ESTEVAN - Estevan city council has tabled discussion on a policy that would govern leave of absence for members.
Council discussed the idea at its Jan. 22 meeting. Coun. Shelly Veroba noted the concept was brought up at the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association's convention a few years ago and other communities have adopted such policies.
Council currently follows the Cities Act, which says a member of council is disqualified if the individual is absent from all regular council meetings held during a period of three consecutive months, during which at least two meetings of the council have been held, unless the absence is authorized by a motion of council or a leave of absence policy.
Council also uses a recommendation from the city's remuneration committee on compensation for council members who miss meetings.
"Previously we have had council members that, due to illness, could not attend council. Accommodation was made and their salaries remained whole," said city clerk Judy Pilloud in a correspondence.
"Also, previously we have had councillor members not attend council for three months and no explanation was given. To enable them to remain on council and vote they had to be voted back in by council," she added later.
She also brought up the sick leave policy and the provisions in the collective bargaining agreement with city staff.
Pilloud recommended the status quo be maintained.
Coun. Kirsten Walliser, speaking in favour of a policy, said the city can do better than what is currently in place. As leaders in the community, council should be supported by a "Consistent, thoughtful and supportive policy that respects the part-time nature of their position and values council's humanness and the role they play in the community."
"In the absence of an updated, well-rounded policy, the responsibility rests fully on the councillor making the request to argue their case and to ask or debate or justify why the request has merit," she added later.
Reasons in the report don't reflect a wide variety of family and personal issues, she said. A policy should distinguish the difference between a short and a long leave, and it should be explicit where additional responsibilities would fall.
Also, without a clear policy, council-appointed boards are unsure of what to do.
Veroba noted a policy would have helped after she had a death in her family earlier in the term, while Walliser has twice given birth. Walliser scheduled her birth between council meetings.
Veroba also said the policy should have unpaid leave, since councillor is not a member's full-time job.
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Council members will be volunteering during the upcoming Challenge Days for Grade 9 students at the Estevan Comprehensive School on March 12 and 13. The school community council wrote a letter to council for volunteers and a financial contribution, as the cost to bring Challenge Days is $20,000.
The SRC has been seeking donations from others in the community and has had cash calendar draws.
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Council denied a request to allow for an exemption to its proclamation and flag-raising policy.
A request had been made for Wear Red Canada from the Canadian Women's Heart Health Alliance.
The policy, passed last year, requires people to be in attendance at a council meeting for the proclamation.
Coun. Lindsay Clark suggested shining red lights on the water tower in honour of the day on Feb. 13 and to create awareness in the community.
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The water quality report for December shows more than 98.28 million litres of water were treated and 94.81 million were pumped into the distribution system. All regulated parameters for drinking water were met.
There were no water breaks in December.
