Sharing of Travel Cost to AUMA Convention
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association devise a funding formula that would have every municipality contribute the same amount of money per council member to a central fund that would cover the cost of all travel for all members of councils to attend the annual meeting of AUMA.
WHERAS the annual conference of AUMA promotes the unity and wellbeing of all Municipalities, be they large or small;
WHEREAS the theme of conference includes images such as “Together Stronger”;
WHEREAS the strength of the AUMA is in gathering to make decisions affecting all municipalities;
WHEREAS it is important that all municipalities, large or small, be fairly represented at the annual meeting of AUMA; and
WHEREAS the cost for travel to the annual meeting of AUMA represents a larger percentage of the municipal budget the smaller and the more distant a municipality is from the meeting place.
There are about 1246 people who have been elected to urban municipal councils in the province of Alberta if each of those members of council were to drive their own vehicle to a meeting in Calgary at 50 cents per KM. the total amount spent on travel would be $412,820.00. If the meeting were held in Edmonton that same number of councilors would collectively spend $343,636.00.
A meeting in Calgary works out to $331.00 per person
A meeting in Edmonton works out to $276.00 per person.
If every municipal council were assessed according to where the meeting was held there would be sufficient funds to cover the total cost of travel.
At the moment those who travel the greatest distances and are part of a smaller community with correspondingly smaller budgets paying a higher percentage of their budget for travel.
Irma, for example pays about 0.1566% of its budget to meet in Calgary for the AUMA convention.
Edgerton pays 0.11% of its budget for the same.
If we were to use the same percent of Irma’s budget for the city of Camrose it would cost Camrose $54,561 to attend AUMA for travel only.
If we all paid the same and smaller communities chose to save some money by carpooling they could be refunded apportion of their assessment relative to the number of persons who did not claim travel because they were part of the car pool.
Example:
Irma. Present costs Assessment carpool cost
Calgary $1920.00 $331.00 X 5= $1655.00 5 in one vehicle $331.00 refund $1324.00
Edmonton $276.00 $276.00 X 5= $ 1380.00 5 in one vehicle $276.00 refund $1104.00
AUMA would keep a percentage of the assessment to cover the cost of administration.