Athabasca Town Council voted against adapting a policy regarding councillors attending conferences at last Tuesday’s council meeting.
The idea of a policy regarding conferences sparked a debate amongst the councillors.
At the last council meeting councillors directed administration to create a policy regarding conferences. Councillor George Hawryluk saw a need for such a policy because there have been discussions on the subject before.
“In the past I remember we had a discussion, and then there was an argument whether or not a councillor was benefiting from any conference they were attending,” Hawryluk said.
“Or if it was more of a personal interest in the conference.”
Hawryluk mentioned the policy needn’t be in writing, and that councillors could just announce to other councillors when they are attending a conference.
Councillor Tim Verhaeghe asked if the policy would require councillors wishing to go to a conference to receive formal acceptance from council, to which chief administrative officer (CAO) Doug Topinka responded the policy would be as formal as council wanted to make it.
“If it is not going to be formal at a council meeting, I would indicate that sending out an email to get approval is acceptable,” he said.
Councillor Richard Verhaeghe didn’t agree with the policy.
“I think this is getting into babysitting,” he said. “We shouldn’t have to sit here like a bunch of babies and watch each other.”
He suggested a policy stating the maximum amount of conferences a councillor can attend in a year, and leave it at that.
“I think we should have some discretion,” he said.
Councillor Tim Verhaeghe added, “I respectfully submit that we are not a council that takes advantage of conferences. Certainly on our budget lines for conferences we’re probably always under budget because maybe we are guilty of not going to enough.”
Councillor Colleen Powell, acting as mayor in Roger Morrill’s absence, asked if conferences had become an issue.
“And if we did have a policy we would have to add in conferences that are paid for by the Town of Athabasca,” she said.
“Some people attend conferences paid for by the various groups they sit on. We have to be specific to that.”
Richard Verhaeghe said it hasn’t been a problem, and that council doesn’t take advantage of the current conference allowance, since council has not attended a single conference so far this year.
Councillor Lionel Cherniwchan added, “If it has never been a problem, and we’re always under budget, I think in our case, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Councillor Paula Evans noted that in the time she has been here, no councillor has attended more than two conferences a year.
“No one goes to them anymore,” she said, pointing out that so far this year, taxpayers have not funded a conference trip for any of the councillors, although there is $13,000 of available funds.
