Discussion Responsibilities of Councillors Part 3

Stewardship role​

Council’s objectives are to ensure that the municipality’s financial and administrative resources are being used as efficiently as possible.

There is a fine line between council’s overall stewardship of the municipality and the administration’s management of day-to-day activities. Generally, council monitors the implementation of its approved policies and programs, but the practical aspects of its implementation and administration are a staff responsibility.

The chief administrative officer is a discretionary position whose responsibilities are as follows:

A municipality may appoint a chief administrative officer who shall be responsible for,

1. exercising general control and management of the affairs of the municipality for the purpose of ensuring the efficient and effective operation of the municipality; and
2. performing such other duties as are assigned by the municipality.

Section 229 of the Municipal Act

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This approach, if chosen, can help separate policy making from policy implementation, with council concentrating on policy making and the chief administrative officer and others implementing the policy.

Before council can monitor and measure the municipality’s administrative effectiveness and efficiency, it may wish to become familiar with policies currently in place. With input from municipal staff, council can determine whether the policies are functioning well or if changes are necessary.

As part of this process, council may wish to:

• define corporate objectives and set goals and priorities
• establish clear administrative practices
• provide specific guidelines and directions to staff on the applications of those policies
• delegate appropriate responsibilities to staff (to the extent permitted under municipal legislation)
• establish a personnel management policy that emphasizes the recruitment, hiring, evaluation, training and development of staff
• ensure that policies with respect to most operations of the municipality are in place, with special note to mandatory policies required by the Act
• develop protocols for the flow of information between council and staff; and
• consider establishing a protocol for sharing approaches with other local governments and indigenous communities that share a common interest in community health, culture and economy

To be effective in this stewardship role, council may wish to have processes in place to help ensure that:

• policies adopted by council are being implemented
• staff are administering services and programs as council intended
• rules and regulations are being applied correctly and consistently
• funds are being spent only as authorized, and the municipality’s resources (financial and otherwise) are being used appropriately and as efficiently as possible

Establishing and following such policies and guidelines helps council leave the day-to-day details for staff to manage. Council is freer to deal with exceptional situations, ensure that policies are current and listen to issues raised by the public to represent the broader community interest.