If city council is going to meet earlier in the day, it needs to re-evaluate whether or not councillors are considered full-time or part-time.
That was the message from some members of council as they defeated a motion by Mayor Nolan Crouse to hold regular council meetings at 2:30 p.m. each Monday instead of the current 3 p.m. The change would have started after the next municipal election in 2013.
“I think it’s time the city truly look at what they are asking their councillors to do,” said Coun. Wes Brodhead.
Crouse said he brought forward the motion so the public could have more time to share during meetings.
“I believe starting a half-hour earlier leaves us more time to deal with matters,” Crouse said.
The motion was amended by Coun Len Bracko to start meetings at 2:00 instead of 2:30. Brodhead then submitted an amendment to have meetings start at 9:00 a.m. on Mondays, saying he was trying to make a point when it comes to councillors who work full-time, as he does.
“The city has made the decision that councillors serve part-time and do so understanding they have to give up their own time to do so,” Brodhead said. “The reality of it is the earlier you move the meeting schedule, the harder it is for people with truly full-time employment to run for council.”
Council came within one vote of approving Brodhead’s amendment, defeating it 4-3.
“I think that it’s a message to those running that it is going to take a considerable amount of their time,” Bracko said.
Just this year council received a report from a remuneration review committee that said the position of councillor should remain part-time. Council later voted to amend its policies to include the words “half” and “three-quarter time” to describe the position of a councillor.
Many councillors said they felt the workload is growing increasingly time-consuming, and that the time is coming to consider full-time councillors.
“When people consider whether or not they run for office, they need to understand it’s a part-time job and the hours being requested are somewhat analogous to a full-time job,” Brodhead said.
Brodhead, Coun. Roger Lemieux and Coun. Cam MacKay work full-time, while Coun. Cathy Heron, Coun. Malcolm Parker and Coun. Len Bracko do not. The position of mayor is considered full-time.
MacKay said being a councillor and working full-time can be difficult, but doesn’t believe St. Albert needs full-time councillors.
“The main point is you look at St. Albert and how many people can afford to dedicate the time to show up in the middle of the day or take one day a week off work?” MacKay said.
Council meetings have also started beginning earlier over the last several years. During former mayor Paul Chalifoux’s council, meetings started at 6:30 p.m. and sometimes went as late as midnight. That time has been since been rolled back twice to start earlier in the day.
