Following the Aug 13. resignation of Mayor Debbie Baich, Rocky Mountain House town council will be discussing what comes next- both in the short and longer term.
According to Town documents, Deputy Mayor Marley Capraro automatically becomes acting mayor. Council will then have to appoint a deputy mayor to ensure coverage if the acting mayor is away.
Sec. 152 of the Municipal Government Act (MGA) dictates that, following the resignation of a chief elected official:
(1) A council must appoint one or more councillors as deputy chief elected official so that
(a) only one councillor will hold that office at any one time, and
(b) the office will be filled at all times
(2) A deputy chief elected official must act as the chief elected official
(a) when the chief elected official is unable to perform the duties of the chief elected official, or
(b) if the office of chief elected official is vacant
Also slated for discussion is the possibility of holding a byelection to fill the role of mayor just shy of a year away from the general election scheduled for fall of 2025.
According to the MGA:
If the chief elected official is elected by a vote of the electors of the whole municipality and the office becomes vacant, the vacancy must be filled.
(163) If on the date the vacancy occurs there are 12 months or more before a general election, by a by-election, or election day
(165) Unless a council sets an earlier date, election day for a by-election under section 162 or 163 is 120 days after the vacancy occurs
If a byelection is approved, council would recommend the date be set on Monday, November 25, 2024, as it is within the 120 day window, and regular elections are held on Mondays.
Council will also be discussing the possibility of drafting a letter to Municipal Affairs Minister McIver requesting to extend the time for filling the council vacancy to the next general election in 2025.
Such extensions are not without precedent as similar exemptions have recently been granted to other municipalities.
According to Town documents, if council decides on a byelection, Councillor Shippelt would become acting mayor on Nov. 1, 2024, until such time the byelection is complete.
Council would have to appoint a deputy mayor at this time.
If council asks for an exemption to holding a byelection and is successful, Coun. Shippelt would be acting mayor until March 1, 2025, and then Coun. Hutchinson would become acting mayor until the general election in Oct. 2025.
The Town of Rocky Mountain House’s next regular council meeting is 9 a.m. on Tuesday Aug. 20.
–
READ MORE: Debbie Baich resigns as mayor of Rocky Mountain House
_
Comments