Town of Banff

Time Commitments

The mayor is typically expected to work a “half-time” position, or about 17 hours per week. Councillors should expect to devote at least half of that, or about 8 to 9 hours per week.  This estimate can change depending on situations or time of year.  For example, time commitments are generally heavier during budget deliberations.  Individual council members may also make personal decisions to devote more time to various activities. 

Listed below are the most common scheduled activities for members of council.

Regular meetings of council

Council meets the second and fourth Monday of each month at 2 p.m.  The meeting schedule is typically reduced in July and August to only one meeting in each month.  Regular council meetings usually take between 2 and 3 hours.

Special meetings of council

Additional council meetings are scheduled during annual budget deliberations in November and December (and sometimes January).   

Meetings of committees, boards and agencies

The mayor and individual councillors are each appointed to represent council on an average of three internal and external committees, boards or agencies.  Meeting times vary, and can be bi-weekly, monthly, or less frequent depending on the situation.

Conferences, conventions, seminars and workshops

Currently, the mayor is compensated by the Town of Banff to attend no more than four conferences, conventions or seminars per year, with no more than two outside of Alberta.  Councillors are compensated to attend a maximum of two, with no more than one occurring outside of Alberta.  Many council members regularly attend the annual Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) a three-day event held in October or November, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), also a three-day event, in June.

Other travel

Travel for other duties is not common, however in the past council members have had opportunities to visit other resort communities to promote inter-municipal ties and to learn about successful initiatives.  The mayor has, on occasion, been required to travel to Edmonton and to Ottawa to meet with government officials on behalf of the Town of Banff.

Social and other events promoting Banff

These events can range from attending local fund-raisers, to giving welcome speeches at conferences, to representing the Town at industry-related social functions, among a host of other things.  Time commitments in this area are usually heavier for the mayor, and will also depend on the interest and availability of various council members.

Background work

The various meetings you will be attending each come with what is known as the Agenda Package, a package of reports and correspondence intended to help you prepare for the decisions required at the meeting.  You will need to have time to thoroughly read the information before attending meetings.  You will also want to have some time to meet occasionally with the Town Manager, who is officially council’s only employee, and who is charged with the task of implementing council’s policies and programs. 

Your life

You may find that it takes ten times as long to go to the post office as it used to.  Council members are very visible in this small town, and usually find that they are never “off duty.”  Residents will often take the opportunity to present their views or ask questions, whether in the vegetable aisle at the grocery store or in the stands at your child’s next hockey game.

Be sure to take into consideration the time you need for your personal life and your work, volunteer, and educational priorities.

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