The City of Grande Prairie held its annual Organizational Meeting, assigning council members to different committees and approving a Deputy Mayor schedule for the year.
Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton says the process is an important part of any municipality’s governance, saying the restructuring of committees allows for council members to get a taste of all the city is responsible for.
“There’s a lot of work that goes into the organizational meeting, shuffling of councillors so every councillor has the opportunity to serve on the various meetings,” she says. “They get really a taste of everything that’s going on with these external committees.”
The committee meeting schedule was not approved during the Organizational Meeting as not all councillors were present; however, some restructuring did occur, notably, the choice to reduce the number of committees from five to four.
The Public and Protective Services, Operational Services, and Financial and Administrative Services committees remain; however, the new “Investment and Strategy” committee will replace the previously independent Invest GP and Strategy and Communications Services committees.
“You will see different chairs at each committee this time, and also the schedule that will be approved November 4th, clearly identifies for people who are interested in when council meets, when standing committees are, [or] when we might be on a break,” Clayton says.
The next city council meeting is scheduled for November 4th, and the new committee schedule for the year is expected to be approved.
