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HALTON TRANSMISSION 559 SPEERS ROAD, UNIT #3 (905) 842-0725 dentistoakville.com 905-842-6030 www.carstaroakville.com SNA NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR 2010 ontario's top newspaper - 2005-2008 905-8457579 547 Trafalgar Rd. Power plant price tag Page 7 905-847 -2595 2212 Wyecroft Rd. A member of Metroland Media Group Ltd. Vol. 51 No. 19 "Using Communication To Build Better Communities" THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2013 24 pages $1.00 (plus tax) Dear Mom... Council works in public, not behind doors: states report By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF A report by the Town Clerk's department shows the vast majority of council's business was conducted in an open forum last year. The first annual Closed Meeting Statistics Report, was received by council earlier this month. It stated that councillors spent less than six per cent of their time in closed sessions. This means of the 136.2 hours council met in 2012, eight of those hours were "We believe every citizen has the right off limits to the public. The report also said to know what council's reasons for hold- decisions are being ing closed sessions met all made and what of the requirements under facts guide our the Municipal Act, 2001. "I am very proud that decisions, whenever Oakville is the first munic- it is possible to ipality to bring together share them." this vital information in such a comprehensive and Mayor Rob Burton thorough manner," said Oakville Mayor Rob Burton. "Transparency and accountability are a priority for this council and we believe every citizen has the right to know what decisions are being made and what facts guide our decisions, whenever it is possible to share them." All meetings of council, committees and local boards are open to the public unless they meet a list of exceptions set out in Ontario's Municipal Act. See Reports page 10 ERIC RIEHL / oakville BEAVER / @halton_photog be my valentine: This week has been dubbed Random Acts of Kindness Week (Feb. 11-17) and to help spread the relevant and timely message, Holy Family Catholic Elementary School students crafted letters of kindness. Here, Lauren Cole works on a note to her mom.