Members of council

MUNICIPALITÉ DU CANTON DE MELBOURNE

MUNICIPALITÉ DU
CANTON DE MELBOURNE

MUNICIPALITY OF
TOWNSHIP OF MELBOURNE

Members of council

Douglas Morrison

Mayor

The mayor is the township principal officer. He or she chairs town council meetings and works with other council members. The mayor has the right to supervise, investigate, and control the operation of municipal services. The mayor must ensure that the town’s revenues are collected and spent in accordance with the law. In an emergency situation that threatens the lives of citizens, their health, or the integrity of municipal facilities, the mayor may, on his or her own authority, authorize expenditures and award contracts deemed necessary to remedy the situation. In addition, the mayor represents the entire population of the township and represents the township on the MRC council.

ROLE OF THE COUNCIL

The majority of the municipalities of Quebec have a council made up of seven elected people. There is a mayoress or a mayor and six councillors. The elected representatives have three main roles to play: representative of the citizens, the legislator and the administrator.

Councillors

Besides assisting in meetings of the council and to represent the interests of the community, the councillor participates in the decision-making for the municipality. Unless a situation of conflict of interests arises, the councillor has the obligation to vote. The councillor has no power to make decisions in the name of the municipality, except during the board meetings. The councillor may be named to committees and may be called upon to act as promayor.

Council meetings

At the council meetings is the moment when the council can make decisions, in the shape of resolutions or regulations. All the council meetings, ordinary or extraordinary, are public. The law states that the municipal council has to hold an ordinary session at least once a month.