Municipal Orientation Presented by: The Municipal Training and Development Corporation

1. Municipal Orientation Presented by: The Municipal Training and Development Corporation

2. Roles & Responsibilities Council & Staff Relations Meetings Legal Responsibilities Conflict of Interest Mandatory Requirements Municipal Regulations Municipal Orders Public Tendering Financial Management Golden Rules Agenda

3. The Three “R”s for Councillors and Administrators • Roles • Responsibilities • Relations

4. Roles and Responsibilities

5. Roles and Responsibilities • You will need: • Coordination & cooperation • Positive relationship • An understanding of each other’s roles Do you want effective and efficient governance? Councillor Administrator

6. Roles and Responsibilities…Councillor to the Local Community • Represent interests of residents and of community as a whole • Bring matters of concern before council • Be available to residents • When making decisions, consider: • Council’s goals • Public interest • Available resources • Legislation • Policies

7. Roles and Responsibilities…Councillor to the Local Community • Communicate info from council to residents / local groups • Ensure council operations are efficient • Comply with Municipalities Act, other legislation, & all municipal regulations • Maintain positive working relationship between your municipality and the province

8. Professionalism Courtesy Effective and efficient service delivery Being open to residents’ concerns & communicating them to council Effective use of resources Advise public about policies and regulations Impartiality when administering policies and enforcing regulations – do not discriminate against any individual / group Roles and Responsibilities…Administrator to the Local Community

9. Prepare for meetings Attend meetings Follow adopted Rules of Procedures Take a position – VOTE!! Respect fellow councillors Declare all conflict of interest situations Abide by and support all council decisions Understand your role Roles and Responsibilities…Councillor to the Council

10. Prepare for meetings Carry out directives & policies of council Follow the intent of council’s direction Review, research, and report Roles and Responsibilities…Administrator to the Council

11. Provide timely, useful, sound, and unbiased advice to council Alert council to legal limitations Recommend policies, programs, and budgets Attend meetings Roles and Responsibilities…Administrator to the Council

12. Understand staff’s roles and responsibilities Do not interfere with the day-to-day administration Listen to staff’s advice but be mindful of your duty to make up your own mind on issues Know the limits of staff’s authority Allow staff adequate time to do their work Pay staff a fair wage Provide reasonable group benefits and pensions Support professional development and training Roles and Responsibilities…Councillor to Municipal Staff

13. Roles and Responsibilities…Councillor to Yourself • Be well informed • Allocate your time wisely • Join professional organizations • Attend councillor development sessions • Network – you are not alone

14. The Mayor’s Role Act as presiding officer Vote Sign documents Abide by decisions of council Declare a state of emergency Call Meetings

15. The Mayor’s Role Advance & promote aims and objectives Attend ceremonial functions Provide guidance & leadership Foster and promote good relations with the staff Act as chief public relations officer

16. Did you know that…? The mayor has no special authority over and above councilException: the declaration of an emergency and appointing committees The mayor or any other councillor, for that matter, cannot act legally on behalf of council without the knowledge and approval of council

17. Roles and Responsibilities Review Council Decides Staff Implements Policy

18. Council and Staff Relations

19. Council – Staff Relations A positive relationship between council and staff makes for good government!!

20. Council – Staff Relations…Teamwork Teamwork • Working together towards a common goal

21. Council – Staff Relations…Teamwork Teamwork • Directing individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives

22. Council – Staff Relations…Teamwork Teamwork • The fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results

23. Sources of Potential Conflict • Different expectations • New council members may have anti-administration bias • Poor communication • Existing staff may have anti-council bias • Lack of leadership, administrative, and managerial skills

24. Sources of Potential Conflict • Misunderstanding of each other’s role • Poor documentation of policies • Unclear understanding of operating structure • Staff feel overworked • Council thinks staff are under worked • Inadequate compensation policies

25. Sources of Potential Conflict • Lack of: • Sensitivity to each other’s needs • Identifiable goals • Orientation processes • Trust/respect • Council too involved in administration • Personality conflicts

