City Hall · Local Government
Outgoing Council Meets One Last Time Monday: What's on the Agenda, and the Rules That Apply
Greenwood, B.C. · Published ahead of the October 26, 2026 council meeting
Greenwood's outgoing council holds its final regular meeting on Monday, October 26, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. The council elected on October 17 is scheduled to take office at the first regular meeting on November 9.
Monday's agenda includes:
- a change to the City's signing authority (10.a)
- donation of a 2027 family pool pass to the BCSS Grad 2027 auction (10.b)
- Development Variance Permit DVP-2026-03, 333 North Kimberley Ave. (10.c)
- fourth and final reading of Permissive Tax Exemption Bylaw No. 1053 (11.a)
- a closed (in-camera) session on labour or employee relations, s.90(1)(c) (14)
No new spending or contracts appear on Monday's public agenda.
Recent spending decisions
The October 13 agenda asked council to approve up to $35,000 in extra "unforeseen" labour and material costs from Ready Splash Recreation Limited for the pool retrofit (10.c). It also asked council to approve quotes to replace heaters in the McArthur Centre and the Emmcon Building and to add $10,000 from surplus to the 2026 facility maintenance budget (10.d). The minutes showing how council voted have not yet been posted. They are up for adoption Monday.
Closed sessions
Council has gone in-camera at five meetings since August 10, with a sixth scheduled Monday:
- Aug 10: s.90(1)(c) and (g), employee relations and litigation
- Sept 8: s.90(1)(e), land. Council later released two decisions: it accepted the CAO's resignation, effective October 8, and approved the public announcement.
- Sept 10 and Sept 28 (special meetings): s.90(1)(c). Each special meeting consisted only of the closed session. No results have been reported.
- Oct 13: s.90(1)(c), (d) and (g), employee relations, security of municipal property, and potential litigation
- Oct 26: s.90(1)(c) is scheduled.
The Community Charter allows closed meetings on these subjects. Residents can ask council, at question period or in writing, to report out any decisions from these sessions once the reasons for confidentiality no longer apply.
What the law says
A council's term ends immediately before the first council meeting after a general election (Community Charter s.119). That meeting must be held within the first 10 days of November (s.124). Until then, the outgoing council keeps its full authority. BC has no general "lame duck" rule.
The Charter does set firm limits on public money. Borrowed money may be used only for the purpose it was authorized for (s.190). Under s.191, a council member who votes to spend money contrary to the Charter or the Local Government Act is personally liable to the municipality for the amount. The only exception is where the member relied on information from staff who were dishonest or grossly negligent. A member found liable is disqualified from local office for four years. The municipality, or any elector or taxpayer, can recover the money.
We are not suggesting any item breaks these rules. Residents should simply know what the rules are.
Have your say: The meeting is open to the public and includes a question period. You can also write to council at City Hall before Monday. Agendas and minutes are posted on the City's eSCRIBE meetings portal.
— The Editors
Sources: City of Greenwood council agendas and minutes (eSCRIBE meetings portal, pub-greenwood.escribemeetings.com); Community Charter, ss. 90, 119, 124, 190 and 191.