Effective council onboarding is more than a single orientation meeting; it is a phased governance program that requires early planning, strategic preparation, and the ability to pivot depending on election results and council dynamics. This workshop explores practical considerations and approaches for preparing and delivering council onboarding that balances legislative requirements, organizational capacity, and varying levels of council experience. Participants will consider how to plan and deliver a phased orientation program, set expectations that support positive council-staff relationships, and address common governance risks during council transitions. When election day has come and gone, the ability to pivot to meet the needs of your new council becomes just as important as the plan itself.
Learning Objectives
- Identify key elements of planning and delivering effective council orientation
- Discover new tools to build adaptable, phased council onboarding programs
- Develop strategies to clarify and reinforce the roles, decision-making authority, and procedural boundaries of council and staff.
- Understand how to set council expectations early, support positive council–staff relationships, and address conflict in ways that build trust and maintain effective governance.
- Identify and mitigate common governance risks during council transitions.
Speaker
Victoria Steele, Dipl.M.A.
Director of Legislative Services/Town Clerk, Town of Grimsby
With over a decade of municipal experience, Victoria works closely with senior leadership and elected officials to design effective orientation and training programs that establish and sustain strong council-staff relationships. Her background in strategic planning, communications, and customer experience informs an approach to council relations that emphasizes early expectation-setting, intentional planning, and the flexibility to adapt training to the unique needs of each council. Victoria earned her AMCTO Diploma in Municipal Administration (Dpl.M.A.) in 2018 and is a member of the AMCTO 2026 Municipal Elections Training Working Group.