Mayor Stu Wells says the Town of Osoyoos has asked staff to investigate the possibility of electing two additional councillors to sit at the table.

Presently the municipality has a mayor, four regular councillors and two water councillors.

Mayor Wells says when one regular councillor is away it makes it a bit difficult to govern and when two are away – 1 councillor moves a motion, the 2nd one seconds a motion and is there a need for a vote? More people – more discussion – better decisions.

Wells also says the municipality is approaching 5000 residents and once that happens there are extra policing costs and the Town wants to know whether a district municipality would be a good idea and a better way to solve a lot of problems when it comes to joint services – rural and urban.

Excerpt from Community Charter:

Size of council 118  (1) Unless otherwise provided by letters patent or by a bylaw under this section, the council size for municipalities must be as follows:

(a) n/a

(b) for a city or district having a population of 50 000 or less, the council is to consist of a mayor and 6 councillors;

(c) for a town or village, the council is to consist of a mayor and 4 councillors.

(2) For the purposes of this section, any change to a council size under subsection (1) is to be based on the population of the municipality as at January 1 in a general local election year and the change takes effect for the purposes of that election.

(3) A council may, by bylaw, establish the number of council members as a mayor and 4, 6, 8 or 10 councillors.

(4) n/a

(5) A bylaw under subsection (3)

(a) must be made at least 6 months before the next general local election, and

(b) does not become effective until that general local election.

(6) The size of council as established under subsection (3) applies despite any provision of a municipality’s letters patent.