MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - County councillors have reviewed general duties and councillor liability rules. The update came during the recent regularly scheduled organizational council meeting and focused around a memorandum from CAO Jeff Holmes.
“In keeping with legislation, the chief administrative officer must ensure that the council is advised in writing of its legislative responsibilities under the Municipal Government Act,” Holmes said in the memo. “It is appropriate that the general duties of council and councillor liability be presented at the organizational meeting.”
General duties of councillors outlined in the act include the following:
• To consider the welfare interests of the municipality as a whole and to bring council’s attention anything that would promote the welfare or interests of the municipality (including) to promote an integrated and strategic approach to intermunicipal land use planning and service delivery with neighbouring municipalities.
• To participate generally in developing and evaluating the policies and programs of the municipality.
• To participate in council meetings and council committee meetings and meetings of other bodies which are appointed by council.
• To obtain information about the operation or administration of the municipality from the CAO or a person designated by the CAO.
• To keep in confidence matters discussed in private at a council or council committee meeting until discussed at a meeting held in public (and) to adhere to the code of conduct established by council.
• To perform any other duty or function imposed on councillors by this or any other enactment or by the council.
The protection of liability section of the act states the following:
• Councillors, council committee members, municipal officers and volunteer workers are not liable for loss or damage caused by anything said or done or omitted to be done in good faith in the performance or intended performance of their functions, duties or powers under this act or any other enactment.
Council received the report as information.