INNISFAIL – Town council has passed an updated Council Code of Conduct Bylaw following recommendations from an outside consultant who recently completed high profile investigations into the conduct of two councillors.
As well, council also agreed to another recommendation during a regular meeting last month that non-elected town committee members get orientation training to ensure they understand their code of conduct responsibilities, which are the same as elected members of council, along with the consequences if there are breaches.
“It puts a little bit of responsibility on them,” said Mayor Jim Romane. “They’ve got to consider conduct the same as anyone else, the same as elected officials.”
Code of conduct responsibilities for non-elected town committee members was already addressed in the original Council Code of Conduct that was approved in 2018 but is now strengthened to ensure each non-elected member on all town committees has a full understanding of their responsibilities, noted Todd Becker, the town’s chief administrative officer.
“It was loosely there but we have not applied the bylaw so much directly down to the committees but we are strengthening our orientations to help our committees to be as successful as possible within the expectations outlined by council,” added Becker.
Coun. Gavin Bates said he agreed non-elected community committee members, who are chosen by council, should be accountable to the same code of conduct standards that govern the town’s elected council members.
“They are representing the town. They are representing other citizens, as volunteers mind you on the committees but they are town representatives. They are citizen representatives, so they should have the same standards,” said Bates. “The code of conduct (bylaw) is not an onerous document. It is clearly a high standard of behaviour and morals. If somebody objects to that I guess we will have to deal with that.
“I can’t imagine that anybody I am aware of on any of the committees objecting to any of the code of conduct as I understand it, he said.
However, Bates emphasized the committee members he now works with are doing it in a “genuine way”, and are fully committed to serving the community.
“In general, I feel our committee members are genuine and should be admired for stepping up and doing what they do for no remuneration,” he said. “They are all showing interest in their community and are contributing.”
Council was also asked by the consultant to consider passing a Statement of Disclosure Bylaw to provide greater clarity and transparency of a councillor's personal and business interest. However, council directed administration to research and present a draft of a disclosure bylaw for review at a future meeting.
The update of Innisfail’s Council Code of Conduct Bylaw came about when Edmonton-based consultant SAGE Analytics identified several areas that could be updated. SAGE Analytics was hired last fall by the town to complete two probes into the conduct of Coun. Donnie Hill and former councillor Glen Carritt.
“The test of time and application of the bylaw warrant an update to better reflect the needs of the council and the community,” noted SAGE Analytics in a letter to the town in February.
SAGE Analytics recommended updates in six areas of Innisfail’s Council Code of Conduct Bylaw. Those areas include private affairs/representing the town, communication, upholding the law, orientation, informal complaint process and formal complaint process.
