The Municipality of Chatham-Kent says it is reviewing its practice of catering CK Council meetings and budget committee meetings after a tidal wave of public backlash.
Mayor Darrin Canniff told CK Mornings with Chris, Allanah, and Matt on 94.3 CKSY that it's "standard business practice" to have meals provided if you expect someone to work over the supper hour, but stopped short of saying the catering for councillors will end.
"It's typical business practice if you're asking your employees to work through dinner, you're going to buy something. It's nothing elaborate, it's a meat, vegetable, and potato," said Canniff. "We're always reviewing that and we're certainly going to review it again. Myself, if they didn't serve dinner that's fine. We're busy, but what we don't want to do is have councillors be hungry. We're always conscious of our costs and certainly, we're looking at it to see how can we minimize that."
Chatham-Kent's Manager of Corporate Communications Eric Labadie told CK News Today that catering for Council meetings and other meetings has been done for many years, except during the COVID pandemic, and that the annual budget for the service is approved in the municipal budget at $20,000 -- that equates to approximately 41 cents per household.
A few days ago, the municipality posted on social media that it was looking for a local food service provider interested in the catering job, but it didn't take long for the public to push back saying it was a waste of tax dollars feeding powerful people who earn a good wage.
Some said "pack a lunch like the rest of us", while others thought it was a joke and noted that Councillors know the hours they signed up for. Some commenters also said "feed yourselves on your own dime" because it sets a very poor example when so many people across the municipality are struggling to feed themselves and their families.
The municipality's post read it was looking for "high-quality, nutritious, light dinners for approximately 26 people."
The municipality responded to the public discontent by saying it has noted community feedback and Chatham-Kent Council is aware of the comments.
"The meals are for Councillors who often have primary jobs and attend Council meetings that sometimes run from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. and come directly from their primary job with no time to prepare meals in between. We appreciate the feedback, it is not going unnoticed," the municipality wrote.
It's unclear when -- or if -- the issue will come up in a public forum.