Role of Member of Council

Role of  Member of Council

The people who run for election to Town Council are usually individuals who care very much about the Town of Osoyoos, and may or may not have strong positions on certain issues. Often they are already active in the community through volunteer work, and through that work are accustomed to having a positive influence on the lives of the people of Osoyoos.

Once elected, these five individuals form the Town Council team, which is responsible for setting the policy direction of the community. Their ability to influence actual operational decisions becomes a collective ability. The influence of any one individual Council member depends on his or her ability to convince a majority of the rest of Council, through reasoned debate in a Council meeting (almost all of which are open to the public to observe), that a particular decision is the right decision.

Term of Office:

The three (3) year term for those people elected in the November 2011 election will officially begin in December, 2012, and run until November of 2014.

Time Commitment

People elected to public office are often required to put in a considerable time commitment, and to balance their public life with their family and work responsibilities. Osoyoos Town Council has regularly scheduled meetings on the first and third Monday of each month, which all Council members attend. In addition individual members usually sit on various committees, boards or other bodies. Finally, many members of Council spend significant amounts of time speaking to their constituents and representing the Town at various public functions.

Anyone considering running for election may wish to speak with someone currently in office to gain a better understanding of the time commitment involved. You can find contact information for the current members here.

Remuneration

The Mayor and Councillors of the Town of Osoyoos receive a stipend in recognition of the time and energy that they devote to this community.