Irricana council is asking the minister of Municipal Affairs (MA) to extend the appointment of the Town’s official administrators from their planned Dec. 31 monitoring until March 1.
The decision to put in the request was made at the regular council meeting, Dec. 10.
“Council felt that they have been such a positive input on council meetings and the way council and administration does its job, that having them stay longer for the two new members would be invaluable,” said CAO Alvin Melton.
The administrators were ordered to monitor the Town last summer, as a result of a petition by Irricana residents and a subsequent inspection of the municipality.
A report of that inspection culminated in a ministerial order, issued on July 27, that included 19 directives for the Town to implement. All directives, including developing a communications plan, procedural bylaw, having minutes recorded without note or comment, and review existing policies, have been completed, according to a staff report.
The order also appointed two MA official administrators to supervise the Town of Irricana and its council until the end of the year, with the possibility of an extension.
“Although the directives have been accomplished, the circumstances that surround the resignation of two councillors have further challenged the management of the Town by forcing two by-elections,” stated the staff report.
“As newly elected officials join council, they too could benefit from the leadership and guidance of the present official administrators.”
Melton said the official administrators offer advice on following the Municipal Government Act and are easily accessible.
“They are always available (to municipalities), but it is a lot easier when you have an actual rapport,” he said.
Melton said they haven’t heard whether the administrators will be staying on.
Deputy Mayor Larry Martin said he was in favour of making the request.
“They have been just so much help to us, it is wonderful what they have done,” he said.
“They have helped… with clarification on things that we have unknowingly been doing wrong for years and righted the ship to how its supposed to be running.”
Irricana Mayor Lisa Constantini could not be reached for comment by press time.
