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Role of Council
Council is the governing body of Rocky View County as a municipality and, along with the Chief Administrative Officer, is the custodian of its powers and duties under the Municipal Government Act and other legislation, bylaws, and policies. Rocky View County’s Council is comprised of seven councillors elected from each of the County’s seven electoral divisions.
Council’s role is to set the overall direction of the municipality through the policies and programs it develops, as well as making decisions in the best interest of the residents and businesses of Rocky View County. The policies and programs set by Council provide the guidelines for Administration to follow while conducting the day-to-day operations of the municipality.
The Municipal Government Act sets out the following six purposes for municipalities in Alberta:
- to provide good government
- to foster the well-being of the environment
- to foster the economic development of the municipality
- to provide services, facilities, or other things that, in the opinion of Council, are necessary or desirable for all of part of the municipality
- to develop and maintain safe and viable communities
- to work collaboratively with neighbouring municipalities to plan, deliver, and fund intermunicipal services
Rocky View County Council carries out the purposes of municipalities in Alberta through the policies, programs, and decisions it makes on behalf of the residents and businesses of the County.
Candidates interested in running for office may refer to the following resources in preparation for their potential role as councillor:
Role of the Chief Administrative Officer
The Chief Administrative Officer is the administrative head of Rocky View County as a municipality and is responsible for implementing the policies and programs established by Council, as well as providing advice to Council and keeping it informed of the operations of the municipality.
The powers and duties of the Chief Administrative Officer are outlined in the Municipal Government Act, Rocky View County’s Chief Administrative Officer Bylaw, and other legislation, bylaws, and policies that are applicable to the municipality.
The relationship between Council and the Chief Administrative Officer is essential to the administration of a municipality. It is important for Council to trust that the Chief Administrative Officer will carry out the decisions made by Council, and it is important for the Chief Administrative Officer to trust that Council will consider their advice when making decisions.
Role of a Councillor
Rocky View County’s Council is comprised of seven councillors elected from each of the County’s seven electoral divisions. A councillor’s role is to work with other councillors to set the overall direction of Rocky View County through their roles as decision-makers.
The Municipal Government Act sets out the following eight duties of councillors in Alberta:
- to consider the welfare and interests of Rocky View County as a whole and to bring to Council’s attention anything that would promote the welfare or interests of the municipality
- to promote an integrated and strategic approach to intermunicipal land use planning and service delivery with neighbouring municipalities
- to participate generally in developing and evaluating Rocky View County’s policies and programs
- to participate in Council meetings and committee meetings and meetings of other bodies to which they are appointed by Council
- to obtain information about the operation or administration of the municipality from the Chief Administrative Officer
- to keep in confidence matters discussed in private at a Council or committee meeting until discussed at a meeting held in public
- to perform any other duty or function imposed on them by the Municipal Government Act and other legislation, bylaws, and policies
When carrying out their duties as councillors, councillors must be careful not to place the interest of their electoral division above the interest of the municipality. Councillors are elected to look after the interests of the entire municipality. Council’s effectiveness depends on councillors providing input from the perspective of their electoral divisions while thinking and voting for Rocky View County as a whole.
Councillors must also make certain to avoid situations where they may have a conflict of interest in a matter to be decided by Council. Councillors must be familiar with the pecuniary interest and conflict of interest provisions of the Municipal Government Act to ensure that the decisions a councillor makes do not benefit them, their family, or their employers.
Role of the Reeve
While other municipalities, particularly urban municipalities, have Mayors who are elected by the residents of their municipality, Rocky View County, along with other rural municipalities, has a Reeve who is chosen by the councillors of the municipality.
The primary role of the Reeve is to be the official spokesperson of Rocky View County and to preside over Council meetings, which are duties established in the Municipal Government Act and the County’s Procedure Bylaw.
As the official spokesperson of Rocky View County, the Reeve plays an important role in communicating the decisions of Council, representing Rocky View County on matters involving other municipalities, and representing the County at the provincial and federal levels.
When presiding over Council meetings, it is important for the Reeve to be impartial and fair towards other councillors and to ensure that Council meetings are conducted in an orderly manner. The Reeve is often a consensus-builder who can navigate competing priorities and personalities.
