City council has approved changes to a bylaw that ensures residents who want to run for council won’t have to jump through hoops if they also want to have or adopt children.
Council gave three unanimous readings during its recent regular meeting to the Parental Leave for Elected Members Bylaw, which establishes a policy to ensure parental leave for council members without the need for council to pass a motion approving each absence.
Some of the provisions of the amended bylaw include:
- A council member can receive 20 weeks of leave, while the member’s seat cannot be declared vacant as a result; such members are entitled to two leaves of 20 consecutive weeks per council term
- A member on leave will continue to receive all remuneration and continue to have expenses paid as per council’s expense policy
- Such members will be entitled to continue receiving communications as if the member were not on leave, as per the wishes of the individual
- A member on leave can participate at any time during the leave
- During the leave, the member can provide written notice to the city clerk and mayor about returning. Any temporary appointments will be revoked, effective the date of return of the member, allowing the individual to resume exercising the statutory role
Council discussion
Coun. Crystal Froese was pleased to see this bylaw come forward for approval.
“We talk a lot about modernizing things at city hall. This, I think, is very important to modernize and take away any barriers that might be (present) for anybody who is looking to start a family from running for city council, whether they have their own children or want to adopt children,” she said. “I would never want that to be a deterrent.”
Froese received many phone calls about this topic, with most of them encouraging. However, she recalled one conversation she had with an older woman who had the opposite view. The city councillor chalked this up to generational differences.
“I expressed to her that we are long past the time when one person brought home the bacon. Most families are two-income families,” she added.
This amended bylaw will be in effect when the 2024 municipal election occurs.
Buffalo Pound borrowing bylaw
City council gave three unanimous readings to a bylaw that makes it possible for Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Corporation to borrow $60 million for its water treatment plant upgrade project and for the City of Moose Jaw to guarantee $15.6 million of that loan using its debt limit.
The municipality’s maximum debt limit is $95 million. As of June 30, the city’s outstanding loans stood at $53.6 million. Once this loan of $15.6 million is added, along with borrowing $8 million for the high-service pumphouse project and debt repayments of $3.1 million, the overall debt will be $75.1 million by Dec. 31.
City council has also agreed to guarantee a $1-million line of credit (LOC) for the Moose Jaw Municipal Airport Authority’s renovation project using the debt limit, while the city has a $15-million LOC that would count against the limit when used.
Of that $75.1 million debt, $25.9 million relates to the water treatment plant.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, July 26.
