OLDS – Olds town council has given approval to a number of updated policies, including one calling for the municipality to use plain language in its communications.
The changes were approved during a recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
The municipality is reviewing all its policies to bring them up to date with current legislation and bylaws. Once reviewed the policies are brought before council to be updated or rescinded, as was the case with several policies at the recent meeting.
Policy 116C Plain Language is a policy that has been updated. The policy applies to all staff and elected officials.
The updated policy states that the “Town of Olds will use plain language whenever possible when communicating while recognizing our legislated obligations.”
The stated purpose of the policy is to “encourage a culture of plain language communication, and to ensure that there is a high degree of understanding and acceptance of information among internal and external stakeholders.
“All communications prepared by the Town of Olds in all departments should adhere to the standards in this policy.”
The policy states that staff and elected officials should use the following standards when drafting communication products: use clear, concise and understandable language; use short sentences; use bullet lists wherever possible and appropriate; use descriptive headers and sub-headers; and avoid relying on glossaries and defined terms.
As well the communication products should “avoid using language or text that is too long, too wordy or difficult to understand, repetitive, poorly organized, bureaucratic, legalistic or overly complex.”
In cases where communication in a type mandated by the Municipal Government Act does not adhere to the plain language guidelines in the policy, “Town of Olds communications should strive to serve as an interpreter for mandated communications.”
Council also approved an update to the policy for issuing proclamations.
The policy states, in part, that at least one of the following criteria must be met:
• A sponsoring agency be a charitable organization located or having a presence within the Town of Olds.
• The cause to be one of provincial or national significance and be brought forward and endorsed by a citizen of Olds.
• The cause be of benefit to the majority of citizens of Olds.
• The cause is an initiative of the Town of Olds.
The policy also states that requests for proclamations with commercial or political overtones will not be considered, and that organizations may only request one proclamation annually.
Council also approved an update of the policy for civic recognition on the death of a current or former elected official.
The updated policy states, in part, that, “Upon receipt of notification of death of a current or former elected official (of the Town of Olds), the office of the CAO will disseminate this information to appropriate groups as follows: mayor’s office, executive team, and communications.”
It also states that, “town council will acknowledge the death at the first council meeting following the commemorative service, or at another appropriate time should the service be scheduled at a later date.”
