Holden council defers public behaviour bylaw Little public support for bylaw, public calls it waste of time and abuse of council

Holden Village Council stepped back from passing third and final reading on a proposed public behaviour bylaw after a recent community meeting indicated there was little public support for it.

The bylaw already has two out of the necessary three readings completed in order to enact it. But council’s Sept. 18 meeting saw a motion by Councillor Bernie Marko passed to defer the decision until the next council meeting, likely taking place after the Oct. 16 election.

Council received a report on the issues discussed at the community meeting. These included public behaviour and traffic bylaws, the future of the Holden Complex and the upcoming municipal election.

“Council received negative feedback,” said village CAO Katherine Whiteside, about the public behaviour bylaw with people expressing the opinion that Holden “doesn’t need it.”

Whiteside said the original intent of the bylaw was to allow the RCMP to deal with inappropriate public behaviour without … for more see the Oct. 3/17 Mercury