The Clerk is an officer of the Corporation and has a number of duties assigned by Council under municipal policy and Provincial Statutes and Regulations. Some of the Statutes are The Municipal Act, The Municipal Elections Act, The Vital Statistics Act, Municipal Freedom of Information and Privacy Protection, The Line Fences Act, Assessment Act and the Planning Act.
 
The Clerk is responsible for preparing Council Agendas, minutes, by-laws, resolutions and reports for Council. The Clerk is also designated to record and maintain all resolutions, decisions and other proceedings of Council. The Clerk, in accordance with the Municipal Act, is the Official By-Law and Record Keeper for the Corporation and is responsible for maintaining an index of all the By-Laws of the Municipality and for maintaining all records in accordance with the Records Retention By-Law of the Corporation. Most information relating to the Township is kept permanently and stored into the archives. General correspondence is normally kept for 7 years then destroyed in accordance with the Record Retention By-Law.
 
The Clerk’s department is responsible for organizing the Municipal Election every four years, in accordance with the Elections Act, and ensures that proper conduct is maintained throughout the elections.
 
The Clerk co-ordinates the day to day operations of the Municipality, working closely with other department heads to ensure the smooth operation of the Corporation.
 
The following is a short list of the roles and responsibilities of the Clerk-Administration Department.
 

Roles and Responsibilities

  • Agendas – Minutes – Reports

  • Record Management and Archives

  • Bingo and Lottery Licensing

  • Municipal Elections

  • Emergency Planning

  • Tenders

  • Staff administration

  • Financial

  • Vital Statistics

  • Processing requests for access to information.

Lottery Licensing

A Lottery License is required for running lotteries such as, Bingos, Raffles, Bazaars, Monte Carlo Nights and the selling of Nevada Tickets. Applications for lottery licences are available from the Lottery Licensing Officers in the Clerk’s Department.

Any Charitable or Religious organization or other groups that are planning on holding a lottery scheme should apply at least a month in advance of the anticipated start date.

Holding a lottery or selling tickets without a Lottery Licence is a Criminal Offence.

Commissioners of Oaths and Affidavits

Certain municipal staff, because of their appointed offices, are considered as Commissioners of Oaths and Commissioners for the purpose of Witnessing Affidavits.

Anyone wishing these services must contact the Clerk’s Department to arrange an appointment. All parties must appear in person at the Municipal Office at the arranged time, along with the documents and proper Identification (DO NOT SIGN THE DOCUMENTS PRIOR). A fee is charged for this service as follows: $5.00 – First Signature, $1.00 for each additional signature.

Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act

Anyone wishing to obtain municipal documents, records or other information may make a formal request to access information in accordance with the Act. In some cases you may be restricted access to certain documents to protect individual privacy, the public interest or as prescribed by the Act.

There are fees for this service which are prescribed by the Act. If you would like additional information please contact the Clerk’s Department.

Requests to Appear Before Council or Request a Special Meeting of Council

Anyone wishing to make a presentation before council must submit a request in writing, to the Clerk, on or before the Thursday prior to the Regular Council Meeting. (Council meetings are at 7:00 p.m. the Second and Fourth Tuesday of every month).

Anyone who wishes to request a Special meeting of Council may do so in writing along with the prescribed fee. The fee for an individual to request a Special Meeting is $100.00.

Council and Council Committees

While adhering to all other Provincial and Federal Legislation, the Council of the Corporation of the Township of Bonfield is the primary decision making body for the Municipality. Council relies on the information and reports provided by the staff and the recommendations of its Committees in order to make the decisions which effect the community and safety and quality of life of the residents.