A. Getting Out of the Weeds and Carving Out More Time for Strategy
This workshop shares practical, real world strategies that busy municipal managers are using to carve out more time for leadership and other strategic priorities (even though other requests are waiting, email remains unanswered and someone wants us at a meeting). It’s about helping good performers better balance day to day service requirements and requests from elected representatives with time spent on longer term priorities like team development, “green” initiatives, community projects, economic development, etc.
- Doug Heidebrecht, Principal, Sun Mountain Self-Management
Location: Waterhouse 1, 2, 3
B. Procurement and Contract Fraud
The rise of procurement fraud in government which is having a direct impact of the costs of municipal services. Recent cases show that municipalities are particularly vulnerable as much of its work is outsourced. Public sector procurement fraud can occur at any stage of the contracting and procurement process. Appropriate controls, fraud prevention strategies and proper tendering processes are necessary in the fight against this fraud.
Strong partnerships between Council and staff is a requirement to effective municipal management. Often the lack of harmonization is caused by lack of understanding and agreement on roles for both Council and staff. Both Council and staff members have a responsibility to recognize these issues and work to resolve them. This interactive session will discuss roles and responsibilities, the changing dynamics of council, sources of conflict and practical approaches.
- Tammy Carruthers, BA CPA CGA CFE CICA PMP CLSSBB CCA MCITP CISA, Principal & CEO, WSCS Consulting Inc.
Location: Waterhouse 5
C. I've a Feeling We're Not in Kansas Anymore - The Culture Required to Deploy Electronic Document Management
Successful deployment of Electronic Document Management does not rely on a project timeline, it requires a change in behavior, both departmental staff, and Records Managers. The four seasoned clerks will speak to the culture shift required to deploy EDM in their small and big municipalities; what was key to their success, and what would they do differently… next time; and what is seen as detrimental to gaining control of information.
- John Daly, CMO, Director of Legislative Services, and County Clerk , County of Simcoe
- Pamela Fettes, B.A., CMO, Dipl. M.A., CMM III, AOMC, Director, Legislative Services/Municipal Clerk, Township of Clearview
- Sharon R. Goerke, CMO, AOMC, Clerk, Township of Severn
- Alison Gray, BAH, CMO, AOMC, Clerk, Tay Township
Location: Waterhouse 4
D. Multi-Year Budgeting: Getting Buy-in
With the advent of Asset Management and the long-term analysis necessary to address municipal public infrastructure deficits, municipalities must improve their long-term planning abilities to facilitate the linking of strategic planning with long term financial planning. A step towards this goal is multi-year budgeting. Many municipalities are still challenged to have their annual budget approved by Council before the budget year starts, let alone have Council consider a multi-year budget. This session will highlight some of the work being done at small and large municipalities. The speakers will share their experiences and lessons learned, including thoughts on getting buy-in from staff and Council.
- Rick Charlebois, CAO/Treasurer, Town of Petrolia
- Audrey Webb, Deputy Treasurer, Town of Innisfil
- Stephen VanOfwegen, CPA, CMA, Commissioner of Finance and Chief Financial Officer, Region of Peel
Location: Tom Thomson Room