Stratford Utility Corporation






  
  
  

      


  

    
Committee Members

Chair Steve Ogden

Vice Chair Randy Cooper

David Godkin

George Inman

Jeanette MacAulay

Wellington Gay

Monty Gautreau




Pursuant to Section 104 of the Charlottetown Area Municipalities Act, there is hereby established a water and sewer utility corporation to be known as the Stratford Utility Corporation.  



Governance

    

        The Corporation shall be governed by a management board composed of the following individuals:


    
    
  • a chair who shall be a member of Council, appointed by the Mayor;
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  • a vice-chair who shall be a member of Council, appointed by the Mayor;
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  • up to two (2) additional members who shall be members of  Council, appointed by the Mayor;
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  • at least three (3) but not more than five (5) “at large" members who shall not be members of Council but who shall be residents of the Town, appointed by the Council; and
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  • The Chief Administrative Officer as ex-officio non-voting.
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Functions

        

        The Stratford Utility Corporation shall function in a fact-finding and advisory capacity and make recommendations to Council with respect to policy and shall:


    
    
  • on behalf of Council, own, operate, manage and maintain a sanitary sewage collection and treatment and water supply, distribution and purification system for the Town;
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  • acquire, alienate, hold and dispose of real or personal property;
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  • through the Town, to engage staff  and such other employees or  persons as are required to carry out the functions of the corporation;
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  • subject to the approval of Council and pursuant to the  provisions of the Water and Sewerage Act, to annually determine a tariff of rates and charges;
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  • conduct its affairs in accordance with generally accepted public utility practices;
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  • maintain safe and adequate service and facilities for services as changing conditions require;
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  •  establish and maintain a system of accounts in accordance with the provisions of the Water and Sewerage Act;
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  • co-ordinate its planning activities with the planning activities of the Town;
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  • recommend the appointment of  an auditor who shall audit the annual financial statements of the Corporation; and
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The Stratford Utility Corporation wll submit to the Council, at such date or dates as the Council may determine:


    
    
  • an audited statement of the finances of the Corporation  that includes comparable budget data for the period included in the statement;
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  • a budget of proposed capital and operating expenditures for the Corporation's next fiscal period by  November 30th of each year;
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  • the tariff proposed to be charged by the Corporation for the next fiscal period no later than November 30th.
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Management

        

        Council shall appoint a general manager as the corporations' chief operating officer and the general manager may hold other positions within the Town..



The general manager shall:


    
    
  • be the senior policy advisor to the Corporation;
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  • be responsible for the day-to-day management and operation of the Corporation;
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  • be responsible for the co-ordination of the Corporation's planning activities with those of the municipality;
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  • keep or arrange or be kept the minutes, documents and financial records of the Corporation;
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  • be the custodian of the corporate seal of the Corporation;
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  • arrange for the collection and receipt of all money of the Corporation;
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  • arrange for the opening of an account in the name of the Corporation in a  chartered bank or other financial institution approved by the Town and arrange for the deposit in that account, all money received by or on behalf of the Corporation;
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  • co-sign all cheques of the Corporation with the chair or his/her  designate;
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  • as soon as possible after the end of the fiscal year, arrange for the preparation of a detailed statement of the finances of  the Corporation and submit it, when audited, to the Corporation and Council;
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 The general manager may delegate his/her functions.



Tariffs

        All tariffs applied by the Corporation are subject to the approval of Council.




Efficiency

        

        For the efficient administration of Town business:


    
    
  • the Corporation and the Town shall co-operate in the  provision of municipal services;
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  • administrative and other services may, on mutual agreement, be  provided to the Corporation by the  Town or to the Town by  the Corporation and , where so provided, shall be on a fee for service and value for money basis;
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  • employees of the Corporation are employees of the Town.
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Service Outside the Town Boundary

        With prior approval of Council, service may be provided beyond the Town boundary.


    
    
  • The complete cost of providing service beyond the Town boundary shall be borne by the party or parties requesting the service.
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  • The tariff for services provided to customers beyond the Town boundary shall be subject to approval of Council.
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Bylaws



        The Corporation may make bylaws to govern its own internal affairs. A bylaw is made if:


 


    
    
  •  it is read and formally approved by a majority of the members of the management board on two occasions at meetings of the board held on different days;
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  • after being read a second time it is formally adopted by resolution of the board; and
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  • it is signed by the chair and the Chief Administrative Officer, and formally declared to be passed and sealed with the corporate seal of the utility.
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Borrowing



        The Corporation may by resolution from time to time:


    
    
  • borrow money upon the credit of the corporation;
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  • issue, reissue, sell or pledge debt obligations of the corporation; and
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  • mortgage, hypothecate, pledge or otherwise create security interest in all or any property of the corporation owned or subsequently acquired, to secure any debt obligation of the corporation.
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Quorum



        A majority of members including the chair and vice-chair shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting a meeting of the management board.  For the purpose of determining the majority required for a quorum, only the members of the board then sitting shall be counted and vacancies shall be excluded.  

        

 Notice



        Regular meetings shall be held each month on a designated day except July and August or when cancelled by the chair when no business need be transacted. Special meetings may be called by the chair on two days notice thereof.

            

 Staff Advisors

    

        The board may designate certain employees of the Town to be non-voting advisors to the Corporation with the right and duty to attend board meetings.        

        

  Reports



        The reports of the corporation shall be submitted in writing to the Chief Administrative Officer at least six days prior to each regular monthly Council meetings. Minutes of all board meetings shall be kept and circulated to board members, Council members and the Chief Administrative Officer.

        

 Chair and Vice-Chair



  The chair shall:


    
    
  •  call and preside at all meetings and transact such business as the Board may direct.
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  •  liaise with the Town Council and other organizations within the Town as it may pertain to the goals and directives of the Board.
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  •  ensure that the bylaws, regulations, and policies of the Town and the Corporation are enforced.
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  •  be an ex-officio, voting member of all sub-committees of the Corporation. 
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The vice-chair shall:


    
    
  •  in the absence of the chair, assume all powers and duties of the chair.
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  •  assist the chair.           
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Board Meetings Closed



        Management Board meetings will be held in-camera except when the board is seeking input from the public at its discretion or where required in legislation or bylaw. 



Voting   


    
    
  • Decisions of the Corporation shall be determined by majority vote and each member of the Board, excluding the chair, shall have one vote.
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  • The chair shall only vote in order to break a tie vote, but may participate in discussions on items or issues before the Board.
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