At a press conference today, City Manager Glen Peace withdraws his threat to ban Don McLean from city hall meetings.

City Manager Glen Peace has withdrawn his threat to ban the chair of Friends of Red Hill Valley and co-founder of CATCH from city hall meetings.

Peace has also dropped claims that Don McLean was "aggressive and threatening" when he spoke to two city councillors during a recess in last Wednesday's city council meeting. Both councillors have since stated they did not feel threatened by McLean.

At a media conference this afternoon, Peace acknowledged his initial plans "did appear severe in reaction to this incident" but maintained that McLean had broken procedural rules of council.

In a letter delivered to McLean today, Peace states "My position remains constant" but "I have no plans to continue the process to have you banned from Council meetings." However, he says McLean "violated the city's procedural by-law by coming on the council floor in between the general public Council meeting and the in-camera session - and - by proceeding to raise your voice." He also told McLean that "this letter must serve as a warning".

Don McLean speaking to media after the press conference.

The referenced procedural rules read as follows: "7.2 No person except Members, the Clerk, and officials authorized by the Clerk, the Mayor or the Council, shall be allowed on the floor of Council;" and, "7.3 No person shall display signs or placards, applaud participants in debate or engage in conversation or other behaviour which may disrupt the proceedings of Council."

Both rules clearly apply only when Council proceedings are actually occurring, but both Peace and McLean agree the incident occurred during an intermission period.

A copy of the city's procedural bylaw can be viewed at http://www.city.hamilton.on.ca/Clerk/by-laws/
frequently-requested/Council%20Procedures/03-301%20as%20amended.pdf.