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SUMA Regional Meetings Fall 2009 Newly Elected Officials Session

SUMA Regional Meetings Fall 2009 Newly Elected Officials Session. Municipal Councils and Council Meetings. The Municipalities Act & The Cities Act. Sets out municipal powers and duties Powers – discretionary authority Council MAY pass bylaws to establish tax policy

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SUMA Regional Meetings Fall 2009 Newly Elected Officials Session

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  1. SUMA Regional Meetings Fall 2009Newly Elected Officials Session Municipal Councils and Council Meetings

  2. The Municipalities Act & The Cities Act • Sets out municipal powers and duties • Powers – discretionary authority • Council MAY pass bylaws to establish tax policy • Duties – required actions • Municipality SHALL provide information respecting education tax collections, etc on a monthly basis • More details required September and January

  3. The Municipalities Act& The Cities Act • Permissive legislation • Powers are broadly described • Natural Person Powers • Regulatory Powers

  4. Purposes of municipalities • Provide good government • Provide needed or wanted services, facilities, etc • Develop safe, viable community • Foster economic, social, and environmental well-being • Take care of public assets

  5. Act principles and purposes • Municipalities are • Responsible, accountable level of government within its jurisdiction • Subject to provincial and federal laws • Purposes of the Act • Provide legal structure • Provide powers, duties and functions • Provide flexibility to address needs • Ensures municipalities are • Accountable to electors • Responsible to encourage and enable public participation

  6. Elected official’s roles • Work collectively, not individually • Advocate for community as a whole • Respect roles of others, such as the administrator • Representative • Responsive to public opinion • Mandate • Empowered to make decisions

  7. Administrator’s role • Advisor to council • Implements council policy • Towns and villages with population 100 or more require certified administrator • Some duties set out in legislation

  8. Communication • With other members of council • Focus on issues, not other factors • Voice your concerns • With administrator • Build trust with frank, open dialogue

  9. Communication • With the public • Informal conversations • Local news media • Town hall meetings • Attending council meetings • Petition for public meeting • Petition for referendum

  10. Keys to working effectively • Become informed • Familiarity with local issues • Knowledge of common issues • Participate in regional and provincial forums • Municipal Leadership Development Program • Municipal Capacity Development Program

  11. Keys to working effectively • Follow procedures • Know and understand local processes • Understand and accept roles • Communicate • With the administrator • With each other • With the public

  12. Contact information Ministry of Municipal Affairs Strategy and Sector Relations Advisory Services 410 – 1855 Victoria Avenue Regina SK Phone (306) 787-2680 www.municipal.gov.sk.ca

  13. What do you do? • A member of council acts unilaterally and without authorization

  14. What do you do? • A member of council refuses to declare a pecuniary interest (financial conflict of interest)

  15. What do you do? • The agenda for the upcoming meeting includes a topic of vital importance for the community. The item must be dealt with at this meeting. You will be unable to attend due to a prior commitment which cannot be rescheduled.

  16. What do you do? • Council must deal with a critical situation 2 days after its last meeting. • The matter cannot wait until the next meeting.

  17. What do you do? • A vocal minority has lobbied Council to enact a bylaw • Council senses there is controversy – the bylaw suggested by this interest group may not be widely supported

  18. What do you do? • A citizen complains about the administrator’s attitude to you

  19. What do you do? • Member of council continually disrupts meetings

  20. What do you do? • The community is deeply divided on a municipal initiative

  21. What do you do? • Council is unable to agree on the priority of municipal projects and initiatives

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