Under the present guidelines, a councillor is disqualified if she or he is absent from all common council conferences throughout a three-month interval that includes a minimum of two conferences.
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Saskatoon metropolis councillors want to set up a leave of absence policy for themselves, in addition to a program geared toward addressing private points which will have an effect on office efficiency.
Provincial laws stipulates {that a} councillor is “disqualified” if she or he misses all common council conferences throughout a three-month interval throughout which a minimum of two conferences are held.
The solely exceptions embody absences approved by a council decision or a leave of absence policy; the provincial authorities amended the legislation to permit this after council requested it three years in the past.
Council’s governance and priorities committee resolved on Monday that the municipal evaluation fee will report again on policy choices for short- and long-term leaves of absence no later than June.
In addition to election oversight, the evaluation fee is answerable for council’s code of conduct and remuneration.
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Councillors additionally unanimously endorsed a proposal to have metropolis corridor workers report again on an worker and household help program (EFAP) equal for metropolis council’s 11 members. EFAPs sometimes present recommendation, counselling and different providers.
“We nonetheless have some vital gaps in our processes for individuals needing to step away from the work in some capability or one other,” stated Coun. Mairin Loewen, who launched each motions.
She stated the present policy is “insufficient” as a result of it requires a public vote of council, and fails to explain how an absent councillor’s workload is split. It is “lucky” council has not needed to navigate that state of affairs, she added.
“This can have an effect on who feels it’s potential to serve on metropolis council,” added Mayor Charlie Clark, who famous that parental leave, elder care, and different conditions may result in a full or partial leave from council duties beneath the brand new policy.
Coun. Cynthia Block advised the controversy was “lacking the purpose” by wanting via the lens of what advantages council members, and that such a policy would in reality profit the town as an entire.
“It is not sensible to me that we might need a member of our metropolis council to be in a state of affairs the place they can not assist their residents.”
The policy can be funded by an unspent $21,000 contingency reserve, which, in keeping with the town administration, would pay for momentary administrative workers within the metropolis clerk’s workplace to assist shoulder an absent councillor’s work.
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If a policy is accredited and used, it might possible be a primary in Saskatoon. A 3-year-old metropolis corridor report states that, “Historically, no member of Council has taken a leave of three consecutive months or extra.”
City councillors have an ideal attendance document up to now in 2021, and solely three councillors missed conferences in 2020. Councillors Zach Jeffries and Troy Davies missed February’s occasion, and Coun. Bev Dubois was absent in January.
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