Resolutions Procedures
- Deadline
- Submission to Area Associations
- Submission Requirements
- Resolutions Committee Consideration
- Resolutions Received After the Deadline
- Resolutions Procedures
- Other Matters Affecting Resolutions Handling
- Resolution Template
- Guidelines on Preparing Resolutions for UBCM
- How to Draft a Resolution for UBCM
This material is designed to assist you in preparing your resolutions and to clarify the procedures employed by the UBCM Resolutions Committee in categorizing resolutions for the UBCM Convention. We urge all elected officials and staff to review the following information. Please contact the UBCM office if you have further questions or need additional information.
Deadline
All resolutions must be received in the UBCM office by June 30th of each year.
(The deadline is set by UBCM Bylaws - s. 14[a])
Submission to Area Associations
UBCM encourages all members to submit their resolutions to their respective Area Associations for consideration prior to Convention. The Resolutions Book will indicate whether or not the resolution has been endorsed, not endorsed or not presented to the Area Association.
Submission Requirements
Resolutions submitted to the UBCM for consideration shall be submitted as follows:
- one copy of the resolution
- the resolution should not contain more than two enactment ("whereas") clauses
- accompanied by background documentation explaining the nature of the problem or concern
Sponsors should be prepared to speak to their resolutions on the Convention floor, because the resolutions will not be "read" to the delegates by the Resolutions Committee. Resolutions should address topics that are of local government concern province-wide.
Note: UBCM must receive a hard copy of all resolutions, previously faxed or emailed to the UBCM office, for consideration by the deadline date for resolutions - June 30th.
It is very helpful if an electronic copyof your resolution is forwarded to the UBCM office at the time a hard copy submission is made. You can send an electronic version to rtagami@ubcm.ca.
Resolutions Committee Consideration
UBCM policy provides for the separation of resolutions into three sections. The following guidelines shall be used in determining the appropriate section in which a resolution shall be placed:
- Section A shall contain resolutions of importance to local government that have not previously been debated at Convention
- Section B shall be divided into three parts:
- Part I - Resolutions to be Considered as a Block
- previously considered and endorsed resolutions
- resolutions in keeping with UBCM policy
- other major previously approved policy papers/documents
- Part II and Part III - Resolutions for Individual Consideration
- resolutions on topics not previously considered
- previously considered but not endorsed resolutions
- topics of local or regional significance
- topics of national significance and recommended, as appropriate, for consideration by FCM
- Part II: those issues considered within the jurisdiction of local government
- Part III: those resolutions on matters of interest to local communities that are considered not within the jurisdiction of local government
Section B resolutions will only be considered after all Section A resolutions have been completed.
Section B resolutions will be dealt with on the Convention floor in the order in which they appear in the Resolutions Book.
- Part I - Resolutions to be Considered as a Block
- Section C shall contain resolutions that have been consolidated or grouped with other resolutions under Sections A or B. Therefore, C resolutions will not be discussed on the floor of the Convention. C resolutions that have been referred to Regional District Day and the Small Talk Forum come forward to the floor of the Convention on Friday and the full membership has an opportunity to consider their recommendations at that time.
The Resolutions Committee shall combine resolutions on similar or related topics wherever possible. This is often done in the form of policy papers. For example, Section C resolutions pertaining to the same topic area are often incorporated into a policy paper or report that will be discussed at the Convention. (e.g. UBCM's Environment Action Plan ).
Section C may also contain resolutions that are referred to the Area Associations due to being of a regional nature.
Resolutions Received After the Deadline
Resolutions received after June 30th are not printed in the Resolutions Book and can only be admitted for debate by special motion during the Convention. The criteria for determining what is deemed to be an emergency can be found under item c (as listed below).
- Resolutions submitted following the expiry of the regular deadline shall comply with all other submission requirements and be forwarded to the UBCM by the Friday noon preceding the date of the Annual Convention.
- Resolutions received after the June 30th deadline shall be examined by the Resolutions Committee and shall be separated into the following categories:
- Emergency resolutions recommended to be placed before the Convention for Plenary discussion.
- Late resolutions not recommended to be admitted for Plenary discussion.
- Emergency resolutions are deemed appropriate for discussion only if the topic is such that it has arisen since the regular deadline date for submission of resolutions.
- Emergency resolutions shall be available for discussion after all Section A resolutions printed in the Resolutions Book have been debated but not before the time printed in the Convention Program.
Resolutions Procedures
The membership has adopted a number of amendments to improve the resolutions sessions and increase the time available for debate.
