Title
Boards and Committees Update
Proposed Motion
That the Boards and Committees Update be received for information, as presented.
Body
Administration Recommendation
Supports the proposed motion that the Boards and Committees Update be received for information, as presented.
Purpose
To provide Council with an overview of the County's stewardship approach that is supported by the Boards and Committees Framework which establishes a consistent annual cycle and standardized processes for recruitment, selection, appointment, onboarding and orientation, workplan development and maintenance, publishing agendas and minutes, and structured reporting to Council.
Summary
Good stewardship ensures Parkland County’s boards and committees deliver consistent value, operate fairly, and reduce governance risk. The Boards and Committees Framework establishes a predictable annual cycle with clear processes for recruitment, appointment and orientation, work planning, meeting administration, and structured reporting to Council. Council Policy C-AD26 reinforces public trust by requiring consistent and fair selection, appointment, remuneration and recognition of public members, and by setting expectations for confidentiality, conflicts of interest and attendance. Together, Council provides governance stewardship through direction, approvals and appointments, while Administration provides administrative stewardship by implementing the framework and policy, coordinating agendas and records, tracking action items and workplan progress, and ensuring Council receives consistent updates.
The Parkland County Boards and Committees Framework modernizes the program by creating a standard, County-wide way for boards and committees to be recruited, supported, scheduled, and reported back to Council. This will improve clarity, continuity, and effectiveness across diverse mandates. It keeps committees purposeful and aligned with Council direction by introducing annual workplans, a consistent meeting cycle, structured reporting to Council, and coordinated action item tracking so outcomes move forward reliably. The modernization also embeds annual evaluation to assess Terms of Reference alignment, progress against workplans, quality of outputs, and member participation. This creates a continuous improvement loop, giving Council assurance that committees remain meaningful and deliver value. Public transparency and participation are strengthened through improved recruitment, onboarding, and orientation supports, clearer public-facing information, and consistent posting of meeting materials through established processes. Finally, the framework aligns with Council Policy C-AD26, which sets the fairness standard for selecting and supporting public members, and clarifies expectations for confidentiality, conflicts, attendance, and appointment practices-supporting defensible, consistent governance.
Historical Information:
n/a
Strategic Plan/Policy/Legal/Staff Implications:
Municipal Government Act (MGA) establishes a division between Council’s governance role and CAO/Administration’s delivery role, supporting an oversight model that preserves role clarity and reduces risk.
Parkland County Council Policy C-AD26 - Public Committee Members, which commits the County to “consistency and fairness” in selecting, appointing, remunerating, recognizing public committee members, and expectations of public members.
Financial Impact:
Cost: n/a
Source of Funding: n/a
Other:
n/a