An update of the town's designated officer bylaw will be returning to council for consideration next June.
Last night, council unanimously approved the update of what's also called the CAO bylaw to bring it in line with current best practices for municipalities.
"This update should also add in financial thresholds for operational, capital and legal expenditures that the CAO can approve without approaching council," stated Councillor Marni Fedeyko in her rationale for calling for the update. "Having financial thresholds written into the policy provides council with added transparency that no spending can occur beyond the threshold in any three of these branches, without council approval.
In her original motion, Councillor Marni Fedeyko sought to have the update completed by November so it would be in effect for this year's budget approval. That timeline, though, was said to be too tight, and changed that to March in time for budget adjustments. Later on, she accepted a friendly amendment to have it completed by next June 2025, in time for the October 2025 election.
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Fedeyko wants CAO bylaw updated to provide additional transparency, control
Fedeyko says the need for the revision became apparent while attending a course this summer to fulfill one of three sanctions placed on her in the late spring.
"That consultant works with many councillors across this province," she said. "He was actually very surprised to find we didn't have anything written into this that would actually be back to put that accountability back on council."
In its written comments to council, administration indicated the need for an update had previously been identified by town administration but was placed 18th on a long listing. It gave higher priority to bylaw updates to offsite levies, municipal election, traffic, nuisance and unsightly, and noise control, among others.
Administration says when the original CAO bylaw was adopted in 2014, all provisions and authorities were in line with the Municipal Government Act (MGA). Those that are no longer in line with the MGA would no longer be in effect.
It also states it is currently unauthorized to expend funds beyond those approved by council or that are part of the annual budget. It points out spending thresholds are not established within the designated officer bylaw but within the town's procurement policy adopted by town council in January 2022.
Fedeyko said the shifting of staff over the past few years is one of her biggest concerns.
"It seems that that staffing number can shift anywhere from what was approved at the time of budget to updates that go on throughout the year. The budget, to me is council's biggest and probably most important work that we have as a council, and I want to ensure that not only that we are being the most accountable, that we can, but that we are taking some of that control back into council's work as well as having more eyes on it.
"I think it's extraordinarily important that we start to set this up prior to new council sitting around the bench because I think it's only setting us up for greater success."