Misuse of the “As Otherwise Provided for by Council” Idea When It Comes To Municipal Council and Staff By Lorri Matthewson Across the prairie provinces Councils involve themselves in hiring and firing, staff evaluations, raise decisions, disciplinary actions, staff direction, and operational decisions. They do this based on the assumption that they can, because they always have, or they feel entitled to, by virtue of their election. Here is the thing though. Council has O

By Lorri Matthewson (Founder and Lead Consultant Matthewson & Co.) www.smallplacesrock.com Municipalities run on a combination of legislation, bylaws, policies, and day-to-day administrative practices. In theory, these elements work together to create a transparent, consistent, and legally compliant system of local governance. In reality, many municipalities rely far more on practice than on policy—and often don’t realize that there could be consequences. Across the muni