26. Relationship Barriers • Lack of personal integrity • Demeaning others • Criticizing publicly • Playing politics • Undermining council decisions • Ridiculing council members or staff

27. Relationship Barriers • Increasing own workload, not trusting • Criticizing new ideas • Poor understanding of roles

28. Relationship Barriers • Lack of: • Leadership • Trust • Focus • Respect • Poor decision-making process • Unwilling to work together

29. Relationship Barriers • Talking behind people’s backs • Making excuses • Afraid to say “I don’t know” • Hidden agendas

30. Keys to Success • Provide clear, consistent sense of direction • Teamwork • Understand the difference between council and staff roles • Understand the specific role of the clerk/manager

31. Keys to Success • Keep in touch with the public • Recognize the role(s) of key agencies • Follow the accepted chain of command • Maintain confidentiality and personal integrity • Recognize and acknowledge good performance • Develop an action report system following council meetings

32. Keys to Success • Be prepared for meetings • Know rules of procedure and parliamentary procedures • Have a clear decision-making process • Maintain a sound communication process

33. Keys to Success • Focus on customer service • Encourage new ideas • Respect established protocol • Respond promptly to problems • Maintain a balance in life • Stay on course

34. Conclusion Understand roles & responsibilities Respect Teamwork SUCCESS

35. Conducting Effective Meetings What meeting leaders should know…

36. Rules of Procedure • Most rules of procedure for meetings are based on the principals of parliamentary procedure • No need to adopt strict, formal rules, such as “Robert’s Rules of Order” • See “Municipal Councillor’s Handbook” Second Edition, for a reasonable set of rules of procedure

37. Four Cardinal Principles of Parliamentary Procedure: • Justice and courtesy for all • Recognition of the will of the majority • Recognize the right of a councillor to provide his/her opinion • One thing at a time

38. Making Decisions All decisions of Council must be made by a motion or resolution at a regular or special public meeting of the council

39. A Typical Decision Making Process

40. There must be a quorum to hold a meeting and make decisions A quorum is the majority of the complement of councillors For example . . . If a council has a seven member council, then a quorum is four Quorum

41. Voting • A simple majority of the councillors attending the meeting is enough most of the time • Some motions require 2/3 of the councillors in office to carry the motion • All councillors must vote unless: • in conflict of interest, or • given approval by council, via a motion, to abstain

42. Meeting Functions and Types Types • Regular Public • Privileged • Special • Committee

43. Regular Council Meetings • Decisions made at a regular public meeting are legally binding • Council must hold a regular meeting at least once a month

44. Privileged Meetings • Keep to a minimum • Attendance is limited to: • council and the clerk and/or the manager, and • only thosepeople the council wishes to be present • Used to discuss things best not talked about in public e.g. personnel, legal & land issues • Decisions made must be ratified by a vote of councillors at a public meeting

45. Special Meetings • Normally called for a specific, pressing reason, in between council meetings • May be privileged or public as required • Provision for notice of a public special meeting can vary, especially if it is addressing an emergency situation • If public, legally binding decisions can be made by council

46. Committee Meetings Types of Committees: • Standing • Special • Citizen’s advisory

47. Committee Meetings • Committees manage the various affairs of a council • Work is done outside the regular council meeting • Advisory only • recommendations brought to regular meeting for consideration • Allows timely decisions All committees need to have written Terms of Reference

48. Standing Committees • Usually continue for the life of the council • Membership can change but the committee “stands” • Membership limited to councillors • Common standing committees: • Finance & Administration • Public Works • Land Use & Development

49. Special Committees • Are “ad hoc” meaning “for this purpose” • Disbanded when the purpose is completed • Can be set up for any purpose • Membership limited to councillors • Can seek the input of citizens

50. Citizen’s Advisory Committees • Made up primarily of citizens . . . a councillor liaison may be assigned • Should be representative of the community • May be on-going or for special short term projects • Provide advice to council