A couple options are on the table when it comes to more city council involvement with the Stars and Thunder Festival.

Councillor Rick Dubeau originially brought up a motion regarding his inclusion on a Finance Committee.

He stated in the letter he wants to put his time in to help the festival be successful.

Discussion at city council quickly turned to looking at an Advisory Committee, which Dubeau was receptive to.

“I think it’s a good step forward,” he said after the special city council meeting Wednesday afternoon, “It provides more accountability, transparency and more input from council.”

Councillor Noella Rinaldo says last year, the accountability was there for finances and department work.

“What were missing is perhaps that way to improve it, which is what a Project Manager would normally do and we’re not in that position for one.”

She says there are ways they can improve, and they’re at a point where they need to see where those little details can be worked on.

Rinaldo adds this is where an advisory committee would come in handy.

“I think this is where they’re going to catch all those little details that connect the dots that the CAO can bring back to staff and say ‘I think you’re going to need to talk to this person’…because it affects different departments, it affects different parts of the project.”

When it comes to the makeup of this proposed committee, Rinaldo adds she’d like a little bit of council representation…but not too much.

“I really think where were going to get that out-of-the-box thinking is from the public,” she added, “Whether it’s a one-time event, whether it’s a few that sit on it a couple times, they can just keep bring back ways that we can improve it and ways that we can affect the experience.”

Council voted to have CAO Dave Landers to come back with options for council to consider at a later date.

He says likely, it’ll either he forming a committee or just have councillors sit in on some meetings.

CLICK HERE for the full conversation, under Item 2C.

Filed under: Local News, stars-and-thunder