by Tristan Turner
Council has passed first reading of two new bylaws related to their normal procedures, their 2018 Procedure Bylaw and their Council Code of Conduct Bylaw. Both motions passed with mostly clarifying questions.
Procedure Bylaw
Council unanimously approved First Reading of Bylaw 2/2018 – Council’s Procedure Bylaw – after a few clarifying questions and one amendment.
The new legislation clarifies council procedures into law for what is expected of council’s operations and the order for council meetings.
Councillor Giffin brought up a concern about the justification for including a new provision that councillors must send any proposed motions to the Town’s legislative officer five working days before the meeting where that item will be discussed, with Giffin wondering how this would impact council meetings. CAO Andrew Isbister Responded saying that this change was merely to ensure that council got all of the information they needed ahead of time in their agenda packages ahead of council meetings, and that motions that came up in the course of council discussion and debate would not be restricted due to this change.
Following this discussion, Deputy Mayor Dafoe unanimously passed an amendment to the bylaw to add language to make it clear that motion arisings would not be limited, in line with Giffin’s question and Isbister’s response.
After this change, the motion swiftly passed unanimously. The motion is expected to come back for Second, and potentially Third Reading at council’s next meeting on Mar. 27.
Council Code of Conduct
Council may be beholden to a new council code of conduct bylaw following the unanimous approval of Bylaw 1/2018. After spending years of using a council code of conduct policy, council unanimously passed First Reading of this bylaw on council conduct. The new legislation will enshrine into law a code of behaviour that councillors will be expected to follow during their duties.
CAO Isbister presented the legislation to council and clarified that this Bylaw was based off a sample bylaw used by the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) with some additions from council’s old code of conduct policy.
Council had a few clarifying questions, including some verifying with Isbister the legality of some sections of the legislation in accordance with the Municipal Government Act (MGA).
Councillor Boutestein also clarified about mandatory training requirements in the Bylaw, which Isbister clarified that the ongoing training of council can be made mandatory for any event by a motion of council.
The motion swiftly passed unanimously after limited discussion on the motion. The Bylaw is expected to come back for Second, and potentially Third Reading at council’s next meeting on Mar. 27.
