• Jan 13, 2026 meeting – The Town of Golden’s Open Standing Committee on Finance will meet on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, beginning at 5 p.m. at Town Hall (810 9th Avenue South), with a focus on early discussions around the Draft 2026–2030 Operating Budget.
According to the agenda, the committee will hear from the Chief Financial Officer and begin reviewing budget discussions across several municipal service areas, including recreation, waste and recycling, planning and development, economic development, transportation, and general government services. Reports are expected to be brought forward as part of the ongoing budget process.
The meeting will be livestreamed and recorded via Zoom, with information available on the Town’s website for those wishing to observe or participate during question period. Council may also choose to recess the meeting and reconvene on January 14 at 10 a.m. if additional time is required to complete discussions.
This meeting marks another step toward finalizing the Town’s five-year financial plan, which will ultimately come before council for consideration later this year.
• Jan. 6, 2026 meeting – The Town of Golden will hold a Special Open Council meeting on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, beginning at 5 p.m. in Council Chambers at Town Hall.
According to the agenda, the open portion of the meeting is largely procedural, including the call to order, land acknowledgement, and adoption of the agenda. No delegations, presentations, staff reports, or bylaws are listed for discussion during the public session.
Council is expected to recess into a closed meeting under Section 90(1)(i) of the Community Charter, which allows local governments to meet privately to discuss legal matters.
Following the closed session, Council will reconvene in open session before adjourning.
The meeting will be livestreamed and recorded via Zoom, with instructions for virtual attendance and participation available through the Town of Golden’s website.
Residents interested in local governance are encouraged to observe the open portion of the meeting, either in person or online.
Section 90 of British Columbia’s Community Charter is the part of the legislation that spells out when a municipal council is allowed to meet behind closed doors. In plain language, it sets the rules for what can and cannot be discussed in private.
What Section 90 is for
Council meetings are supposed to be open to the public. That’s the default. Section 90 creates limited exceptions where privacy is justified because openness would cause real harm, legal risk, or unfairness.
Councils cannot just close meetings because a topic is uncomfortable or controversial. There has to be a legitimate reason listed in Section 90.
Common reasons a meeting can be closed
Section 90 lists several categories. Some of the most frequently used ones include:
• Legal matters – This is the one cited in Council’s agenda. It covers things like:
• Ongoing or potential lawsuits
• Legal advice from municipal lawyers
• Negotiation strategy where legal exposure is involved
• Land acquisition or disposal – Discussing buying or selling property where public discussion could affect price or negotiations.
• Labour relations or employee matters – Anything involving specific staff members, contracts, discipline, or performance.
• Personal information – Protecting privacy when an identifiable individual is being discussed.
• Law enforcement or security issues – Situations where public discussion could compromise safety or investigations.
What councils are still required to do
Even when going in camera, councils must:
• State the section of the law they are relying on (for example, Section 90(1)(i) for legal matters)
• Vote in public to go into closed session
• Return to open session afterward, even if just to adjourn
What they cannot do is make final decisions in secret. Binding decisions must happen in open session. Closed meetings are for discussion and direction, not final votes.
Why this matters locally
When you see “legal matters” on an agenda, it usually signals something sensitive.
It could be a dispute, a contract issue, or advice council needs before taking a public step. It does not automatically mean something dramatic is happening, but it does mean Council is being careful about legal exposure.
Section 90 is about balancing transparency with responsibility. Used properly, it protects the town without shutting the public out of decisions that ultimately affect them.