Rocky View County’s Reeve is chosen on annual basis at Council’s annual organizational meeting, which are held annually in October. The Reeve serves one-year terms. Because of the significant additional duties placed on the Reeve, the Reeve is compensated at a higher rate than councillors.
Role of the Deputy Reeve
The Role of the Deputy Reeve is to act in place of the Reeve when they are unable to perform their duties, which generally occurs when the Reeve is away or otherwise occupied from time to time. Rocky View County’s Deputy Reeve is chosen on annual basis at Council’s annual organizational meeting, which are held annually in October. The Deputy Reeve serves one-year terms.
Because there are additional duties placed on the Deputy Reeve, but not as many additional duties as are placed on the Reeve, the Deputy Reeve is compensated at a higher rate than councillors but at a lower rate than the Reeve.
Training and Orientation
Newly elected Rocky View County councillors are required to attend a series of orientation sessions to prepare for their term of office on Council. Attendance at the orientation sessions is required by the Municipal Government Act.
The following are some of the topics that are required to be covered in the orientation sessions, which will be held after the 2025 municipal election:
- the role of municipalities in Alberta
- the organization and function of municipalities
- budgeting and financial administration
- the roles and responsibilities of councillors
- the roles and responsibilities of the Chief Administration Officer and Rocky View County employees
Councillors may attend additional training throughout their term of office as provided for in Rocky View County’s Council Compensation and Expense Reimbursement Policy. Rocky View County provides councillors with a budget of at least $4,500 for attendance at conferences, workshops, courses, and seminars that are relevant to their duties as elected officials.
The following training options are popular with newly elected councillors in Alberta:
Time Commitment
Being a Rocky View County councillor involves a significant amount of time to be dedicated towards performing the duties of the office. Councillors are expected to do the following:
- prepare for and attend Council meetings and meetings of the boards and committees to which they are appointed by Council
- attend and represent Rocky View County at public events, such as grand openings, parades, open houses, and public meetings
- prepare for and attend workshops and other training opportunities provided or facilitated by Rocky View County
- answer emails, letters, and phone calls from residents
Rocky View County conducted a survey prior to the 2021 municipal election which indicated that councillors could expect to spend, on average, around 35 hours per week on their official duties. The Reeve and Deputy Reeve positions have higher time commitments.
Meetings
One of the core duties of a Rocky View County councillor is to attend Council meetings and meetings of the various other boards and committees that a councillor may be appointed to by Council. Council meetings are generally held on Tuesdays beginning at 9:00 a.m., twice a month.
Preparing for these meetings, particularly Council meetings, requires a significant time commitment from councillors. Agenda packages for Council meetings, for example, can range from between 100 to 400 pages of materials that should be reviewed prior to each meeting.
In addition to two Council meetings each month, Rocky View County councillors can expect to attend the following board and committee meetings on a regular basis:
- Governance Committee meetings, which are generally held once a month
- Public Presentation Committee meetings, which are generally held on a quarterly basis
- Recreation Governance Committee meetings, which are generally held on a quarterly basis
- Emergency Management Committee meetings, which are generally held on an annual basis
- Intermunicipal Committee meetings, which are generally held on a quarterly basis
- Agricultural Service Board meetings, which are generally held on a quarterly basis
- Family and Community Support Services Board meetings, which are generally held on a quarterly basis
Key Documents, Policies, Bylaws, and Legislation
Two other key pieces of legislation that councillors should be familiar with are the Alberta Protection of Privacy Act, which outlines how Rocky View County may collect, use, and release information, and the Alberta Access to Information Act, which provides rules for how records may be accessed by the public.
Rocky View County councillors are subject to the Alberta Access to Information Act, which means that a councillor's records (such as emails) may be released to the public as part of an access to information request. Following the 2025 municipal election, Rocky View County councillors will receive an orientation session outlining the important portions of both pieces of legislation.
The Alberta Protection of Privacy Act outlines what matters may be handled confidentially by Council, including issues involving private personal information or confidential business information that may prejudice Rocky View County’s negotiating position or interfere with a legal or enforcement matter if disclosed to the public.