Title
Deputy Mayor Appointments
Proposed Motion
That members of Council be appointed as Deputy Mayor pursuant to Section 152(1) of the Municipal Government Act, as follows:
Division 1 Councillor - October 28, 2025 to February 25, 2026
Division 2 Councillor - February 26, 2026 to June 26, 2026
Division 3 Councillor - June 27, 2026 to October 25, 2026
Division 4 Councillor - October 26, 2026 to February 23, 2027
Division 5 Councillor - February 24, 2027 to June 24, 2027
Division 6 Councillor - June 25, 2027 to October 23, 2027
Division 1 Councillor - October 24, 2027 to February 22, 2028
Division 2 Councillor - February 23, 2028 to June 23, 2028
Division 3 Councillor - June 24, 2028 to October 23, 2028
Division 4 Councillor - October 24, 2028 to February 22, 2029
Division 5 Councillor - February 23, 2029 to June 23, 2029
Division 6 Councillor - June 24, 2029 to October 23, 2029
Body
Administration Recommendation
That Council use one of the options outlined below to establish the Deputy Mayor rotation.
Purpose
To establish the sequence that each councillor will serve twice as Deputy Mayor each time for four (4) months during the 2025-2029 term.
Summary
Section 152(1) of the Municipal Government Act (the "Act") states that council must appoint one or more councillors as deputy chief elected official so that only one councilllor will hold that office at any one time, and that the office will be filled at all times. In addition, the Act states that a deputy chief official must act as the chief elected official when the chief elected official is unable to perform the duties of the chief elected official, or if the office of the chief elected official is vacant.
Parkland County's Meeting Procedures Bylaw 2015-06 s. 9(1) requires that at the organizational meeting following a general municipal election that Council establish a four-year rotation schedule indicating each councillor's four-month term to serve as Deputy Mayor, the order by which is determined by Council or by drawing names from a receptacle. The structure of the 4 month rotation ensures that each councillor will serve as Deputy Mayor twice in the four year term.
In Parkland County's Meeting Procedures Bylaw 2015-06 the term Deputy Mayor is defined as the councillor appointed by Council to perform all the duties of the Mayor in the absence or incapacity of the Mayor, and term Mayor is defined as the Chief Elected Official as defined in the Act (Municipal Government Act). Section 153 and 154(1) defines the general duties of the Chief Elected Official, which are as follows:
- to consider the welfare and interests of the municipality as a whole and to bring to council’s attention anything that would promote the welfare or interests of the municipality;
- to promote an integrated and strategic approach to intermunicipal land use planning and service delivery with neighbouring municipalities;
- to participate generally in developing and evaluating the policies and programs of the municipality;
- to participate in council meetings and council committee meetings and meetings of other bodies to which they are appointed by the council;
- to obtain information about the operation or administration of the municipality from the chief administrative officer or a person designated by the chief administrative officer;
- to keep in confidence matters discussed in private at a council or council committee meeting until discussed at a meeting held in public;
- to perform any other duty or function imposed on councillors by this or any other enactment or by the council;
- preside when in attendance at a council meeting unless a bylaw provides that another councillor or other person is to preside; and
- perform any other duty imposed on a chief elected official by this or any other enactment or bylaw.
During the period that a councillor serves as a Deputy Mayor they will receive the basic honorarium and per diems as set out in Council Policy C-AD22 - Elected Official Remuneration.
Options
Option 1 - Rotation of Councillors by Division Number
In this option the first four month Deputy Mayor rotation would start with the councillor for division 1. At the end of four months the councillor for division 2 would begin serving as Deputy Mayor, and so on. When the division 6 Councillor completes their four month rotation as Deputy Mayor, the rotation will start again with the division 1 councillor.
Option 2 - Alphabetical Order by Surname of Councillors
For this option the first four month Deputy Mayor rotation would start with the councillor with the surname closest to the letter "A". At the end of four months the councillor with the surname next in alphabetical order would begin serving as Deputy Mayor, and so on. When each Councillor completes their four month rotation as Deputy Mayor, the rotation will begin again at the top of the list with the councillor whose surname is closest to the letter "A".
Option 3 - Councillors Select Rotation
This option allows councillors to choose the rotation. One factor a councillor may consider is their comfort chairing meetings. Those who feel quite comfortable chairing would select rotations earlier in the term; those who would like more time and experience prior to chairing a meeting would select rotations later in the term.
Rotation 1 - October 28, 2025 to February 25, 2026 (121 days)
Rotation 2 - February 26, 2026 to June 26, 2026 (121 days)
Rotation 3 - June 27, 2026 to October 25, 2026 (121 days)
Rotation 4 - October 26, 2026 to February 23, 2027 (121 days)
Rotation 5 - February 24, 2027 to June 24, 2027 (121 days)
Rotation 6 - June 25, 2027 to October 23, 2027 (121 days)
Rotation 7 - October 24, 2027 to February 22, 2028 (122 days)
Rotation 8 - February 23, 2028 to June 23, 2028 (122 days)
Rotation 9 - June 24, 2028 to October 23, 2028 (122 days)
Rotation 10 - October 24, 2028 to February 22, 2029 (122 days)
Rotation 11 - February 23, 2029 to June 23, 2029 (121 days)
Rotation 12 - June 24, 2029 to October 23, 2029 (122 days)
Historical Information:
None
Strategic Plan/Policy/Legal/Staff Implications:
Municipal Government Act
Parkland County Bylaw 2015-06 - Meeting Procedures
Parkland County Policy C-AD22 - Elected Official Remuneration
Responsible Leadership: maintain the public's trust through transparent and fair decision-making.
Financial Impact:
Cost: n/a
Source of Funding: n/a