Member RFDs up for discussion at Municipal Leaders’ Caucus

Members will have the chance to discuss and vote on Requests for Decisions (RFDs) on waste reduction during next week’s Municipal Leaders’ Caucus.

Ahead of every Municipal Leader’s Caucus, Regular Members of the AUMA are invited to submit a Request for Decision, or RFD, that proposes action on a municipal matter that cannot wait for the resolution process at the annual AUMA convention.

This year AUMA received two submissions:

• Strathcona County submitted an RFD on  Amendments required for provincial recycling regulations
• The City of Calgary submitted an RFD on Legislation for the implementation of extended producer responsibility (EPR) in Alberta

Should these be approved, the RFDs will be forwarded to AUMA’s Sustainability and Environment Committee, who will recommend actions to AUMA’s Board of Directors.

RFD Process

The RFDs will be presented during the Member RFD session scheduled to take place at 2:15 p.m. on Thursday, March 15.  One of AUMA’s Board of Directors will moderate the following process:

• The submitter will be invited to take two minutes to explain the RFD and its proposed action.
•  Members will be invited to ask questions or make comments of no more than 45 seconds.
• The submitter may agree to revise the originally proposed action as a result of the discussion and debate.
• Once discussion is complete, the moderator will call for a vote by show of hands with each Regular Member in attendance allowed one vote through their Mayor or designate.
• The RFD is approved if 51 per cent or more of attending Regular Members are in favour.
• If the RFD is not approved, no further action is taken and the matter is closed.
• If the RFD is approved, it is considered by one of AUMA’s standing committees who makes recommendations to the board AUMA’s Board on the action to be taken. 

Difference between Resolutions and RFDs:

Although both RFDs and resolutions are a mechanism to guide AUMA’s advocacy, the two processes differ in a number of ways:   

• RFDs submitted by members are not formally vetted any AUMA committee or Board ahead of being presented at Municipal Leaders’ Caucus.   
• Resolutions are reviewed by both the Municipal Governance Committee and Board of Directors, who may request that the sponsoring municipalities make changes to resolutions or work with other municipalities to combine similar resolutions. 
• RFDs approved at MLC are forwarded to AUMA’s committee and Board, who can make adjustments to the messaging and advocacy approach before taking action. 
• Resolutions adopted at convention are sent directly to relevant Ministers.  Further action and advocacy is determined by AUMA’s committees and Board of Directors once a response is received from the Ministers.