Alternative Form of Community Governance

Characteristics of Mount Lorne

Mount Lorne is currently represented by a Local Advisory Council (LAC).  As an LAC, our community has only an advisory function.  As an LAC are not able to undertake community projects, acquire assets, apply for funding, or take actions beyond providing advice and recommendations.  As such, our views are subject to the political principles of the changing Yukon Governments.  The Municipal Act Allows for a range of community governments.  One of the forms of community government called a rural government structure is relatively described in the Yukon Municipal Act.  This form of government is largely undefined.

Order forming a rural government structure

1. On the recommendation of the
   Minister, the Commissioner in Executive Council may by order establish any area as a  rural government structure and make regulations

   • 1. to specify the number of members on its council;

     2. to specify the provisions of this Act that do, or do not, apply to the rural government structure;

     3. (c) to regulate the rural government’s exercise of the functions, powers, and duties of a municipality that are conferred on it;

     4. to specify the services that the rural government structure is authorized to provide;

     5. and to deal with any other matter respecting the establishment and operation of the rural government structure.

2. A rural government structure is a corporation and has, for the exercise of its powers under this Act, all the rights and liabilities of a corporation.

The following describes the form of representative community governance Mount Lorne would like by describing the functions and roles we would like to have and those we would not like to have.

What we would like;

• A form of governance that allows a greater control over our community planning, zoning and community development

• A form of governance that would permit the community to acquire assets, apply for grants and financial supports, and undertake local infrastructure projects

• A form of governance that permits employment of  personal needed to conduct community government.

• A form of representative community governance that is responsive to community interests and concerns

• A form of representative community governance that permits discussions, negotiations and agreements with other governments

What we would not like:

• Responsibility for a number of existing infrastructures such as highways and roads (construction and maintenance), taxation, policing, social and health services, and building codes and code enforcement.

• A form of governance that creates a bureaucracy the distances community members from local government.

• A form of governance that places an undue burden on elected representatives