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TOWNSHIP COUNCIL
The Township Council is made up of a Reeve, Deputy Reeve and three Councillors. At present the Reeve is Richard Kidd, the Deputy Reeve is Sharon Mousseau and the Councillors are Faye Campbell, Ross Trimble and Brian Dowdall. Each member of Council holds their office for a four year term. The next election will be in November 2010.
Council is responsible for overseeing the overall management of municipal business. The Township's Council deals with severance proposals, payment of suppliers and contractors, setting of policies and priorities with regard to capital work such as roadways, recreation, waste management, and other similar items. Council meets once a month, usually the first Tuesday of the month to deal with the issues on hand.
The Reeve is the head of Council and his duties include running Council meetings and ensuring that staff are performing their duties as required by Council. The Reeve is elected to this seat by the people of the Township, unlike the County Warden who is appointed by members of the County Council.
Township Council's are responsible for a large variety of duties from animal control to zoning. Because the Township Council is so close to the concerns of their area, in comparison to the Federal and Provincial Government, they must deal with a vast and varied menu almost on a daily basis. Members of a municipal Council are often called by the public late at night or early in the morning to deal with a road sign being knocked down or a dog barking because they are local and usually known by the area residents. Any person who is on Council must have the time and dedication to properly do the job. The Beckwith Township Council meet once a month on the first Tuesday of the month. These meetings are opened to the public and Council invites anyone who is interested in attending to join them.
Council is supported by a Chief Administrative Officer. The Chief Administrative Officer is there to advise Council and ensure that any and all directions received from Council are completed.
The Chief Administrative Officer is supported by the Deputy Clerk and Planning Administrator, Public Works Superintendent, Chief Building Official and By-law Enforcement Officer and the Fire Chief. These members of staff are also there to provide advise and direction to the people of the Township.
The Chief Administrative Officer also directly oversees all areas such as finance, taxation and general office duties.
The Deputy Clerk and Planning Administrator is Council's advisor on Planning matters and as such must be well aware of the legislation concerning planning. Besides this though, the person in this position will also have some knowledge of the other areas a township may deal with.
The Public Works Superintendent, the Building Official and By-law Enforcement Officer and the Fire Chief are all specialized positions. These persons deal with a specific area of concern within the Township.
The Public Works Superintendent ensures that roadways are properly maintained including grading and snow removal. He also advises Council or the Public Works Committee of any and all necessary work to be done on the roadways and the road equipment.
The Building Official and By-law Enforcement Officer ensures that houses and other buildings that are being built within the Township meet the requirements of the Ontario Building Code and that the By-laws of the Township are being followed such as parking restrictions.
The Fire Chief, appointed by Council, is responsible for supervising the volunteer Fire Department and ensuring that the fire equipment is properly maintained.
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