Council Member Handbook

Council is elected to make decisions for the municipality about services, policies and programs. Council members have an equal voice at the council table – every council member has one vote. A majority vote is required to make a council decision. A council decision is the decision of the municipality. All council members must respect the decision, even when they did not vote in favour.
Council:

• develops and evaluates policies and programs;
• is accountable to the public for the decisions it makes; and
• makes sure that the municipality acts within the law.

Over the course of your term, council will need to make many complex decisions. These may include decisions on strategic and financial planning, economic development, staff, public relations and communications, and land use planning.

As a member of council, you cannot be an employee of:

• the municipality;
• the municipality’s committees;
• business improvement districts; or
• controlled corporations. 

As a member of council you must:

• represent the voters and consider the well-being and interests of the municipality;
• participate in council, committee and other bodies’ meetings;
• ensure that administrative procedures and policies are in place to implement council decisions. 

You need to become very familiar with the council procedures bylaw because it establishes written rules for conducting business at meetings for council members, administrators and the public to follow. An effective council member is objective, open minded and willing to listen. You must look at each issue in light of what is the best course of action for the municipality, regardless of what you personally feel. Everyone’s input is important and must be respected for council to reach the right decision

Becoming a member of Council is a challenging and rewarding experience. As an elected official, you will have the opportunity to influence the future of your community. You will be expected to represent your community and act on its behalf. As a member of Council, there will be demands on your time, energy, and commitment. In addition to regular meetings, you will be required to attend special meetings, committee and board meetings, and various public meetings and functions. If elected as a member of Council, you will be expected to serve a four (4) year term. Your term of office begins at the first meeting of the Council following the general election.

 

During the four-year term, you will be expected to attend:

• Regular Meetings of Council which are typically held once a month on the second Tuesday, commencing at 6:00 PM. You will be required to prepare for these meetings by reviewing an agenda that will be provided to you prior to the meeting.
• Special Meetings of Council that may be called from time to time to deal with time sensitive matters.
• Meetings of other boards, commissions, and agencies to which you are appointed as the Northern Village of Sandy Bay's representative.
• Conferences, conventions, seminars, and workshops.
• Social and other events promoting the Village.
• Strategic planning sessions and budget discussion sessions.

 

The Northern Village of Sandy Bay is part of the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District (NSAD) and a member of the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA).  SUMA holds an annual conference which members of Council will be expected to attend. SUMA conferences alternate between Saskatoon and Regina and are held in April. More information about these organizations can be found at https://www.planningforgrowthnorthsk.com/ and https://suma.org/

 

In addition to attending the above, members of Council will be required to spend adequate time reviewing materials provided to them by the Administration to adequately prepare for meetings in order to make informed decisions.

The mayor or reeve has the same legislated duties and responsibilities as all other councillors, however, the head of council has some legislated duties. The mayor or reeve:

• presides at a council meeting when in attendance, unless council has passed a bylaw for another member to preside at the meeting;
• votes on all resolutions and bylaws before council;
• is a member of all council committees and all bodies established by council unless council provides otherwise;
• makes all decisions and takes all actions about releasing information as the “head” under The Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act unless he/she delegates the authority as “head” to an employee of the municipality; and
• performs other duties that legislation or a municipal bylaw requires.

The administrator is an important member of the municipal management team. The administrative organization of your municipality and reporting relationships of senior staff is set by council and generally reflects the municipality’s size, services and priorities. Often the administrator reports directly to council and the other staff members report to the administrator. Department heads may also report directly to council. Training your staff so they can carry out their duties and understand new developments in their field is very important.

Your administrator must:

• ensure that the policies and programs of the municipality are implemented;
• ensure that minutes of each council meeting are prepared and distributed in a timely way;
• provide professional advice and support for council’s consideration and decision-making;
• manage the finances of the municipality;
• advise and inform council on the operation and affairs of the municipality; and
• manage, lead and direct the rest of the municipality’s employees, unless council decides otherwise.

Council should expect that the administrator will:

• prepare and distribute council meeting agendas and supporting documents in a timely way, so council members can participate in the debate and make informed decisions;
• prepare easy to understand monthly financial statements that provide a snapshot of the financial position of the municipality; and
• provide well-researched and easy to understand reports that contain options to address issues, and a recommended course of action for council’s consideration.