Title
Establishment of Independent Appeal Panel Under the Weed Control Act
Proposed Motion
That Council establish the public members of Parkland County's Agricultural Service Board as the independent appeal panel under section 19(1) of the Weed Control Act to hear and determine appeals of inspector's notices, local authority's notices, and debt recovery notices for the period October 13, 2026 to October 12, 2027.
Body
Administration Recommendation
Administration recommends that Council establish the public members of Parkland County's Agricultural Service Board as the independent appeal panel under section 19(1) of the Weed Control Act to hear and determine appeals of inspector's notices, local authority's notices, and debt recovery notices for the period October 13, 2026 to October 12, 2027.
Purpose
For Council to fulfill its statutory responsibility under section 19(1) of the Weed Control Act by establishing an independent appeal panel to hear and determine appeals of inspector’s notices, local authority’s notices, and debt recovery notices.
Summary
Section 19(1) of the Weed Control Act requires the local authority to establish, at least annually, an independent appeal panel to determine appeals of inspector’s notices, local authority’s notices, and debt recovery notices. For a municipality, the Act defines the local authority as the council of the municipality. Accordingly, Council is responsible for establishing Parkland County’s independent appeal panel.
Parkland County’s Agricultural Service Board Terms of Reference provide that the Board will perform the duties of an appeal panel under the Weed Control Act and that Councillors will not participate as members of the panel when it performs this adjudicative role. Administration therefore recommends that Council establish the public members of the Agricultural Service Board as the independent appeal panel for the proposed one-year period.