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| RFD- 3888 |
Bylaws Item # 10. d.
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| Regular Council Meeting Agenda |
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| Information |
| Request for Decision Summary |
| Currently, public members of Council established committees and quasi-judicial bodies established pursuant to the Municipal Government Act (MGA) are not subject to a standardized code of conduct establishing ethical standards, as they do not fall under Council’s Code of Conduct Bylaw nor Administration’s internal policies and procedures. Section 146.1(3) of the MGA allows Council to establish by bylaw a code of conduct for Council established committees. Consequently, proposed C-1106-20 - Committee Code of Conduct Bylaw has been drafted for Council's consideration. |
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| Proposed Motion |
| That first reading be given to C-1106-20 - Committee Code of Conduct Bylaw. |
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| Background/Analysis |
The Municipal Government Act (MGA) was amended in 2017 to make council code of conduct bylaws mandatory for all municipalities across Alberta. The same amendments made code of conduct bylaws for committees optional. C-1084-19 - Council Code of Conduct Bylaw was passed at the October 15, 2019 Council meeting; the bylaw applies only to Councillors and not to public members of Council established committees.
Currently, public appointees to council committees are not subject to a standardized code of conduct establishing ethical standards, as they do not fall under the Council Code of Conduct Bylaw nor Administration’s internal policies and procedures. Proposed C-1106-20 - Committee Code of Conduct Bylaw establishes a standardized code of conduct for all council committees, whether those committees are governing, quasi-judicial or advisory in nature and whether those committees are known as "board", "commission", "committee", "tribunal" or "task force". This means that all current and future council committees and quasi-judicial bodies such as the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board (SDAB) are subject to this bylaw. However, Council members who sit on a council committee are still subject to the C-1084-19 - Council Code of Conduct Bylaw and not proposed C-1106-20 - Committee Code of Conduct Bylaw.
Every section of the bylaw would apply to the different type of committees – governing body, advisory body or quasi-judicial body, with the exception of section 11 – Communicating on Behalf of the City or Committee. Under this section no members of an advisory body would be permitted to speak on behalf of the committee. Since they are simply advisory, their recommendations would be provided to Council and either the Mayor or the Corporate Communications department would communicate any decisions of Council stemming from the committee’s recommendations. However, since a governing body would be granted authority by Council to make decisions on their behalf and since a quasi-judicial body is separate from Council, the chairs of these committees would be permitted to communicate with the media. Currently, there are no Council established committees that are governing bodies.
Further to feedback received at the Committee of the Whole meeting on February 18, 2020, a definition for "immediate relative" was added to identify who constitutes an immediate relative when determining if a conflict of interest exists. |
| Options/Alternatives |
This item is for first reading only. Council may choose not to give consideration to this bylaw by defeating the motion for first reading.
Council Procedure Bylaw C-724-09 states that Council shall vote on the motion for first reading of a bylaw without amendment or debate. Discussion and changes may be made during second reading, which is scheduled to come before Council at the March 23, 2020 Regular Council Meeting. |
| Consultation/Engagement |
The City Clerk's Office inventoried the existing Council established committees that include public members in their composition:
- Economic Development Advisory Committee
- Community Road Safety Advisory Committee
- Subdivision and Development Appeal Board
Proposed C-1106-20 - Committee Code of Conduct Bylaw was circulated to the above-mentioned committee's administrative liaisons for review. |
| Implementation/Communication |
| Upon passage of proposed C-1106-20 - Committee Code of Conduct Bylaw, the bylaw would be provided to all current and future Council established committees. It would be the expectation of all current and future committee members to review the Committee Code of Conduct Bylaw and sign Schedule "A" of the bylaw, Committee Code of Conduct Declaration thereby affirming their understanding, acceptance and adherence to the Committee Code of Conduct Bylaw. |
| Impacts |
| Proposed C-1106-20 - Committee Code of Conduct Bylaw would provide a standardized code of conduct establishing ethical standards for Council established committees which would ensure consistent and uniform expectations of, and consequences for, infractions by public members of Council established committees. |
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