Committee FAQs

What do committees do?

Council Committees support and facilitate the achievement of Mountain View County's visions and goals, and advise Council on matters relevant to Committee mandates. All County representatives on authorities, boards and committees are appointed by Council, and are typically residents of the County. Council also appoints County staff and members-at-large to represent Mountain View County on a number of boards and authorities that are inter-municipal, regional and provincial in scope.

How to get involved

In the fall of each year, prior to Council's annual Organizational Meeting, the County will advertise all committee vacancies to the public, along with a deadline for filing an application to these committees. Applications are available at the County Office, and online.

At the yearly Organizational Meeting, Council will choose members-at-large for each committee vacancy from all qualified applicants. Generally, committee appointments for members-at-large are one or two year terms, however this is at the discretion of Council. Should Council fail to draw enough interest from qualified applications to fill a committee, or in the event of a committee resignation or disqualification, these positions may be advertised by the County until all vacancies are filled.

What to expect

The frequency of County committee meetings can vary from committee to committee. While some meet infrequently, others involve a commitment of many hours per month, along with participation in various forms of public consultation. County committees usually meet at the County Office, although travel is often required within the County for inter-municipal boards, and outside of the County for regional and provincially legislated authorities, boards, committees and commissions.

Committee members and members-at-large who are appointed to provincially legislated boards and committees will be paid on a per diem and mileage rate as established by County Council.

All committee members are subject to a Code of Ethics which is in place to ensure that Committee Members act honestly, in good faith and in the best interests of Mountain View County. The application reinforces that Committee members must have respect for other Member's personal and Committee decisions, both within the committee and in public.

The entire Code of Ethics for committee members can be viewed here.

What is the difference between Regular Council and Policies and Priorities Committee?

While their membership is the same, the roles of Policies and Priorities Committee and Regular Council are quite different.

Since its inception in September of 2005, Policies and Priorities Committee (P&P) has provided a forum for County Council to discuss ideas, and to receive information from prospective developers and community partners. As per the guidelines for Policies and Priorities Committee meetings, no motions are presented or voted on during these twice monthly sessions. Instead, P&P Committee- which is chaired by the Deputy Reeve and is comprised of all seven County councillors- can make motions recommending that items be brought forward to future Regular Council meetings, where final decisions on all County policies and priorities are made.

What makes presentations in P&P different from those during Public Hearings is that items brought forward during P&P are solely for the purpose of information. Public Hearings, on the other hand, are held during Regular Council meetings, and are opened once a bylaw is given first reading by Council. Public in support, and in opposition of the bylaw are given the opportunity to address Council, after which Council will close the Public Hearing to discuss and approve, deny or defer second and third reading of the bylaw in question.