Election

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A CLOSER LOOK AT YOUR COMMUNITY

CITYLIFE | ELECTION 2021 municipal election IN THE RUNNING

BY STACIE GAETZ

Ever wondered what it would be like to be on City council or run for mayor? You have your chance to find out this fall during the City’s municipal election.

Long-time City employee and director of the CAO’s office Sharon Pollyck says the most important thing to consider when running is why you want to sit on council.

“The Municipal Government Act requires that you do what’s best for the whole of the community,” says Pollyck, who has worked for the City for 31 years.

“Sometimes people run without understanding what aspects can be influenced by council and what belongs to administration. There are times where residents run because they think that they can change something that they simply can’t. You must be prepared and know what the role entails so you can go in with your eyes wide open.”

She adds it is important for people to realize that the term is four years and can include unpredictable hours.

“The mayor is a full-time commitment, and the hours of work are not consistent,” she says. “There is evening and weekend work and in 2019, Mayor Peter Brown attended 750 events (not including council meetings).”

Council meetings are mandatory and are held the first and third Monday of each month at 3:30 p.m., with closed session and Council Budget Committee starting at 1:30 p.m. Council also has a number of boards, committees and commission that councillors sit on.

The 2021 City of Airdrie municipal election will be held on Oct. 18. Nominations for candidates is open from Jan. 1 until Sept. 20 at noon.

Candidates must be 18 years of age, a Canadian citizen, live in Alberta for the six months prior to nomination day (Sept. 20) and have a place of residence in Airdrie.

You must not owe the City more than $50 in taxes or $500 in any other debt in order to run.

Candidates for mayor and council are required to submit nominations papers and acceptance, candidate information, official agent communications consent and a $100 deposit.

Nomination papers must be completed in full and have sworn the Candidate’s Acceptance section before a Commissioner for Oaths.

Candidates must also have the signature of a minimum of 10 eligible voters, who live in Airdrie on the day they sign, but Pollyck suggests candidates get more than 10 signatures.

The positions of mayor and councillors are at-large elections, meaning each person elected represents the city as a whole and not a particular ward or section of the city.

The mayor makes $112,465 per year, plus an automobile allowance of $400/month, and councillors receive $52,780 per year plus benefits.

The City of Airdrie has a $159 million operating budget and is in charge of about 49 lines of business.

Councillors have the following duties:

• to consider the welfare and interests of the city as a whole and to bring to council’s attention anything that would promote the welfare or interests of the municipality; • to participate generally in developing and evaluating the policies and programs of the municipality; • to participate in council meetings and council committee meetings and meetings of other bodies to which they are appointed by the council.

The mayor, in addition to performing the duties of a councillor, must:

• preside when in attendance at a council meeting unless a bylaw provides that another councillor or other person is to preside, and • perform any other duty imposed on a chief elected official by this or any other enactment or bylaw.

Council establishes the priorities for the City and the service levels that residents receive.

According to Pollyck, the current council’s priorities include expanding and diversifying citizen engagement, expanding community facilities (which includes the library and a recreation facility), affordable housing, the 40th Avenue interchange, attracting business to Airdrie and downtown revitalization. life