As election date nears, one of the items brought up during campaigning has been people discussing the time they have to devote themselves to the role of councillor, mayor or reeve. So what exactly is the time commitment for these respective positions?
If you ask County of St. Paul or Town of St. Paul councillors, they note that the commitment varies based on how many committees they serve and meetings they attend – as well as fielding calls and inquiries from ratepayers, or checking out issues like the condition of roads or infrastructure.
Some say it can be an average of 10 hours a week, plus visits and calls, while others may devote much more.
County of St. Paul Coun. Laurent Amyotte, who has been acclaimed, says on the low end, he might spend 10 hours in a week doing council duties, while at other times, the job is the equivalent of his full-time work, particularly when he’s attending a conference.
“It is a big commitment,” he said, noting that in the course of visiting his division and working, he’s gone through one vehicle in this past term.
Amyotte says if he was to spend the hours he spends on council towards time on his private business instead, he would be able to make much more on an annual basis. But serving the public as an elected official is not about making money or seeking power or glory, but helping local residents and the community, he said.
“When you’re not in there to be of service, you’re not in the right business, and it’s time to get out,” he said.
Both the reeve and the mayor agree the commitment for the leader of council is much more onerous.
“My job, for six months of the year, is full time,” said Reeve Steve Upham, saying that October to March sees him dedicating the entire work week to his role, including representing the County of St. Paul in external committees, or at the provincial or federal level, and responding to ratepayers. In the spring and summer months, his duties may be somewhat lighter, with him estimating in these months, the role would be equivalent to a 0.5 to 0.75 FTE position.
The County of St. Paul’s meetings are in the daytime, and many committee meetings also take place in the day, making the job a difficult one to do if a person’s work hours are inflexible, he says.
“It’s geared for people that are self-employed or farmers,” he said of sitting on county council, adding for himself as a farmer, he benefits from “having a family that’s committed to me being in this position and is committed to doing the work on the farm when I’m not available.”
With the size of the county, a reeve-at-large can cover upwards of 50,000 to 60,000 kilometres in a year, while councillors can log 30,000 km or more on their vehicles – another part of the time commitment.
“You’d have to make sure your employer is supportive or committed to you being on council to give you that time,” said Upham.
Mayor Glenn Andersen notes that as a mayor or reeve, a person is “in demand all the time . . . there’s literally no way you can attend everything.”
With evening and weekend duties, it’s important to delegate duties like ribbon cuttings or attending certain events to other members of council, or deputy reeves and deputy mayors, he said.
Andersen said he doesn’t believe a mayor’s job is a full-time one, noting that even the City of Cold Lake, with a population of nearly 15,000, has a mayor that has another full-time job.
However, he estimates that he could spend at least 25 hours of his week fielding calls or in meetings and vents, and is fortunate to have the support of his employer, St. Paul Education Regional Division, to serve as mayor.
“I work a lot of overtime, and in-lieu time,” he said, adding that this, along with his vacation time, gives him the time he needs to fulfill his mayoral duties.
Both note though that while people may come to leaders with their concerns, that there is a chain of command. The reeve may direct people with concerns to their divisional councillor, if they hadn’t already been in touch with him/her, or to administration and public works, while a mayor might also have to refer matters to administration or bring the concerns to council.
“Everybody’s equal, everyone has one voice,” Andersen said. “The perception is that the buck stops there (with the leader), but the reality is the buck stops with all of council.”
The other critical factor in the time people have to commit to the job may be the supportiveness of the people closest to elected officials.
“Family support is huge in this role,” says Andersen. “It is a challenge to balance your life, your work and your commitment to being an elected official as well.”
Reeve Steve Upham –
“I think a lot of councillors are farmers, I guess that would be a full-time job. Some council – stay-at-1home, homemakers.
She’s not on council, she’s at home making pies.
County – council It’s pretty hard to ha
a full-time job and be a councillors. Ther’es a lot of day time commitments, and it’s hard to take itme off.
It’s geared for people that are self-employed or farmers.
My job for six months of the year. Is full time – winter months. October to the end of March. Three quarters time . half-time in the summer.
Meetings, planning, budgets. As reeve you represent the council in external committees, you represent the council to the province. That involves antoh
I just have the benefit of having a family that’s commited to me being in this position and is committed to doing the work on the farm when I’m not available.
I field calls oh maybe a call a week. In the spring, getting half a dozen calls a week. I don’t really intervene. I follow a chain of comman.d first point of call is administration or public works.
Then they’ll go to councillor. Have you called the counicllor?
You’d have to make sure your employer is supportive or committed to you being on council to give you that time.
Greater distances to drive. Cover 50,000 km – 60,000 km a year. Division councilors doing 30,000 km.
Councillor – I think councillor, it can vary based on their commitment, their desire to serve on committees.
Half to point six. Ftd. Other councillors are very happy to be 0.3. Some councillors go to three or four meetings a month, other councillors go to eight committees a month.
Hours you put in or days you commit –
Most of it is just committee work. You work to represent your residnts, or ratepayers around the committee work. Representing committee e-
We’ve got councillors going all around – some councillors get one call. It just depends on the commitment of council.
Commitment – significantly more commitment for mayor or reeve. It’s you’re in demand all the time.
That’s why it’s great to have deputy mayor or other councillors.
There’s literally no way you can attend everything.
Every day of the week and weekends.
That’s why you have to delegate – dpeyuty mayors .
Substantially more calls as a mayor. You’re out there and you have to be accessible. People expect you to return their calls.
They tend to gravitate to the mayor and the reeve. That’s why – everybody’s equal, everyone has one voice. The perception is that the buck stops there, but the bcuk stops at all council.
More around 25 calls a week. That means they stop you at the street.
You could look at ti all different ways. Is it a full time job. I don’t think it is at this point.
Cold Lake – 15,000, 20,000. They’re not full time.
I would say you’re in the ball park. 0.6
“You have to have that flexibility with your employer. Because it’s not a full-time positon. I work a lot of overtime, and in-lieu time. All my vacation tiem goes to this. IF it’s an all day vacation, then have to take a day. – claim the in-lieu time I built up if it’s only a couple of hours.
That makes a commitment for the family.
We’re try oto make – council meetings take place at evening, but committee meetings in the day. You have to meet with differnet people in the different day.
You’re in demand a lot . You can have as much contact with people from out of town – conference calls. You have to take time off from your job.
Council – I’m only guessing. I remember being a councillor. They tend to gravitate to the mayor. At least I could go shopping.
Everybody gets one vote.
All these points of contacts – meet with developers.
Difference between county and town. Most county are farmers. When you live in a urnban municipality, the challenge is to balance life and work. And it’ is challenging, there is no doubt at times, it is challenging.
You just have to realize, you can’t do everything.
Family support is huge in this role. If you don’t have your family support, young children.
It is a challenge to balance your life, your work and your commitmebt to being an elected official as well.
At least 25 hours/week.
Councillor commitment – 17 different committees. County council -
