TERRACE BAY – Across the Superior-North region, there seems to be a lack of public interest in running for council.
Although the nomination deadline is Aug. 19, less than two months away, Terrace Bay council is leaving nothing to chance.
In their recent council meeting, the council accepted the report presented by the administration and approve the adoption of a by-law to authorize delegated authority during the “lame duck period” of the council during the 2022 Municipal Election.
According to John Hall, CAO of Terrace Bay, “it just means that less than 75 per cent of the exciting council won’t be returning. There are two periods during the 2022 election that can occur. It’s between nomination day, which is Aug. 19 and election day, which is Oct. 24, and then again from election day to Nov. 15 when the council takes over.”
According to section 275 of the Municipal Act set in 2001, Restricted Acts After Nomination Day, which is commonly referred to as a “Lame Duck,” if less than three-quarters of the existing council members are not returning to council during the election period, restrictions will apply to the council that will diminish their power to act on behalf of their towns until a new council is formed.
If council is in a Lame Duck position, the council shall not take any of the following actions:
- the appointment or removal from office of any officer of the municipality
- the hiring or dismissal of any employee of the municipality
- the disposition of any real or personal property of the municipality which has a value exceeding $50,000 at the time of disposal
- making any expenditures or incurring any other liability which exceeds $50,000
However, there are exceptions to these rules.
If the council makes a disposition of any property or has expenditures that were included in the most recent budget, then the council could close those transactions have the nomination day on Aug. 19.
Furthermore, if the council is in a “lame duck” position and there is an emergency that affects the town, the administration has the authority to take action to acquire goods or services that are essential to prevent serious delays, injuries, damage or restore or maintain required services.
Otherwise, in the event of a “lame duck,” council members are not allowed to act in municipal decisions during the elections period and must delegate authority to staff.
Therefore, in the event of a “lame duck” period, the town council’s CAO Jon Hall will take on the financial and staffing authority.