Proposed changes to bylaws in the RM of Armstrong raising concerns
Proposed changes to two bylaws in the RM of Armstrong are raising concerns, with fears it could have 'detrimental effects' to leaders of rural municipalities in Manitoba.
The rural municipality, which is in Manitoba's Interlake-Eastern region, is in the process of updating its organizational and procedures bylaws.
Armstrong Reeve Susan Smerchanski, who spoke with CTV News as an individual and not on behalf of the council or the RM, has some concerns with the proposed changes.
"It is my personal opinion that Bylaw 7-2021 could significantly change the role of the head of council, who was democratically elected by the residents and ratepayers of the RM of Armstrong," she said in prepared statement.
Among the changes, the draft bylaws seek to allow council to annually appoint one of its members to serve as the official spokesperson for the council, and to appoint a member to serve as chair of meetings.
These are two duties traditionally held by the head of council – either a reeve or mayor.
"This bylaw could be implemented anywhere with detrimental results and effects to any heads of council," she said.
The RM of Armstrong
Armstrong's draft bylaws passed the first reading of council on July 13. They are set to go through the second and third readings during the council meeting on Aug. 10.
In an email to CTV News, Armstrong CAO Corlie Larsen said the council hired a consultant to draft the updated bylaws.
Larsen said the purpose of the update is "To be similar with other municipalities to deal with current needs, make the bylaws easier to follow, and adding more details to leave less to interpretation."
CONSULTANT SAYS CHANGES MAY HAVE MERIT TO RM COUNCILS
Ernie Epp, a partner at Way to Go Consulting, confirmed he was hired by the RM of Armstrong as a consultant on the bylaws.
He said there may be some merit in allowing council the flexibility to appoint a spokesperson and chair, which may or may not be the head of council.
"If we've got somebody on council who is a councillor but is really, really good at being a chair, then maybe that's a reason to do it," he said.
On the other hand, he said the changes allow the council to appoint a new spokesperson or chair if the head of council is not performing the duties professionally.
"So this is a way to help that person recognize that the majority of council doesn't have to put up with this," he said.
"Whatever the reason may be, those are options depending on circumstances."
Epp said he has seen some misconceptions about the powers and responsibilities that heads of council hold.
"In Manitoba, the extra powers that a head of council has are extremely limited."
He said reeves and mayors can call meetings, declare an emergency if there is not time for council to meet, and have signing authorities for the municipality.
ST. ANDREWS MAYOR SUSPECTS 'DOMINO EFFECT' ACROSS MANITOBA
The proposed changes in Armstrong have the mayor of a neighbouring rural municipality concerned.
St. Andrews Mayor Joy Sul said Armstrong's draft bylaws are nearly identical to those passed in her rural municipality more than a year ago.
Epp, who served as interim CAO for a time in St. Andrews, confirmed he used the bylaws in St. Andrews as a model for the proposed changes in Armstrong based on what council was asking for.
As CTV News previously reported in December 2019, shortly after introducing new bylaws, St. Andrews councillors voted to remove the mayor as chair and spokesperson of the community.
At the time, Sul said the move was unprecedented. Now she believes it could happen again in the RM of Armstrong.
"It's very disturbing," she told CTV News.
"This has eliminated any reasons for a mayor ballot, just vote in five or seven councillors and flip a coin to see who the leader will be – resident voices don't count."
Sul said she believes other Manitoba rural municipalities may look to implement similar bylaws.
"Who's next?" she said. "I suspect this will be a domino effect across the province."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cargo ship had engine maintenance in port before Baltimore bridge collapse, officials say
The cargo ship that lost power and crashed into a bridge in Baltimore underwent 'routine engine maintenance' in port beforehand, the U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Far North police 'dispatch' polar bear stalking schoolyard
Police and local hunters in an Ontario Far North First Nation community have “dispatched” a polar that was showing abnormal behaviour and treating the area as a hunting ground.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
Families shocked after Niagara Falls hotel cancels bookings made year in advance of solar eclipse
After having the foresight to book their Niagara Falls hotel rooms more than a year in advance, several families planning to take in the solar eclipse next month were shocked to find out their reservations had been cancelled.
B.C. rescuers face 'high likelihood' of failure to reunite orphaned orca with pod
The race to reunite an orphaned orca calf that’s stuck in a shallow lagoon with a neighbouring pod has entered its fifth day, and a marine scientist says the clock is ticking.
Video shows police interrupting auto theft in progress outside Toronto home
New video footage obtained by CP24 shows the attempted theft of a vehicle in a North York driveway earlier this month that was ultimately interrupted by police.
Majority of Canadians believe in life after death: Angus Reid survey
A new survey from the Angus Reid Institute has found that a majority of Canadians believe in some form of life after death, a proportion that has held steady for decades.
MyPillow, owned by U.S. election denier Mike Lindell, formally evicted from Minnesota warehouse
A court ordered the eviction Wednesday of MyPillow from a suburban Minneapolis warehouse that it formerly used.