- The process for introducing Section B resolutions will not require each individual resolution to be moved and seconded for introduction to the floor. B resolutions will be introduced as a block to the floor and then discussion will commence on each of the resolutions.
This procedure increases the time available for debate by removing the requirement to have each B resolution moved for consideration. - A category of emergency resolutions has been established. Emergency resolutions would only include issues that have emerged after the June 30th deadline and would be recommended to be admitted for debate. Late resolutions not classified as emergency (and therefore not admitted for debate) would be carried over to next year, and would be referred to the Area Associations for their recommendations.
By creating this category of emergency resolutions, the membership is made aware that only resolutions of urgency are deemed appropriate for debate. By referring late resolutions that are not classified as emergency to the next year's Convention, members are ensured that these issues are not lost. These resolutions will also be forwarded to the relevant Area Association for consideration to ensure the broader membership has an opportunity to make recommendations. - Previously considered and endorsed B resolutions are placed into a separate block and moved as a block to avoid repetitive debate on issues that continue to be brought forward and endorsed each year. The Chair will allow exemptions so that individual resolutions can be withdrawn from the block for discussion.
Other Matters Affecting Resolutions Handling
The Resolutions Committee has indicated that:
- it will be very strict in adhering to the guidelines and will make every effort to ensure that sponsors' resolutions are clear and concise
- it will endeavour to consider all resolutions submitted (as per guidelines) during the time allocated at the Convention
Members should be aware that the above policies are not exhaustive but are in addition to the UBCM Bylaws and to the Conference Rules and Procedures for Handling Resolutions that are adopted each year by the Convention.
Resolution Template
SHORT TITLE
Sponsor's Name
WHEREAS ;
AND WHEREAS :
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that .
Note: A second "operative" clause, it it is absolutely required, should start as follows:
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that .
(Please note the specifics of the punctuation)
Guidelines on Preparing Resolutions for UBCM
Introduction
Below are guidelines to be used in the preparation of a resolution for the UBCM.
The Construction of a Resolution
All resolutions contain a preamble and enactment clause. The preamble describes the issue and the enactment clause outlines the action being requested. A resolution should answer the following three questions:
- What is the problem?
- What is causing the problem?
- What is the best way to solve the problem?
Preamble
The preamble commences with a recital, or "WHEREAS", clause. This is a concise paragraph about the nature of the problem or the reason for the request. It should clearly and briefly outline the reasons for the resolution.
The preamble should contain no more than two "WHEREAS" clauses. If explaining the problem requires more than two preliminary clauses, then provide supporting documents to describe the problem more fully. Do not add extra clauses.
Enactment Clause
The enactment clause begins with the words "THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED". It must convey the resolution's intent, and should propose a specific action by the UBCM.
Keep the enactment clause as short as possible, and clearly describe the action being requested. The wording should leave no doubt about the proposed action.
How to Draft a Resolution for UBCM
- Address one specific subject in the text of the resolution.
Since your community seeks to influence attitudes and inspire action, limit the scope of a resolution to one specific subject or issue. Delegates will not support a resolution if the issues it addresses are too complex for them to understand quickly. - Use simple, action-oriented language and avoid ambiguous terms.
Explain the background briefly and state the desired action clearly. Delegates can then consider the resolution without having to parse complicated text or vague concepts. - Provide factual background information.
Even a carefully constructed resolution may not clearly indicate the problem or the action being requested. Where possible, provide factual background information to ensure that the "intent" of the resolution is understood.
Two types of background information help to clarify the "intent" of a resolution:- Supplementary Memo:
A brief, one-page memo from the author, which outlines the background that led to the presentation and adoption of the resolution by the local government. - Council/Board Report:
A report on the subject matter, presented to council or board in conjunction with the resolution. If it is not possible to send the entire report, then extract the essential background information and submit it with the resolution.
- Supplementary Memo:
- Construct a brief, descriptive title.
A title assists to identify the intent of the resolution and eliminates the possibility of misinterpretation. It is usually drawn from the "enactment clause" of the resolution.
For ease of printing in the Annual Report and Resolutions Book and for clarity of intent, a title should be no more than three or four words. - Check legislative references for accuracy. Where necessary, identify:
- the correct jurisdictional responsibility (e.g., ministry or department within the provincial or federal government)
- the correct legislation, including the name of the Act
- Focus on issues that are province-wide.
The issue identified in the resolution should be relevant to other local governments across the province. This will support proper debate on the issue and assist UBCM to represent your concern effectively to the provincial or federal government on behalf of all BC municipalities and regional districts.
