Municipal Clerks Forum

Agenda

• 8:30am - Welcome/Morning Moderator Introduction

  Welcoming Remarks:
  Danielle Manton,  AOMC, Dipl.M.A.
  General Manager, Corporate Services, City of Cambridge
  AMCTO President

  Morning Moderator:
  Kelli Campeau, CMO,  AOMC, Dipl.M.A.
  General Manager of Corporate Services/Clerk, Township of South Glengarry
  AMCTO Director at Large

• 8:45am - Keynote Presentation: It’s a Big Job, But Someone Has to Do It - Mental Wellness and Self-Care in the Clerk’s Office

  Never-ending deadlines, agenda delivery pressures, constant requests for information, public-facing customer service, keeping up with legislative change, leading and managing a team, elections, procedure reviews, ongoing professional development, and much, much more. Life in the clerk’s office is busy, sometimes difficult, and can wear on even the most seasoned professionals. This session will explore some of the ongoing clerk challenges, barriers to self-care, and the drivers of mental wellness. Join us for an important mental health check-in and leave with practical takeaways to help you prioritize yourself, so that you can continue to serve your organization and community joyfully.

  Presented by:
  Jody Johnson, AMCT
  Director, Legal Services, Halton Region

• 9:50am - Strategies to Manage Public Conduct in Council Chambers

  This session from the Ontario Ombudsman offers practical, experience-driven insights into striking a balance between openness and managing security concerns in council chambers. Drawing from real-life cases and Ombudsman Ontario reports, members of the Ombudsman’s legal team will share best practices and recommendations to help you manage unreasonable public behaviour while ensuring compliance with Municipal Act open meeting obligations. This presentation is designed to be both informative and grounded in practical examples, offering lessons rooted in Ombudsman Ontario’s decades of experience receiving complaints about municipal issues.

  Presented by:
  Lauren Chee-Hing
  Counsel, Office of the Ombudsman of Ontario

  Anastasia Toma 
  Counsel, Office of the Ombudsman of Ontario

• 10:15am - What to Expect When You Don't Know What to Expect

  In this session, clerks from the Niagara region share their unique experiences with extraordinary circumstances and troubleshooting an unexpected council meeting. They’ll discuss how they handled a highly scrutinized situation, their approach to finding appropriate solutions, outcomes, and lessons learned. Learn from their experience on how to expect the unexpected and be ready to tackle any situation.

  Presented by:
  Margaret Corbett 
  Deputy Clerk, City of Niagara Falls
  
  Tara Stephens, Dipl.M.M.
  Director of Legislative Service/City Clerk, City of Welland

• 11:00am - Orientation That Works: Tools, Tactics & Timing for the New Council Term

  Every election ushers in a wave of change—new faces, shifting dynamics, and now, the evolving role of strong mayor powers. As the first point of contact for incoming councils, clerks play a pivotal role in shaping early impressions, building trust, and creating the structures that help elected officials succeed. This session will equip you with practical strategies to design impactful orientations, manage council-staff interactions, and balance the delicate timing of ‘need-to-know-now’ versus ‘good-to-know-later’.

  From bus tours and facility visits to toolkits and trust-building tips, come away with a concrete playbook to help your council hit the ground running. Join Rob Adams, a former mayor, warden, and current chief administrative officer, for an engaging and interactive session that will prepare you to navigate the months ahead with confidence and clarity.

  Presented by:
  Rob Adams
  Chief Administrative Officer, Town of Erin

• 12:00pm - Lunch Break
• 12:10pm - Clerk's Networking Session

  Taking place over lunch, this new networking session features four breakout rooms designed to support clerks in their evolving roles:

  • Professional Growth for New Clerks – Build your network and explore mentorship opportunities.
  • Effective Delegation – Learn how to empower your team and manage responsibilities with confidence.
  • Council Orientation – Prepare for transitions and set council up for success.
  • Effective Meetings – Master procedures, support chairs, and manage public participation.

  Together, these breakout rooms emphasize leadership development, practical skills, and knowledge-sharing to help clerks build capacity, foster strong relationships, and ensure effective governance.

• 12:50pm - Afternoon Moderator Introduction

  Madison Zuppa, CMO,  AOMC, Dipl.M.A.    
  Deputy City Clerk, City of Sault Ste. Marie
  AMCTO Director at Large

• 12:55pm - Lean in Municipalities: Driving Efficiency & Innovation in Local Government

  Explore how Lean methodology can empower municipal leaders to improve service delivery, reduce waste, and foster a culture of continuous improvement. This session will introduce the fundamentals of Lean, demonstrate how its principles can be applied in a local government context, and share real-world examples of successful Lean initiatives in municipalities. Understand what Lean is, how it works, and how it can be used to solve common challenges in public sector operations. Join us to learn practical tools for making your municipality more agile, efficient, and citizen-focused.

  Presented by:
  Rima Hasan
  Business Advisor, City of Mississauga

  Kenneth Leung 
  Manager, Lean and PMSO, City of Mississauga

• 2:00pm - Addressing Abusive Public Conduct

  Municipal officials and administrative staff face various forms of abuse from the public – from criminal behaviour to defamation to online harassment. What are these forms of activities, and why is it so hard to control public abuse at the local government level?

  In this session, we’ll dive into the current state of increasing public incivility at the local level and discuss the limitations that municipalities face in seeking to control inappropriate public conduct. How can we work together as a sector to better understand, prevent and deter these kinds of behaviours? Do public codes of conduct work? Join us for a timely discussion.

  Presented by:
  John Mascarin
  Partner, Aird & Berlis LLP

• 2:50pm - FOI Under Pressure: Practical Insights for Election-Year Transparency

  With municipal elections on the horizon, some municipalities may experience increased scrutiny and more politically sensitive freedom of information (FOI) requests. Whether driven by media, advocacy groups, or candidates, these requests can introduce added complexity to the FOI process and elevate public visibility.

  This panel brings together experienced municipal professionals and legal expertise to explore how access and privacy leads can prepare for and manage FOI pressures during an election year, with a focus on real-world strategies and recent developments.

  Presented by:
  Shaun McIver
  CEO, Vayle

  Margaret Corbett 
  Deputy Clerk, City of Niagara Falls

  Jason Reynar
  Partner, Lerners LLP

• 3:35pm - Closing Remarks & Adjournment

  David Arbuckle, MPA
  Executive Director, AMCTO