SUNDRE - Council had its ducks in a row as the COVID-19 crisis began ramping up, having approved the third and final reading of the municipal emergency management bylaw earlier this month.
The document establishes regulations and procedures to meet the municipality’s obligations under the Emergency Management Act.
Providing some background on the matter, Linda Nelson, chief administrative officer, reminded council during a meeting on March 9 that an emergency management advisory committee had previously been adopted a few months back.
“This already received first reading, and at second reading there were a number of questions that we wanted to provide some more in-depth answers to,” she said.
Before presenting to council, Nelson said she had discussed the bylaw with Kevin Heerema, the municipality’s community peace officer who has also been appointed director of emergency management.
“We both feel that the bylaw is good as written,” she said.
One of the questions previously raised was whether or not council members should be compensated for sitting on the emergency advisory committee.
“That is not the case,” she said, adding that as per the municipality’s remuneration policy, councillors do not receive additional pay for committees of council.
Providing further clarity, she said that as per provincial regulations and the act, the agency has authority during an emergency, and the director of emergency management is the head of the agency.
“We’re just following through with what the act and regulations say.”
Additionally, she said the agency is responsible for the administration of the town’s emergency management program.
“These clauses are taken right, word for word, out of the act and the regulations.”
Also drawn directly from the local authorities regulations is a stipulation that the agency will operate as the agent of council to carry out all of the powers and duties of council under the act, with exception for powers and duties delegated by the bylaw to the committee, she said.
Another question involved a section that states the peace officer will be appointed as director of emergency management, and if he should be named directly, she said.
“However, in none of our other bylaws where we are appointing people, do we ever name a name. We always name the position,” not a specific individual, she said.
“The act gives us authorization to do that.”
Nelson also addressed a question previously raised about training, clarifying that the managing director of the emergency management agency determines mandatory training.
However, as the director of emergency management, Heerema can make arrangements for any additional training he deems necessary, she said.
“I don’t know that it has to be spelled out. I think Kevin knows what the training requirements are for his people.”
The section that outlines council duties dictates that when a state of local emergency is declared, the agency will “ensure the declaration identifies the nature of the emergency and the area in which it exists,” she said.
“This is the duty of council, which is set out in the committee’s bylaw. This is not delegating authority to the (director of emergency management) to call a state of local emergency,” she said.
“It is just saying this is what the (director of emergency management) shall do when a state of local emergency has been called by the local authority.”
As of yet, a local state of emergency has not been declared in Sundre over the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coun. Todd Dalke moved the bylaw’s second reading, which had previously stalled when the questions were raised.
The councillor also inquired what would transpire in the event Heerema fell ill or was away on time off during an unfolding emergency.
“He already has a deputy director who would take over for him during his time of illness,” said Nelson, adding that Heerema has already named Jim Hall, the municipality’s operations manager, as a deputy.
“They’re thinking of having another one, or maybe a few more,” she said.
As outlined in the bylaw, she reminded council that the director of emergency management has the authority to delegate any powers down.
“That’s where he gets that authority. So obviously if he’s ill, or he’s in Mexico somewhere and something happens, before Kevin leaves, I’m going to tell him, ‘I want you to delegate somebody else as director.’”
Dalke’s motion to approve second reading carried, with a motion by Coun. Richard Warnock to give third and final reading also being carried.
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