An Emergency Management Bylaw is in place after a tweak to the previously proposed regulation.
Municipal District of Bighorn council unanimously passed the bylaw on Tuesday (Feb. 10) at its regular meeting, which specifies during a state of emergency what actions need to be completed and by whom; whether it’s the municipality or government organizations.
During discussions of the proposed bylaw, Councillor Paul Ryan brought forward a motion to amend the proposal to include a clause where the director of emergency management shall advise council on the delivery of emergency plans and programs.
The wording hadn’t been specifically written into the proposed bylaw and that concerned Ryan. Administration pointed out that it was covered in the Emergency Management Plan that was unanimously passed in January.
Ryan said the amendment would reinforce the information in the Emergency Management Plan and doesn’t take away from its integrity.
“What I’m simply trying to do is get a guarantee that the next emergency will not see future councillors having to worry and demand to get information,” Ryan said during the meeting. “I believe council is entitled and should demand to be informed on what’s going on and it was in the last emergency plan that it didn’t occur to my satisfaction.”
Coun. Erik Butters asked what had changed in the motion to amend on the same matter brought forward by Ryan at the previous council.
“I don’t connect the dots that says council can’t rate the activities of the director without being able to demand his presence and answers in a bylaw,” Butters said. “I haven’t yet seen evidence that would change the position that I had last time that what we had and what we voted on isn’t adequate. I believe it is.”
Coun. Carolyn Montgomery said she doesn’t see a need for Ryan’s proposed amendment, but didn’t see any negatives to adding it.
Reeve Dene Cooper was in favour of the amendment and said human advancement has been best achieved through speaking and written language.
“Without that communication you can’t organize in a focused way,” Cooper said. “In states of local emergency, effective communication always improved the outcome. I’m trying to focus on what is needed.”
Chief Administrative Officer Martin Buckley said from his perspective the motion to amend “probably doesn’t achieve the guarantee” sought by councillors and the communications component is still within the plan.
The motion to amend was passed 4-1 by councillors, with Butters being the lone vote against it.
