Four board seats up for election at the RMA Fall 2019 Convention
Four of the seven seats on the RMA Board of Directors will be up for election at the Fall 2019 Convention and will serve a two-year term (2019-2021):
- Vice President
- Director for District 2 – Central
- Director for District 3 – Pembina River
- Director for District 5 – Edmonton East
In the event that a current RMA board member from Districts 1 or 4 chooses to run and is successfully elected as Vice President, that District Director position will become available for the remaining one-year period of the two-year term. That district election would take place at the same time as the other district elections already scheduled at the Fall 2019 Convention.
Eligibility Requirements
Section E of the association bylaws identifies eligibility requirements for members of the Board of Directors, including that the individual must be a duly elected official for a full RMA member municipality. For the position of district directors, individuals must represent a municipality that is within the district that is up for election. Click here to determine which municipalities are located in each district.
Board Member Commitment
The duties of an RMA board member are significant and require commitment to the association. There is considerable time required for meetings and committee preparation, attendance, and travel. RMA encourages members interested in pursuing a RMA board seat to contact a current board member to gain a full understanding of the responsibility and commitment required.
The overall role of RMA board members is to represent and advocate the broad collective municipal and rural interests of the membership, and to oversee the delivery of services that assist members in their business operations and decision-making processes. Serving on the RMA Board of Directors is an opportunity to help shape the direction and future of your organization and serve Alberta’s rural municipalities.
The RMA Board of Directors has 12 regular monthly meetings each year. Those elected to the RMA Board of Directors also serve on the following RMA subsidiary boards:
- RMA Insurance
- RMA Fuel
- Genesis Reciprocal Insurance Exchange (GRIE)
These three business boards meet five times per year in a combined meeting under one RMA Business Services board agenda. These meetings are separate from the regular RMA monthly meetings. In addition to the aforementioned board meetings, there is a commitment to participate in two planning retreats each year.
RMA represents its members on over 70 committees and external boards, which are divided amongst the Board of Directors; committees require varying levels of commitment ranging from monthly to annual meetings.
Election Procedures
Please refer to the convention agenda, which will be available on the RMA website, for nomination and election times. All nominations must be made from the floor and require a mover and a seconder. Both the mover and seconder may speak for a total of two minutes. Each electoral candidate will have five minutes to speak.
Electronic voting will be used for the election of the RMA Vice President and all district elections will be conducted by a ballot vote. In the case of an election that has three or more candidates, a clear majority (50 per cent plus one) must be obtained by one of the candidates to be declared the winner. If no majority is obtained in the first round of voting, the candidate with the fewest votes will be dropped, and another vote will occur. This process will be followed until one candidate receives the necessary clear majority.
Terms for Directors
Terms for elected board members shall commence at the conclusion of the Convention at which he/she is elected, and shall, unless sooner vacated, terminate at the conclusion of the Convention two (2) years hence. All board members elected will participate in an orientation with the organizational/first board meeting following the Fall 2019 Convention scheduled for December 19, 2019.
For further information, read the RMA’s Policy regarding board member responsibilities.
For enquiries, please contact:
Gerald Rhodes
Executive Director
gerald@RMAlberta.com
Tasha Blumenthal
Director of External Relations & Advocacy
tasha@RMAlberta.com