INNISFAIL – Citizens interested in working as a publicly-elected official can learn more about what it takes to be on town council by attending an upcoming virtual candidate workshop.
The free event, hosted by the Town of Innisfail and Innisfail & District Chamber of Commerce, is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 22. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic the event is being held online.
This year’s general municipal election is scheduled for Oct. 18, giving candidates almost six months to prepare and make a decision on whether to run.
The free online workshop is being facilitated by Strategic Steps Inc., a business management consultant based in Sherwood Park.
The candidate workshop aims to cover numerous areas for potential candidates, including council decision-making processes, council meetings and protocols, rules of governance, management and service delivery, history of local government, governance versus administration, work-life balance and time commitments, communication and engagement and council code of conduct issues.
Mayor Jim Romane, who is retiring on Oct. 18 after 23 years in public office, said when he first ran for council in 1988, he was forced to learn quickly on what was involved. He urged citizens who are thinking of running to get a firm understanding of the commitment that is required to do the job successfully.
“That’s the key, to have a little more confidence in what you’re sticking your neck out for. It is a commitment,” said Romane.
He noted prior to every Monday council meeting each member receives an agenda, which he says can be extensive with a fair amount of reading involved, including complex bylaws that need amending. But he added the work has to be done as councillors are expected to understand local issues before they cast their votes and chart the future of the town.
“If you are going to do a good job and represent your community you have to be informed and if you are talking about changing a bylaw to affect the community you want to read up and understand all the pros and cons of making change,” said Romane, adding the job of a publicly-elected official can be stressful.
“It can be testy. It can from time to time occupy a fair amount of your time, especially with the press on our case all the time. It’s the reality of the job,” he said. “It doesn’t take over your whole life but it does tie you down a bit.”
To register for the workshop call Vanessa Connors, the town’s legislative executive assistant, at 403-227-3376, ext. 214, or email [email protected]
