The Rural Municipality of Prince Albert is taking a precaution if Human Resources issues come up. At their regular meeting on Thursday, March 19. The RM made the decision to be proactive in case any Human Resources or related issues arise.
There have been tests of Human Resources for organizations recently.
“We want to make sure that we are doing our due diligence when it comes to the administration of anything administrative with our staff so that we are sure we have been fair to our employees and remaining within the boundaries of the labour laws,” Reeve Eric Schmalz said.
The concept originally came because the consultant was brought in by another organization in the building.
“Actually we brought on an HR Consultant with the Water Utility and I also mentioned it to Buckland and they were receptive to bringing it on as part of their operations as well,” he explained.
The RM will sign and retain the services of Saskatoon’s RCH Consulting Ltd. The consultant will serve as a third party advisor and mediator and provide information on the Labour Code and anything involving Human Resources. The cost will be on a use-by-use basis and have an hourly salary and not be a case of a retainer.
RM of Prince Albert continues to work on Fire Management Bylaw
Planning is still under way for a new Fire Management Bylaw in the RM of Prince Albert. The RM restructured their Fire Permit Policy at their regular meeting on Thursday, March 19.
Council decided to deal with the matter now because it is getting close to high burning permit season. They restructured the fine bylaw while they continue to work on the overall Fire Bylaw.
“Before the city was laying the fine and we were collecting it on behalf of the city. Now what has happened is we have changed our fire contract so that we would be the ones collecting those fines and we would have say on who is fined and who isn’t,” Reeve Eric Schmalz said.
“Whereas before the city would just lay the fine and we would just basically enforce it for them,” he explained.
The council is still considering the Fire Management Bylaw as councillors recently received it. They have been in consultation with the city of Prince Albert and the Prince Albert Fire Department. It is awaiting third reading and will wait until a final document can be completed with the City.
RM of Prince Albert approves covering costs to attend political events
Reeve of the RM of Prince Albert Eric Schmalz attended the recent Premier’s Dinner in Prince Albert. The interactions with provincial government officials got him thinking and at the regular meeting of the RM Council on Thursday, March 19 the council introduced a motion to cover the cost to have delegations attend similar events.
The concept insures that the RM will cover the cost in any case in the future.
“Essentially there is a cost to attend these events we would probably only send one delegate there and we would go regardless of who the political party was in power. We would send a delegate just so that we would have face time with the ministers and the Premier,” Schmalz said.
He had face-to-face meetings with Premier Scott Moe, MLA Joe Hargrave and other ministers in attendance. The council wants delegates to go to such events to get contact with Government.. All councillors could attend but it will be a council decision on a case-by-case basis.
