The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Flin Flon City Council will become more accountable and transparent under a new law being brought in by the NDP government. Bill 23 would require all Manitoba municipalities outside Winnipeg to implement policies and practices aimed at strengthening the accountability of municipal councils and supporting transparent decision-making. This would include: following a code of conduct that would set standards of behaviour for municipal council members and exercising the authority to censure a member who has breached the code; providing notice and information to the public about capital projects prior to borrowing funds for projects so citizens would have information to enable them to voice their concerns before projects move forward; following a tendering and procurement policy to ensure spending decisions are objective and fair, and municipal resources are used in the most efficient and effective way; following a policy to ensure practices for the private use of municipal equipment are clear and consistently applied; and reporting on a council's response to any recommendations made in a report by the Office of the Auditor General so that citizens will be aware of the recommendations and be able to hold their councils accountable for responding to them. Bill 23 would also expand existing legislation to reduce the potential for conflict-of-interest situations when municipalities work regionally. Employees of regional municipal bodies would be required to take a leave of absence before they could be nominated or elected to council. As well, all municipal council members, including those in Winnipeg, would be required to disclose in their annual statement of assets and interests all properties they own in the province, not just property they own in the municipality. Council members' statements of assets and interests are available for review by the public. 'It is an expectation that municipal councils, like all governments, make decisions that are in the best interests of the municipality as a whole,' said Local Government Minister Ron Lemieux. 'This strengthens citizens' trust and confidence in their municipal governments.' The bill is expected to pass given the NDP's majority in the legislature. _ Compiled from a Government of Manitoba news release
