WHEREAS the Minister of Municipal Affairs has announced that the terms of office for urban, northern municipal and school board officials will be lengthened to four years;

WHEREAS this decision was chosen as an innovative way of helping municipal officials with longer periods for municipal councils to plan and implement programs and longer term goals; that taxpayers will benefit from cost savings from holding fewer elections; and

WHEREAS the number of Committees and Boards that Council members are expected to become members of has increased; and that due to the often complex and long term nature of projects undertaken by these Committees and Boards, which include planning, environmental, drainage, and economic development projects;

BE IT RESOLVED that in order for rural councils to continue partnerships with our urban neighbours, government and other agencies, that rural municipal officials be included in the amendments to The Local Government Election Act such that, for rural municipal elections, the rotation of the terms of even and odd numbered divisions and reeve remain but that the length of the term of office be increased from two years to four years.

Response from Honourable Jeremy Harrison, Minister of Municipal Affairs:

• Municipal Affairs is currently developing legislative amendments to The Local Government Election Act (LGEA) to allow for four year staggered terms for rural municipal councillors. These amendments will be in place for the next round of urban, reeve and odd numbered division elections in 2012 elections.

• This change will help provide municipal officials with longer periods to plan and implement program and long term goals, and taxpayers may benefit from cost savings from holding fewer elections.