the names should match where the roads are located.

Council also approved $25,000 from the mill rate stabilization reserve to fund a built heritage walking tour app after administration said the request had been missed during budget entry. Johnson said the project could encourage visitors to stay longer.

“We need to encourage people to stop and stay and spend some money and walk around,” Johnson said.

Council also passed first readings on additional planning items, including a land use amendment related to a sale and consolidation near the Greenhill and a bylaw to repeal an older Southmore area structure plan due to overlap with a newer plan.