A review of Rocky View County’s electoral boundaries and governance structure will continue to the next stage after council unanimously approved a $100,000 budget adjustment during its regular meeting Nov. 26.
According to Municipal Clerk Charlotte Satink, County administration requires the funding to retain an “objective and neutral external consultant” to prepare options for council to consider.
“The proposed proponent the selection committee has selected meets the experience and qualifications required to complete the project,” she said.
Satink said the scope of work for the review will include developing a Terms of Reference (TOR), work plan and public participation strategy; reviewing best practice and applicable legislation; conducting a population and spatial analysis; undertaking public engagement and presenting recommendations to council.
The project will commence in early December and is anticipated to take eight months.
According to Satink, the Municipal Government Act requires any bylaw that changes the number of councillors, election or appointment of a chief elected official, or electoral boundaries to be passed by Dec. 31 of the year before the general election in which the changes take place.
“This means the bylaws must be advertised and passed by December 31, 2020,” she said. “It is administration’s intention to have the options and bylaws ready for council’s consideration by July 2020.”
